The Ageless Superhero
Superheroes have been a part of our culture for such a long time. In a way it gives kid
kids a version of God to believe in; somebody that can protect and save them so that they feel
safe in the world. The first real superhero any child feels is usually for his father or his parents,
but after that most of those concepts come from marvel or DC as someone gets older. The
importance of a superhero to a child and adult is important. I still have a connection to all the
superheroes from my youth.
Like most kids, I was obsessed with Spider-man, Hulk, Batman, Superman, Wonder
Woman; during the pre-teen years, it was Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and The Avengers; in
the adolescent years, it was the darker characters of Daredevil, The Punisher and Wolverine.
I am in awe of the insane comic book Superhero culture that has developed in the last
fifteen years, in terms of film and television.
The nice thing I have going for me is that my son has been the perfect age range in the
last decade, where his introduction to superheroes can be brought to life. So, in many ways: I am
vicariously reliving my childhood through my son’s experiences, which is technically the
definition of parenthood.
Maybe a large part of my fascination has to do with the characters themselves; how
overcoming trauma, adversity and loss somehow led them down a path to save and protect
others. Also, how their isolated, socially awkward personalities and darker subtexts became their
trademark as outsiders. Who better to understand the dark nature of human existence and to
battle evil, then those that have walked miles through their own personal hell?
-Clark Kent/Superman’s abandonment on earth
-Spiderman/Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben getting murdered
-Batman/Bruce Wayne’s witnessing his parents’ murders
-Captain America/Steve Rogers suffering from societal rejection
-The Hulk/Bruce Banner’s inner rage
-Iron Man/Tony Stark’s narcissistic rage, having been emotionally abandoned by his father
So why do so many people care about superheroes? I don’t know, maybe the same reason
that people care about sport teams, fantasy football, dungeons and dragons, magic, Santa Claus,
etc. The world becomes easier to tolerate life if we can imagine or invent an alternate universe
from beyond. It gives us something to believe in, even though it’s make believe.
For myself: I love the idea that someone ordinary is capable of extraordinary measures; a
powerful being to raise us all past the decay and violence that can surround us. In some ways,
involving ourselves in the fictional lives of super beings can help us all potentially cope with and
survive the reality of this world.
With the Avengers, or the Justic League, the lesson can be how families and groups work
together to battle challenges or overcome adversity. I am reminded of the Captain America/Iron
Man conflict in the Marvel films:
Tony Stark’s powers and technological genius had been self-serving; he had never really
made a sacrifice that put his own life on the line. Steve Rogers was the opposite: he came from
nothing, had no one, and was given powers that made him into a character of unshakable
integrity. In living his life in the service of others, he had never really started his own life or took
time to think about himself. Both are two sides of a coin and build a tenuous partnership.
Eventually Tony Stark has a fear that the world will be overcome with aliens, that will
result in the avengers and earth’s demise; out of fear he attempts to create a robot that would
protect earth so that the avengers don’t have to. He acts on this fear without consulting his team,
which leads to many problems between everyone.
Iron Man: “We’re the Avengers, we can fight terrorists all the live long day, but up
there (points to the sky), that’s the endgame. How were you planning on
beating that?
Cap: “Together.”
Iron Man: “We’ll lose.”
Cap: “Then we’ll do that together too.”
I am by no stretch making a case for people getting more involved in the Superhero
culture (unless they are drawn to), however these ideas about protection, safety and defenses, of
ourselves, our loved ones, working together to overcome—all are vital for us to move forward in
our species.
Superheroes allow us to dream about what is possible and impossible, leaving us with
wonderment and lucidity about our lives. Of these richly drawn characters that currently inhabit
our culture, cinemas and books: maybe superheroes speak to the idea that we grow and evolve
into better, stronger individuals based on our adverse experiences and losses, not in spite of
them.
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