Authors

Discussion

For quite some time after 1991, it seemed that the new Russian society was no longer in need of heroes. Under President Putin, the situation has changed; heroism and heroes are again very much en vogue. This paper will focus on recent Russian films featuring Supergeroi, Russian superheroes, such as Chernaia Molniia (2009), Temnyi Mir: Ravnovesie (2013) and Zashchitniki (2017) and argue that these films constitute a powerful instrument for the implementation of Putin’s ideological programs. These films adapt to the Russian context the concepts of superheroism originally developed in American comic books and movies, thereby creating alternatives to American characters that are meant to appeal to younger generations. A detailed analysis will demonstrate that the similarities between the American and the Russian superhero films are superfluous, especially considering the ideological underpinnings of the latter. The Russian concept of superheroism perpetuates Soviet paradigms of heroism insofar as it entails, the protection of and the self-sacrifice for the homeland, for Rodina. The emphasis on diversity e.g. in the Avengers films is adapted in the Russian context in order to recreate a new version of the Soviet Union.