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Published by Shiloh Run Press, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.shilohrunpress.com

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I’m a longtime comicbook fan. In the summer of 1962, when I was nine years old, someone who had money to buy things—comicbooks cost 12 cents each—trotted up our driveway to where I was in the backyard, bringing an issue of Amazing Fantasy featuring Spider-Man’s origin story. I remember exactly where I was standing as I held it and read it from cover to cover, utterly fascinated. (I agree with Stan Lee, who insists that “comic book” should be spelled “comicbook” to make it clear you’re not simply talking about a humorous magazine.)

Over the years I continued following Spidey’s adventures, though I also read every Superman and Batman comic I could get my hands on. And when I started earning money, I began collecting Spider-Man comics in earnest—even though the price had soared to 25 cents apiece. I soon realized that Marvel had a whole slew of other superheroes so I began buying every issue I could. By the time I was seventeen, I had no room left for clothes in my dresser. All the drawers were full of comicbooks.

I dreamed of working for Marvel Comics and I once wrote a letter to the editor suggesting a new story. Sometime later, I received a letter from Stan Lee himself, informing me that although my idea had him “on the edge of his seat,” unfortunately, they weren’t allowed to accept story ideas from fans. I suspect now that it was a form letter, but I remained a die-hard fan. I never ended up at Marvel, but I still was, as Marvel put it, a “True Believer.”

Best of all, a few comics in particular helped prepare me to become a Christian when I was seventeen. Then I was a True Believer in the literal sense of the word. If it seems astonishing that fictional superheroes contributed to me putting my faith in the one true God and Jesus Christ, His Son, remember that comics are literature, an oft-disparaged media form that frequently just entertains—and often fails to do even that—but which sometimes carries deep spiritual truths.

Make no mistake about it: many comicbooks are insipid, contain over-sexualized imagery and gratuitous violence, promote unchristian values, and are a waste of time… just like your mother says. Certain stories influenced me negatively. And these days, the power of comicbook characters to influence us for good or ill has increased dramatically, since superheroes have leaped off the printed page into big-screen movies seen by millions.

You may wonder, “Can you actually find spiritual truths in comicbooks and superhero movies?” Yes indeed, along with much error. Superhero movies captivate people’s imaginations with heart-pounding adventures, riveting plots, and spectacular special effects—and sometimes they have profound messages woven into them. Often the underlying themes reveal a Judeo-Christian influence and, even when it isn’t intentional, you can still draw good messages from them, which is my goal in this devotional.

The apostle Paul was fluent in the culture of his day and often cited Greek poets, philosophers, and playwrights to make his point and communicate with his listeners. For example, Paul quoted the Cretan poet Epimenides in Titus 1:12 and referenced both Epimenides and the Cilician poet, Aratus, in Acts 17:28. And in 1 Corinthians 15:33, he quoted a zinger from Thais, a popular comedy about a prostitute, written by the Greek playwright Menander.

The Roman theaters of Paul’s day were the equivalents of today’s Imax cinemas, and if Paul were alive right now, he wouldn’t hesitate to quote from The Man of Steel, The X-Men, or even Guardians of the Galaxy if they helped him drive home a message. That is, in fact, what I have attempted to do, and why I’ve written this devotional. I pray that these readings based on today’s most popular superheroes and superheroines will both inspire and challenge you.

A word about canon, the accepted lore against which all new stories are measured: While it’s a given that the authentic canon for the superheroes’ adventures are the comics, this book’s primary intended audience is not superhero fanatics and collectors immersed in all the trivia of their favorite heroes, but for you, the general public, who may never have read the original comicbook adventures. The movies are often the only point of reference you have. Therefore, I also quote from the movies as authoritative.

Sometimes, however, a character’s history diverges wildly between the comicbooks and the movies. For example, in the printed pages, Mystique was Nightcrawler’s mother. Yet when they met in the second X-Men movie, they didn’t know each other and were apparently not even related. When commenting on the Captain America: Civil War trailer, director Joe Russo explained, “We don’t always honor the mythology from the books. One, because it’s predictable and two, it’s not servicing the story in the way we want.”¹

And which film version are we to follow if a superhero movie series has been rebooted? For example, the three Spiderman movies by Sam Raimi (2002–07) and the two movies by Marc Webb (2012–2014), are all good, although fans have their favorites. And in the case of Superman, while the four movies starring Christopher Reeve (1978–87) are established classics and were blockbusters in their day, the movie Man of Steel (2013), with Henry Cavill as Superman, is also powerful and authoritative.

