Ancient Mesopotamiathe region roughly encompassing Iraq, Kuwait and parts of today’s Syria, Iran and Turkey, gave us what we might consider one of the first “super- famous literary heroes.
One was the hero Lugalbandaof which kindness towards animals resulted in the donation of Very fastperhaps making him the comic book hero’s literary great-grandparent The flash.
But unlike classic heroes (Theseus, Heraclesand Egyptian deities such as Horus), which have remained important cultural symbols in modern pop culture, Mesopotamian deities have largely fallen into obscurity.
An exception to this rule is the representation of Mesopotamian culture in science fiction, fantasy and especially comics. Marvel and DC comics have added Mesopotamian deities, such as Inanna, goddess of lovedeities of the underworld Nergal and Ereshkigaland Gilgamesh, the heroic king of the city of Uruk.
Gilgamesh the Avenger
The Marvel comic book hero Gilgamesh was created by Jack Kirby, although the character has been employed by many authors, including Roy Thomas. Gilgamesh the superhero is a member of the Avengers, the fictional Marvel Comics superhero team that is now the subject of a major film franchise, including Captain America, Thor and Hulk. His character has a close connection with Captain America, who assists Gilgamesh in many battles.
Both Gilgamesh and Captain America are characters who stand out from their time and culture. For Captain America, it’s the United States in the 1940s, and for Gilgamesh, ancient Mesopotamia. A central aspect of their personal narratives is their struggle to navigate the modern world while remaining faithful to the traditions of the past.
Gilgamesh’s first appearance as an Avenger took place in 1989 in the Avengers comic series 1, issue #300, Inferno Squared. In the comics, Gilgamesh is known, aptly, as “the Forgotten One”. The “oblivion” of the hero Gilgamesh is also discussed in his first appearance in Marvel comics in 1976, where the character Sprite remarks that the hero “lives like an ancient myth no longer remembered”.
In Avengers #304,… Eager to Breathe Free!, Gilgamesh goes to Ellis Island with Captain America and Thor. The setting of Ellis Island allows the heroes to thoughtfully reflect on their shared past as immigrants. Like Gilgamesh, Thor also comes from foreign lands, in this case from the Nordic kingdom of Asgard.
In the 1992 comic Captain America Annual #11, the battle against the evil Kang sends Captain America time travel returned to Uruk in 2700 BCE. Captain America realizes that his royal companion is Gilgamesh and accompanies the king on the adventures of the legendary epic of Gilgamesh.
In the original legend, Gilgamesh finds the key to eternal youth, a plant that beats the heart, then quickly loses it to a snake. In the comic adaptation, the snake is an angry animal sea serpent, which Captain America must fight to save Gilgamesh. The Mesopotamian hero’s famous fixation on gaining immortality is reflected in his Marvel counterpart’s choice to let Captain America fight the Serpent in order to retrieve the Heartbeat Plant. This leads Cap to observe that his former friend has “a few millennia” of catching up to do. the concept of teamwork!
Gilgamesh is not the only hero featured. The 1974 Marvel comic book Conan the Barbarian #40, The Demon of the Forgotten City, features the Mesopotamian goddess of love, Inanna. In the comics, the barbarian hero is assisted by the goddess while fighting against looters in an ancient “forgotten city”. Marvel’s Inanna possesses powers similar to her mythical counterpart, including the ability to heal. It is interesting to note the importance of the theme of “oblivion”” in comics involving Mesopotamian myths, perhaps alluding to the current darkness of ancient Mesopotamian culture.
Literacy of myths
It’s tempting to think that Captain America’s 1992 trip to ancient Mesopotamia was a commentary on the political context of the time, particularly the political situation of the time. the Gulf War. But Roy Thomas, creator of this comic, told me via email that his portrayal of Gilgamesh reflected his interest in the legend dating back to his college days and his teaching ancient myths to high school students.
Thomas’s belief in the benefits of learning myths is well founded. Tell stories has been recognized since ancient times as a powerful tool for transmit wisdom. Myths teach empathy and the ability to view problems from different perspectives.
The combination of social and analytical skills developed through engaging with mythology can form the basis of a a lifelong love of learning. A recent study showed that presenting stories in comics makes them more memorable, a finding that is particularly important for preserving the cultural heritage of Mesopotamia.
The public’s knowledge of science fiction and fantasy myths allows for the depiction of more obscure ancient characters in these works. Marvel comics see virtually every pantheon of Greece, Rome and Asgard represented. But beyond these more familiar ancient worlds, Marvel has also introduced deities from the Maya, Hawaiian, Celtic religionsAnd Australian Aboriginal deitiesand many more.
The use of Mesopotamian myth in comics shows the continuing ability of old legends to find new audiences and modern relevance. In the comic multiverse, the appreciation of storytelling bridges a 4,000-year-old cultural gap, bringing old stories back to life and hopefully preserving them for the future.
Louise PrykeLecturer, Languages and Literatures of Ancient Israel, Macquarie University
This article was originally published on The conversation. Read it original article.