The Code of the Superhero

Since their inception, superheroes have endeavored to guide the youth of the nation, along with anyone else consuming the comic books and media in which they feature. But what have superheroes been teaching, and how has that curriculum changed from generation to generation? This examination of American superhero history investigates the transforming landscape of the so-called Superhero Code. It divides the 80-plus year history of the costumed crusaders into the various Ages of Comics, then dives into a case study of a comic-book hero and a transmedial adaptation. Over the course of six Ages and twelve characters, it focuses on how each new generation of characters responds to contemporary political and social concerns, while still promoting a timeless, continuous moral message for readers young and old.