Some movies, however, were so poorly done that fans long to bury them. This includes Hulk by Ang Lee, the reboot of Fantastic Four by Josh Trank, and Catwoman. And while the first two X-Men movies are good, the third film, X-Men: Last Stand, was hated by many, and killed off or misrepresented numerous core characters, necessitating the drastic reboot Days of Future Past.

As you can see, the cinematic canon is in a rather fluid state—similar to the Aether, which refuses to remain in solid form like the other Infinity Stones—and while this may be a bothersome detail for some, it’s what we’ve been given. So buckle up and prepare for the ride.

Many people have noticed that God is hardly ever mentioned in comicbooks. There are reasons for this. During the late 1940S, many comicbooks were filled with horror and gratuitous violence. As a result, in the early 1950S American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham led a crusade against comics, arguing that they incited juvenile delinquency. This was during the height of McCarthyism (1950–1956), so in 1954 the US Senate held televised hearings on comics’ contribution to youth crime. Although a link wasn’t established, the damage to the comicbook industry was done, causing a near collapse.

The Senate urged publishers to establish strict guidelines, so that year the Comics Code Authority (CCA) was created. All comics had to pass the CCA’S censors to receive a stamp of approval. Among other things, the Code stated that “ridicule or attack on any religious…group is never permissible,”² and instructed writers to respect all beliefs and religious institutions. Publishers usually played it safe by avoiding the subject altogether.

Another factor was that until 1962, American public schools began their days with a short Bible reading and by reciting the Lord’s Prayer. Then in 1962–63, the Supreme Court banned public prayer and Bible-reading from schools. Producers of comics, still smarting from the anti-comicbook hysteria of the 1950s, took their cue and usually didn’t even give passing mention to a superhero’s faith or the existence of God—not that many of them had been inclined to promote overt Christian messages prior to this.

They did delve into ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Norse gods, because those religions had long been retired to the realms of mythology. There had already been a number of superheroes based on Greek and Roman gods, so the Norse god Thor, which first appeared in 1962, was readily accepted. Writers also felt free to discuss the occult; hence the 1963 debut of the magician Doctor Strange was well-received. However, living faiths such as Judaism and Christianity were usually passed over in silence.

Any time a being identifiable as the Judeo-Christian God was mentioned in the pages of a comicbook, you can be sure that it didn’t happen without a great deal of thought. The writers had to really want to include it. As would be expected, the mentions were few and far between, but when assembled, they present a clear picture of the true God. This is especially true for Marvel comics. DC comics, while they depicted a being named “the Presence,” have few unambiguous mentions.

In a 1968 issue of Fantastic Four, when her husband, Reed Richards, was in grave danger, Sue asks, “But what can he do…against the all-powerful Silver Surfer?” A Watcher, an ancient, wise being named Uatu, responds, “All-powerful? There is only one who deserves that name. And His only weapon…is love!”³ This is the best possible description of God, since, as the apostle John tells us, “God is love” (1 John 4:8 KJV).

In April 1976, Marvel gave God a title when it introduced an omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent Being called “the One-Above-All.”⁴ He was more powerful and exalted than any entity or god in the entire Marvel universe. Even the Norse god of thunder, Thor, was in awe of Him, calling Him “the Creator of all Universes.”⁵ The One-Above-All was responsible for the existence of all matter, energy, and life throughout every dimension.

At one point, a superhero named Adam Warlock told how he had been summoned to be judged by an entity called the Living Tribunal, who, great as he was, was “the servant of the One who is above even gods.”⁶ Yes, in the Marvel universe, the one true God is above the Watchers, the Elders of the Universe, the Celestials, the Elder gods, the gods of Asgard, the Vishanti, the Cosmic Entities, and even the Living Tribunal.

Now, the Cosmic Entities are eternal beings who wield power on an unimaginably vast scale and who are an integral part of the space-time continuum, essential to the running of the physical universe. The greatest Cosmic Entity is an omnipresent being named Eternity. But during one encounter, Eternity tells Doctor Strange that he and his fellow Entity, Death, comprised all the reality Doctor Strange knows, but adds, “Neither he nor I are God, for God rules all realities!”⁷

Around the turn of the twenty-first century, when the Comics Code became obsolete and the hesitation about mentioning Christianity relaxed, comicbook writers began drawing from its rich literature, lore, and symbols. This didn’t mean the writers were Christians, though some were. But knowledge of Christianity still permeated Western society and people were familiar with its concepts. Thus, superheroes slowly began to be depicted praying to God, attending church, and fighting demons.

