The Origins of Humanity’s Superheroes + A Softer World Comic June 9, 2008
Posted by symbolicgodzilla in entertainment, heroes, webcomics.Tags: a softer world, batman, bejamin franklin, ben franklin, comic, comics, criticisim, cultural artifacts, culture, entertainment, heroes, joseph campbell, luke skywalker, oedipus, oedipus rex, star wars, theseus, web comic, webcomic
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Horne and Comeau’s A Softer World photo-comic recently posted a strip involving the origins of our heroes (click on the image to enlarge):
According to Joseph Campbell and other social anthropologists, the heroes of a culture often reflect the values of a culture. Yet so often our heroes, even as far back as ancient Greece, reflect the orphaning expressed in this strip: Batman, Theseus, Luke Skywalker, even Oedipus Rex. Why is it that humanity requires its heroes to be separated so violently from the family unit? Is it a flaw in the species, a need for adversity, or something deeper? Even Ben Franklin, famed American cultural icon, has separation from his family as an integral part of his “myth.”
The Manifest June 6, 2008
Posted by symbolicgodzilla in first post.Tags: cultural artifacts, Dude, joke, shakespeare, Where's My Car?
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So every blog needs a first post. I’ve decided to make my first post to be purposely less than stellar to get it out of the way. The purpose of this blog is to analyze, criticize, and idealize mass culture to see how various social strata show up in pop culture artifacts. In other words, I’m going to dissect the movie Dude, Where’s My Car? the way that your English professor did Shakespeare.
I’ll also post links that catch my eye if they relate to pop culture, cultural criticism, or make fun of such things.
And now for a tired and overused joke -
First post!
