Frank Miller

The central character Batman of ‘Batman Begins’ is presented as a
superhero though his way of saving Gotham city is quite, and it is due to certain developments - as identified by Robert Jewett and John Lawrence - in conceptual level of traditional myth making that makes Batman, a superhero. Differentiating all the traditional myths as classical, Jewett and Lawrence have coded it as the American Monomyth as the traits of which is the America’s own that is secular superheroism that developed during the period of pop culture,
the American origin history. So is the ‘Batman Begins’. It has also a secular superhero, Batman who is - unlike other traditional superhero - no more shown as a transcendental, heavenly and Godly power rather he is shown with some humanly mastering skills such as Martial Arts, Detective with scientifically upgraded instruments and gadgets to perform the superheroic deed of saving Gotham city from evil of archenemy Ra Al Ghul that is realistic along with secular superheroism that leading it towards the American Monomyth. In addition, Batman was generally found to be invented and reasserted specially
at the context of its hard time or crisis with its specific purpose since 1939. And, so is the ‘Batman Begins’, it has its own context of post-9/11 terrorist attack and global war on terrorism; and its reassertion as the reassertion similar to the decade of 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90’s is to represent and support for its contemporary national interest of war policy and to spread trust, confidence, faith, and national and patriotic sentiment among its people, society and its allies.

Batman descend d’un lignée littéraire de justiciers qui appartiennent aux classes supérieures, opèrent sous une fausse identité, excellent aux combats singuliers, et défendent les simples citoyens... mais ne veulent pas changer le monde. Ils ont plutôt à cœur de punir les délinquants qui s’attaquent physiquement au petit peuple, sans aborder de front les raisons pour lesquelles ces délinquants existent. En face, le Joker est un de ces esthètes sadiens qui fascinaient tant Bataille ou Foucault. Un psychopathe, mais tellement séduisant. Parfaitement adapté, en outre, au capitalisme ultra-libéral, dépourvu de tout scrupule et surnageant au sein de la lutte de tous contre tous. Et il le sait : « See, I'm not a monster... I'm just ahead of the curve ».

act-focused ethics. See deontology; utilitarianism actions, 29-32 &ee will and, 72, 74-79 moral responsibility for, 72-80 Ta oist concept of, 275 utilitarian view of, 106 See also moral actions Adams, Ruth, 134-13 5 addiction, 78, 79 Aft ""hock, 42-43 After Vmu e (MacIntyre), 23 agent-neutraVagent-specific rules, 9-10, 12

Dass das 20. Jahrhundert als das Jahrhundert des Öls gilt, ist keine Neuigkeit mehr, und die Auswirkungen der Industrie des schwarzen Goldes waren und sind deutlich sichtbar: Die geografisch ungleiche Verteilung des Öls führte zu finanzieller, wirtschaftlicher und, wie Alexander Etkind in Nature's Evil aufzeigt, auch bildungspolitischer Chancenungleichheit. Alle Formen von Zeugnissen und Kunst, die während der Ausbeutung der Ölindustrie entstanden sind, beruhen unabhängig vom Chronotop auf einer gemeinsamen Wahrheit: "Oil gives to mankind with one hand and takes away with the other." 1 In dieser Arbeit wird der neue Film von Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), aus einem paradigmatischen und vergleichenden Blickwinkel heraus mit dem gleichnamigen Buch von David Grann analysiert. 2 Das Papier wendet die Theorie des Raums an, die der französische Theoretiker Henri Lefebvre in seiner bekannten Forschung über die Produktion des Raums und seine Rezeption als soziales Konstrukt entwickelt hat, verwendet aber auch Konzepte, die der soziologischen Expertise von Pierre Bourdieu entlehnt sind. Ausgehend von der These, dass der Raum ein soziales Produkt ist, wird die vorliegende Untersuchung versuchen, die Ereignisse, die sich im Film entfalten, durch eine neomarxistische Perspektive zu analysieren, und zwar ausschließlich auf der Grundlage von Zeugenaussagen und biografischen Beweisen aus der Gemeinschaft der Osage in Oklahoma. Abgesehen von der Absicht, die Diskussion über die Degradierung des Raums, der als Investitionsbereich wahrgenommen wird, voranzutreiben, und abgesehen von einer Kritik des Konsumismus, die sich mit dem Verlauf des Werks entwickeln wird, besteht eines der Hauptziele der Untersuchung darin, den Völkermord, den die indigene Gemeinschaft von Oklahoma erlitten hat, darzustellen und zu versuchen, die Ereignisse des letzten Jahrhunderts, die von schockierender Aktualität sind, auf der Achse der Geschichte neu zu positionieren. Natürlich kann der Anspruch, eine gerechte Geschichte neu zu schreiben, nicht zu dieser syntheseartigen Arbeit gehören, aber der Wunsch, die Zukunft mit den verstandenen und angenommenen Perspektiven der Vergangenheit betrachten zu können, trägt den phänomenologischen Geist der Arbeit und eröffnet eine der authentischsten Erzählungen neu, nämlich die des Angelus Novus, des von Paul Klee gemalten Engels der Geschichte, über den Walter Benjamin schreibt: Es gibt ein Bild von Klee, das Angelus Novus heißt. Ein Engel ist darauf dargestellt, der aussieht, als wäre er im Begriff, sich von etwas zu entfernen, worauf er starrt. Seine Augen sind aufgerissen, sein Mund steht offen und seine Flügel sind ausgespannt. Der Engel der Geschichte muß so aussehen. Er hat das Antlitz der Vergangenheit zugewendet. Wo eine Kette von Begebenheiten vor uns erscheint, da sieht er eine einzige Katastrophe, die unablässig Trümmer auf Trümmer häuft und sie ihm vor die Füße schleudert. Er möchte wohl verweilen, die Toten wecken und das Zerschlagene zusammenfügen. Aber ein Sturm weht vom Paradiese her, der sich in seinen Flügeln verfangen hat und so stark ist, daß der Engel sie nicht mehr schließen kann. Dieser Sturm treibt ihn unaufhaltsam in die Zukunft, der er den Rücken kehrt, während der Trümmerhaufen vor ihm zum Himmel wächst. Das, was wir den Fortschritt nennen, ist dieser Sturm. 3 Der Versuch, das Narrativ des Erdöls zu verstehen, das so gewaltsam in Familiengeschichten und ganze Kulturgemeinschaften eingedrungen ist, kann nicht unternommen werden, ohne die Art und Weise zu berücksichtigen, wie Geschichte bisher produziert und wahrgenommen wurde: eine Geschichte, die von Ausbeutern geschrieben wurde, deckt sich nicht mit der Realität der Ausgebeuteten. Darüber hinaus beruht das, was wir heute als Fortschritt bezeichnen, auf der Ausbeutung nicht nur der menschlichen Arbeit, sondern auch des natürlichen Raums, dessen geistige Werte durch quantifizierbare Indikatoren ersetzt worden sind. Die kapitalistische Mystifizierung, von der Marx spricht und die von der Bourgeoisie im Namen des Fortschritts betrieben wird, hat nur zur Veränderung der Natur und zur Entfremdung des Individuums als mechanischer Teil einer sozialen Klasse geführt. Unabhängig davon, ob Martin Scorsese die Absicht hatte, vor der Animalität der Konsumgesellschaft zu warnen, ermöglicht die Darstellung der sozialen Schichten und der direkt proportionalen Machtverhältnisse in diesem Film die Anwendung der Raumtheorie von Henri Lefebvre. Denn es handelt sich um einen zunächst idyllischen Raum, der mit der Entdeckung der immensen Ölvorkommen seine Autonomie einbüßt. Der Raum wird zersplittert, industrialisiert, übernommen: ein soziales Produkt, von dem die privilegierte Klasse profitiert, während die zweite Klasse unter Morden, unerklärlichen Selbstmorden, dem Verlust von Wohlstand und Identität leidet.

