Earthy Superheroes

Batman. Superman. Wonderwoman. Spiderman. Captain America. The Flaming Carrot. These are a few of many examples of the title of "superhero." Realistic heroes such as MLK, Gandhi, and Mother Teresa inspire others and renew the spirit of humanity. Superheroes, I would argue, are just as important. I'm not trying to be glib nor deflate the impact of the real heroes mentioned and others, however the fictional heroes have inspired ages upon ages of people. Who you might ask? Think of the stories of Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, Odysseus, Hercules, and the Greek gods. Name one boy who didn't want to live up to the bravery and noble standard set by King Arthur. Or a girl who didn't admire Hester Prynne living above and better than those who dubbed her a whore. Why do people feel inspired by such heroes? Because they can relate to them, but also because we are in awe at the moments in which we stop and say "man, I wish I can/have the guts to do that."When it comes to superheroes, that's when things could get hokey. The stereotypical superhero, especially in comics from the 1950's, had little problems outside of beating up bad guys.

While kids love superheroes based upon their powers and the kids' fantasy to have such power, adults have a hard time relating to most superheroes. Superman is a great example of this. Name a superpower, Superman has/had it. No one can truly stop him, they can only slow him down. He is a goody two-shoes with a good looking girlfriend and the only thing that can stop him is a green rock that is extremely scarce. Heck, he can even turn back time to stop or save someone if he fails. He has nothing to lose, nothing to risk, and very little personal drama outside of whether or not someone can identify him after he takes off his glasses.Where is the stuggle? Where's the relatability? This is one of many examples of heroes that no one outside of kids can relate to.

However, I wish to argue that there are a handful of heroes that an older crowd can admire and relate to. The best heroes that are written are the ones that are flawed, but try to do their best anyway. Here are some superheroes that I believe can inspire the kid and adult in all of us, along with being able to relate to in real life.

Batman
I'm probably biased since Batman has been my favorite hero since I was a kid, but as I grew into a man, I have a greater appreciation for the Dark Knight. In terms of inspiration, it might sound silly to be in awe of a man dressed like a rodent, however King Arthur had a magician to help him so I still feel validated. Batman embodies mankind's drive to be perfect. He has no powers. He trains. He trains his body. He trains his mind. He is always prepared. He always thinks before he acts. Reading some of his training and his methods, it makes a person think that there could feasibly be a Batman. He knows his limits, and beats them.

In terms of relatability, the very thing that drives Batman is regret and survivors' guilt. He always wish he could have done more to prevent his parents' death. He should have been braver. Should have been stronger. So he becomes these things he was not. Then he had a surrogate son die (the second Robin). He should have been faster. Should have been stronger. He tries again. This drive and this mission drives his loved ones away from him since Batman has to be more than a man. More than Bruce Wayne.

How can we relate? Imagine your dream, your mission, your career. How much did you have to sacrifice to get it? How much pain did you go through? And then you realize that it still wasn't enough. Batman's mission is not vengeance, his mission is to keep his own sanity. In many cases, Batman is just as screwed up as the very people he fights against.

Green Arrow
Oliver Queen is a jerk. I don't mean it in a smartmouth, wiseguy way. Let me tell you about Green Arrow. He fights crime and injustice. He stands up for the common man and humanity. He is one of more down to earth heroes in that he has no powers but his archery and ingenuity.

He also constantly cheats on his longtime girlfriend no matter how many times he tries remain monogamous. He had an illegitimate child that grew up to become the second Green Arrow which he claims he knew nothing about (even though he was present at his birth). His sidekick became a heroin addict under his supervision. He is stubborn, inconsiderate, and always disappoints those closest to him.

And no one knows that more than he does. Yet he tries to do the right thing anyway. He gets up and tries to do the best for the whole, despite his personal crap.

Think about the things that you do or have done, that you wish you could change about yourself. Ponder the habits that you wish to get rid of or the skeletons that you want to clean out of your closet. You say you will change. But you fail. Again. And again. How many of us try to forget our problems by throwing ourselves at our work or through charity. Not as atonement mind you, but as a distraction. That is Green Arrow in a nutshell. Trying his best to not better himself, for it seems to be futile, but at least make a difference for everyone else.

Spiderman
Watch the first movie. A young nerd is given powers. In normal superhero comics, he'd have the girl, money, and love of the public (I'm looking at you, Superman). Spiderman is the only hero that I can think of whose life is worse off with powers than without.

Peter's uncle dies due to Peter's sin of inactivity. Spiderman is publicly labeled a menace and is hated by most people. He cannot balance his life as Spiderman and Peter Parker. His guardian is always in poor health. He is always in financial peril. His worst enemy is his best friend's father. And just when he finds a partner to share this burden though his wife, she is murdered. It seems like whenever Spiderman wins, he loses tenfold.

I don't think I need to justify relatibility. Everyone loses. Everyone has moments of triumph closely followed by stress or failure.

Wonderwoman
While on the surface she seems to be the female carbon copy of Superman, I disagree. Why? Because she is more than a superpowered woman. She is as strong, as fast, and probably even smarter than Superman, but she is seen as the lesser. It's unfair. However, her character always rises above sexism. She knows the importance of peace and reason, the reason why she is an ambassador of her nation. However, she also has the presence and drive needed in war, which is what makes her a great soldier.

She breaks the stereotype of both the tomboyish warrior woman along with the stereotypical delicate superheroine. She demands respect and deserves it. If she has any flaws, it would be her stubborness, however right or wrong she needs to be stubborn in order to be taken seriously at times due to patriarchal bias.

I think she is relatable because how many women are subjected to be compared to men, no matter how successful? How many women are actually equal and even superior to men in work, mind, and/or sport but aren't held as high in regard as men? She is also one of the few superheroines that doesn't flaunt her sexuality and rely on her body. She is also one of the smarter characters written. All of this and it does not compromise her feminity.

There are probably more superheroes that I could write about, however I believe I made my point. Superheroes, like it or not, are the modern mythology. I believe that 500 years from now, the Avengers and the Justice League will be spoken much like we talk about the Norse gods and the Gods of Olympus. One can be inspired by these modern myths like other heroes, if you look hard enough.