Zhemchugova O.A. Contrariety of the superhero image in the modern mass culture

Abstract: The object of this research is mass culture; the subject is the superheroic discourse that originated in comics – the key textual structures of mass culture. The author examines the ambivalence of the superhero characters, which on one side, represent hope for the rescue from external threats, and on the other side, a symbol of internal threat coming from those to whom society usually trusts. The contemporary superheroic discourse poses the questions of “otherness”, spiritual self-growth, as well as attainment of personal identity. The author detects the key controversies in the image of superheroes based on three directions: form, content, and development. It is determined that the look of a superhero symbolizes its superhuman status, and also places him outside the framework of society. The inner content of the superheroic image is filled with contradictions between his identities, as well as inevitably includes the antagonistic images. The development of superhero can never be complete – he is forced to always be at the stage of initiation, shifting between the divine and human identities.

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