Desde los años ochenta, Frank Miller ha sido reconocido como uno de los principales renovadores del libro de comics producido por la industria norteamericana. Uno de sus rasgos de estilo más distintivos e influyentes es el tratamiento del discurso interior de los personajes, inspirado por la novela hard-boiled y el cine negro americano, pero también por cómics previos, de crimen y de superhéroes. En este artículo comentamos los diversos usos del discurso interior en los cómics de Miller con casos de estudio elegidos de toda su obra, acompañados de una aproximación a los antecedentes históricos de la introducción de dicho recurso en el cómic norteamericano.

En el año 480 a.C., se produjo la batalla de las Termópilas, en el que una coalición de contingentes griegos, a lo largo de tres días, detuvo la maquinaria bélica del Gran Rey Jerjes, pese a su aplastante superioridad numérica. Los autores helenos, como Heródoto, proporcionaron su punto de vista respecto de la pugna, celebrando el sacrificio de los espartanos y resaltando algunas supuestas acciones de barbarie de los soldados Aqueménidas. A partir de la segunda mitad del siglo pasado, los medios de comunicación de masas tematizaron aquel acontecimiento y bebieron de las fuentes clásicas para elaborar su propia versión de los hechos. En este trabajo, hemos analizado dicha batalla, fundamentando nuestra investigación en el análisis de las fuentes originales griegas y en la producción científica. Proponemos un estudio comparado examinando a la vez la reconstrucción histórico-académica y aquella virtual, acudiendo principalmente a la novela gráfica 300 de Frank Miller, a la homónima película de Zack Snyder y al videojuego Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. Así, hemos puesto en evidencia la gran cantidad de elementos y detalles históricos, sociales y culturales que estos títulos pueden contribuir a difundir entre el gran público, aprovechando también una de sus funcionalidades esenciales, es decir, el entretenimiento. Por tanto, hemos puesto de relieve sus posibles implicaciones pedagógicas, conforme a la locución horaciana miscere utile dulci.

What sums up a whole scenario? The small details. The detailing units are combined to create a more excellent picture. Every artist one sees or the artwork one can call a masterpiece, is a work heavily dependent on the little details. Every artist who creates masterpieces, whether it is a movie, painting, scripture or novel, pays attention to the details to enhance the quality of the work. This article on Gothic aesthetics in detail will explore how the little details of the Gothic elements added together come up with a greater and enhanced picture with a more impactful appeal to the audience and how it is responsible in breaking the stereotypes of gender fashion and creating a genderless fashion sense. This article takes help of several shows and movies for comparison but primarily it will use The Batman (2022).

