Etcetera #3: What Comic Book Superheroes Tell Us About Ourselves

Thanks, Karl Meszaros, expert on "everything that could stop you from getting a date," for joining us for this podcast's discussion of comic book superheroes heroism, and the impact is has in both society and individuals. In this episode, we look at several different aspects of this cultural phenomenon:

• the rise of the superhero genre
• the changing nature of what is considered heroic (how did we get from Superman to Deadpool?)
• the reflection of and impact on readers and viewers
• the benefits and pitfalls that this type of storytelling has to offer

You can link to the podcast on Soundcloud here; you are also welcome to join a post-podcast discussion on our Facebook page. Meanwhile, here is a list of related articles that you may find helpful.

• Superheroes and American Politics
• How Superman Defeated The Ku Klux Klan
• The Psychology of Comic Books: Why We Worship Superheroes
• Modern Mythology: What Superheroes Can Show Us AboutHumanity
• Review of Supermanon the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society
• Why Hollywood CopsAren’t Heroes Anymore
• What Does The FirstMovie Action Hero Say About The Movies Of Today? 
• Our Heroes,Ourselves
• Why Heroes Are Important. 
• We’re Holding OutFor A New Hero: How Heroes And Villains Are Evolving.
• At The Movies,Isolated Heroes Tell Us We’re On Our Own. 

In an act of bald self-promotion, here are links to some of my reviews, which include occasional guests appearances by both Beth and Karl (whose perspective influenced probably all of these reviews):

• Wonder Woman: The Hero We Need
• The Wolverine: Of Dark Roads, Monsters, And Men
• Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice
• Batman: The Killing Joke
• Age Of Ultron: Human Visions, Second Chances, And Filled Gaps
• Captain America: Civil War
• Guardians Of The Galaxy 2
• Logan