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Issue 101 Issue

April newsletter 2016

Youth Culture A Brief History of fought criminals in the A Brief History of police, didn't approve of 's late thirties; criminals, Japanese, methods, but liked the results of Superman and Germans during World War II; Batman his nightly crime fighting. grew up an orphan. His criminals and Communist spies in Bruce Wayne grew up an orphan. Batman’s character has shifted home planet was destroyed the 1950s; and later added mad criminals shot his over time. He started with moral shortly after his scientist father scientists. His powers grew. In the parents dead after a family visit to weaknesses but the Jor-El rocketed him to Earth as a beginning he could leap tall the cinema. Wayne swore a Code of 1954 forced him to be newborn. The Kents, his adoptive buildings but he did not fly. vengence. As a young man, he upright. The television series of the family, raised him with a strong Originally he was faster than a embarked on an international late 1960s made him “camp.” He moral compass. As a young man he speeding bullet but he has since journey to gain the physical skills returned to his dark roots in comic found he had superpowers which overcome the speed of light. More he would need. He became a living books by 1986, but The Dark Knight he learned to use in “the never- powerful than a locomotive, he is weapon to fight crime and movie trilogy, begun in 2005, ending battle for truth and justice” now able to quash a nuclear bomb. injustice. Returning to Gotham, he deepened his moral darkness and using a secret identity. stalked street-thugs as a plain- The primary tension in a superman made it more widely known. clothes . plot was moral: he had to choose between saving the multitudes or One night a bat crashed through a saving , or between Wayne Manor window. Bruce took upholding good and foiling evil; it as a sign that he needed to strike but his main job, first and last, was fear in the hearts of his foes. He to save the innocent, even when it had an inspiration to adopt a meant letting the guilty get away secret identity. Batman was born (only for a while, usually). His real and soon sent shivers through heroic strength was that he was Gotham City's underworld. James morally unassailable. Gordon, the Gotham chief of Myth-matched Socks Batman v Superman grossed $420 million in its opening weekend – the fourth largest opening of all time. The critical reviews have panned it, giving it just a 29% approval rating.

Why They Fight Superman: Issue No.1 Batman Issue No. 1 Six Questions for Youth 1) How does Superman compare to Adolescent Boys Christ, and how does he not? Comic book heroes are aimed at an audience of adolescent boys. Boys 2) What is right about Batman’s fight. Who is tougher? They want worldview? What is wrong with it? to see a winner. My dog’s bigger If you have have seen the movie: than yours. Batman v Superman! 3) Is Batman justified in what he American sports formerly allowed actually does to Superman? Or has the gentlemanly outcome of a tie he simply become a criminal? or draw. Now, someone has to 4) Does Superman find a good way win. Adolescent culture rules. It is through his moral dilemma? Is he the new “truth, justice, and the still morally unassailable? American (adolescent) Way.” 5) On what basis is collateral Recently there was a damage justifiable? What does that story entitled, “Truth, Justice, and tell you about most action movies? the American way.” At the end of What about modern war? the story Supergirl says: “There’s 6) How would you answer Lex another way; there’s always You must actively destroy evil. Luthor’s ? Is God not all another way.” But as any true Truth and justice are objective; he Superman hopes for the best. powerful or not all good? adolescent boy would rejoin, is obliged by virtue to fight for Batmans vigilantly prepares for “Aaah, she’s a girl. Let ’em fight.” them. The right sentiments are the worst. Superman’s Loss of Power there but they aren’t the basis for Whose worldview is correct? Zack Snyder, the director of both Superman was the creation of judgment about what to do. two high school boys in 1935: Demi-god and Man Batman v Superman and the 2013 Batman operates out of a post- and . Superman is from another planet. movie, Superman: Man of , is modern worldview. Life and Lists of top comics normally He is a celestial being singular in the primary reason for the fight motives are complicated and have Superman as #1 and power, nearly omnipotent. between the superheroes. He set moral consistency is difficult. The Batman is not. He is a broken man, up the story with the 2013 movie. Batman as #2. human race is broken. His job is to who inhabits a broken universe, The collateral damage Superman deal with that fact and simply Worldviews in Conflict dresses in black, and operates caused led Batman to distrust his quash evil. His ends justify his There is a deeper reason for this from a cave. It is the White Knight former ally. Snyder remolded the means. fight. It is a battle of worldviews. vs. the Dark Knight, a benevolent Man of Steel. Superman has faith in humanity. It demi-god vs. a fallen man. Superman’s powers apparently do Superman operates from a can be elevated if you give it trust classical worldview of hope and and hope. Kindness works. Batman It is the material for what could not include stopping a director inspiration. He is an old-world man. lacks that faith. The world is fallen. have been a great movie. from destroying his character.