Resumo: O presente trabalho tem como objetivo promover algumas reflexões sobre os perigos da teoria do estado de exceção como desenvolvida pelo pensador e jurista alemão Carl Schmitt. Para tanto apresentaremos algumas conclusões e reflexões contemporâneas do filósofo italiano Giorgio Agamben sobre o tema relacionando-as juntamente com as ideias schmittianas a obra literária Nós de Ievhuêni Zamiátin, representação literária excepcionalmente ilustrativa, capaz de demonstrar em minúcias os resultados de um estado de exceção duradouro e irrepreensível. Nossa expectativa é demonstrar os perigos da aplicação das ideias promovidas por Carl Schmitt que se levadas ao pé da letra podem-como já o fizeram, temos como exemplo o Terceiro Reich-a supressão indiscriminada dos direitos fundamentais, impedindo desse modo o salutar desenvolvimento do Estado Democrático de Direito. Esperamos essencialmente dar uma singela contribuição ao tema abordando a questão pelo prisma do direito na literatura.

La bande dessinée durant le Printemps érable (2012), un outil de diffusion et de mobilisation pour une lutte en cours Maël Rannou Les droits des images publiées sont la possession exclusive de leurs auteurs et autrices, qui ont autorisé explicitement la reproduction numérique à fin d'illustration de cet article. Les grèves et mobilisations étudiantes québécoises de 2012 sont un moment marquant de l'histoire politique du Québec contemporain. La province est le territoire nord-américain où les études supérieures sont les moins chères et l'annonce d'une forte hausse des droits de scolarité universitaire dans le budget de mars 2011 lance une vague de contestation. La mobilisation se met en place durant presque un an, menant en février 2012 à la première grève dans un Cégep 1 , le collège de Valleyfield. Durant le mois suivant, de nombreux Cégeps et universités suivent le mouvement, entraînant la plus grosse mobilisation étudiante de l'histoire du Québec comme du Canada. Il ne s'agit pas de la première lutte étudiante dans la province, comme dans beaucoup de territoires ce type de mobilisation a structuré l'imaginaire politique à plusieurs reprises. D'octobre à décembre 1968, une large grève défendant la création d'une deuxième université francophone à Montréal a vu naître plusieurs figures politiques du mouvement indépendantiste. Viennent ensuite diverses grèves liées aux coûts de scolarité, celle de 1974 rassemble jusqu'à 100 000 personnes et entraîne la fondation l'Association nationale des étudiants et étudiantes du Québec (ANEEQ), celle de 1978 voit l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) être entièrement fermée, une première, quand celle de 1990 est un relatif échec. Avant 2012, la dernière grande grève date de 2005 et, comme ses prédécesseures, elle ne dure que trois mois, s'appuie largement sur les Cégeps (les universités étant souvent plus frileuses à s'engager) et ne réussit pas à infuser largement dans la société. C'est la particularité de la mobilisation de 2012, qui s'étale sur un temps particulièrement 1 Système scolaire spécifique au Québec qui se situerait entre le lycée et l'université.

La bande dessinée durant le Printemps érable (2012), un outil de diffusion et de mobilisation pour une lutte en cours Maël Rannou Les droits des images publiées sont la possession exclusive de leurs auteurs et autrices, qui ont autorisé explicitement la reproduction numérique à fin d'illustration de cet article. Les grèves et mobilisations étudiantes québécoises de 2012 sont un moment marquant de l'histoire politique du Québec contemporain. La province est le territoire nord-américain où les études supérieures sont les moins chères et l'annonce d'une forte hausse des droits de scolarité universitaire dans le budget de mars 2011 lance une vague de contestation. La mobilisation se met en place durant presque un an, menant en février 2012 à la première grève dans un Cégep 1 , le collège de Valleyfield. Durant le mois suivant, de nombreux Cégeps et universités suivent le mouvement, entraînant la plus grosse mobilisation étudiante de l'histoire du Québec comme du Canada. Il ne s'agit pas de la première lutte étudiante dans la province, comme dans beaucoup de territoires ce type de mobilisation a structuré l'imaginaire politique à plusieurs reprises. D'octobre à décembre 1968, une large grève défendant la création d'une deuxième université francophone à Montréal a vu naître plusieurs figures politiques du mouvement indépendantiste. Viennent ensuite diverses grèves liées aux coûts de scolarité, celle de 1974 rassemble jusqu'à 100 000 personnes et entraîne la fondation l'Association nationale des étudiants et étudiantes du Québec (ANEEQ), celle de 1978 voit l'Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) être entièrement fermée, une première, quand celle de 1990 est un relatif échec. Avant 2012, la dernière grande grève date de 2005 et, comme ses prédécesseures, elle ne dure que trois mois, s'appuie largement sur les Cégeps (les universités étant souvent plus frileuses à s'engager) et ne réussit pas à infuser largement dans la société. C'est la particularité de la mobilisation de 2012, qui s'étale sur un temps particulièrement 1 Système scolaire spécifique au Québec qui se situerait entre le lycée et l'université.

