Here are some recommended resources for learning more about the Hero's Journey, and how it relates to superhero marketing.

A Hero With A Thousand Faces. This book by Joseph Campbell is the quintessential resource on the Monomyth, illustrating how it has been a part of cultures across the world, and how it reflects the archetypal longing for redemption in all of us. The structure the book offers for the Hero's Journey is far more detailed and complex than the Separation-Initation-Return framework discussed in this miniseries; it is an elaboration of that. Campbell's structure has been strictly adhered to in some of the most successful and celebrated movies of all time -- most notably the Star Wars trilogy and the Matrix trilogy. I would also recommend the book The Power of Myth, which is an interview with Campbell about the significance of mythology in our lives. That book is simpler and easier to understand.

Movies. Many movies contain the Separation-Initiation-Return framework -- screenwriters know it can be a useful tool in creating the character arc for the protagonist. In addition to the movies noted in this mini-series, other movies that featured the Separation-Initiation-Return framework are: the Incredibles, Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball, Orange County, Se7en, Pulp Fiction, among many, many others. Of course, much of it is a matter of perception, and thinking creatively about the various ways the framework can be interpreted or found in the story.

Jobs to be Done Theory. One theme that is a fundamental part of Clayton Christensen's body of work on disruptive innovations is that they often satisfy a "job" that the customer has hired the product to do. To take that idea a step further, the job the customer has hired the product to do is related to what the customer psychologically desires. To satisfy these psychological desires is to help the customer feel liberated, like a superhero, so that they will spread your word for you.

All Marketers are Liars. Seth Godin's book, All Marketer are Liars, is built on the notion that marketers tell stories about their products. Superhero marketing is about structuring your story in a way that makes the customer the protagonist of your story.

Other Posts in This Series

Phase I: Separation
Phase II: Initiating the Customer
Phase III: The Superhero's Return
Further Resources for Exploring Superhero Marketing