The Myth of the Student Hero and the “Dreaded Lit Review”

The Supernatural

In myths, the hero is typically accompanied and helped by some sort of "supernatural aid" (Campbell, p. 69). In students' comics, the supernatural aid is represented by a wide range of characters, some of which are familiar to many.

In Jade Smith's comic, the student seeks "guidance" through "prayer," appealing to "Jesus" to "take the wheel." Of particular interest is the merging of the supernatural with the institutional. That is, the image of the crucifix is enacted through the architecture of the library, and the light shining through the crucifix image furthers the idea that the library is a god-like source of light of knowledge. The library and its many resources are the "supernatural aid," providing most of the resources and help that the student needs in order to do the literature review.

While supernatural aids are common, so are other types of aids, including literary figures, movie and television characters, fairies, and comic book superheroes.

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