"The Myth of the American Superhero" by John Shelton Lawrence and Robert Jewett is an ambitious if somehwat turgid history of American pop culture's celebration of the superhero. The authors assess the societal implications of exposure to repetitive presentations of anti-democratic pop heroes and heroines, demonstrating how American life has come to imitate art on numerous occassions. Packed with engaging content and providing numerous insights, this interesting book highlights the often detrimental role that entertainment media plays in shaping public opinion and challenges us to demand entertainments that might help to bring us together rather than drive us apart.
Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Jewett contend that America's unique conception of the hero is rooted in Columbus' discovery of Eden and the belief that Westerners must rescue the continent for the sake of progress and destiny. The authors discuss how the mythical template of a lonely and sexless but heroic individual who selflessly rescues terrorized communities was developed, tracing themes of oppression and heroic liberation back to the Indian captivity narratives of the 1600s, the Western-themed dime novels of the 1860s, the superhero comics of the 1930s, and many movies beginning with "The Birth of a Nation" of 1915 to today. The authors recount the Wild West shows of "Buffalo Bill" Cody and the Swiss character "Heidi" to explain how heroic characterizations became defined along gender lines.
Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Jewett describe how male redemptive powers have steadily grown from the small-town heroics of John Wayne to the interplanetary adventures of Luke Skywalker. The authors contend that these escapist fantasies may have particular appeal to men who have become alienated from women and government, citing the media heroes of various domestic terrorists who have justified their atrocities in the name of purging the world of evil. Without condemning any particular video game, novel or film for their role in inspiring such actions, the authors succeed in making us think about what might be the cumulative effect on attitudes and behaviors when people are exposed to these kinds of materials over long periods of time.
Interestingly, Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Jewett suggest that superheroism and idol worship help to fill a spiritual void in an increasingly secular society. The authors examine the mystical overtones of "The Matrix", the New Age spirituality of the TV series "Touched by an Angel", the Christian conservatism of the "Left Behind" series and other works to discuss how 'credotainment' has emerged as a new form of entertainment. And of course, the fans of "Star Trek" help to illustrate how the icons of pop culture have become the objects of reverence in our modern times.
The writing is at times a bit stilted in that the authors seem compelled to conclude each major section or chapter of the book with their thoughts about democracy, but the authors deserve credit for the effort. Suggesting that the moralized depiction of mass violence in disaster movies such as "Volcano" departs from the reality of the community's heroic response to the 9/11 attacks, the authors believe that the "Sims" series of video games offers us a vision of how entertainment can be structured in a way that encourages participation, creativity and thought in a way that is more closely aligned with our democratic ideals and realities.
I highly recommend this book to everyone interested in media studies and democracy.
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