Why this Silly Superhero Stuff?

Last week, I discussed the important role that understanding media as art, and then making media arts, plays in my philosophy and practice of media literacy education. You might be thinking, 'Make art. Make change. Okay. I get that. But why this silly superhero stuff?'

Well, here's a thing...

"Many of the core myths of popular culture have their roots in movements of popular resistance (Zipes, 1979; 1991). We need to restore those more 'radicalizing' elements to contemporary superhero stories so that the Ninja Turtles, like Robin Hood before them, will fight to build a better world rather than simply defend property rights. Such instruction should not consist of forcing our own stories and interests onto children's imaginative play. Rather, instructors should recognize and foster the radical potential of children's own fantasy lives and build on those fantasies by providing additional stories and historical background. At the same time, our students come from diverse ethnic backgrounds and can draw on alternative cultural traditions that may further enrich our attempts to rewrite and recontextualize popular narratives." (Jenkins, "Empowering children in the digital age: Towards a radical media pedagogy," 1997)

Welcome students...