Superhero Social

Superheroes, Movies, and the State sets a new standard for exploring the government-Hollywood relationship as it persuasively documents the critical role different government agencies have played in shaping characters, stories, and even the ideas behind the hottest entertainment products.

Why do superheroes choose to be superheroes? Where does Spider-Man's altruism come from, and what does it mean? Why is there so much prejudice against the X-Men, and how could they have responded to it, other than the way they did? Why are super-villains so aggressive? The Psychology of Superheroes answers these questions in a wide range of essays on topics from Aquaman to Arkham Asylum - exploring the inner workings our heroes usually only share with their therapists.

Could Superman sue if someone exposed his identity as Clark Kent? Is a life sentence for an immortal like Apocalypse "cruel and unusual punishment"? Is X-ray vision a violation of search and seizure laws? Is the Joker legally insane? And who foots the bill when a hero destroys a skyscraper or two while defending Metropolis? Fear not, gentle listener! The answers to these questions and a multitude more are contained inside this audiobook.

Why are so many of the superhero myths tied up with loss, often violent, of parents or parental figures? What is the significance of the dual identity? What makes some superhuman figures “good” and others “evil”? Why are so many of the prime superheroes white and male? How has the superhero evolved over the course of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries? All these topics, and more, are covered in this lively and original exploration of the reasons why the superhero—in comic books, films, and TV—is such a potent myth for our times and culture.

The Superhero Syndrome. There’s a lot to be said about this subject. Males of all ages love to be praised for our work and our efforts… for our contributions and sacrifices. We want to be honored, respected, admired, loved, and needed. Put respect on our name! Every male fantasizes about being a Superhero at some point in our lives. But sometimes along the way that dream can get lost. It can get buried under a mountain of disappointment, apparent failures, and discouragement. We can get overwhelmed, withdraw, and become outright disinterested and resentful.

A little girl whose mother has Multiple Sclerosis discovers that some superheroes are fighting invisible battles. With the help of her cat and some X-ray glasses, she learns just how strong her mom is and how she can help her. Darcie Naslund has been fighting MS, a rollercoaster of a battle for many years. Finally, she decided to write this story to explain her invisible owies to her children. She fights for herself, but also for her family. This touching picture book explores the love of a mother and daughter who, together, can do (almost) anything.

Stan Button had always dreamed of becoming a superhero. Then one day a letter arrives inviting him for an interview at the mysterious Mighty High School. To his amazement, Stan is offered a place - starting immediately. His superpower is ‘non-conventional’, as are those of his two new best friends, but lessons in supervillain-spotting and tight-wearing mean they are soon ready to defeat the evil Green Meanie, who might just be none other than a teacher at their school....

Mouse is desperate to be a superhero. To find that power that will make him stand out in the crowd. But his every attempt ends in failure. He can't even get any attention at home, as his five brothers (triplets and twins) take every second of Mum and Dad's attention. When Mum foils a bank robbery while on duty as a lollipop lady, she and Mouse are lauded as superheroes. Joining forces with Mouse are The Z List - a group of unlikely crime fighters. But in their midst is a traitor hell-bent on revenge.

Enter our heroes. Dark Guardian chases off an angry drug dealer in Manhattan. Mr. Xtreme charges in and breaks up a San Diego bar brawl. T. O. Ronin hugs a homeless man on the snowy streets of Toronto. These aren't the big-screen or comic-book heroes that have been increasingly dominating pop culture. They're real-life superheroes: individuals who take on masked personae to fight crime and help the helpless. They don't have superpowers, but they do try to make the world a better place.

For more than 75 years, Catwoman has forged her own path in a clear-cut world of stalwart heroes, diabolical villains, and damsels in distress. Her relentless independence across comic books, television, and film set her apart from the rest of the superhero world. When female-led comics were few and far between, Catwoman headlined her own series for over 20 years. But her unique path had its downsides as well.

