An Interrogation of Morality, Power and Plurality as Evidenced in Superhero Comic Books

166 Pages·2013·1.22 MB·English

by  Janique Klingelhoeffer

An Interrogation of Morality, Power and
Plurality as Evidenced in Superhero
Comic Books: A Postmodernist
Perspective.

By

Janique Herman

200702391

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science at
the University of Fort Hare.

Supervisor: Dr. Dianne Shober

East London, February 2013
Abstract

The desire for heroes is a global and cultural phenomenon that gives a view into

society’s very heart. There is no better example of this truism than that of the superhero.

Typically, Superheroes, with their affiliation to values and morality, and the notion of the

grand narratives, should not fit well into postmodernist theory. However, at the very core

of the superhero narrative is the ideal of an individual creating his/her own form of

morality, and thus dispensing justice as the individual sees fit in resistance to

metanarrative’s authoritarian and restrictive paradigms. This research will explore

Superhero comic books, films, videogames and the characters Superman, Spider-Man

and Batman through the postmodernist conceptions of power, plurality, and morality.

Keywords: Superhero, Comic Book, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Power,
Plurality, Morality.

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Declaration

I declare that this thesis is my own unaided work. It is submitted for the degree of

Masters of Comparative Literature and Philosophy at the University of Fort Hare. It has

not been submitted before for any other degree or examination at any other university.

_______________________________

Janique Herman

____________day of ______________, 2013.

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Dedication

This work is dedicated to my amazing husband, Nick Klingelhoeffer, and my terrific

family: Dagmar, Davryll, Patricia and Zahvick.

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Special Thanks

I need to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Dianne Shober who has given her

counsel and expertise in the completion of this project. I am grateful for all your

guidance and encouragement throughout this process.

I would like to thank my family, my Mom, Dagmar, my Dad, Davryll, my Oma,

Patricia and my brother, Zahvick, you have stood through my many moments of self-

doubt and have always encouraged me to persevere. I would like to thank my husband,

Nick Klingelhoeffer for all his support and love throughout the writing of this work. I want

to thank my four-legged friends, Rocky, Pebbles, Koda and Gimli. You have been my

constant companions through every page written and my confidants in moments of

despair.

I would like to thank the writers, pencilers, inkers and colourists, the producers

and editor-in-chiefs of Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Thank you for creating

characters and stories which have continued to inspire generation after generation.

Superman, Spider-Man and Batman have forever changed the world with their internal

fight for truth and justice.

I would like to recognize and give thanks for the financial support of the

University of Fort Hare for fee waivers and funding through the Govan Mbeki Research

and Development Centre which has allowed for this research to happen and for me to

attend a conference.

Sincerely,

Janique Herman

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Contents

Abstract 2
Declaration 3
Dedication 4
Special Thanks 5
Table of Contents 6
List of Illustrations 8
Introduction 9
Chapter 1: A Brief History of the American Superhero Comic Book 21

1.1. The Golden Age of Comic Books 23
1.2. The Silver Age of Comic Books 30
1.3. The Bronze Age of Comic Books 35
1.4. The Modern Age of Comic Books 38

Chapter 2: Postmodern Theoretical Framework 43

2.1. Power 48
2.2. Plurality 52
2.3. Morality 57

Chapter 3: Superman 65

3.1. Power 69
3.2. Plurality 77
3.3. Morality 84

Chapter 4: Spider-Man 89

4.1. Power 92
4.2. Plurality 95

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4.3. Morality

Chapter 5: Batman

102

105

5.1. Power 110
5.2. Plurality 114
5.3. Morality 126

Conclusion 137
Illustrations 145
Works Cited 151

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List of Illustrations

1. Superman 145
2. Bizarro Superman 146
3. Spider-Man versus Venom 147
4. The Dark Knight 148
5. The Duality of Man 149
6. The Duality of Man – Part 2 150

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Introduction

Throughout the comic book universe, battles rage between good and evil, and the

eternal question of ‘doing the right thing’ is always present. Superheroes are left to

make their own decision of what is right and what is wrong based on their own moral

code. As such, selected comic books, largely from the comic book publishers DC

Comics and Marvel Comics, will be used in this investigation of this ever-present theme

as evidenced in the actions and attitudes of such Superheroes as Superman, Spider-

Man and Batman.

