What is a superhero? What is a supervillain? What are the traits that define and separate these two? What
cultural contexts do we find them in? And why we need them? Editors Robin S. Rosenberg, PhD and Peter Coogan,
PhD collected a series of essays examining these questions from both major comic book writers and editors, such
as Stan Lee and Danny Fingeroth, and leading academics in psychology and cultural studies, such as Will
Brooker and John Jennings.
The following essay by legendary comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer Stan Lee is extracted from
What is a Superhero? and entitled “More Than
Normal, But Believable”.
Green Lantern
American comic strip superhero created for DC Comics by artist Mart Nodell and writer Bill Finger. The character first appeared in All-American Comics no. 16 (July 1940).