The myth of the century was a source of knowledge about man and was the
inspiration for art. It is no different in the modern world, although the myth
is increasingly understood in the sense of falsehood, deformation, than the
story pointing to a higher sense. Accountable to the mythology, it is to face
the culture.
Today, after the difficult years, finally reached the status of comic art.
In this paper I will deal with its very popular part - American tales of the
super - heroes. On the one hand on the affected pop - culture, on the other -
the mythic structures of these comics. It is worth mentioning that the comic book
hero from the beginning was playing certain roles - let's call it ideological.
Many of today's known heroes in the first volumes of his adventures fighting
the fascists and communists. The world needed a hero, so the heroes rose up
over the years, changing its face. Comic stories ceased to be so ideological
and naive. Heroes became serious, and louder every historical event was
immediately recorded in the pages of their history. These are the characters that
brought up several generations of readers. Static figures changed in poignant
portraits of people. Portraits of the human condition, and the American people.
It can therefore ask whether overstressing the mythological themes, indeed,
doing a comic book is not even a new mythology is artificial. But just to
follow news and statistics - movies about super-heroes make a sensation, and
death of Captain America was a global event. Death of fiction existing on
paper. Despite the fact that some characters now account for almost one hundred
years, cannot speak of the momentary euphoria. It is something much more. In
this paper I will share preliminary reflections on the relationship of comics
with the myths. For the sake of limited space, I will refer mainly to the four
examples of heroes, two of the Marvel universe - here Captain America and
Spider-Man and two from DC Comics - Batman and Superman.
I should start from the beginning. What is myth? According to Paul Ricoeur
is a "story of the events taking place at the dawn of history, a story
that serves as the basis for the ritual act of modern humans, which generally
establish all forms of action and thought, allowing a man to understand himself
in the surrounding world" . According to another definition of myth is
passed on orally or written a dramatic story, which refers to the past and
joining the human world with the world carries a divine meaning intended, for
example religious or social. An important function of myth is its function of
binding members of the community. The source of this merger is a time of myth,
which is not only a time past, but continually repeated leading to the
initiation of the next function that provides certain attitudes and values are
not approved or in the community.
What is important is the symbolic aspect of the myth. It is more than it
is. The symbol is entering where it should cross the line between what is
currently known, available, and determined, and what is uncertain, difficult to
access or even completely inaccessible. That is where you need to open or
restore a dimension of reality, otherwise almost imperceptible. All the
internal logic and structure of the symbol is revealed only when survival is
not merely a symbolic substitute experience, but retains, restores and makes
present the internal dynamics of the original revelation of holiness, of which
it is associated. So if the symbol not only represents, but also opens up the
reality of man, which indicates, if one understands that the symbolic character
mediates between him and the deepest reality in a way that puts its and its
have a creative part in it, you can talk about fullest extent and type of
symbolizing .
Another important element is the archetypal image of comic book heroes
survive. Jung defines archetypes as permanently demarcated assignment of an
archaic, which in form and content includes mythological motifs. They belong to
the collective unconscious, which includes the experience of all humanity,
regardless of time, race or cultural background. Archetype can never be
completely understood, it will be more or less successful attempt to determine
this.
Now let focus on the comics.
Comics’ super-heroic based on mythological themes; heroes miraculously gain
their powers, are killed to be resurrected, descend into the underworld,
confront monsters, including the dragon. All this is housed in archetypal
situations against which they must stand.
Even the most fundamental reason is the very character of which is the
re-establishment of order, transforming chaos into cosmos. Joseph Campbell says
that the characters are not guided by motives of retaliation, which happens to
be a common theme in comics; at least in Batman. This is a very old incentive,
incentive to great deeds..
Like Gilgamesh, Hercules and Theseus,
super heroes fight with everything that destroys the social order, cosmic or
historical. Repel invasion of visitors from other planets, participation in
world wars in the fight against organized crime ending. For example, Batman or
Spider Man can say with Paul Riceour; a man enters the world of ethics of fear,
not love. Through the physical order of retribution is absorbed by the ethical
order, the evil inherent in suffering is synthetically linked with evil
contained in the scrolls. Those who "sinned" must atone. Heroes
rarely mete out punishment fully adequate to the conduct of its antagonists (death).
Their role and the choice is to stand above; choose life not death.
Dragon motif or another particular
monster is combined with the previous theme. This is the essence of the donor
or group threatening the order of the universe, which is also an attempt, to
either the initiation hero. Not once the dragon is the nemesis of the hero
(Batman - Joker, Captain America - The Red Skull), thereby prolonging its
function and heroism.
