What Is A Super Hero?

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:20:00 GMT

Super Heroes or Superheroes or Super-heroes, however you write it, there is no denying that they are a big part of American culture. The actual word “superhero” dates back to 1917 (Merriam-Webster Online), while comic books in their modern format did not appear until 1934, with the release of Famous Funnies #1. There is some debate about exactly who was the first Super Hero, however. Most say it was Superman, who debuted in 1938. Some say it was The Clock, who first donned a mask to fight crime in 1936. Others point to Mandrake the Magician, whose first appearance was in 1934. Whatever you wish to believe, the simple fact remains that Super Hero comic books have been around at least three-quarters of a century. That is a lot of history. I will get into to more about that in months to come.

Since then, Super Heroes have effectively taken over comic books, while other genres like Westerns, War, Horror and Romance, to name a few, have all but disappeared.

There are hundreds of popular characters today, but they all have some common traits. First, of course, is that they all possess some extraordinary ability and/or advanced technology that makes them “super.” They all have a strong sense of right and wrong, and follow a strict moral code. Even so-called anti-heroes follow a personal code of honor, not unlike a Ronin (renegade Samurai). The Punisher and Lobo are good examples of anti-heroes.

Then, there is the secret identity or alter ego, often the very opposite of the hero; Peter Parker is awkward and shy; Spider-man is a wisecracking acrobat. Batman is hard and focused; Bruce Wayne is foppish and disinterested.

A headquarters or base of operations is also essential. Some are highly visible like The Justice Society Mansion or The Baxter Building. Others are hidden, like the Bat Cave, or disguised, like Xavier’s School for Gifted Children.

There are many more “traditions” in Super Hero comic books, ranging from costumes to supporting casts, and I will be getting into more on that subject at a later date.

Suffice to say, Super Heroes have become an intrinsic part of modern American culture, so much so that many people who have never opened a comic book or seen a Super Hero movie, have a basic knowledge of icons like Superman, Batman, Spiderman and The Hulk. You cannot walk through a mall without seeing Super Hero related merchandise, from t-shirts to posters, or a rack of comic books in the bookstore, and many malls even have comic book specialty stores in them. In fact, for an industry that seemed on the verge of collapsing just a decade ago, comic books are still going as strong as ever. The television show, Big Bang Theory, even has a character who wears a different Super Hero t-shirt every episode and another who owns a comic book store.

I know that everyone who reads comic books has a favorite Hero or Super Team, and we all like to talk about why they are our favorite. So, I will throw this out there:

My favorite comic book super hero has always been Batman, because he has that cool cave and all those “wonderful toys”, but mostly because anyone with enough money and determination could become Batman. In fact, I once knew a four-year-old who, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, would invariably say, “I wanna be Batman!”

Now, let me ask you. Who do you want to be when you grow up? Or, in other words, which comic book super hero is your favorite and why?

White Dragon Comics

What Is A Super Hero?