It seems obvious to say that popular culture isn't created in a vacuum. Personal and institutional structures support the creation of popular culture. We have many examples of heroes in fiction and in reality. Popular Culture Studies takes a major interest in the Hero from folklore and literature. Among the questions often considered are: what makes a Hero and what makes a Villain? What purpose do heroes serve (particularly in a democracy)? How are heroes portrayed in different genres, and so on? This assignment will allow us to explore similar points as we seek to understand the role of the Hero in popular culture. We have become acquainted with a few of the core ideas and concepts that inform the study of popular culture. As we have learned, these can be powerful tools leading to useful insights.

It is strongly suggested that you cite something from a reliable industry or academic source, as well as a source defining "hero" or a derivation such as "heroic" or "heroism."

Select a specific fictional hero figure (not a category of heroes).

Select both a recent version of your chosen hero and an older version of the same hero. Be precise and exact: a specific comic book issue, not just "Superman in 1960s comics"; a specific TV episode, not just "The Incredible Hulk TV series" and so on.
Study your chosen hero by researching your two different versions as "primary artifacts"---actually watch the film, read the comic book, play the game or whatever.

Using your research, describe how the Hero is different or the same in each version. Pick Two to four well-developed aspects/traits: do what you think is significant.

Explain why the hero is indeed heroic. Define "hero", "heroism", or "heroic" and citing a legitimate source and specifically tie it to your hero with examples from your sources(Source: Any formal encyclopedia or dictionary - but not Wikipedia). You should use a specific example from one of your chosen versions of the hero to illustrate when the hero did something that directly fits the definition of "hero" that you used. For example, if your source says "a hero is willing to make sacrifices" then you demonstrate something from your example where your hero-figure is willing to make a sacrifice

Finally, based on everything you've learned, explain what information all of this gives us about the culture that produced and consumes these variations of the hero-figure. Explain how or in what ways he or she may help us understand the culture that produced/consumes products of him or her. What does the hero indicate about the cultural values, beliefs, or ideals of the society the produced/consumes products of him or her?