In the final analysis, we shouldn’t criticize the comicbook industry too harshly for refraining from promoting belief in God. It’s not their job to preach the Gospel. Jesus gave that task to us, His followers, and even many of us shy away from it. But it’s great when comics at least give the one true God some long overdue recognition.

A colossal supervillain and a single overarching theme have been a part of many Marvel movies since Iron Man in 2008. That villain is Thanos, the Dark Lord—who featured prominently in Guardians of the Galaxy and briefly in Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron—and the theme is his relentless quest to possess the six Infinity Stones, also called Infinity Gems. The entire Marvel Universe is rushing toward the cataclysmic climax of this quest in the Infinity War movies of 2018 and 2019.

Thanos is a powerful cosmic warlord who reigns over an immense star-region and commands aliens called the Chitauri. In Avengers he allies with Loki to get the Space Stone, and in Guardians of the Galaxy he sends Ronan the Accuser to seize the Power Stone. Thanos wishes to woo a cosmic entity named Mistress Death, and to do this he needs the Infinity Stones. (Thanos’ own name is likely derived from Thanatos, a Greek god of death.)

There are six Infinity Stones. The Soul Gem enables its owner to steal souls; whoever masters it can control all life in the universe. The Time Gem grants control over the past, present, and future, and can bequeath omniscience. The Space Gem lets its user exist everywhere at once; it can grant omnipresence. The Mind Gem enhances one’s mental powers, enabling that person to access the thoughts of others. The Reality Gem lets people fulfill all their wishes, even if those wishes contradict the laws of science. The Power Gem taps into all energy in existence and increases the power of the other gems; it grants near-omnipotence. Whoever possesses all six stones becomes all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing. These are the qualities of God Himself.

Unfortunately for Thanos, when he loans the Mind Stone to Loki to help seize the more potent Space Stone, Loki loses both stones. The Mind Stone ends up on the superhero Vision’s forehead, and the Space Stone is put under guard in Asgard. And Ronan fails in his task to gain the Power Stone; it ends up in safekeeping on the planet Xandar. This is why Thanos finally says, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”⁸

Where did the six Infinity Stones come from? As Taneleer Tivan, the archivist called the Collector, explains, “Before creation itself, there were six singularities, then the universe exploded into existence and the remnants of this system were forged into concentrated ingots…Infinity Stones.”⁹ This forging was done by the Cosmic Entities, eternal beings who wield power on an unimaginably vast scale.

In Marvel’s comic series The Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos succeeds in collecting all six Stones and mounting them on his gauntlet—and this is likely how things will unfold in the movies. In the comics, once Thanos places the Gauntlet on his hand, making him omnipotent, he fulfills Mistress Death’s wish by killing half the living beings in the universe. Ultimately, Thanos is defeated because, after achieving godlike power, he abandons his physical body to become one with the universe. At that point, his granddaughter Nebula pulls the Gauntlet from his physical hand, puts it on and undoes his massacre.

In his desire to be like God, in his love for death, and in his desire to slaughter half a universe full of sentient beings, Thanos showed himself to be like Satan, “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4 NKJV)…“him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14 NKJV). There is already a demon in the Marvel Universe named Lucifer, but Thanos also matches the Scriptures’ description well.

Isaiah declared, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!…For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High’” (Isaiah 14:12–14 NKJV). Ezekiel added, “You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: the sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones…. And you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God” (Ezekiel 28:13–14, 16 NKJV).

The devil may have been intent on being God, but the Lord stopped him short and cast him out of heaven. And even though the evil one is still trying to bring death upon all humanity, Jesus, the Son of God, constantly thwarts his plan by saving lost souls.

In the end, there is only one Stone worth seeking and that’s the one who gives eternal life. Jesus is “the stone which the builders rejected,” but who “has become the chief cornerstone” (Matthew 21:42 NKJV). Plus, Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46 NKJV). Have you found this stone?

