Abstract
Peter, and Jesus, walked on water: Belief, doubt, faith, and fear intertwined with superpower in one fragile moment. This paper explains how these fragile moments, when human vulnerability intersects with superpowers, illuminate the ways superhero stories have shaped religious understanding in contemporary society. Interest in superheroes is a worldwide phenomenon. The 34 films produced by Marvel Studios have grossed over $30 billion dollars. One reason for the popularity of these films is they offer a glimpse of how ordinary people connect with the lives of superbeings. Superman is a “god” but seen through Lois Lane’s eyes, he becomes a vulnerable lover. Such fragile moments can be found in the Bible as well, as in Peter and Jesus on the Sea of Galilee. To explore the concept of fragile moments, Biblical passages of ordinary people interacting with Jesus is linked to the experiences of three human friends of culturally important superheroes: Superman’s lover Lois, Spider-Man’s friend and later foe Harry Osborne, and Daredevil’s law firm partner Foggy Nelson. While people may be drawn to the excitement of superpowered heroics in such stories, it is in the lives of the ordinary beings around the heroes that we can come to understand how power, vulnerability, and divinity intersect: “Though one is weak, they are strong.” Heroism lies not in power but in our heart. Exploring these fragile moments enables us to gain a deeper understanding of how religious themes and meanings circulate within popular culture.
Presenters
Gian PagnucciChair, Language, Literature, & Writing, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Narrative Studies, Popular Culture, Comics, Heroism, Power, Vulnerability, Fragile Moments