The footsteps of Odysseus, Gilgamesh and
even Christ heroes descend into the underworld to the dead would be a
reassessment and the upcoming changes. In the comic book Batman: The Dark
Knight sanctum faces monster residing Vault, literally tearing themselves from
the arms of death. Ritual double story "Last Hunt Kraven", in which
Spider-Man beaten and buried alive by the eponymous hunter makes a kind of
redefinition and resurrection and his enemy, Kraven wearing a costume Spider wants
to overcome their own fear and make the last successful hunt in his life.
Joseph Campbell on the existence of "magical, miraculous settlement",
emerging between the hunter and the hunted, as if both were involved in a
"mystical, timeless cycle of 'death, burial, resurrection.
Jung crypt assigns meaning of fear,
anxiety, and rebirth. Underworld, the abyss filled with dangerous Mays are ways
that lead to dark secrets. According to the scholar and the world of
underground cave imagine a layer of unconsciousness in which there are no
divisions for example, something masculine and feminine thing. Viewing
individual comics can be seen here a convergence of the Bat-cave is the hiding
place and the seat of Batman, which join together the two aspects of the same
character as a man-like bat. In turn, the aforementioned "hunt" grave
Spider Man makes an overall revival hero at both the heroic and life, every
day. His "resurrection" is not only back super hero but also the
return of Peter Parker.
Motives are much more an attempt,
initiation, hiking, back to other scrolling through life super heroes
archetypal situations, leaving an eternal imprint on their fate.
As mentioned earlier, in the early comic
book heroes have served their country faithfully, without subjecting it to
criticism. For now possible to export the genealogy of their antagonists with
communist or fascist sources. Creating heroes served as a kind of propaganda and
cheer the hearts of Americans and, later, Europeans. But it is not only a model
of patriotism shines heroes. The American dream is fulfilled in the formula
"from zero to hero". Peter Parker was the top boy in school, but a
poor physical condition and visually impaired. Not very well liked and
respected by peers, in love with the beautiful ginger Mary Jane , the boy
presented a picture of some kind of a loser in the hit U.S. reality. Until one
day Parker had bitten a radioactive spider, turning it into muscular hero
Spider Man. A similar example is the fate of skinny student Steve Rogers, who
with his love for the fatherland and steadfast character undergoes made by
secret experiment and became a symbol of the United States, conqueror of
fascism and communism, Captain America.
But the story goes forward, and the
heroes tend to be more and more disappointed. Spider Man leads the life of an
ordinary mortal, barely keeping pace by paying bills. Its image is used to earn
as a reporter Peter Parker takes pictures of Spider Man to have the bread. The
life of the hero lead to tragic events, which after all an ordinary man hidden
under the hood is not always copes. "Power and Responsibility" is the
theme of the Human Spider, well illustrating the role of the hero resting on
the shoulders of someone who also has his ordinary life, is a double yoke, and
mask savior does not bring any additional profits, becoming the act of
individual choice and autotelic. Kraven the hunter descended from an
aristocratic Russian family, exiled from their parents by the Bolsheviks, he
finds no solace in Western culture. Represents the old world order, who have
long bowed to an end. His alienation leads him to suicide. The hated symbol of
the social model was Spider-Man, contributing unwittingly and without fault for
the death of Kraven.
Some time ago the world of Marvel comic
rocked civil war between the heroes. The tragic incident leading to the death
of 60 children, makes the U.S. government wants to register all super-heroes,
striving to expose them, grant them the full salary and working time. At this
point the rebel Captain America, for which the ridiculous is controlled by the
authorities of those who are motivated to protect their own borders for years
as the state of the world. By such measures, public enemy "number
one" is a recent symbol of devotion and fidelity to the nation, Steve
Rogers himself. The characters are divided into two factions ; those who want
to disclose and register, and those for whom it is an absolute mistake. Hunt
leads to internecine fighting super heroes (in the finals leading to the death
of Captain America) is now fully happy escape from the myth of democracy and
civil liberties.
In Title DC "Kingdome Come"
Metropolis city public elect a new lawyer ruthless Magog, thereby rejecting the
former, long-term guardian of the city of Superman. The public does not want to
inspiring, full of the virtues of heroes demands efficiency. Even if the sign
is to be death. This time it is a sad reflection on the incompatibility of new
generations of people to the old heroes. Heroes seem to themselves to create
their own myths in not mythic reality.
Feature of the comic is not a story about
the origins of the world, but a continuation of what has already been told
centuries ago. As an example, the Marvel universe. Universe crashes into an
infinite number of parallel worlds, which is easy to point to manipulate the
course of history by the authors. Our world is made collectively - known gods
of Greek or Egyptian myths are the representatives of great races out of this
world which are experimenting for the first homo sapiens. Along with this event
but we have known from the pages of the Iliad and Odyssey, the Bible and other
mythic sources. Historical time takes almost the same which lasted from us.
