tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33311991.post4181889371170276478..comments2024-01-02T07:48:42.623-05:00Comments on Comics And...Other Imaginary Tales: Comic Books: Modern American MythologyJimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00352163584546054887noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33311991.post-20747425681320891492012-11-10T11:02:04.624-05:002012-11-10T11:02:04.624-05:00A myth is a story based on tradition or legend, wh...A myth is a story based on tradition or legend, which has a deep symbolic meaning. A myth 'conveys a truth' to those who tell it and hear it, rather than necessarily recording a true event.<br /><br />This is what I view a myth to be, which means that comics would be mythology. However, the definition of a legend or folklore also cross the boundaries. To really decide if comics are myth or not, you'd first have to fully define mythology, which is really hard to do.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08261121366772707895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33311991.post-57382007384660537052008-05-08T17:13:00.000-04:002008-05-08T17:13:00.000-04:00First off, thanks for commenting.Anyway, while I a...First off, thanks for commenting.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, while I agree with the idea that the repetition involved in comics helps establish them in our culture (and helped them to reach a mythic status) I don't agree that they are more aptly defined as legends. The reason I presented a definition of what myth is in my thesis was to show why I defined comic books as qualifying. I tried to bring together a definition from several different sources - all of which are from academic sources. <BR/><BR/>The term legend is used to describe stories of mythic quality - true. However looking at a few different sources these are the definitions I find for the term: a non historical or unverifiable story popularly accepted as historical (Websters) or: a story about mythical or supernatural beings or events (Princeton wordnet). You can look up others online - but actually most definitions I found pointed to the term legend being used in reference to a story either already regarded as myth or having some sort of basis in fact. <BR/><BR/>Myth on the other hand can be current. Myth is a reflection of culture whether current or ancient. Take Christianity for example. How many stories about God and Satan and the various supernatural entities associated with them are around? More than are in the Bible, that's for sure. You can look at anything from apocryphal text to Paradise Lost to TV. That is Christian myth, and yet it is current, some of it well known, and constantly evolving. <BR/><BR/>As for the 'Americaness' you were speaking of - I can agree that it's easy to see a certain amount of older American myth reflected in comics. It's another example of American comics representing America and our culture.Gwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14840270045390557504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33311991.post-8272640520933022972008-05-07T23:54:00.000-04:002008-05-07T23:54:00.000-04:00First, I envy the fact that you used this for a *c...First, I envy the fact that you used this for a *class*. This is a topic I've kicked around a lot philosophically, but never posted anything about. Probably because I didn't have to use it for an assignment:)<BR/>Anyway, I have some things to add. Another factor that contributes a LOT to the mythical status of comics is the fact that a lot of the stories have been retold multiple times. It's something that happens with verbal storytelling and with folk legends: each new storyteller/writer gets to tweak the story a little, adjust the details to suit their own whims or the needs of the audience. As time goes by, the details blur and continue to be flexible, but a CHARACTER emerges: someone who's identity is almost tangible. Just as we know all the "important" parts of stories like cinderella or Paul Bunyan or the ancient pantheons (how DO you plural that, anyway?), we know all the essentials of Spiderman or Batman or Black Canary: who they are, how they came to be.<BR/><BR/>So, I guess I'm saying that Comics are more aptly defined as "legends" than "myths." In my mind, legends grow into myths when we can't *quite* hear the character's voices anymore and lack the essential details of their personalities. That's happened to Zeus and company, but hasn't quite hit fairy tales or comics yet. Which is fine by me:)<BR/><BR/>Next, I'd like to remark on the American-ness of comics, and the fact that it has a lot to do with things besides war efforts. When you look at American folk-tales, both pre- and post-colonization, you encounter several identifying traits. Off the top of my head, I've got the following:<BR/>Native American mythology features lots of crazy powers and shapeshifting and generally impossible stuff, with lots of bizarre psychotropic incidents. ( I realize that I'm generalizing HORRIBLY, but it's a comment, not a thesis) Point being: this stuff shows up in lots of comics heroes.<BR/>What I'm going to call American expansion legends didn't feature magically powered people, they featured HUGE people: heroes who were literally larger than life. Which, again, shows up as any number of superpowers in "modern" heroes.<BR/>And . . . looks like I've maxed out my comment space! (Sorry) Obviously, I'd love further dialog if you get the chance!<BR/>Again, cool post!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com