In 1839, John L. O'Sullivan defined America as "the Great Nation of Futurity," supplying the young republic with a rationale and a justification for its unimpeded expansion, and with a forward-looking narrative center for a unified national identity. i American cultural history has been significantly shaped by visions of the future, both in their utopian and dystopian modes (cf. Roemer 14). In the 20th century in particular, the success and crisis of America's future-oriented cultural narrative has pushed its utopian dimension to fully reveal its dystopian underside, while its orientation towards the future remained intact. The anticipation of possible negative consequences of collective action has thus shifted even further towards the center of America's cultural identity, in both its affirmative and selfcritical expressions. The DC comic book superhero Batman, whose existence spans the larger part of the 20th century, has probed this critical underside of American culture since 1938, but it would take Frank Miller's darker, more complex Batman character in Batman: The Dark Knight

The introduction of Steve Ditko and Stan Lee's Amazing Spider-Man radically changed the face of graphic literature. Spider-Man would go on to be one of the most recognized and beloved characters in western culture, and by mixing the individualist Zeitgeist of the mid-twentieth century with the ideals of Romanticism, co-creator Steve Ditko set a standard that would lead to some of the most significant work in comic book history. Unlike any comics creator who had preceded him, Ditko set a clear path for the psychological growth of his character and developed him over more than 38 issues. Applying a particular view of the Byronic hero, Ditko created a sort of 'Romantic epic' that continued in his post-Spider-Man works with the Blue Beetle, the Question and Mr A. Ditko set himself further apart from his contemporaries by developing a complicated view of violence that challenged the Comics Code Authority. The 'right to kill' that Steve Ditko invented for superheroes was not intended to bring the anti-hero to comics; rather, Ditko utilized it to demonstrate the moral authority of heroes against villains that, in his view, forfeited their lives. By pairing this new right to kill with psychologically complex protagonists, Ditko's work reflected the anxieties of 1960s western culture

Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan, May 2, 2023. - Part 4 of a lecture series on the history of Western Comics. - In this lecture, we will discuss the history of the American Comic book from the 1930s to the present. This includes the advent of the first Comic books in the 1930s, the invention of the superhero genre, but also the tem-porary downfall Comics took in the Fifties, when critics like psychologist Fredric Wertham accused the medium of giving children and adolescents wrong ideas about life and inciting them to sex and violence – a process that was answered with underground Comix from 1960s counterculture, which capitalized just on these “forbidden” things. We will then see how the superhero genre recovered in the 1960s, namely with the work of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, how the Comics trade changed from newsstands to Comic book stores, and how new superhero artists paved the way for the triumph of the graphic novel. The second part of the lecture will then cover two chapters from Scott McCloud’s book – the relationship between words and images and his model of artistic creation, which he calls “The Six Steps.” Note: For copyright reasons, images are not embedded in the text. Instead, links to external sources are provided.

But consistent publication does not mean consistent quality. To compete with new comic book genres following the second world war, Batman comics became an increasingly surreal mix of sensational covers, sci-fi cliché and imaginary tales. There were lurid storylines, such as The Rainbow Batman (Detective Comics #241, March 1953), in which the once Dark Knight donned a series of multi-colour costumes.

In 1979, writer Tom DeFalco was paired with artist and cocreator of Spider-Man, Steve Ditko, to work on an issue ofMachine Man, one of the many superheroes populating the universe of Marvel Comics. Instead of the usual introduction and business chatter, Ditko challenged DeFalco during a first conversation: “Are you Tom? What gives you the right to write about heroes?” (Tucker 2012). By the time of this exchange, Ditko had not only (co-) created and continued numerous superhero stories, ranging from Captain Atom to Dr. Strange or the Hulk, but he had also dedicated a lot of thought to the question as to what composed true heroism. In the 1960s, he had already found answers in a place not uncommon for that time, namely, in the novels of a Russian immigrant whose work should serve, in her own words, as “the projection of an ideal man” (Rand 1943, ix; 1975, 162; 2005, 230): Ayn Rand (1905–1982).

Há certa ambiguidade na composição de uma obra de literatura ficcional que toma por base para sua intriga um fato real do passado. Tal característica traz à tona a discussão historiográfica em torno de conceitos como História, literatura e ficção. Para adicionar um capítulo ao debate, este trabalho pretende investigar os quadrinhos Os 300 de Esparta, publicado em 1998 pelo norte-americano Frank Miller. A análise da obra segue dois caminhos distintos que se cruzam: o primeiro, verificando que tipo de operação historiográfica é empreendida pelo autor ficcional na fase de pesquisa para construção do seu enredo; o segundo, compreendendo as razões para o rompimento com o paradoxo da História tão caro ao historiador. Finalmente, esta pesquisa procura encontrar um lugar para as representações ficcionais da história por meio da tese do entrecruzamento entre História e ficção de Paul Ricoeur.There is certain ambiguity in the writing of a work of fictional literature that bases itself on a re...

vs. the World, and more. Nevertheless, how many of the people consuming those products would visit a comic book shop, understand comics and graphic novels as sophisticated, see them as valid and significant for serious criticism and scholarship, or prefer or appreciate the medium over these film, TV, and game adaptations? Similarly, in what ways is the medium complex according to its advocates, and in what ways do we see that complexity in Batman graphic novels? Recent and seminal work done to validate the comics and graphic novel medium includes Rocco Versaci's This Book Contains Graphic Language, Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, and Douglas Wolk's Reading Comics. Arguments from these and other scholars and writers suggest that significant graphic novels about the Batman, one of the most popular and iconic characters ever produced-including Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley's Dark Knight Returns, Grant Morrison and Dave McKean's Arkham Asylum, and Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's Killing Joke-can provide unique complexity not found in prose-based novels and traditional films.

