Do the Gods Wear Capes?: Spirituality, Fantasy, and Superheroes

by Ben Saunders, Emma Mason (Series Editor), Mark Knight (Series Editor)

Brash, bold, and sometimes brutal, superheroes might seem to epitomize modern pop-culture at its most melodramatic and mindless. But according to Ben Saunders, the appeal of the superhero is fundamentally metaphysical - even spiritual - in nature. In chapter-length analyses of the early comic book adventures of Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and Iron-Man, Saunders explores a number of complex philosophical and theological issues, the problem of evil; the will-to-power; the tension between intimacy and vulnerability; and the challenge of love, in the face of mortality. He concludes that comic book fantasies of the superhuman ironically reveal more than we might care to admit about our human limitations, even as they expose the falsehood of the characteristically modern opposition between religion and science. Clearly and passionately written, this insightful and at times exhilarating book should delight all readers who believe in the redemptive capacity of the imagination, regardless of whether they consider themselves comic book fans.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels, History, Comic Book

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 12, 2011

Reviews

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting exploration of what our view of SUPERhumans indicates about our desires as just plain humans. Really interesting conversations around several superheroes and the theories that can be used to explore both our humanity and their EXTRA-humanity. I thought the introduction was the best part of the book, incidentally.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admittedly, when I first purchased Saunders' book, I thought perhaps I'd find a collection of essays examining the deific or mythological connections existing within out modern superhero folklore. Saunders quickly puts this type of examination aside immediately in the introduction and instead examines four characters-- Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Iron Man-- through the lenses of theology and philosophy to examine the spiritual nature of fantasy and superheroes. The philosophic arguments Saunders uses are deeply anchored to Judeo-Christian theology, which serves to connect these characters to a specific type of Western theology. Additionally, each chapter feels like the arguments could be developed just a bit further to provide them with a more finessed closure. Overall, this book is a fine example of superheroes studies and demonstrates the interdiscipline nature of the study.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really interested in this book after watching the documentary Superheroes: Decoded because the author was one of the experts interviewed. However, this book was just disappointing. Mind you, if you have having sleep issues I would certainly recommend picking this up because it just reads in such a boring manner and is far too academic. But not an interesting academic book like many that I have read and he seems to almost babble as he is writing.

It was just an unfortunate book that I was bored reading and switched to skimming. Not really worth the time.

[SJ Shoemaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do the Gods Wear Capes? is skillfully written.
Ben Saunders does an exemplary job of analyzing graphic novels and comic books, uplifting them from being perceived as a children's medium to a one of literary worth. Saunders provides a detailed inquiry into the history, themes, and philosophy of some of the biggest characters/superheroes in the industry, laying out a strong justification for these characters' seats in any literary discussion.
The connection between the superhero fantasy and spirituality is strained at times, but it's an enjoyable read nonetheless.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really admired the books sophisticated formal & philosophical readings of superheroes, how it considered the relation of reason & desire, C1 on Superman that may be the best account of the figure, C2 on the role of feminism & submission in Wonder Woman (I was lucky to see Saunders give a presentation on that chapter years back at Emerald City), & its gestures toward discussing superheroes as popular modernist figures, but I was less enamored by its underdeveloped & fraught anti-modern, anti-secular, & anti-evaluative gestures in the coda & appendix

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I get behind all of Saunders' theories, but I enjoyed reading his take on several comics, including Wonder Woman and Iron Man. I will admit, however, that this book had a much larger focus on sex in several of its chapters than I had expected from its title. Nonetheless, this was an interesting read, even if some elements of it were somewhat unexpected and made me wonder "Where the heck did that come from?"

[Benedict · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book I wish I like to think I’d have written myself if I’d stayed in academics. Really readable, well researched, and smart in zeroing in on significant connections. I recommend this heartily to all my nerdy friends who wonder what a superhero story is these days, anyway.

[Whitney Borup · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked his perspective on Wonder Woman. It falls in line with a lot of the things I've been writing about, without stepping on my academic toes! (or...he was first. I guess I'd be stepping on his toes.) And I really liked this appendix about why superheroes studies are denigrated in a broader comics studies field.... UNTIL he had one paragraph about how LADY things (soap operas, romances, etc) are seen as academically interesting and worthy of study, and this somehow makes it so MAN things (violence, video games) get less attention. I have yet to study as a university where they offer classes on soap operas and romance. I HAVE, however, been at a university with classes on Kurosawa, Monty Python, Science Fiction, Comics, Violence and the Abject, Superheroes, Video Game Narratives, Digital Culture, etc. etc. etc. So I'm calling complete bullshit on that point. And coming at the end of a smart, detailed study, it left a really bad taste in my mouth. He's trying to dissolve these academic hierarchies, so pitting gendered genres against each other seems not only beside the point, but also completely antithetical.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are moments when this book is fantastic and also moments when I thought it was a little too intellectual for my taste. In a nutshell the book is an examination of our fascination with comic book heroes and the author shares some interesting ideas. The chapter about spider man was a real stand-out chapter. I could recommend this book for this chapter alone (Warning: you may also, as I do, develop a crush on spider-man). The other chapters (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Iron Man) had compelling moments too…but I think I groaned out loud a few times too.

[Shaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is probably not a book for someone not interested in academic-style close reading. But if grappling with the larger meanings in superhero comics is your thing, this is one of the few books out there at this point. And, dare I say it, a good one. While he does a good job of avoiding egregious examples of inscrutable academic language, Ben pulls no punches in terms of deep critical analysis of his chosen texts.

[Shilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an engaging read, especially for someone who, up until recently, had never read a superhero comic before. I was captivated by the literary conversations that were discussed in this imaginative discussion of the superhero comic book world, and what the implications of these artworks have on a large social, political, and theological scale.

[Misha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd rate this a 4.5, so I'll round off to 5.