Captain America is one of the most famous comicbook superheroes—and one of the oldest. His career began in 1941, during an age of heroes when millions of Americans were called to war against the Axis powers, the Nazis and their allies, a great evil that threatened to engulf the world. Captain America (Steve Rogers) was the embodiment of a hero: courageous, patriotic, and self-sacrificial. An old-fashioned idealist with a wholesome Boy Scout moral outlook, he often appears out of step with modern society.

As the Second World War is raging, Steve Rogers wants to join the fight but is repeatedly rejected at enlistment centers because he is so short and scrawny. Then he catches the attention of Dr. Erskine, a scientist planning to conduct a super-soldier experiment, which involves injecting someone with a unique serum and exposing him to “vita-rays.”

Colonel Phillips doesn’t think Steve is the right man for the test, and he recommends a certain Private Hodge as the ideal soldier. But Dr. Erskine says, “I am looking for qualities beyond the physical.”¹⁰ Colonel Phillips unwittingly proves Erskine’s point when he tosses a dummy grenade among some soldiers. To his surprise, while everyone else scatters, Steve, weak though he is, rushes forward and throws himself on the grenade to protect others.

Iron Man later quips that Steve Rogers is a laboratory experiment and that everything special about him comes out of a bottle.¹¹ But that wasn’t true. Steve Rogers was special before he became powerful. He had great courage and a strong moral center long before his physical transformation.

After Steve comes out of the experiment taller and superbly muscled, a German assassin kills Erskine. The assassin then avoids interrogation by committing suicide with a cyanide capsule. Unfortunately, Erskine’s blueprint for creating an army of super-soldiers dies with him, so Steve is the first and only one. He becomes known as Captain America and is often affectionately called “Cap.” He goes on to do great exploits against the Nazis, particularly Hydra, their Deep Science Division.

Captain America’s story is reminiscent of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11: “Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle” (Hebrews 11:34 NLT). They were powerful in battle, but even more importantly, God saw to it that they were “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16 KJV).

Just as Dr. Erskine didn’t want Private Hodge, God doesn’t always want men with muscles to do His work. God delights in using the weak and the incapable to accomplish great things, and He often refuses to use the powerful, the proud, and the self-confident. Scripture says, “God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27 NKJV).

When God looks for someone to accomplish something extraordinary, He first examines the heart. His reasons are simple. He not only needs us to trust in Him to work through us, but He knows that solid moral character alone is a strong enough framework upon which He can build greatness. Dr. Erskine explained to Steve that the serum amplified all his qualities, so that good became great and bad became worse. This was why he was chosen.¹²

Even after Captain America became a living legend, he didn’t let it go to his head. He knew the feats he was now capable of, but he didn’t have an exaggerated sense of self-confidence. So when Red Skull asks him what makes him so special, Cap replies, “Nothing. I’m just a kid from Brooklyn.”¹³ In saying this, he was speaking for the millions of ordinary people who, although they were nothing special on their own, became great in serving God and their country. Only people who realize that greatness comes from God can be used to accomplish great things.

Jeremiah prophesied, “Let not the mighty man glory in his might… But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD” (Jeremiah 9:23–24 NKJV). Captain America was definitely a dedicated believer. He is Marvel’s most outspoken Christian. When Natasha (Black Widow) refers to Thor and Loki as “gods,” Cap gives his now-famous answer: “There’s only one God, ma’am, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t dress like that.”¹⁴ And, as Thor pointed out, Cap went to church every Sunday.¹⁵

Not surprisingly, a number of individuals didn’t like what Captain America stood for. The arch-villain Ultron mockingly referred to him as “God’s righteous man.”¹⁶ And Loki, after transforming himself into a copy of Cap, said sarcastically, “I can feel the righteousness surging.”¹⁷

Despite his critics, Captain America’s moral strength, courage, self-sacrificial spirit, and strong Christian faith continued to define who he was through the years. They were what made him a true hero. And these attributes can make you a hero, too—a man or woman who can do not just heroic deeds that make headlines, but the quiet, unnoticed deeds of daily self-sacrifice that are the mark of every true champion.

Spider-Man is Marvel’s most iconic superhero. Yet when editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko created the Wall Crawler in 1962, they knew they were going against people’s expectations. A superhero who had continual money problems? Who wasn’t able to get a date? Who had an elderly aunt doting over him? Besides, back then teenagers weren’t superheroes. They were sidekicks of the real heroes. You know, like Robin to Batman.

