Brash,  bold, and sometimes brutal, superheroes might seem to epitomize modern  pop-culture at its most melodramatic and mindless. But according to Ben  Saunders, the appeal of the superhero is fundamentally metaphysical -  even spiritual - in nature. In chapter-length analyses of the early  comic book adventures of Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, and  Iron-Man, Saunders explores a number of complex philosophical and  theological issues, including: the problem of evil; the will-to-power;  the tension between intimacy and vulnerability; and the challenge of  love, in the face of mortality. He concludes that comic book fantasies  of the superhuman ironically reveal more than we might care to admit  about our human limitations, even as they expose the falsehood of the  characteristically modern opposition between religion and science.  Clearly and passionately written, this insightful and at times  exhilarating book should delight all readers who believe in the  redemptive capacity of the imagination, regardless of whether they  consider themselves comic book fans.

Do the Gods Wear Capes?: Spirituality, Fantasy, and Superheroes PDF

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