Langley Travis - Captain America vs. Iron Man

Long before I knew Danny Fingeroth, his 2004 book Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes Really Tell Us about Ourselves and Our Society made me think, I want to write this kind of book. His observation that it has been decades since psychiatry or psychology has taken a look at such questions about superheroes the latter of which (like this book) features a foreword by Stan the Man.

For my Comics Arts Conference (CAC) presentation at that particular Comic-Con, I analyzed Marvel Comics Civil War storyline.inform the masses about creators such as Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, whose names should be widely known. Because I met most of this books contributors through Comic-Con, Captain America vs. Iron Man could never have come together this way without everyone who ever played parts in getting us to San Diego that first time. We therefore thank San Diego Comic-Con Internationals organizers (Eddie Ibrahim, Sue Lord, Adam Neese, Gary Sassaman, and company) who provide the Comics Arts Conferences programming time, facilities, and support.

Many different conventions help this books writers meet each other, make plans, and share thoughts. I must always thank Wizard World programming director Christopher Jansen and others who keep their cons going across the land. My first one-on-one conversation with Stan Lee took place at Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con, courtesy of Clare Kramer the Buffy-slayer. After Stan told me, You should teach Stan Lee University, I put together a course titled Stan Lee Heroes, using the marvels he and his collaborators created in order to teach real psychology. At Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con, Stan answered my students questions after Stan Lees Who Wants to Be a Superhero? champion Jarrett Crippen helped pick the best of their questions. Gates McFadden (Star Trek: The Next Generation) once stopped by my Wizard World table and struck up a conversation comparing Batman and Iron Man, making particular note of Tony Starks narcissistic wound and ultimately inspiring me to add this books features about id, ego, and superego.

Comics pros whove joined us on panels to discuss this books featured heroes include Paul Benjamin, Victor Dandridge, Steve Englehart, Tania Del Rio, Devin Grayson, Molly Mahan, Bryan Q. Miller, Jim Salicrup, J. J. Sedelmaier, Gail Simone, Nicky Wheeler-Nicholson, Denny ONeil, David Uslan, Marguerite Van Cook, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman. Professionals of other kinds on those panels have included Eric Bailey, NYPD Sgt. Mike Bruen, Abby Dark Star, Kieran Dickson, Andrea Letamendi, Jessica Merizan, Robert ONale, Robin Rosenberg, Derek Royal, Aaron Sagers, David Uslan, and Xena Zeit-Geist. My students continually help me flesh out ideas about these characters, and while there are too many students to name, I will point out Mitchell Cullins, Christine Dickson, Brianna George, Ben Graves, Mitchell Green, Brian Lott, Samantha Proffit, and Sean Shuttleworth among those who went the extra mile to make relevant conference presentations.

Our universitys Comics Arts Club, Legion of Nerds; students minoring in comics studies; others taking our nerdy classes; and alumni who formed the Comic Arts Council are, themselves, our comics studies driving power. The students, other faculty members who teach comics studies courses, and I are truly fortunate to teach at a university where administrators like President Glen Jones, Provost Steve Adkison, and Dean John Hardee have encouraged creative ways of teaching. My fellow psychology faculty members show great support: Rafael Bejarano, Emilie Beltzer, Rebecca Langley, Paul Williamson, and our chair, Aneeq Ahmad. I must thank now-retired chair Todd Wiebers for saying that if Stan Lee himself suggested I teach a course on Lees co-creations, then I should go right ahead. Librarian Lea Ann Alexander and the Huie Library staff maintain Henderson State Universitys impressive graphic novel reading room. Linda Mooney, Millie Bowden, and other fine Henderson State University staff members help us all make sure things can get done. Our faculty writers group (Angela Boswell, Matthew Bowman, Vernon Miles, Suzanne Tartamella, Michael Taylor) help me build, rebuild, and fine tune the literary machine.

Sterling Publishing editor Connie Santisteban got me started on this project and graciously passed the editing torch to Kate Zimmerman. Kalista Johnston, Marilyn Kretzer, Sari Lampert, Blanca Oliviery, Lauren Tambini, and other Sterling superheroes go above and beyond the call of duty to help us complete and promote these projects. Mara Whiteside Wood and Jenna Busch have been conscientious editorial assistants on this volume, both ready to take on one strange new task after another. Jenna previously worked for Stan Lee, co-hosting Cocktails with Stan on YouTube, and theyve remained close. She discussed this book with him, and the thoughts he shared then became the basis for his foreword. We thank POW! Entertainments Yuka Kobayashi for setting that up, and we certainly thank the man born Stanley Lieber for the foreword itself. Also worthy of mention are Jeff Caudle, Michael French, Erica Ash Lemons, Greg Lemons, John McManus, Louis Monoyudis, Patrick Murphy, Chris Murrin, Robert ONale, Greg Walker, Tiffany Pitcock, Justin Poole, Kevin Michael Scott, Ryan L. Sittler, photographers Lawrence Brenner and Bill Ostroff, and family-not-by-blood Renee Couey, Marko Head, and Katrina Hill.