These are all events that have become, and yet such as real is a disaster of
Atlantis. The Marvel universe is alive so Zeus, Julius Caesar, Frankenstein,
Dracula and Magneto-all within a historical reality.
Action Comics most commonly in modern
times. In addition to Captain America or Spider Man also works Norse god Thor
and the Greek Ares and the inhabitants of the sunken Atlantis struggle with the
Nazis. Heroes are not a novelty in society; it's hard even to speak in their
reality, the myth, because there everything is true. The ancient gods and
heroes pass under the banners of contemporary groups such as the Avengers. Of
course, most of the characters is deposited in the United States. This is an
interesting starting point for creating your own mythology that extends not
only to America but the entire universe, and not only in modern times but also
on past and future.
Marvel heroes often go to extraordinary
missions to try to find a powerful artefact, or catch a dangerous villain. In a
world in which space technology, magic and divinity are next to each other,
nothing is impossible. Thus, the thief may have its origins in the Middle Ages,
or escape to antiquity, and the artefact can be replicated in many dimensions.
American heroes then through the magic of technology, or arrive at a certain
time and then taking part in the historical or legendary events, carry out its
mission. It should not surprise anyone that the Iron Man supports the ranks of
the Knights of the Round Table and Dr. Doom troops Mordred. Who bring order,
not only in space but also in history. Mythology of the United States affected
by the past, support the old myths and literally saves the whole space time.
Super heroes recruit other heroes along the way, including those known from the
pages of classical mythology. The same is true going the other way; towards the
future. Nothing is impossible, a story seen from this point, it turns out from
the beginnings of civilization, and almost many owe the American heroes. And
they are patriots, the main saviour of the world is then America. It is America
which is the pride of his defenders, but not only as it turns out the
disappointment.
This leads to an infinite combination of
new and renewal of old mythology. A multitude of worlds, the free opening of
the gates of space-time, advanced technology, magical powers - the result, time
is more cyclical than linear, the total time is open, so neither death nor the
apocalypse may not be any resort. Eschatology comic is something predictable
and is only a name, because there is nothing definitive in the Marvel universe.
Anyone can resurrect killed by rituals, cloning, technology or other aspects.
On the shoulders rests the fate of super heroes around, literally, the world.
ANALYSIS OF SYMBOLS AND SIGNS ON costumes
"When the judge enters the room and
we all are standing up, it did not stand the sight of this particular guy, just
the sight of a toga, which he wears, and which represents the function of this
person when he starts to act". Similarly, mythologized reality comic book
not only the dress features a hero, but also points to its function it has, and
places in a particular social space. This section briefly examines a few
examples of heroes and comic, drawing attention to the symbols that make up the
representation of that character.
In the comics, you can see influences of
heroes to identify with certain species of fauna and flora. They take the
animal, plant, phenomenon as a patron, wearing the costumes of their symbols.
It is related with the myths of primitive peoples and even mythology (Zeus,
Thor, Yahweh - lightning, Dionysus - a branch, Helios - the sun, King Arthur -
the dragon, etc.). Mythical heroes have their wonderful items (sword of Arthur,
Siegfried, Roland, the shield of Achilles), in the comic, they are replaced by
powers and costume.
Bruce Wayne was afraid of bats. One
night, one of the animals smashed a window in the room and sat in a millionaire
private space. Then he had an idea to be a bat. The fear must be one of his
arms. Bat symbolizes an escape from the light and reversing the natural order.
Bruce actually works the other way around than a normal person; the night is
active during the day sleeps. Reverses the order also in social terms is an
outsider administration set justice on their own. The bat also symbolizes
wisdom (brilliant detective), melancholy (eternal sadness, constant memories of
murdered parents), and insanity. In the folklore of bats represent the souls
may rest in peace (continuous crusade against crime) in heraldry, the behaviour
of blood in dangerous situations (speaks for itself). In determining the dark
knight lurking symbolism Black Knight was a symbol of suffering, the weary,
penitent, seeking clean, and the glory of the world or the final (of
salvation).
Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive
spider and he took the form of a spider. What does he represent? Dexterity
(which probably does not surprise anyone), forethought, prudence, luck (the
famous "spider senses" Parker), a friend of heroes (Spider-Man has
worked with Captain America, X-men, Iron-Man or Daredevil).
