Trade Paperback
160 pages
Dec 2004
InterVarsity Press

Review  |   Author Bio  |  Read an Excerpt   |  Interview

Review:

"Comic Book Character is a thoughtful analysis of how comics have both reflected and shaped our culture. It teaches us that comic book heroes and their villains are not mere entertainment, but they reflect our own individual struggles with significance, purpose, identity, justice and other transcendent values that define who we are as human beings in God's universe. But Zimmerman's writing is also fresh, witty, conversational. Zowie! As a matter of fact, it kinda reads like a comic book." Brian Godawa, screenwriter and author of Hollywood Worldviews

Book Jacket:

Power and responsibility. Truth and justice. Never-ending vigilance against the doers of evil. These themes permeate comic book superhero stories in print, on movie and television screens, and throughout popular culture. With classic characters being reconceptualized for emerging generations, superheroes have returned to the public eye and are enjoying new heights of popularity.

• What draws countless fans to these heroic figures?
• What do superheroes symbolize and mean for our human experience?
• Are there religious or spiritual reasons for the revival of interest in them?

Astute cultural critic and self-avowed comic book fanboy David Zimmerman turns a thoughtful eye to the world of costumed heroes and villains, showing how these iconic tales of good versus evil tap into universal human yearnings for justice and righteousness.

Exploring the complex personas of characters like Superman and Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men, Zimmerman unveils their cultural significance as models of moral character, virtue and heroism. Ultimately, placing comic book stories in dialogue with the Christian story sheds light on who we are, what we value and how we live.

Comic Book Character calls true believers everywhere to integrity, mission and transformation. Come discover what it means to be a hero!