Since his first appearance in 1939, Batman has played a great role in the popular culture as an iconic figure. During the period of over seventy-five years Batman followed the social and political changes and managed to reflect the problems and concerns of the society in his comic books. This paper deals with the question of defining comic books as a form of literature. Furthermore, it examines the factors that allowed Batman to be such a great part of the popular culture through examples taken from iconic comic books and graphic novels of the Batman canon, such as Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns and Batman: Year One, Alan Moore’s Batman: The Killing Joke and Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. The provided examples serve to present Batman as a cultural artefact and to manifest the fluidity of Batman’s canon. With his increasing popularity Batman continues to be an essential part of the popular culture and a unique character in the world of comic...

The study focuses on the multimodal discourse of the superhero Batman which is viewed as both a corpus of texts about Batman and a process of their development in various media, such as comics, animation, film, video games. Since the launch of the 1930s’ comics, the discourse has been incessantly developing, getting more and more intertwined with technology and new technology-based arts and industries. The evolution of the discourse can also be accounted for by the changing needs of the audience, as well as the shifts in the audience itself. At present, Batman discourse is comprised of a vast number of media texts, which intersect and influence each other. Each of these presents a new interpretation of the myth, based on the reesthetisization of basic constituent codes. The research aims to cover some aspects that define Batman as a cultural phenomenon of today, such as Batman as part of contemporary mythology and its relatability to the contemporary historical context, authorship i...

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo promover algumas reflexões sobre os perigos da teoria do estado de exceção como desenvolvida pelo pensador e jurista alemão Carl Schmitt. Para tanto apresentaremos algumas conclusões e reflexões contemporâneas do filósofo italiano Giorgio Agamben sobre o tema relacionando-as juntamente com as ideias schmittianas a obra literária Nós de Ievhuêni Zamiátin, representação literária excepcionalmente ilustrativa, capaz de demonstrar em minúcias os resultados de um estado de exceção duradouro e irrepreensível. Nossa expectativa é demonstrar os perigos da aplicação das ideias promovidas por Carl Schmitt que se levadas ao pé da letra podem – como já o fizeram, temos como exemplo o Terceiro Reich – a supressão indiscriminada dos direitos fundamentais, impedindo desse modo o salutar desenvolvimento do Estado Democrático de Direito. Esperamos essencialmente dar uma singela contribuição ao tema abordando a questão pelo prisma do direito na literatura.

This paper seeks to examine Ayn Rand’s ‘Fountainhead’ through a multi-focal dimension. It delineates the cartography of the themes of Rand’s Russian-American ethnicity and the socio-economic conditions of the post-World War II, linking it to the post-Depression world, which engendered the philosophy of Objectivism. Furthermore, the paper explores the societal beliefs and themes of Objectivism, Conformism, and Individualism by analyzing them in two different paradigms: when the novel was published and the status quo. The paper finally goes on to underline how these antagonistic views of society have been exemplified by Rand through the characters in the novel and how ‘The Fountainhead’ serves as a commentary on the schism in society over the topic of ‘individuality and conformism’.

In 2009, The Economist noted that "Atlas felt a sense of deja vu": in the wake of the economic crisis and the market interventions by the US government, the novels by Ayn Rand (1905-1982) experienced an actual renaissance and would keep making news thanks to the Tea Party movement as well as due to high-profile US politicians like Paul Ryan, who had to explain the extent of Rand's influence on them. Once again, Americans discussed the appeal of novels like The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957), and how a Russian immigrant could become "the ultimate gateway drug to life on the right," as historian Jennifer Burns put it. While most people are aware of Rand's political impact, her legacy in American culture-low and high brow-is less frequently commented on, even though it is the one arena in which she has been a constant source of inspiration. From Mary Gaitskill's novel Two Girls, Fat and Thin to the "Ayn Rand School for Tots" feat...

A década de 1980: O gênero Superhero experimenta a transformação mais significativa desde a criação do Superman em 1939. Começa uma nova era de super-heróis, na qual os personagens engraçados ficam mais escuros, violentos, brutais, mais e mais realistas, desencantados e adultos. Em Supergods, Grant Morrison vai chamar de Dark Age, quando o anti-herói toma o lugar do super-herói. A Idade das Trevas é considerada a maior revolução nos quadrinhos dos super-heróis - e ainda é possível ver muitos sinais de alerta durante a Era de Prata: um homem - O Homem - já havia começado a revolucionar o mundo dos super-heróis: Stan Lee. Stan criou dezenas de personagens: seus super-heróis são mais complexos e humanos do que nunca. Eles estão antecipando a Idade das Trevas, vinte anos antes. Graças a algumas das criações mais icônicas do The Man, este artigo mostrará a característica desses personagens que antecipam a revolução da Idade das Trevas.

