epcipie with the problem of flying, both fascinated by it, and fearful of it.
And we frequently have on our ward at Bellevue the problem of making Superman capes in occupational therapy and then the children wearing them and fighting over them and one thing or another—and only about 3 months ago we had such, what we ca)l epidemic, and a number of children were hurt because they tried to fly off the top of radiators or off the tap of bookcases or what not and got bumps.
The Chairman. You mean they would put these suits on and try to fly?
Dr. Bender. That is right.
The sheets form many purposes to these children. Part of it is that it probably gives them the feeling of the power to fly.
It also gives them the feeling of protection, almost as if they were invisible when they wore the Superman oe or as if they had the magie power of Superman, so if they wore a Superman's cape they would have these magic powers.
The Chairman. This does show the influence of comics, then?
Dr. Bender. That is true. I am sure the comics influence.
As I say, I have found one of the best methods in my experience to examine children is to get them to fell me their favorite comic book and to relate it and then analyze their material.
In adult psychiatry, dreams are analyzed.
The Chairman. If Superman could have that influence, what sort of influence do you think that picture there, called "Crime Suspene Stories," would have?
Dr. Bender. I can tell you why. This would have nowhere near. Superman represents an instinctive problem that we are all born and grown up with, that we can fly—after all, we can fly now; we couldn't before—and that we can carry on all kinds of scientific investigations, that we can stop erime, which Saperman does, and that we can have a good influence on the world, and that we can be protected by the pow- erful influences in the world which may be our own parents, or may be the authorities, or what not.
Mr. Beaser. It is your considered judgment, then, that Superman has been a good influence?
Dr. Bender. A good influence.
There is another reason why Superman has had good influence. That is the years of continnity of the Superman character. The chil- dren know that Superman will always came ont on the right side.
On that, I can sive you another story about what they wanted to do. At the end of the Second World War we had the problem of a certain number of soldiers coming hame as amputees.
One of the seript writers got the bright idea that we ought to pre- pare children for their fathers coming home as amputees by having one of the characters—I don't think it was Superman—one of the others—have an accident and lose his leg. They wanted to know what I thought about that idea. I said T thought it was absalutely terrible because I felt that the children loved this character and, after all, how many children were going to have ta face the question of an amputee father?
Certainly there are far better ways of preparing such children for such a father than to have to shock the whole comic reading children public.
