DO NOW: Write at least
five words that come to
mind when you see this
Batman logo.
CHAPTER 16: THE GOLEMS
Part 1:
The Avengers
1. From where does the term
“golem” come from?
The term “golem” comes from
Jewish mysticism.
2. What is the legend of their
creation?
Legend has it that Jewish rabbis fashioned
Golems out of clay and animated them using
magic. The Golems protected the Jews.
3. What negative aspect of the
golems is implied in their legend?
It is implied that there is a certain danger
for those people the Golem protects.
4. The Golem in comics is often
an…
… Antihero.
5. What needs to Golems
frequently act from?
They act from a need for
revenge.
6. How are Wolverine & Punisher
described differently from Batman?
Wolverine and Punisher are described as
berserkers whose rage causes them to kill
almost indiscriminately. Batman does not
rage in the same way.
7. What is usually used to change
a Golem’s nature?
An artificial component or something as
simple as a disguise.
8. What is the risk of being
protected by a Golem?
A Golem is liable to do harm to those he is
supposed to protect.
9. What are Golems the
expression of?
The Golem is an expression of rage.
10. Of what is the Golem a
byproduct?
The Golem is a byproduct of insecurity and
wounded pride.
11. Why was Robin introduced
into the Batman comic?
Robin was introduced as a character to
whom young readers could relate.
12. What year did the cheesy
Batman TV show come out?
1966.
13. As what kind of a “god” does
Frank Miller describe Batman?
Frank Miler describes Batman as a god of
vengeance.
14. What epidemic was sweeping
through cities during the rise of the
Dark Knight Comic?
A crack cocaine epidemic was sweeping
through cities and gun crime was on the rise.
15. Daredevil is considered a
hybrid of which two characters?
Daredevil is considered a hybrid of Batman
and Spider-Man.
16. What event changes Matt
Murdock into a Golem figure?
Nuclear waste blinds Matt Murdock and his
father is killed by gangsters. This takes him on
the path to becoming Daredevil.
17. What story of Daredevil helped
legitimize the industry during the
80’s?
The storyline “Born Again”. Murdock’s
former secretary sells his identity to Kingpin
in exchange for a cocaine fix.
18. Both characters deal with deaths
of their parents – how do Batman &
Daredevil do it differently?
Batman constantly wants revenge, but
Daredevil struggles aginst those feelings by
trying to be compassionate.
19. Final Thought: Why do you think
the Golem/Avenger characters
appeal to the audience?
Take a few minutes and write out your
answer on your study guide for Chapter 16
Part 1. We will discuss as a class.
1. What was unsettling
Americans in the 1960s?
Social unrest was unsettling Americans in
the 1960s.
2. What 1971 film featured a
modern day Golem?
Dirty Harry featured Clint Eastwood as a
modern day Golem.
3. What kind of justice did Dirty
Harry exemplify?
Dirty Harry exemplified street justice, or,
vigilante justice.
4. What two comic book characters
did The Punisher blend?
The Punisher blended Batman and the
Shadow.
5. What “epidemic” gave Punisher
new popularity after the 1970s?
The crack cocaine epidemic gave the
Punisher new popularity after the 1970s.
6. What kinds of villains did the
Punisher target?
The Punisher targeted crack dealers and
drug lords.
7. To what kind of audience did
the Punisher appeal?
The Punisher appealed to the same scared
urban kids who worshipped Batman.
8. When Wolverine
first appeared what
kind of character was
he?
Wolverine first appeared as
a minor villain in an issue
of The Incredible Hulk.
CHAPTER 16: THE
GOLEMS
Part 2:
Death Dealers
9. What kinds of heroes
did Wolverine’s
immediate popularity
inspire?
Wolverine inspired the
Lethal Heroes of the 1980s.
10. In the Marvel Universe,
what are mutants?
In the Marvel Universe, mutants are a new
race of people born with innate superpowers.
11. What kind of
character did Frank
Miller reinvent with
the creation of
Elektra?
Frank Miller reinvented the
concept of the comic book
Amazon.
12. What was so new and
notable about Elektra?
There had never been a female
character so ruthless in comics
and certainly not a protagonist.
13. What is the
definition of “nihilism”?
Nihilism is the rejection of all
religious and moral principles, often
in the belief that life is meaningless.
14. What does the
creation of Elektra
represent in comics?
Elektra represents a new and
radical blurring of gender
boundaries in comic books.
15. What are the five films
that were inspired by new
“death dealer women” like
Elektra?
Aliens, Terminator 2, La Femme
Nikita, Kill Bill, and Point of No
Return
16. Final Thought: How do
you think Wolverine
starting as a villain has
shaped his character?
Take a few moments and write
down a response to this question.
We will discuss as a class.