Resumen Este artículo estudia el diseño gráfico en el cómic Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (1986), de Frank Miller, en tanto elemento fundamental para el concepto, tratamiento narrativo y formato de publicación de la obra, aspectos cruciales en su impacto innovador y repercusión cultural. Se analiza en particular el diseño de portada, de página y del estilo gráfico con herramientas de los estudios de Cultura visual, Historia del arte, Sociología y Estética. Palabras clave: comic book, novela gráfica, diseño gráfico, imagen/texto, Frank Miller. Abstract This article studies Frank Miller's 'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' (1986) graphic design, as a key figure for the concept, narrative treatment and publication format of the book, which were important parts of its formal innovation and cultural impact. In particular, cover design, page design and graphic style are discussed, using Visual culture, Art history, Sociology and Aesthetics tools.

Super-héros : histoire d’un mythe américain
UE libre pour le Bureau des enseignements transversaux de l’université Paris 3 Sorbonne-Nouvelle
Année universitaire 2020-2021
Du 28 janvier 2021 au 29 avril 2021
Descriptif :
En plus de quatre-vingts ans, l’histoire des super-héros, apparus dans les comics des années 1930 aux États-Unis, est longue et complexe. Le genre d’ailleurs ne cesse de s‘enrichir chaque année de nouveaux personnages et de nouveaux récits alors qu’il se diffuse dans de nombreux médias (séries télévisées, jeux vidéo, cinéma, etc.) et sur tous les continents. Si une telle profusion interdit toute exhaustivité, il reste toutefois possible de comprendre, à travers les exemples les plus célèbres (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, les X-Men, etc.), mais aussi d’autres cas bien moins connus en France et parfois aujourd’hui oubliés (Namor, l’Escadron Suprême, le Punisher) les raisons sociales, économiques et politiques qui ont présidé à l’apparition et au succès de ce genre.

The antihero embodies competing values; he is the symptom of a crisis, and he exasperates it. During the 1980s these characters have their greatest success in superhero comics. The so-called Dark Age follows a profound crisis in American society, marked by the Vietnam War, the fear of nuclear conflict, but also by alternative cultural and social movements. Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, together with Alan Moore’s Watchmen, are the graphic novels that represent this transformation.Today, the western world faces a new crisis. Economic uncertainty, mass migrations, encounters and clashes with different cultures, terrorism, pandemics: our worldview and our truths are wavering. Superhero universe mirrors all of these. Antiheroes become more and more numerous, and superheroes lose a clear definition. Marvel’s Civil War is probably the most emblematic example.We are witnessing a new proliferation of antiheroes, and even superheroes are changing. The classic superheroes have begun to kill. Their relationship with the mask, with society, becomes much more problematic and "anti-heroic".I will refer to Nietzschean concepts, such as the mask to distinguish the superhero and the antihero. Comparing Dark Age’s antiheroes with contemporary films and comics I will show how our perception of “heroes” has changed.
Link: https://figshare.arts.ac.uk/articles/presentation/Marco_Favaro_-_What_if_Superheroes_kill_Evolution_of_Superheroes_and_Antiheroes_during_the_Post-heroic_Age/12562214

Article published in the collective book "Alan Moore - tisser l'invisible" (edited by Julien Bétan), published in 2010 by Les Moutons électriques (in the collection "La Bibliothèque des miroirs"). This article deals with the way Alan Moore approached the theme of superheroes in "Top Ten".

Article publié dans l'ouvrage collectif "Alan Moore - tisser l'invisible" (sous la direction de Julien Bétan), publié en 2010 par Les Moutons électriques (dans la collection "La Bibliothèque des miroirs"). Cet article traite de la manière dont Alan Moore a abordé la thématique des super-héros dans "Top Ten".

The 1980s: The Superhero genre experiments the most significant transformation since the creation of Superman in 1939. A new age of superheroes begins, in which the funny characters for children become darker, violent, brutal, more and more realistic, disenchanted and adult. In Supergods Grant Morrison will call it Dark Age, when the antihero takes the superhero’s place. The Dark Age is considered the biggest revolution in superheroes comics – and yet it is possible to see many warning signs during the Silver Age: a man – The Man – had already started to revolutionize the superheroes world: Stan Lee. Stan created dozens of characters: his superheroes are more complex and human than ever before. They are anticipating the Dark Age, twenty years before it. Thanks to some of the most iconic creations of The Man, this article will show the characteristic of these characters who anticipate the Dark Age’s revolution.