Some months have past since Aldrin Adams discovered his extraordinary SUPERPOWER. When he eats CHEESE, just before he goes to sleep, he can enter into other people's dreams...and their nightmares! He's learned when to eat blue cheese (to help with nightmares about KILLER toys), smoked cheese (to help him recover from using his powers) and good old Cheddar (TOP SECRET). He's also come face to face with his nemesis—A MYSTERIOUS SUPERNATURAL VILLAIN who creates NIGHTMARES for millions of children every night.

Secret identity: Sam DeVenoe, star shortstop for the Emerson Eagles. One night while Sam is biking home after a game, he has a mysterious encounter and is granted an unusual, slightly odd, maybe even a little bizarre “super” power. As Sam tries to discover the limits of his strange new ability, his best friend Gavin is determined to transform him into crimefighter. But donning a mask and patrolling the street on their bikes leads to unexpected trouble. A fire breaks and Sam’s superpower is put to the test when spots someone in danger.

Abraham Isdale was a normal eight-year-old kid who did his best to avoid the school bully. He was pretty successful until one day he was cornered, with nowhere to hide. Then something remarkable happened, transforming him into one of the world's greatest superheroes - Abrahammer. The Making of Abrahammer examines the very serious issue of bullying and explains why kids deserve to be empowered, especially when they're at their most vulnerable.

Almost everything has been invoked to account for Trump's victory and the rise of alt-right, from job loss to racism to demography - everything, that is, except popular culture. In The Sky Is Falling best-selling cultural critic, Peter Biskind, dives headlong into two decades of popular culture - from superhero franchises such as the X-Men and the Avengers and series like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones to thrillers like Homeland and 24 - and emerges to argue that these shows are saturated with the values that are currently animating our extreme politics.

In this insightful and provocative book, comics-industry veteran Danny Fingeroth explores the backgrounds of the most well-known superheroes and their creators—largely young American Jewish men from Eastern European backgrounds. These innovators include Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Will Eisner, and Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In Disguised as Clark Kent, Fingeroth explores how the creators’ Jewish backgrounds helped make superheroes the most familiar popular-culture icons of all.

Meet the women and female-identifying heroes who have defied death, flouted cultural norms, and risen above poverty to become CEOs, entrepreneurs, activists, role models, media moguls, and movement creators. This collection of stories, essays, and interviews celebrates their superpowers: love, determination, vision, and grit. These 50 women share their wisdom and advice in ways that will inspire you to discover your own superpower.

Long before Superman or Batman made their first appearances, there was Zorro. Born on the pages of the pulps in 1919, Zorro fenced his way through the American popular imagination, carving his signature letter Z into the flesh of evildoers in Old Spanish California. Zorro is the original caped crusader, the first hero to have a band called the Avengers, and the character who laid the blueprint for the modern American superhero. In Zorro's Shadow, historian and Latin American studies expert Stephen J. C. Andes investigates the legends behind the mask of Zorro.

Magnificent Kids! showcases 23 incredible young people who are making the world a better place for humanity, animals and the planet. The book contains ideas, inspiration and tools for anybody to get started with their own world-changing project.

Kaitlyn Olhouser was a long-term experiment that resulted in becoming an empath. She was rescued by her adopted family, a team of people each gifted with psychic powers that calls itself Oneiros. She has abilities just like them. She's even more powerful than all but one of them, but she's 16, and her caretakers seem more interested in making sure she graduates high school that letting her use her abilities to join the team. A short encounter with some bullies inspires her to find her own opportunity to be the hero she knows she's destined to be.

At the end of their freshman year, Chance Fortune and the Outlaws saved the universe. Though he lacks a superpower, 15-year-old Chance used his natural athleticism and quick wits to form his team into an effective fighting force. The Outlaws have learned to trust and rely upon one another. As the bonds of their friendship strengthen, Chance finds it more difficult than ever to conceal his true identity. When an apparent teleportation malfunction strands the team in the Shadow Zone, the Outlaws are put to the test.