Super-heroes are uniquely American in origin and reflective of the “Greatest Generation” that created them. Their progenitors can be traced to ancient myths though their direct foundation springs from American legends like Paul Bunyan and John Henry. Pulp literature fermented these heroes from the 1800s with Buffalo Bill, Nick Carter and on to Doc Savage . By the 1930s super-powered and costumed characters showed up in the newspaper comic strips including Popeye and the Phantom.  The characters we…

Continued here:
Part 1: The Super-Hero’s American Exceptionalism