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A study of the history of how Superman came to be identified with Jesus Christ. / This thesis examines the historical trajectory of how the comic book character of Superman came to be identified as a Christ figure in popular consciousness. Superman was created in 1938, but the character developed significantly from his earliest incarnations. This thesis argues that the connections between Superman and Jesus were not integral to the character as he was originally created, but were imposed by later writers over time and mainly for cinematic adaptations. There is a notable difference between how Superman is portrayed in the comics and the films because the films are aimed at a broader audience and have different marketing aims. Superman turned into a Christ figure for financial reasons in many ways. This thesis also tracks the history of how Christians and churches viewed Superman, as the film studios began to exploit marketing opportunities by comparing Superman and Jesus. This thesis uses the methodological framework of intertextuality to ground its treatment of the sources, but does not follow all of the assumptions of intertextual theorists because discussions of authorial intention are necessary for the narrative that this thesis pursues. The connection between Superman and Jesus was not inevitable and cannot be seen wholly as a byproduct of the changes in the surrounding American culture because this connection was a product of specific artistic decisions by particular creators—who were not necessarily Christians themselves. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA) / This thesis examines the historical trajectory of how the comic book character of Superman came to be identified as a Christ figure in popular consciousness. It argues that this connection was not integral to the character as he was originally created, but was imposed by later writers over time and mainly for cinematic adaptations. This thesis also tracks the history of how Christians and churches viewed Superman, as the film studios began to exploit marketing opportunities by comparing Superman and Jesus. This thesis uses the methodological framework of intertextuality to ground its treatment of the sources, but does not follow all of the assumptions of intertextual theorists.

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Reflecting the masculine ethos of the larger comic book industry, superhero comics continue to be male-dominated spaces. Within comic studies, superhero scholars problematically normalize this androcentrism by reiterating the genre’s masculinist rhetoric, repeatedly positioning superheroes as stoic figures of whiteness, nationhood, heteronormativity and able-bodied masculinity. Although some intervention has been made to challenge these interpretations, scholars fail to acknowledge how transgender and/or transsexual readers evaluate comic heroes. This thesis provides one such intervention into the field, specifically focusing on the last son of Krypton, Superman. Drawing together the work of trans, queer, feminist, psychoanalytic, and monster theorists, my research attempts to “trans” Superman; thus, (re)reading the Man of Steel in a way that distinctly reflects the experiences of those who are denied access to the figure via their/our own gender “transgressions”. By interpolating transsexuality into the Superman narrative, I rewrite the figure’s place within the genre’s cis-sexist, masculinist history and while doing so, (re)position him as a more suitable hero for the trans community. / Thesis (Master, Gender Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-12-05 10:35:05.511

Superhjältar har länge varit sinnebilden för hegemonisk maskulinitet, det manliga idealet, i den västerländska populärkulturen, vilket gör det svårt för kvinnor att ta sig in på området. Många kvinnliga hjältar som har försökt tillägna sig traditionellt maskulina karaktärsdrag har fått betala genom att istället bli sexualiserade. Det postfeministiska synsättet menar dock att kvinnliga hjältar kan få vara sexiga och bära traditionellt feminina markörer som smink och höga klackar om det är på deras egna villkor och om de samtidigt är tuffa och går sin egen väg. Tv-serien Supergirl har feministiska mål och producenterna säger sig ha skapat en kvinnlig hjälte som behandlas likadant som sina manliga motsvarigheter. Då karaktären Superman, som har samma krafter som Supergirl, förekommer i samma tv-serie ger det möjligheten att kunna jämföra de två karaktärerna på lika villkor. Genom att analysera narrativ och konstruktion har vi undersökt vilka skillnader som finns. Vi har även undersökt om, och i så fall hur, karaktären Supergirl tillägnar sig traditionellt maskulina drag. Resultaten visade att Supergirl, istället för att sexualiseras, framställdes som en ung och osäker flicka trots att hon är en vuxen kvinna. Det visade sig också vara tveksamt om Supergirl passar in på definitionen av en hjälte eftersom hon inte har de tuffa drag som hjältar traditionellt har. Hennes osäkerhet och brist på initiativförmåga är också det som gör att hon inte passar in på definitionen av den postfeministiska superhjälten. Narrativet i tv-serien placerade Supergirl i underläge från början genom att skicka henne till jorden långt senare än sin kusin. Både samhällsmedborgarna i tv-serien och Supergirl själv placerar Superman på en tron, medan hon själv oftast blir bemött som en ung flicka. Även kameravinklar och klippning hjälper till att förstärka denna bild. Vår slutsats blir att karaktären Supergirl inte hjälper den kvinnliga superhjälten att bryta ny mark. Hon har superkrafter, men hennes traditionellt feminina drag försvagar henne och hon framstår inte som intelligent eller som en ledare.

