Keep in mind, even the Argonautica is mostly about an individual (Jason) and his loyal crew, as oppose to a group who are each larger than life.
But you have a good point... the power of the individual is a vital aspect of Americana.
Star Trek is the good example, but it's modern. And it can be argued that it is based on the seafaring mythos of maritime and wartime, some of which are derivative of the Argos and the Odyssey. Moby Dick may actually be a better example.
Star Wars is directly derivative of the folklore of other cultures, but it can be argued that the themes it invokes are universal. But again, modern.
JLA I don't think fits the bill, as it is actually more of a team up/cross-over of established heroes (see your Pecos Bill/Paul Bunyan example.
The Magnificent Seven... isn't that based on The Seven Samurai?
If you eliminate modern examples, where there is more room from cross-cultural contamination, to me the only real example in Americana folklore where a group of larger than life characters perform heroic deeds, it would be the Founding Fathers.
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Date: 2006-03-17 03:33 pm (UTC)But you have a good point... the power of the individual is a vital aspect of Americana.
Star Trek is the good example, but it's modern. And it can be argued that it is based on the seafaring mythos of maritime and wartime, some of which are derivative of the Argos and the Odyssey. Moby Dick may actually be a better example.
Star Wars is directly derivative of the folklore of other cultures, but it can be argued that the themes it invokes are universal. But again, modern.
JLA I don't think fits the bill, as it is actually more of a team up/cross-over of established heroes (see your Pecos Bill/Paul Bunyan example.
The Magnificent Seven... isn't that based on The Seven Samurai?
If you eliminate modern examples, where there is more room from cross-cultural contamination, to me the only real example in Americana folklore where a group of larger than life characters perform heroic deeds, it would be the Founding Fathers.
Oh! Oh! What about the MORMONS?
OH! Oh!