The Evolution of the Costumed Avenger: The 4,000-Year History of the Superhero

Using a broad array of historical and literary sources, this book presents an unprecedented detailed history of the superhero and its development across the course of human history.

• Presents a concise but thorough history of the superhero comic industry, from the 1930s to today

• Clearly describes the two main forms of the historical superhero, the Costumed Avenger and the Superman

• Suggests a new way in which to evaluate superheroes and explains why this new methodology is important

• Identifies and examines the ways in which superheroes have been present in popular literature since the beginning of human history