All Superheroes are essentially saviour figures, and unlike religious saviours,

Superheroes offer salvation as a “tangible, unambiguous event” (Knowles 111). These

individuals exist to save people from physical dangers as opposed to spiritual ones; in

this lies their enduring appeal. Stories of these saviours’ exploits satisfy humanity’s

deep-seated longing for safety and security.

These storylines of the battle between good and evil feed off the ideal that as

long as there are individuals willing to commit acts of evil, there will always be saviour

figures willing to stand against these evils, those who use god-like strength, speed and

agility to accomplish their task of redemption. However, their power and their choice in

how they use this power often goes against what some might consider moral. As a

result, Superheroes become vigilantes, exhibiting morally defiant and uncontrollable

behaviour as they battle to save humanity.

The desire for heroes is a global phenomenon that gives a view into society’s very

heart. Certainly Matthew Costello would agree about the validity of the Superhero comic

book in viewing society, stating that it is: “an avenue through which one can access the

core values of a society, the ideas that give that society an identity, and the ‘other’ that

society fears” (15). There is no better example of this truism than that of the superhero.

The superhero was introduced into an American society that was on the brink of World

War II, and that desperately needed someone with the strength and power who could

save them from evil. Superheroes represent an expression of society and as the society

has changed since 1938, so too has its comic book superheroes, thus giving its readers

a unique way of dealing with the psychological challenges present in a postmodernist

society.

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Every society in history has sought or created a hero who would fulfil their needs;

this is seen from the ancient Greek myth of Hercules, to the legends of King Arthur, to

the ancient tales of Beowulf and Gilgamesh. Whilst the idea and need for a hero is not

new, the prevalence of a masked hero is. The pulps of the 1800s and early 1900s

where filled with heroes who wore a disguise whilst battling evil. At the turn of the

twentieth century, pulp magazines were beginning to replace dime novels as a form of

cheap entertainment for the middle class and lower educated class. Randy Duncan and

Matthew J. Smith note that “beneath their often lurid covers, pulp magazines contained

rough-edged wood-pulp pages filled with crude but powerful storytelling” (27). One such

example is The Scarlet Pimpernel published in 1903. The popularity of the pulps gave

rise to the comic strip in the 1930s, and thus to the first comic book, Action Comics #1,

and the introduction of the first superhero, Superman.

Culture differs across the globe, and with it, so does our societies; however, no

matter the cultural background, what is certain is the need for a hero. The desire for

superheroes is a cultural phenomenon which presents a vision of the heart of society,

even, on occasion, giving the audience an understanding of history through narrative.

Chris Murray believes that one of the reasons that Superheroes have such strong

bonds with culture and politics, and to issues of legitimacy and power is because of

relationship between ideology and myth which can be found within the Superhero

narrative (145). Humans have always needed heroes, whether real or imagined, to not

only model behaviour, but also inspire hope. Whether Paul Bunyan of the United States

of America, Bharatavarsha of Hindu mythology, or Beowulf of the Old English historic

poem, almost all cultures have a hero myth; what is similar among them all is that they

are both structurally and culturally alike (Campbell and Moyers 166). The superhero

myth is no different.

The superhero model is the culmination of centuries of storytelling, history, and

heroism (Garrett 10). Furthermore, it is the culmination of tradition and religion that

marries popular culture to the hero myth, allowing the superhero myth to act as a means

of transferring myth to people for the past century. The narratives of various

superheroes have permeated into the Global sub-conscious. Even without having ever

picked up a comic book, many people have been exposed to and are aware of most

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