First, this article gives an account of the conceptualization of Indian superheroes, through a mythological-religious lens, and attempts to explain why Indian comics and its superheroes failed to achieve the popularity enjoyed by Western counterparts. Second, as characters from Hindu mythology largely make up the superheroes in Indian comics, the applicability of Campbell’s models of mythology and heroes, and Jungian archetypes to Hindu mythology is demonstrated. Third, the article also analyses the functional similarities and differences served by superhero comics in the West and Hindu mythology in India; conclusions about their cultural relevance are drawn.

1. compare the superheroines of East and West
2. perform an early analysis deconstructing the term superheroine
3. justify the textual choices (why compare non-superheroines with superheroines?)
4. hypothesise why the US needs superheroes and India doesn’t — or are the superheroes in India exclusively male?