When considering the American Monomyth, one usually thinks about a tale like Superman or Spider-Man, a selfless hero on a journey to save mankind and to find his place as a Redeemer inside an endangered society. Before 2008, those typical journeys have consistently featured the same patterns: They deal with serious enemies and serious topics, like politics and ethics, they try to avoid the depiction of blood and violence, and they change the reality of sexuality to hyper- masculine superheroes and weak-and-helpless women. But finally, in 2008, time had come to break these standards of narration and to change the reputation as well as the representation of the typical superhero. That is when Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. have released Kick-Ass.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Language, Blood, Sexuality - Turning the American Monomyth Upside Down
- The Language of Kick-Ass
- The Violence in Kick-Ass
- The Sexuality in Kick-Ass
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper analyzes the comic book Kick-Ass by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., specifically exploring how it subverts the conventions of the "American Monomyth" superhero narrative. Through an examination of language, violence, and sexuality, the paper argues that Kick-Ass presents a distinct, "upside-down" version of the traditional superhero archetype.
- The use of obscene language in Kick-Ass, compared to traditional superhero narratives.
- The depiction of violence in Kick-Ass, drawing comparisons to Japanese manga and anime culture, as well as American films like the Kill Bill series.
- The portrayal of sexuality in Kick-Ass, contrasting it with the conventional treatment of gender and sexuality in other superhero narratives.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The paper focuses on the language used in Kick-Ass, highlighting the significant use of obscene language and its impact on the reader's perception of the plot. It argues that this breaks the seriousness and the fictional reality of a standard superhero narrative. The paper further examines the exaggerated use of blood and violence in Kick-Ass, highlighting its distinctiveness from traditional American superhero comics.
The paper explores the influence of Japanese manga and anime culture on the depiction of violence in Kick-Ass, specifically drawing comparisons to films like the Kill Bill series. It also examines the unique portrayal of sexuality in Kick-Ass, contrasting it with the typical depiction of gender and sexuality in other superhero narratives like Spider-Man and Superman.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the themes of language, violence, and sexuality in the context of the American Monomyth superhero narrative. It explores the use of obscene language, the representation of violence, and the depiction of gender roles and sexuality in the comic book Kick-Ass.
- Quote paper
- BA Ralph Cibis (Author), 2012, Language, Blood, Sexuality - Turning the American Monomyth Upside Down, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/214070
