Since the beginning of time, people have looked above and around them for strength and protection. Humans are invariably a little on the weak side and feel vulnerable in many situations. It is during these moments of weakness that most people bolster themselves with imagination and fantasy. Long ago, the Greeks had an entire cast and crew of gods and goddesses. These patrons of humankind filled the skies and wandered the earth, representing both the best in us and the worst in us.
As time passed and technology gave (more…)
August 30, 2011
Like Us, Only Better: Superheroes and Greek Gods
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August 16, 2011
The Gods-Shaped Hole Comic Books Fill
Some years ago, somebody set out to discover who the most recognizable figure in the world was. They expected it would be Jesus Christ. They were wrong.
The individual recognized by the most people on the planet, including barely-contacted tribes: Superman.
Humans have a deep psychological need for gods and heroes. In a world where the three big monotheisms hold much power, fictional figures come to fill that need. The superhero is an archetype not so very different from David or Gilgamesh, and the modern superhero is even more (more…)
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