Introduction : superheroes and superegos
How it happened : comic book characters become blockbuster cinema superstars
The spandex stretch : between the supernatural and the soap opera
Ancient myths and modern minds : 1909-2009
"With a strong hand and an outstretched arm" : Old Testament traditions
Myths of metamorphosis : "be all you can be
The secret self : the shadow self, the split self (and the steroid self)
Family feuds and family romances : "it's a family affair"
Sex and superheroes : sublimated and subversive
Sickness strikes : "just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they're not out to get you"
The wounded warrior : post-traumatic strength disorder
Conclusion : self-help story, political polemic, or flight into fantasy?