https://revistas.unilasalle.edu.br/index.php/Dialogo/article/view/5788

Explanation of How You May Benefit From This Brief Reference Guide

Appeal to Dr. Peikoff to Let Me Publish The Full Version

      Though, originally, I wrote a complete Fountainhead Reference Guide that delivered on my introduction’s promises, sadly, I cannot share it with you, right now, because I cannot secure copyright permission, presently.
      However, I can share with you a condensed version of my study primer, which elucidates The Fountainhead by doing seven things. First, it clarifies the novel by summarizing, in one sentence, the essence of the book’s 154 characters. Second, it explains their beings in 91 analytical sections. Third, it visualizes the book’s buildings by defining 39 architectural words. Fourth, it explains how I learned about Ayn Rand’s philosophy, what I have done to support it, and why I should be trusted. Fifth, it tables Ayn Rand’s fiction-and-non-fiction in a chart, so you understand her intellectual output. Sixth, it illustrates, in a spreadsheet, how objectivist intellectuals have applied Ayn Rand’s philosophy to different fields of thought, so you understand how her viewpoints apply to modernity. Seventh, it enumerates works I have read, highlighted, and studied to understand The Fountainhead, so you comprehend the scholarship I will use to compose my forthcoming Fountainhead Analyzed Essay Book. 
        Though, this information clarifies The Fountainhead, supports Objectivism, and explains my next book clearly, unfortunately, I cannot cast full-light on The Fountainhead currently, since Dr. Peikoff (the copyright owner) “does not review unsolicited manuscripts.” Nor does he “engage in philosophical work anymore, [since] he is now fully retired.” Ergo, I cannot send him my book, since he will neither look at nor evaluate it.
        Clearly, Dr. Peikoff has a right to not view unsolicited manuscripts; for he is a busy man who lacks time to ponder his daily philosophic mail. I understand that. He also has the right to disengage from philosophy altogether, since, at age 85, he has already defended Objectivism ably, by explaining AR’s philosophy for over 65 years. His sustained efforts, as a result, to support Objectivism, by writing books, delivering talks, and teaching classes, has won Dr. Peikoff the right to enjoy his life’s twilight, doing whatever he likes. For, great men, like him, who have fought and won the good fight, by being brave, intelligent, and moral, deserve to enjoy their sunset years.
        Even though Dr. Peikoff is right to focus on his own goals – not what I want of him – I think my Reference Guide aligns with his secondary goals by logically codifying a book he loves. As such, maybe Dr. Peikoff can either allow me to publish my full Reference Guide as is, or ask someone to edit it first so it may be published later.
          In truth, I’d like Dr. Peikoff to provide feedback, despite his possibly negative comments, because I’d like him to tell me, in his own words, what he thinks about my book, even if he thinks it is hopelessly flawed, beyond repair. If, in other words, Dr. Peikoff engaged with this Fountainhead project in some way, I am confident that we would all benefit. Thus, I’d like him to make himself reachable, so he can help all of us – including himself maybe – understand The Fountainhead better. All he has to do is contact me.
        Incidentally, since Dr. Peikoff spent decades of his life studying, analyzing, writing and speaking about The Fountainhead, I think he will like a Reference Guide that illuminates the book clearly. Especially if he wants to create a broader cultural climate that is friendlier to Ayn Rand. In my view, the more people learn of and read my full Fountainhead Reference Guide the more likely they will be to at least engage with Ayn Rand --- maybe, even like her. For my goal in writing this Fountainhead Reference Guide is to generate a certain degree of respect for AR  in certain circles – where she has not been liked until now.
        To explain, many people condemn Ayn Rand and The Fountainhead because they do not understand her or her book. Rather, they just repeat what they have heard others say. But if they read my full Fountainhead Reference Guide, perhaps this would change. Maybe, my book would help students clear up their own confusions about AR and her book, thereby coming to appreciate and value the novel from an accurate perspective.  Especially, since my study guide analyzes the Fountainhead in a neutral manner, by organizing the novel's facts in an easily understandable format that dispels popular myths about the book.
        Also, some people may give my Fountainhead Reference Guide a fair hearing once they learn that its’ author -- me -- is a neutral party with no axe to grind. For I am not affiliated with – nor loyal to – any organization, institution, or thought movement, whatsoever, including Objectivism. This sort of intellectual independence renders me a neutral truth-seeker – who is less likely to antagonize certain people who hate Objectivist polemics. Said differently, my mental neutrality renders me a dispassionate truth seeker who is worth being heard, since I do not make arbitrary attacks against people for supporting contrary positions. Rather, I logically clarify my ideas in a non-threatening manner, so people generously receive my thoughts.
          Thus, to clear-up widespread misapprehensions about The Fountainhead, I’d like Dr. Peikoff to allow me to self-publish (or formally publish) my entire Reference Guide, since I think it induces clarity in pupils’ minds by enabling scholars to go over-and-over the novel’s facts again-and-again. So that when they write their term-papers they can look-up facts they know exist, without pouring over the book, like I did, for 18 months.
      Further, if someone wrote a Reference Guide that conveyed my basic values, I would not care who wrote it, why they wrote it, nor what people said about this person. Just the reverse. I would judge the book by its inherent worth only. Regardless of what others thought.
      To elaborate, if Dr. Peikoff uses his own objective judgment (which he does) to judge for himself what to do (which he does) instead of yielding to the subjective opinions of others (which he does not) I am confident that he will either grant me instant permission to publish. To help clarify Ayn Rand’s moral code. Or require me to refine my book, so he can allow later publication. Or deny me permission outright, with solid reasoning why.
        Ergo, to help him decide, I’d like Dr. Peikoff to take a brief moment, from his retirement, to read some of my materials, so he can decide what to do. Then, he can return to loving his wife, loving his family, traveling the world, or whatever else he likes. He has earned that.
        I know this request is a lot to ask of Dr. Peikoff at this stage in his life. Maybe I am wrong, but I think Dr. Peikoff could just assign someone to help me get my Reference Guide into proper shape, if he wants. After all he has an army of Objectivists who he can delegate the practical work to. All he has to do is to devise a solid strategy for working with me on this book. So that, together, we can bolster the movement, jointly.
        Alternatively, if Dr. Peikoff does not want to support my book because he does not know what will come of it yet, he can let me publish it discretely, by telling Penguin to authorize publication, without using his name. That way he can authorize a Reference Guide – that mostly aligns with Objectivist virtues and values – without explicitly sanctioning it. 
      That said, casting daylight on my Reference Guide does not mean Dr. Peikoff approves of, condones, or vouches for my book completely. What it does mean is that he values my study guide – on some level – insofar as it enables pupils to concertize their understanding of The Fountainhead, succinctly, so they support their Objectivist views ably – with facts, evidence, and logical inference. 
      In my view, Dr. Peikoff should allow me to support Objectivism by letting me publish my full-book, so his acolytes, “who do still engage in philosophic work” understand the Fountainhead better. 
      In sum, since my Fountainhead Reference Guide will enable objectivism to shine more directly, sparkle more brightly, and illuminate everything more clearly, it should be published. So that it breathes new life into Objectivism, by casting factual sunlight on The Fountainhead.
      Until it is fully published, though—which may never happen—this condensed Fountainhead Reference Guide is all I can offer. Sorry.

