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[Alucard]

Man, I hate having to cite secondary sources. I could do this essay off the top of my head but I need to give it some credibility soooo...I'm asking for help and hoping that a few people might be able to provide it on here.

Are there any books (readily available in libraries or in text online) that discuss the myth of the hero? More specifically, how that myth translates into comics.

I'm also wondering if there are any credible articles that talk about the stereotypes and conventions of the superhero genre...maybe even gender representation in said genre?

Any help I can get on this is much appreciated. And don't mention Kingdom Come.

 

[Dan]

It doesn't get any more credible.

 

[etiolate]

Yah, go with Campbell.

 

[White Man]

I have had mental sex with this book. It's a handbook on how to tell a good story.

 

[Chipopo]

Haha, any geeky childhood dreamer turned english major loves them some Joseph Campbell. This guy is a champ!

 

[White Man]

It's one of the 10 books I brought with me when I moved. That's how highly I rank it. You should actually read it, Alucard, if you're interested in the subject.

 

[Alucard]

Hmm, I'll definitely try to find a copy of that at the library tomorrow. I'm guessing it's pretty well-known.

 

[White Man]

Hmm, I'll definitely try to find a copy of that at the library tomorrow. I'm guessing it's pretty well-known.

George Lucas has claimed that he wrote the Star Wars stories by applying principles found in Campbell's work. He's actually a pretty big Campbell whore, if I remember correctly. Hence Luke on the front cover there.

 

[teepo]

and didn;t he call him his best student?

 

[White Man]

Campbell didn't teach Lucas, but he did use Star Wars and its characters as an example of how the myth of the hero rings true today. More specifically, I think he said something about Star Wars and archetypes, but I forget. You could probably track down the quote if you tried hard enough, but googling 'Star Wars Joseph Campbell' will probably get you a billion hits.

 

[The Shadow]

It's a handbook on how to tell a good story.

Interesting....