Comic Book Character: Unleashing The Hero In Us All

by David A. Zimmerman

Power and responsibility. Truth and justice. Never-ending vigilance against the doers of evil. These themes permeate comic book superhero stories in print, on movie and television screens, and throughout popular culture. With classic characters being reconceptualized for emerging generations, superheroes have returned to the public eye and are enjoying new heights of popularity. What draws countless fans to these heroic figures? What do superheroes symbolize and mean for our human experience? And are there religious or spiritual reasons for the revival of interest in them? Astute cultural critic and self-avowed comic book fanboy David Zimmerman turns a thoughtful eye to the world of costumed heroes and villains, showing how these iconic tales of good versus evil tap into universal human yearnings for justice and righteousness. Exploring the complex personas of characters like Superman and Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men, Zimmerman unveils their cultural significance as models of moral character, virtue and heroism. Ultimately, placing comic book stories in dialogue with the Christian story sheds light on who we are, what we value and how we live. Comic Book Character calls true believers everywhere to integrity, mission and transformation. Come discover what it means to be a hero!

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[David Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this.

[Daryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Based on the title and cover, I thought this book might be about characters in comic books. No, it's about developing one's own character through experience of reading comics. Sort of. Mostly it's another boring recitation of the morals of Christianity, with the added twist of how comic books can contribute to that. As someone whose moral character was greatly influenced by reading comic books as a youngster, I found the connection between comics and the Bible presented here tenuous at best. And Zimmerman's knowledge of comics and comic book characters (at least as much as he presents it in the book) is superficial. (Most of the references to Daredevil, for example, are about the really awful Ben Affleck film version.) Not recommended for comic book fans.

[Cecille · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars, actually