It is no secret that Hollywood loves a good romance. What is perhaps sometimes overlooked however is how important romance and female characters are to male-dominated action films. Esma Kartal argues women and romance are deliberately placed into action films to create "romantic relief" and attract female viewers for greater crossover appeal. 1 In addition to romance, Yvonne Tasker observes how women in action films serve as a witness for "the hero's suffering" and humanity in action films. 2 Finally, a classic use of women and romance in action films is that of the damsel-indistress, which continues to this day in many superhero films. However, the standard script of romance and damsels-in-distress is largely absent in Batman comic books. Batman has been many things over the years in comic books, 4 but he has never been in a committed relationship with a woman for very long. While Batman did often have to save girlfriend Julie Madison, Batman's young male sidekick Robin was typically used for the "damsel-in-distress" role after he was added to the comic book in 1943. 5 Julie Madison, Linda Page, and Vicki Vale were the main "normal" girlfriends that were romantically paired with Bruce Wayne. 6 However, as Mike Madrid notes, "Bruce and Batman might have had romances with girls like debutante Julie Madison or reporter Vicki Vale, but showed neither any true affection." 7 The lack of women in Bruce Wayne's life-coupled with his live-in adolescent crime-fighting partner Robin-led to accusations of homoerotism. 8 In response, Batwoman (Kathy Kane) was added to the comics for romantic intrigue, but romance was still presented as a "trap for Batman to avoid. 9 Summing up Batman's philosophy about romance, Robin says that Batman "can't risk a big romance now-not until he's ready to retire". 10 However, even when Wayne did take such a "risk" and began dating Silver St. Cloud, he was abruptly dumped when she discovered his superhero career, telling him that she refuses to worry "when your luck will run out!" 11 Batman's poor love life is no coincidence, as DC co-publisher Dan DiDio argues that Batman-affiliated superheroes "shouldn't be happy in their private lives." 12 Brandon Bosch is an Assistant Professor of Practice of Sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bosch's research interests are on media representations and public opinion, and he has published on authoritarian themes in Batman films. Bosch has also written on and published teaching materials on the slasher genre.

¿Qué es para la arquitectura el cine?, ¿Y la fotografía?, ¿Y la pintura?, ¿Qué es para el cine la arquitectura?, ¿Y la ciudad? Son preguntas que se me presentaron el momento en el que leí "Fénomenos hístoricos de la arquitectura. La ciudad y el cine", y serán preguntas que sigan en mi mente hasta el final, intentado analizar y comprender todo aquello que rodea la arquitectura y que la influencia.

This colloquium paper is an attempt to reflect my thoughts on stories, and telling thereof using visual sequential art as the media. It also briefly discusses my understanding of the art form and its parallel evolution over time, in dispersed locations on the face of Earth, sometimes citing a few examples to illustrate the point, and at other times quoting the exemplars of the field to suggest the influence they had on ideas and perceptions of the followers, here mostly being the comic book readers and artists. The paper also towards the end opines on the current surge of graphic novels in the popular yet not so mainstream readership, India being the context.
Following is the sequenced outline of this colloquium, yet the subsections can be read on their own, irrespective of the order; coherence being subject to the familiarity of the readers with the media of sequential art.

1. The Inception
1.0 The Need To Tell Stories
1.1 In Early History
1.2 Medieval Make-believe

2. In The Modern Sense
2.0 Sequential Art, the Term
2.1 Modern Comics, an Introduction
2.1.1 Manga
2.1.2 Franco-Belgian Comics
2.1.3 American Comics

3. The Graphic Novels
3.0 Graphic Novels
3.1 Criticism of the Neologism

4. End Note.

An examination of Frank Miller's comic, 300 inspired by Edward Said article, "Clash of Ignorance." Although Miller’s 300 weighs various stories in its depiction of the Battle of Thermopylae, it ultimately relies on a simplistic framework of clashing civilizations. The inherently Western lens situates the Persians as antagonists in the story and negates to properly develop the Persians’ motivations or humanize them, resulting in their reductive and stereotypical reflection of an East versus West archetype.

About 300 and the Latin translation of Asterix by Rubricastellanus (Karl-Heinz Graf von Rothenburg). Draft of the study "Asterix Gallus ad maiorem Caesaris famam", published in  "Intercod. Estetiche del fumetto, letteratura & cinema. Saggi di metodo e letture" = "IF. Rivista dell'insolito e del fantastico" 3, n. 8 (ottobre 2011), pp. 14-18.