Andrew Lesk of the University of Toronto has prepared a working bibliography of psychiatrists and psychologists appearing as characters in graphic novels and comic books, most of them as meaningful players in the plot and not simply as facilitators of the main characters’ analyses.
Category Archives: Psychology Today: Beyond Heroes and Villains
Legends of the Knight Documentary Explores Power of Stories
The documentary “Legends of the Knight” looks at how stories inspire people, as demonstrated by more than a dozen accounts of how one fictional superhero with no superpowers helped real human beings to overcome challenges. Psychologists featured in the film use the character and stories effectively in educational and therapeutic environments. Worldwide, Batman inspires.
The Arkham Sessions: Batman, Man-Bat, and that Killer Clown
In “The Arkham Sessions,” a new podcast, Dr. Andrea Letamendi has embarked on a series of discussions with Brian Ward regarding character depictions in Batman: The Animated Series, a television program considered by many to be one of the finest TV series of any kind. Dr. Drea blends clinical analysis and nostalgia to discuss real psychology through the filter of fiction.
Doctor Who: The Man Who Regrets and the Man Who Forgets
In a trilogy of episodes built around Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary on BBC TV, the central character confronts truths about himself. A destructive act to stop a war fills him with regret and then he forgets. Blocking his memory, in turn, leads him to delude himself about other things as well. Correcting his own destructive act makes him realize how little life he has left.
Necessary Evil Documentary: Exploring Super-Villainy
A new documentary, “Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics,” explores the nature of comic book super-villains, their fans, and the culture that makes evil entertaining. Christopher Lee narrates with commentary from DC Comics pros, filmmakers, actors, and two psychologists who love to talk about fictional heroes and villains, and what they really mean for us all.
Superheroes, Supervillains, and Ourselves upon the OCEAN
The ERIICA Project (Empirical Research on the Interpretation & Influence of the Comic Arts) explores how we view heroes and villains in fiction and real life, so we might learn, among other things, if we hold ourselves and our heroes up to unrealistic standards and whether we fail to recognize the humanity in life’s good guys and bad guys, as well as the best in ourselves.