Superheroes and Religion

[Flash Gordon]

Superman is 100% not republican. He's socialist, a mensch of the people. I suppose that can be turned more into a democratic socialism for him.

If not Jewish, he's non-religious but well read and even pretty versed in the religion of his home world.

[Johnny Peril]

Well. if I'm allowed to speculate I would say Jericho Drumm (Brother/Doctor Voodoo) is a Voodooist, probably converted. Based on how they were written early on I think Shang Chi is a Buddhist while Tatsu Yamashiro (Katana) is a Shinto.

[millernumber1]

Superman is 100% not republican. He's socialist, a mensch of the people. I suppose that can be turned more into a democratic socialism for him.

If not Jewish, he's non-religious but well read and even pretty versed in the religion of his home world.

There is a case for that. There is also a case that a family farm in Kansas would be Republican.

[Flash Gordon]

There is a case for that. There is also a case that a family farm in Kansas would be Republican.

Sure- but Clark Kent left that farm as a real young man and has lived a metropolitan life in the biggest city on Earth, Metropolis, ever since. He's not a farmer, his folks were. He's a journalist and a writer.

Regardless, I wouldn't think Pa Kent would be a GOP guy. Maybe an old school Republican, but not a modern one.

[millernumber1]

Sure- but Clark Kent left that farm as a real young man and has lived a metropolitan life in the biggest city on Earth, Metropolis, ever since. He's not a farmer, his folks were. He's a journalist and a writer.

Regardless, I wouldn't think Pa Kent would be a GOP guy. Maybe an old school Republican, but not a modern one.

That depends on whether you think that the GOP is evil or not. I think there are evil things about it, but as a conservative, I don't think it's default evil.

Additionally, Clark does leave the farm, but he never speaks of it in a way that indicates he has a break in values from it. There's a sense that he views his formative years on the farm as setting him on the path to being Superman today.

[ouroboros]

In the first few issues of SON OF SATAN, Hellstrom is apparently an ordained minister, but the series quickly dropped that aspect. In most later incarnations he seems like a "gnostic agnostic:" he's aware of the truths behind all religions but he doesn't affiliate himself with any of them.

The short-lived Gabriel Devil Hunter was a defrocked Catholic priest.

[David Walton]

Read the first two Ostrander/Mandrake Spectre collections over the weekend and now I'm burning through the entire run in singles.

I cannot recommend it highly enough. One of the best depictions of Christian themes in comics I've ever read.

[millernumber1]

Read the first two Ostrander/Mandrake Spectre collections over the weekend and now I'm burning through the entire run in singles.

I cannot recommend it highly enough. One of the best depictions of Christian themes in comics I've ever read.

How fascinating! I'll have to keep an eye out for that - thanks for the rec!

[The Darknight Detective]

Chuck Dixon thinks Bruce is Catholic because of all his guilt. I personally think it's more likely he's vaguely Protestant.

He's probably Episcopalian then, since they are the closest to Roman Catholics among the Protestant faiths.

[adkal]

He's probably Episcopalian then, since they are the closest to Roman Catholics among the Protestant faiths.

E Maggin went into some detail, I think, in the novelization of Kingdom Come, but I can't remember which denomination he had the Waynes under.

[Carabas]

He's probably Episcopalian then, since they are the closest to Roman Catholics among the Protestant faiths.

It's not as if catholics, or religious people period, have the monopoly on guilt.

[David Walton]

It's not as if catholics, or religious people period, have the monopoly on guilt.

No, but Catholicism has codified a way to deal with guilt via the confessional, which is why it's the most prominent association.

[Iron_Legion87]

The only main stream heroes I know for sure are religious are Daredevil, Nightcrawler, the other heroes like Spidey, Cap, and such are maybe's.

[millernumber1]

It's not as if catholics, or religious people period, have the monopoly on guilt.

No, but Catholicism has codified a way to deal with guilt via the confessional, which is why it's the most prominent association.

What David said. There's a really strong tradition in literature of Catholic narratives motivated by guilt - Evelyn Waugh, Ford Maddox Ford, Graham Greene - and not as much in the Protestant tradition. Possibly P. D. James, but she was Anglican, and tended to be fairly high church, so that's pretty close in culture to Catholicism (at least from my super low church Baptist perspective ).

The only main stream heroes I know for sure are religious are Daredevil, Nightcrawler, the other heroes like Spidey, Cap, and such are maybe's.

Well, on the Marvel side, but DC has Huntress and Azrael and the Spectre, at least.

[David Walton]

Interesting note on the Spectre: the entity itself has bonded with humans from various religions, and takes a form that lines up with their understanding of God (or the gods).

This is first addressed in The Spectre #0.