Research

 Religion and art

I was asked to research two pieces of Religious art, a historic piece and a modern appropriation piece. I have decided to look at the Old Gods rather than more mainstream religions. 

When looking at the portrayal of the old Gods in modern art i have found it a lot harder to find an piece appropriating them, I believe this is because they are not such a mainstream believe today. I have decided to research into DC comics and their superhero’s links to the Olympian family. I personally really enjoy the DC universe so I have enjoyed this research thoroughly. 

 

^DC’s justice league comic and a drawing of the Olympian Gods

The DC universe has both direct and indirect links to Greek mythology. I believe that DC’s superheroes appropriate the Gods as they have taken key aspects of the beliefs that were once almighty and making them into fictional characters for our own entertainment. More over, it could be argued that their is a sense of religion to the superhero fandom. They have stolen an old religion or the “dead Gods” and revived them through this modern imitation of them. People travel miles for Comic- cons across states and country’s ; Is this not just a modern pilgrimage? These stories instal a sense of hope to the viewer. Story’s where everyone matters, the average human can save the world if they are true of heart or just try hard enough. The bad guy is always defeated.  The hero always saves the girl; Does this not sound familiar to the messages and hope that is installed through religion? 

Anyways here is a few examples of my personal favourite characters and their links to Greek mythology:

• Apollo - The green Arrow 

The Green arrow and Apollo are both highly skilled with a bow and arrow as well as rebellious. Apollo was know to be off with the nymphs, or to put it in more modern terms, he was a bit of a lady’s man. This can be seen in the Green arrow story with huge reference to this before Oliver became the green arrow but it can still be seen in a more conservative manor throughout the whole series. The rebellion aspect of Apollo can also be seen through the green arrow as he is a vigilante after all, rebelling against societal rules to seek raw justice for the people. 

• Aphrodite - The black canary

Aphrodite, a woman of pure beauty with a siren like quality, able to influence men with just her voice. The black canary, also a vigilante is a woman turned hero and compared to the other hero’s I’ve looked at she does have a few more differences to her God, however the similarities they do have are so closely similar it’s uncanny. The black canary is also a woman of immense beauty who uses this to her advantage to distract her victims. Thus hero also has a siren like quality to her, using a deafening high pitch “canary” call to bring her targets down much like Aphrodite’s voice.

•Hermes- The flash  

Hermes and the flash have a physical resemblance as well as just mere links to each other. Hermes is traditionally depicted to have wings upon his head and feet,  a typically fast,  mischievous God. The flash was intentionally designed with wings on the head of his costume, this shows the intentional link between the hero and the God. Of course, another obvious link is how the two of them are both immensely fast. I believe that it is clear how these characters and also many more I haven’t gone into detail about are clearly derived from the Old gods to the point were I believe it is classed as appropriating them.