SUPERHERO RHETORIC FORTRESS OF BLOGITUDE!

What, no superheroes for Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Sankranti, Kwanzaa, or Eid-al-Adha? Darn you again, hegemony.

As we end the course, and reflect upon materials covered since the midterm exam, answer one of the following questions in 4-5 single-spaced pages *or* answer both in 2-3 single-spaced pages *each*.  A heading should identify yourself and the course, COMM 4849 Mythic Rhetoric of Superheroes. Please make sure your answers are typed, spell-checked, grammar-checked, and draw upon specific concepts and readings from the course.

1.  Use readings from either race, class, or gender to identify at least 3 key concepts from that unit and illustrate them using examples from graphic novels you’ve read for the course.  How are those 3 concepts defined and what examples illustrate them? What might comic book superheroes offer in helping us think critically about these issues?

2.  How would you answer the question, “What can we learn from studying superheroes?”  Which top 3 books or articles help make the case that superhero comics have something important to teach us about American cultural identity, social issues, and conflicting mythic values regarding (super)power and democratic ideals?

Your short-answer essay answers are due via e-mail by Thursday Dec. 15 before 12noon. And don’t forget to log into your MyUNT account to complete the SETE evaluations! After that, have a super holiday break!