Superman swoops to rescue a beautiful woman from a vicious mugger. Spiderman wrestles with the morality of how to use his powers¿for personal gain or the goodwill of his fellow human beings? Through a series of close readings of DC and Marvel comics, Marco Arnaudo examines the religious and mythological elements of superhero comics and uncovers the influence of the classical epic and the Baroque style on the genre.

Superheroes embody the most positive and inclusive aspects of American culture. Arnaudo asserts that, amidst the exciting action, tender love stories, and tales of self-sacrifice, superheroes are role models for tolerance and moral decision making. Translated for the first time into English, The Myth of the Superhero looks beyond the cape, the mask, and the super powers, presenting a serious study of the genre and its place in a broader cultural context.

Marco Arnaudo is an associate professor of Italian and director of graduate studies in Italian at Indiana University. He has published several books in Italian, including Il trionfo di Vertunno: Illusioni ottiche e cultura a letteraria nell'Etàdella Controriforma.