SupernaturalandsuperhumanelementshavebeenprominentinAmericanculturefromthetimeoftheNewEnglandPuritans’intenseemphasisonreligion.SuperpowersurveystheappearanceofsupernaturalandsuperhumanelementsinAmericanculture,focusingontheAmericanfascinationwithnarrativesinvolvingsupernaturaladventure,superhumanheroes,andvastconspiraciesdrivenbysupernaturalevil.Inparticular,M.KeithBookersuggeststhatthepopularityofsuchthemesindicatesadeep-seateddissatisfactionwiththerationalizedworldofcontemporaryAmericansociety.BookerdetailsthedevelopmentofthenationalmythsunderlyingthecharactersofSuperman,Batman,andSpiderman;televisionhitsfromStarTrektoLost;andthefranchisesofPiratesoftheCaribbeanandTheLordoftheRings.Thisculture-spanninginvestigationbeginswithahistoricalsurveyofsupernaturalandsuperhumanthemesinAmericancultureandconcludeswiththerecentupsurgethatbeganinthe1990s.ItthenturnstovariousworksofrecentpopularculturewithsupernaturalandsuperhumanthemessuchasTwinPeaks,TheX-Files,andBuffytheVampireSlayer,organizedaccordingtothedesirestowhichtheseworksrespond.WhatdothesefantasiesrevealaboutwhatitmeanstobeAmericantoday--andwhatwewantittomean?
