It’s been over 80 years since Superman (literally) collared Hitler and Hirohito (Superman #17, 1942) and Captain America delivered a knockout punch to Hitler (Captain America Comics #1, 1941). Since the early days of the Golden Age of comics, superhero comics have responded to and informed all periods of American history. In this course, we will study American superhero comics and their contextual connection to specific historical moments and eras. We will examine how superhero comics function as a narrative art form and discuss them in aesthetic and interdisciplinary contexts through such starting points as narrative & storytelling; technology; mythology; psychology; philosophy; religion; and history. Guiding our investigation and studies will be Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, a groundbreaking and masterful study of the comics medium. We will engage in both classroom and online discussions, and extensive individual and group research and writing.