WATERLOO - It turns out Moses and Spider-Man would have a lot to talk about.

"What has become a slogan for Spider-Man actually is the closing line of the first (Spider-Man comic book) issue, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' … He has his mission thrust upon him and there is a parallel with not the baby Moses but the later Moses," said Harry Brod, UNI professor of philosophy and humanities. "If you read the Hebrew bible, with Moses and other prophets God usually has to call their name twice. They usually refuse the mission. Moses says, 'I'm nothing special.' And God says, 'I chose you and I'll give you the powers you need.'

"With the 'Fantastic Four' it's the same thing. They are reluctant heroes."

Brod has given presentations on the Jewish origins of comic book superheroes and is currently working on a book titled "Did You Know Superman is Jewish?: How Comic Book Superheroes Came to Serve Truth, Justice and the Jewish-American Way." Superman, Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the rest of the comic superhero world aren't necessarily representing any one religion, said Brod, as much as a broader spectrum of ethical values like peace, justice and truth.

Brod focuses on Jewish themes specifically in his work because so many prominent comic creators, including the venerable Stan Lee, are Jewish.

"The 1930s Superman was created by two young teenage boys in Depression-era Cleveland. They felt alienated by the culture, and they also felt Jewish life was marginalized," said Brod. "Jews in Christian culture lived in a dual existence. They had a public and private face … It's that whole secret identity thing."

Though there is an undercurrent of spirituality in many of today's superhero comics and movies, readers and viewers don't often leave feeling they had a religious experience, so to speak. Except, Brod said, in the case of "Superman Returns."

"(It's) very explicitly Christian. He's in Christ poses all the time, he's stabbed in the side right where Jesus was wounded (while on the cross)," said Brod, adding that the parallels to Christ weren't found in the original character.

Mike Blanchard, owner of comic book store the Core, said he doesn't think too much about spiritual themes in comic books. In fact, some superhero features directly contradict scripture.

"If you've got a man from another planet such as Superman, that, I believe, makes a lot of things in the Bible pointless, if there are other aliens and beings out there," he said.

As for "Superman Returns," Blanchard calls the film "horrible." And, despite the Christ-like imagery, Blanchard said, "If it showed anything it showed Superman being a deadbeat dad."

It isn't just superheroes who are looked to for hidden spiritual meaning. Cuddly aliens and intergalactic warriors have gotten the same treatment, said Blanchard.

"It's just like when 'Star Wars' first became big. I remember a religious leader talking about the force, saying the force was like … having the power of Jesus or Satan, either way," he said. "Another one I remember specifically is listening to a pastor talk about 'E.T.' and the whole Christ-like story line. How he was here on Earth to try to help us and everybody persecuted E.T. and he was taken home to the heavens."

Readers could even glean religious undertones from the original tale of the Silver Surfer, who made his screen debut Friday in the sequel to "Fantastic Four," said Blanchard. In the comic book, the Silver Surfer is sent by Galactus - an intergalactic being that devours worlds to stay alive - to warn the Earth of his apocalyptic coming.

"You might be able to find a God and Jesus-type thing there, with the Surfer portraying Jesus, who comes down to a world that needs to be saved," he said.

Contact Kelsey Holm at (319) 291-1464 or kelsey.holm@wcfcourier.com.

{M3The American Tract Society, founded in 1825 to bring people to Christ through small pamphlets printed with the message of salvation, finds themes in popular movies to correlate with a gospel message. The company currently has tracts available based on "Spider-Man 3," "Shrek 3" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End."

"We don't want people to take these entertainment heroes and make them real-life heroes. There is someone more important than that," said Donna Skell, special assistant to the president. "We want to use entertainment and movies to point people to God."

Some excerpts of superhero-themed tracts are found below.

{M3"Who is the Real Super Man?"

{M3"…Jesus came to Earth as part of a mission to live as a human and rescue us from the penalty for our sins, which would be death. He did that by dying on a cross in our place. … Jesus is the real Super-Man. When you believe in Him, you take on His mission as your own, which is to tell people who Jesus is and why He came. 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life' (John 3:16)…"

{M3"The End of Spider-Man?"

{M3"…There is something very familiar about this Spider-Man story, because all of us have experienced inner anger, hostility, rage, and even moments of revenge. The apostle Paul once wrote, 'I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can't. I want to do what is good, but I don't. I don't want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway' (Romans 7:18 -19).

This sinful nature that Paul talks about is like the darkness we see take over Spider-Man. This inner darkness (sin) is in all of us, and it can control us. What can be done?

Paul went on to say, 'Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord' (Romans 7:24 -25a)…"