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''Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes'' is a book by Christopher Knowles, the former editor of ''Comic Book Artist'', with illustrations by Joe Linsner. The book examines superheroes as a modern evolution of mythological archetypes and the more modern history, as well as the mystical influences on comics. ==Overview== The book looks at the evolution of the superhero through the early Egyptian, Greek and Roman myths to the modern era. In particular Knowles highlights the significance of Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel ''The Coming Race'' and its concept of the Vril-ya, a super human race occupying the hollow earth. This was adopted and adapted by Theosophy into their concept of Ascended Masters which when mixed with Friedrich Nietzsche's Übermensch, became the template for the early superheroes. It then goes on to examine the influences of the pulp magazines on the development of what we would come to view as superheroes, looking at specific examples like The Shadow and Doc Savage The book breaks down superheroes into four main archetypes *Magic Men - the Wizard figure, from Mandrake the Magician and Doctor Occult through Doctor Strange to John Constantine but also including a lot of early superheroes whose Golden Age origins were magical, like Captain Marvel and Green Lantern.〔(New Book Reveals Secret History of Comic Heroes ), Comic Book Resources, November 23, 2007〕 *Messiahs - the "noble self-sacrificing hero who acts to save others out of a sense of altruism"〔Knowles page 119〕 with main example being one of the first: Superman; but it also includes Spider-Man and Captain America. *Amazons - the female counterpart, like Wonder Woman. *Golems - the antiheroes who either "act out of need for vengeance" (Batman) or "are berserkers, whose rage causes them to kill indiscriminately" (Punisher or Wolverine).〔Knowles page 145〕 It also examines the religious, mystical and occult influences on comics writers like Jack Kirby, Alan Moore and Grant Morrison. Knowles has further expanded on his ideas, in particular looking at ''Action Comics'' #1 and its similarities with ''Hercules Clubs the Hydra'' by Antonio del Pollaiolo.〔(The "Action Comics" #1 Cover Debate – Part 1 ), Comic Book Resources, November 28th, 2007〕〔(The "Action Comics" #1 Cover Debate – Part 2 ), Comic Book Resources, November 29th, 2007〕 He also runs The Sacred Sun blog which also returns to the theme, especially in connection with Jack Kirby and the influences of ideas like the Ancient Astronaut Theory on his work, even series seemingly unconnected to it such as Devil Dinosaur,〔(Astronaut Theology: Jack Kirby, Astro-Gnostic ), Sacred Sun, October 28, 2008〕 a topic Knowles has written about for ''The Jack Kirby Collector''.〔Knowles, Chris. ("The Kirby-Files: An Overview of Jack's Occult and Supernatural Themes )", ''Jack Kirby Collector'' #13, December 1996. (WebCitation archive ).〕 The themes the book raises have also been the focus of a number of panels at comics conventions. A. David Lewis, who has organised similar panels looking at religion and comics, organised one at New York Comic Con in 2008, with G. Willow Wilson, Douglas Rushkoff and Dennis O'Neil.〔(ASP announces NYCC booth signing schedule ), Comic Book Resources, April 15, 2008〕〔(NYCC '08 Panel - Our Gods Wear Spandex: The Secret History of Comic Book Heroes video ) on G. Willow Wilson's site〕 Another was held on February 24, 2008 at WonderCon.〔(Wondercon's 2008 program )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Our Gods Wear Spandex」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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