1. Heroes From Epic Heroes to the Modern Superhero

2. Something to think about  Is physical strength or cunning more important to resolving a conflict? What are the pros and cons of each?  What if someone is threatening you?  What of someone steals something from you?  What if someone is threatening someone you care about?

3. Before we read  Myth: traditional story that deals with gods, heroes, and supernatural forces. They may offer role models, try to explain the natural world, or suggest beliefs, customs, or ideals of a society.

4. How about from Norse mythology?

5. Actual Norse gods: Thor  Son of Odin  God of War, Thunder & Strength  “hammer Mjollnir causes lightning that flashes across the sky”  “rugged, powerful, and lives by his own rules”  The day Thursday (Thorsdaeg) is sacred to him http://thenorsegods.com

6. Actual Norse gods: Loki  Sly trickster of the Norse gods  AKA the Sly One, the Trickster, the Shape Changer  “challenges the structure and order of the Gods”  “handsome and fair of face, but has an evil disposition and is very changeable of mood. He excelled all men in the art of cunning, and he always cheats. http://thenorsegods.com

7. Big question  If a “myth” is supposed to reflect the ideals of society, what assumptions can we make about the ideals of the Norse people based on the actions of Thor & Loki?  Now, Marvel took these characters and made them into modern superheroes (the modern mythological gods). What do their characteristics say about our society today?

8. Superhero History

9. Superman first appeared in 1938

10. Caption America first appeared in 1941

12. Spiderman on September 11, 2001

14. Comic Book SUPERHEROES  The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) has announced the July 14th opening of a first-of-its-kind exhibition, Reflecting Culture: The Evolution of American Comic Book Superheroes on view until January 13, 2008. The exhibition traces the way in which comic books have reflected an ever-evolving American culture through more than 150 original drawings, rare comic books and graphic novels from the Golden Age of comics (1938-1946) to the present. Never-before-seen original drawings and other work from the private collection of area resident Michael Uslan, Executive Producer of Batman and Batman Begins, will be the cornerstone of this exhibit, which unites seminal work of the genre from private collections around the country.

15. American SUPERHEROES 1. Superheroes Go to War (1938-1945) 2. Cold War, Conformity & Censorship (1950s) 3. Questioning Authority (1960s & 70s) 4. Diversity & Moral Complexity (1980s & 90s) 5. Spider-Man @ Ground Zero (2000s+)

16. Read your section in a group of 2-3 Answer the following questions:  What were the major events going on in this era?  How did comics respond to these events?  What did America need in a superhero myth during this time? What characteristics did they look for?