Captain America wears the colour of his
homeland (including the characteristic "star"), and is the holder of
an indestructible shield. Shield symbolizes virtue, chivalry, defence,
strength, loyalty and trust. It is a symbol of deity. The star turn is,
success, hope, power blue, while the knowledge of past, present and future
(Captain America was born in the past, live for now and probably knew the
mystery of the future), freedom, man, fire, striving for unattainable
perfection and constancy. All features combine in the form of Steve Rogers. It
embodies the ideal characteristics of its country, its nature and function that
fully.
At the end of the quote directly from the
"Dictionary of Symbols," Herder term MASK. It forms an essential part
of dress as super heroes and personalities. "Mask-a very old form of often
very expressive face veil, was used for frightening enemies, to practice magic
and produce spirits and forces controlling animals and humans, usually very
strongly emphasizing the stereotypical traits of character. Masks show"
spectacle of life. “Today, the mask is often understood as a symbol of self-hiding
behind an artificial face. " Nothing more, nothing less. This definition
is the reference for determining the role of the mask and its role in the life
of a superhero.
BRIEF ANALYSIS OF STRONGLY three titles
referring to the myth
"Batman: Arkham Asylum" is a
story which I called symbolic because it operates with clear references to the
themes of myths, dreams or religion. It is a work that repeatedly read each
time introduced to the interpretation of something new. This is not surprising,
because its creator; the famous Grant Morrison the occultist and the
postmodern. Batman in the title that has to face the madness of both as
criminals lurking in the walls of the asylum, as well as from those lurking in
him. Internal struggle is intertwined with the events taking place many years
earlier, for the founder of the sanctuary, Amadeus Arkham. Their joint boot is
set in a dreamy metaphysical space of homes, which is a kind of hero, not only
underground, but it seems to refer to the well-known even in the Bible
swallowed by a monster-hero is a whale consuming Jonah. "In psychological
terms represents the power of life whale trapped in the subconscious. Water is
a metaphor for the unconscious, and the creature floating in the water or
energy is the life of the unconscious, which was stronger than the conscious
part of the personality and must be disarmed, subjugated and subjected to scrutiny
".
Another title is "Wolverine: Origins"
that is the story of the genesis of one of the most famous comic book heroes.
This comic has a structure similar to the fictional narrative structure of myth
by the schema Van Gennura:
- away
from home
- obtaining
supernatural assistance
- tested
in initiation
- mastering
the magical forces
- back
home
- In
this case, the magical power to be understood as a specific mutation by
Logan.
- History
of Wolverine also fits a pattern of personality transformation in the myth
of the hero, by the following effects:
- life
experience (sad and difficult childhood)
- suffering
(rejection by loved ones, the painful transformation, finding their place
on earth)
- purification
(acceptance by the animals, the first hunting-recognition of their
differences)
- wisdom
(the final abandonment of the public-hero consciously chooses where to
find a better world after the tragic events)
Myth then appears as a wonderful story of
personality.
Following the narrative structure of the
album, you can agree with the view of some theorists of myth, that this
breakthrough gains importance in the moments of the life of the hero and the
development of his critical psychological states. There are also themes
"magic function name" familiar with some of the myths.
At the end of "Kingdom Come", a
monumental title referring to the polytheistic myths, but above all being a
comic exponent of Christian ethics and apocalyptic tale. The short message of
the comic will interview two characters part of the album Superman and man,
Pastor McKay, which they roll at the end of the story. Angry Man of Steel has
already flies to Washington, now begins the work of destruction under the
vengeance of his friends if it saves McCay, showing up and talking with a hero.
Referred to it by fine words are worth quoting in; Superman: "Who are you
... and why are you here? "McCay:" To bear witness. Listen to me,
Clark, of all things that can ... with all of your power ... greatest
distinction has always been an instinctive good ... and evil. It is a gift of your
humanity. I've never had to ponder their choices. In any case ... during each
crisis ... know what to do. But at the moment, in which your Supernature has
become more important than your humanity ... the date on which you decide to
turn away from the humanity, completely lost this instinct. Find yourself. If
you want redemption, Clark ... It will just decision you now make. Take it as a
man ... and choose correctly. “Superman the man chooses abandonment rage. Just
as Christ overcame the fear in the garden, as Achilles had pity on the
suffering of Priam, as the Man of Steel has overcome in the contempt for man.
He became a man. He had a major victory that could address such as a human hero
and moral. Another important figure in the comic is Captain Marvel, who sacrifices
himself to save others. Top talks about Superman: "We will not impose our
power of humanity. To deserve your trust ... using the wisdom he showed us a
man. I told him to choose between humans and super-human. But only he knew it
was a false division and made the only choice that really counts. He chose life
... in the hope that your world and our world can be one of the worlds again.
"
And I hope that the world as well as our
heroes, whether classical or comics, can be one.
