BATMAN: a HERO UNMASKED Narrative Analysis of a Superhero Tale
BATMAN: A HERO UNMASKED Narrative Analysis of a Superhero Tale BY KELLY A. BERG NELLIS Dr. William Deering, Chairman Dr. Leslie Midkiff-DeBauche Dr. Mark Tolstedt A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Communication UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN Stevens Point, Wisconsin August 1995 FORMC Report of Thesis Proposal Review Colleen A. Berg Nellis The Advisory Committee has reviewed the thesis proposal of the above named student. It is the committee's recommendation: X A) That the proposal be approved and that the thesis be completed as proposed, subject to the following understandings: B) That the proposal be resubmitted when the following deficiencies have been incorporated into a revision: Advisory Committee: Date: .::!°®E: \ ~jjj_s ~~~~------Advisor ~-.... ~·,i._,__,.\...,,_ .,;,,,,,/-~-v ok. ABSTRACT Comics are an integral aspect of America's development and culture. The comics have chronicled historical milestones, determined fashion and shaped the way society viewed events and issues. They also offered entertainment and escape. The comics were particularly effective in providing heroes for Americans of all ages. One of those heroes -- or more accurately, superheroes -- is the Batman. A crime-fighting, masked avenger, the Batman was one of few comic characters that survived more than a half-century of changes in the country. Unlike his counterpart and rival -- Superman -- the Batman's popularity has been attributed to his embodiment of human qualities. Thus, as a hero, the Batman says something about the culture for which he is an ideal. The character's longevity and the alterations he endured offer a glimpse into the society that invoked the transformations.
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