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'An aphorism, properly stamped and molded, has not been "deciphered" when it has simply been read; rather one has then to begin its interpretation, for which is required an art of interpretation.' -- Nietzsche, 'On the Genealogy of Morals'

comics and superheroes « Previous | |Next »
January 15, 2009

Henry Jenkins interviews Angela Ndalianis, whose her first book, Neo-Baroque Aesthetics and Contemporary Entertainment, covered Baroque art and architecture, special effects, science fiction, comics, and amusement parks. Ndalianis, who is Head of Screen Studies at Melbourne University, argued in that text that:

entertainment forms such as computer games, comic books, theme parks, and television shows have become complexly interwoven, reflecting the interests of multinational conglomerates that have investments in numerous media companies. One media form serially extends its own narrative spaces and spectacles and those of other media as well. Narrative spaces weave and extend into and from one another, so much so that, at times, it is difficult to discuss one form of popular culture without referring to another.

For instance, not only did the blockbuster Alien films, which were produced by Twentieth Century Fox, inspire its own film sequels, but the movie’s stories also migrated into comic-book and computer game formats. As examples of the sequel phenomenon that marks mainstream cinema, the Alien films signal a shift away from a centralized or closed narrative that progresses toward resolution and closure.

In response to Jenkin's question on why the superhero has been such a persistent figure across the history of 20th century popular culture she says:

On a basic level, they're exploits, dramas, relationships, stories and fashion sense are just great fun and the comic books invite repeat performances on the part of the reader. On a more serious level, like the cowboys of the western superheroes have embodied ethical codes and moral structures that society needs to embrace in order to survive. Despite their excess and hyper-humanity, they've always represented the voice or, more precisely, the various voices of the people, reflecting the social dilemmas and belief systems of their time. Even when the superheroes became darker in the late 80s, propelled by writers like Frank Miller and Alan Moore, they still reflected abstract moral crises of their era. Significantly, individual superheroes have consistently reflected the changing times that they belong to, learning to adapt to each decade that passes and the cultural changes that come with the passing of time. The Spider-Man of the 1960s, for example, is not the same Spider-Man of the 2000s - they're identities that are the product of different societies at different times that have reached different audiences. The superheroes who have survived across each shifting decade have been able to adapt their form, and connected to this is the superhero's capacity to translate and cross over into other media. This has been a huge plus in extending and familiarising audiences with the superhero stories. The Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Catwoman, the Hulk, Elektra - while originating in the comic book format, have also migrated media to appear in radio, television, B-film serials, blockbuster films, novels and computer games.

She points out that the birth of Superman was very much a product of a culture that nurtured the view that utopia was becoming an achievable reality in the not too distant future. Superman was a character from a science fiction reality, and the product of a technologically advanced society as represented in his home planet of Krypton. His arrival on Earth was very much presented as the arrival of a god-like being who offered humanity its own utopian potential. The new figure of the superhero was clearly seen as playing an important role in envision a future, utopian America.

| Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at 7:57 AM |