George Bernard Shaw exercised an above-average level of authorial control, which even extended to his relationship with his biographers. Shaw crafts a persona, with the help of his "authorized" biographer Archibald Henderson, which displays a process of evolutionary development and progress along the lines of the Shavian philosophy of the Life Force and the Superman. In essence, Shaw is casting himself as a prototype for the Superman through the autobiographical manipulation of his biographers and aesthetic modes of self-fashioning.

Although immensely popular with American boys upon his debut in 1938, Superman has gradually lost relevance with the postmodern generation. DC Comics has rewritten the character numerous times in an attempt to regain lost popularity, but the problem lies in an aspect of his character they refuse to alter – his invulnerability. Superman’s invulnerable body was engineered to quell the fears America harbored towards technological progress, but his impervious physique now renders him obsolete. Boys in postmodern America, under the influence of post-Enlightenment body values, now connect with vulnerable comic book heroes whose bodies more closely match their own. This paper examines the sociological reasons for the shift in Superman’s popularity by comparing the body values of 1938 with those of today, and concludes that while Superman might have succeeded as a modern hero, he fails as a postmodern one.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia State University, 2007. / Title from file title page. Chris Kocela, committee chair; Paul Schmidt, Michael Galchinsky, committee members. Electronic text (95 p. : ill. 9some col.)) : digital, PDF file. Description based on contents viewed Nov. 16, 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 78-81).

Thesis (M.A.)--Bowling Green State University, 2009. / Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 103 p. : col. ill. Includes bibliographical references.

Submitted by Viviane Lima da Cunha (viviane@biblioteca.ufpb.br) on 2016-08-19T11:53:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 495282 bytes, checksum: b35197ec65eb2d01aa66ff5e90b80df2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-19T11:53:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 495282 bytes, checksum: b35197ec65eb2d01aa66ff5e90b80df2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-07-06 / In the presented dissertation is approached the Niilism theme on Nietzsche’s thought, including its overcoming matter. Firstly, to deal how to know what could be the historical influences that could Nietzsche had suffered in order to understand his own speech about the theme. To deal then the main concepts related to the Niilism theme, which highlights “The Death of God” and its relation to modernity, the meaning of the event in direction to the Niilism overcoming. Facing the polemic related to the fact of considering or not the Nietzscheism overcoming of Niilism opted to investigate what Nietzsche described as world’s adjustment attempts without need of god. These attempts would be always useless and sabotaged, including to all modernity, period that would however, the moment of the most effective rupture relating to old ideals. To give an account the investigation of possibilities and effectuation of superman, the one who would be the bearer of the new way of living and thinking. / A presente dissertação pretende abordar o tema do niilismo no pensamento de Nietzsche e mais precisamente a questão da superação frente ao problema. O nosso intuito também foi o de saber se o próprio filósofo conseguiu tal proeza. Primeiramente nos interessamos em saber quais teriam sido as influências históricas que o filósofo teria sofrido para então a partir delas empreender o seu próprio discurso. Posteriormente tratamos dos conceitos importantes referentes ao tema, como por exemplo, a morte de Deus. A morte de Deus é considerada pelo filósofo, na modernidade, o acontecimento primeiro em direção a superação,mas entende que tal acontecimento embora seja condição necessária, não é condição suficiente. Por não ser condição suficiente investigamos também o que ele caracterizou como sendo tentativas de adaptação ao mundo sem Deus. Essas tentativas teriam sido sempre fracassadas e sabotadas, inclusive por toda a modernidade, período que deveria no entanto, ser o momento de uma ruptura mais efetiva em relação aos antigos ideais. Por fim, investigamos a questão da superação ou não do próprio filósofo assim como da efetivação do Super-homem, aquele que seria o porta bandeira de uma nova forma de viver e de pensar.