For these very reasons, however, teens identified with Peter Parker. In the comics, and in the movies by Sam Raimi, Peter is the ultimate nerd—off the charts intelligent but weak, filled with feelings of inadequacy, plagued by loneliness, and excluded by the popular crowd. Many Spider-Man fans were delighted at how well actor Tobey Maguire captured the real Peter Parker.

Compounding his feelings of isolation, Peter is an orphan, having been taken in by his uncle Ben and aunt May after his parents died. However, as Peter grows older, he has all the desires of a normal teenager: he wants to be accepted and appreciated; he wants to love and be loved. He is, in fact, enamored with a beautiful classmate, MJ (Mary Jane Watson). But she is the girlfriend of Flash Thompson, the school’s top athlete and Peter knows he can’t compete.

Then everything changes. In the movie version, while visiting a science display, Peter is bitten by a genetically altered spider. Soon he finds that his body is rippling with muscles and that he has astonishing new powers—so much so that he defeats Flash in a cafeteria fight. But Flash still wows Mary Jane with his new car, so Peter enters a wrestling match to win the $3,000 prize, buy a car, and impress MJ.

Peter’s uncle Ben cautions him that having the power to defeat his opponents isn’t enough, but that “with great power comes great responsibility.”¹⁸ Peter rejects this advice and after he wins the wrestling match, the promoter gives him $100, not $3,000. Peter is so upset that when the promoter is robbed moments later, he refuses to stop the thief.

But two things happen that force Peter through an internal metamorphosis: first, in a twist of fate, the escaped thief kills Peter’s own uncle. Second, the Green Goblin begins terrorizing New York City. The Goblin urges Spider-Man to join him, but Spidey refuses and risks his life to rescue others and defeat the villain.

Samson in the Bible had superhuman powers as well. At first, like Spider-Man, Samson was immature. He was foolish in his infatuations, looked out only for himself, lived selfishly, and used his incredible strength to hurt others for his personal gain (Judges 14:18–15:8). Like Peter Parker, and like Samson, you too may often be tempted to use your abilities and influence to aggrandize yourself, win favor, and put down others. Part of you knows it’s wrong, but it often takes a wake-up call to truly realize it.

Spidey’s problems and feelings of rejection aren’t limited to his personal life, by the way. Even though he frequently risks his life to save others—for which he hopes to be appreciated—he is treated like a criminal. This was largely due to newspaper editor J. J. Jameson insisting that the “Webslinger” is a menace to society. In the comics, Jameson’s unrelenting tirade results in the FBI offering a reward for Spider-Man’s capture.¹⁹

Meanwhile, heroes like Captain America are highly respected. When discussing Spider-Man’s bad reputation, Cap says, “Maybe if I make a personal appeal to the President…”²⁰ Spider-Man is a hunted fugitive, yet Captain America has an “in” with the highest office in the land—not unlike Elisha, who once asked a lady, “Can we speak on your behalf to the king…?” (2 Kings 4:13 NIV). That Spider-Man lacked such favor, given all that he had done for others, wasn’t fair.

With his superhero persona deemed a criminal and his public persona regarded as a weak nerd, how did Peter endure this rejection? By knowing the truth—he knew he was doing good and he knew he had powers his critics could only dream of. It’s the same with Christians today. “We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves,” the apostle Paul wrote (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT). This power is the Spirit of God within you (Acts 1:8) and with that great power comes great responsibility.

Remember also, Jesus Himself knows what rejection is like. Despite the fact that He did nothing but good, the public spurned Him: “He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:11 NLT). Jesus was the ultimate example of a righteous man who was rejected, falsely accused, and made to suffer the shameful death of a common criminal.

How do you stand strong when you feel maligned and rejected? By following these instructions from the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews: “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up” (Hebrews 12:2–3 NLT).

Iron Man, in his distinct red and yellow suit of armor, was such a hit in the first Iron Man movie (2008) that Marvel soon produced more films in the series, plus featured him prominently in the Avengers adventures.

Much of Iron Man’s popularity, however, is due not only to his high-tech powers, but to how well Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Iron Man’s alter-ego, the billionaire playboy Tony Stark. Downey seemed perfect for the role. Stark had a problem with alcohol and Downey has struggled with drug addiction. In 2001, Downey faced his problem. He later explained in an interview, “I said, ‘I don’t think I can continue doing this.’ And I reached out for help, and I ran with it.”²¹ That kind of resolve is something to admire.