When Is a Priest Not a Priest? Religious Visual Literacy in an Era of Identity Politics

Abstract

The study of superheroes and religion has often been approached through a mythological hermeneutic, or one that emphasizes what the characters represent. This, however, has often led to a failure to account adequately for the visual component that is a crucial element in talking about graphic narrative, especially when discussing religion and spirituality within comics. By closely examining one religious image within the context of The Incredible Hulk comics, the clerical collar, this article seeks to shed some light on the complexity of dealing with constantly evolving religious visual culture and its relation to religious identity. In this way, the article hopes to open up new lines of inquiry in regard to religion and comics.