Dimensions
152 x 230 x 19mm
With its roots in ancient mythologies and modern obsessions, the idea of the superhero is one that permeates our entertainment as well as our daily lives. The superhero adventure story - in comics, film or on TV - is the vehicle for our own modern mythology.
'Superman On The Couch' examines how the key superhero archetypes - Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, The X-Men - touch primal needs and experiences in Western culture. There is much about the superhero that transcends its four-colour origins.
The book will explore topics such as:
- Why are so many of the superhero myths tied up with loss, often violent, of parents or parental figures?
- What is the significance of the dual identity?
- What makes some superhuman figures "good" and others "evil"?
- Why are so many of the prime superheroes white and male?
- How has the superhero evolved over the course of the 20th and early 21st centuries?
All these topics, and more, are covered in this lively and original exploration of the reasons why the superhero, in whatever medium, is such a potent myth for our times and culture.
