A Necessary Fantasy?

Contributors address--from an array of critical perspectives--the central issues of what constitutes heroism and the nature of the heroic figure in American, Australian, and British juvenile popular culture. Eighteen scholars address topics like African American folk heroes, good girls, Robin Hood, Biggles, Action Man toys, Dan Dare, Peter Pan, and Spider Man in essays referring to a wide range of cultural forms, including film, television, comics, periodicals, books, and toys. Each reading is followed by a bibliography. Jones's and Watkins's introduction to theories of the hero in kiddie lit should be fascinating reading for anyone once a kid. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR.