Comic Book Superheroes

Definition

Works in the superhero genre feature characters, known as superheroes, with supernatural or otherwise extraordinary powers. Superhero protagonists often have a mission to right wrongs, protect the defenseless, or defeat supervillains, similarly gifted individuals with conflicting ideologies. Certain tropes distinguish the superhero from other fictional protagonistsa superhero typically has a costume, and many maintain secret identities.

Introduction

Superhero comics are far and away the most popular genre within comic books. A confluence of historical and social events led to the emergence of the superhero genre in American comics during the 1940s, whereupon the vivid, action-packed color comic pages captivated the boundless imaginations of the children, mostly young boys, who consumed them. The superhero genre soon outstripped genres such as horror, mystery, and romance in popularity. Since then, the superhero has proved remarkably resilient, changing and evolving with its audience.

The term and concept of the "superhero" originates from Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy of the Übermensch, or superman. This person is the pinnacle of human ability and, thus, something more than human. The concept of a person with unique skills fits nicely into the hero archetype, and on the comics page, there are virtually no limits to the extent of the imagination. The superhero archetype can be continually reinvented to suit its audience, and thus, superhero stories have been likened to modern-day myths. Superheroes have godlike powers, and though they are generally humans who can win the reader's empathy, they operate on a far grander scale than the average person. They are immortal within the pages of the comic, constantly changing but never growing, and they tell people stories about themselves, showing them the pageants they want to see, humanity's ideals in the form of muscle-bound heroes. Superheroes reflect and affect popular culture, mirroring humanity's greatest dreams and fears. Perhaps it is for this reason the genre has grown so popular.

Superheroes and comics generally enjoy widespread acceptance in popular culture, having been adapted into books, toys, games, and major film franchises. In 2008, Christopher Nolan's Batman film The Dark Knight became the fourth film in history to earn more than one billion dollars in worldwide box-office revenue. With numerous films released, staring in 2008 and into the 2020s, the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film franchise, based on Marvel Comic superheros, became the highest grossing film franchise of all time. Whether the superhero will continue to captivate imaginations remains to be seen, but it appears firmly enshrined as a part of modern culture.

What Makes a Superhero

Specific motifs of the superhero genre, most of which have been present from the first Superman comic, are now so widespread they are considered clichés. Superheroes often have mysterious origins that give rise to their particular superpowers. Unlike traditional folk heroes, superheroes generally do not earn their abilities; instead, their powers are circumstantial or thrust upon them in a freak accident or otherwise traumatic event. This creates a mental or physical uniqueness in the hero, dispelling their former complacency. The hero then embarks on a mission of positive social justice that entails fighting crime, otherwise righting wrongs, or protecting their home, city, or planet.

Often, superheroes keep their identities secret to protect themselves and those close to them from unwanted attention and the vengeance of their enemies. This dual identity is the source of many difficulties for superheroes, who must go to great lengths to prevent friends and foes from discovering who they are. Often, it prevents them from maintaining consistent social relationships. Their actual identities tend to be vastly different from the superheroes' perceived traits, which can lead to further conflict; for example, Clark Kent longs for the affections of Lois Lane, who spurns him for Superman, unaware that the two are the same. Superheroes invariably wear costumes, which help to disguise their identities and distinguish them from one another.

Superheroes usually conflict with supervillains and antagonists who have origins similar to those of superheroes but are driven not by a desire to help others but by egotism, greed, or otherwise harmful ideologies. These supervillains threaten the safety of whatever the superhero serves and protects, and many superhero plots revolve around their conflicts. The commercial demands of the comic book medium require that superheroes' adventures be serial, and thus, new villains and obstacles are regularly introduced. Often, superheroes will have an archenemy against whom they have a personal or otherwise more severe grudge, and that character will be repeatedly encountered and defeated, though never killed. Thus, another common motif of the superhero is the endless struggle, a conflict that can never be concluded because superheroes' moral standards generally prevent them from killing their enemies.

The Superhero's Origin Story

Although themes of the superhero genre have been present in Western fiction since before comic books themselves—tales of the masked vigilante Zorro were first published in 1919, to name just one example—the first superhero to become widely popular was Superman, and despite reluctance from major comics syndicates, Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, managed to get their original character featured in Action Comics1, published with the Man of Tomorrow on the cover in the spring of 1938. He struck a chord with readers, and when sales of Action Comics rose dramatically by the fourth issue, publishers discovered that the readers were not interested in the action so much as they were in Superman himself. The success of Superman marked the beginning of the Golden Age of comic books. Superman spawned hundreds of imitators, each new superhero hoping to match the popularity of the original. From 1939 to 1941, the number of comic book titles tripled, and more than 80 percent of them contained superheroes.

The comic book industry grew enormously during the years of World War II as a result of comics' popularity among U.S. troops. As more superhero titles were published, their heroes became patriotic and involved in conflicts closely related to the real world. Captain America debuted in 1941 and reflected the dominant social values in the United States. He was both a soldier and a superhero, a man who epitomized American values and stood up to real-world villains such as Nazis. Comics featuring him and other "Allied" superheroes were as much propaganda as they were pulp.

The Superhero Reborn

Following the end of the war, comic books lost both their real-world villains and their military readers, and by 1949, the popularity of superhero comics had fallen dramatically. Most titles were ended, and the only superheroes not to see a break in publication were Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Readers' interests shifted to crime, Western, and horror genres. The superhero genre might have fallen out of vogue entirely were it not for the infamous congressional hearings in 1954 regarding juvenile delinquency and comics, specifically those of the crime and horror genre. The Comics Code Authority (CCA) statement led to a revival of superheroes, who were deemed acceptable role models and whose storylines did not have to contain explicit content or graphic violence.

The year 1956 marked the beginning of the Silver Age. In October of that year, the Flash returned with a new origin and costume, prompting the revival of other superheroes, such as Green Lantern and Aquaman, for new audiences. The first issue of the Justice League of America was published by DC Comics in 1960, inspiring Marvel Comics to release its series featuring a superhero group, Fantastic Four. In 1964, Captain America was brought out of cold storage to become the leader of the Avengers. Overall, the Silver Age was a period of artistic achievement and commercial success for superhero comics. In 1966, the Batman television series debuted to very high ratings, boosting the sale of all comic books, especially Batman.

From roughly 1970 to 1986, the Bronze Age of comics was marked by a growing maturity within comics and the superhero genre as subjects of social relevance began to be addressed. Most notably, in 1971, Spider-Man defied the Comics Code Authority by featuring an antidrug story, thus defying the ban on any mention of narcotics and printing Spider-Man issues 96-98 without the CCA seal of approval. The issues sold very well, which led to a modification of the CCA standards. Other hallmarks of the Bronze Age were the introduction of black and other minority superheroes and a gradual shift in tone to more mature content. By the 1980s, the CCA's approval meant little, and numerous titles were being printed for comic books' growing mature audiences.

Superheroes Get Old

The superhero genre underwent a further transformation in the mid-1980s. Although ventures into the psychological dimensions of the superhero identity were not new, the superheroes during the 1980s were influenced by the mood of the times, and a sense of cynicism and discontent permeated their stories. It was in 1986 that two talented writers in the industry produced works that have affected most subsequent superhero comics: Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen. These stories challenged the archetypes of comic book heroes, deconstructing and exploring the nature of the superhero to an unprecedented extent. This self-awareness regarding the limits of the genre marked the beginning of the Modern Age of comics. It also instigated a wave of violence and brutality from writers and artists who sought to replicate the intensity of The Dark Knight and Watchmen. Amoral "superheroes" such as the Punisher arose, and revenge became an acceptable motivation for a heroic character.

Some scholars argue that in light of the global events in both Marvel and DC universes, comics have entered a postmodern age. DC's Infinite Crisis storyline dealt with the inability of various superheroes to live up to the ideals expected of them. Marvel's Civil War divided the superhero community in a conflict related to the privacy of the heroes' identities. With the incorporation of the deconstructive elements of the Modern Age into the mainstream comic universes, superheroes have transformed from the moral icons of their origin into fully human characters with the flaws and ambiguities of the average person.

Sexism and Notions of Masculinity

Since its inception, the comic book industry has been dominated by males as consumers and creators. As a result, female characters have been consistently marginalized, and the superhero comic genre has often been criticized for its sexism. In the early days of superhero comics, most female characters were girlfriends of their heroic counterparts, and their roles in the plots consisted of nearly discovering the hero's secret identity or having to be rescued. Women who are otherwise portrayed as intelligent and capable frequently have no agency or existence outside the context of the superhero with whom they are associated. Even female superheroes who are influential in their own right are portrayed as scantily clad or with sexual iconography, Wonder Woman's lasso being the most obvious example.

In addition, critics have pointed to homosocial tendencies in superhero iconography to the point of exclusion of women. Superheroes generally reject or fail to win the affection of their female love interests, thus maintaining their secret identities and restoring the status quo. Love and intimacy are often associated with vulnerability and weakness, and sharing secrets with a significant other confers power. In this way, superheroes reinforce traditional, mainstream notions of masculinity.

Impact

Superheroes were arguably the most significant factor in the development of American comics culture. Their influence permeates the genre; superhero lore and archetypes are appropriated and commented on even in unrelated genres and independent comics. Some scholars argue that the genre hinders the medium and that for years, ignorant subject matter has prevented comics from being accepted into the canon of literature. Alan Moore stated that he believed there was nothing more to say about the superhero and that the archetype had been thoroughly explored. However, the superhero continues to elicit fascination in the popular sphere, and the genre has expanded into film, books, video games, toys, and music.

In the mid-2020s, the proliferation of superhero-themed media may have had the unintended side-effect of causing consumer fatigue. A glut of superhero movies resulted in several major movie productions being commercial failures. This was notable in that superhero movies have not often been busts at the box office, yet several of these happened in close succession. These failures created a reckoning on whether the superhero genre had slipped into one of its periodic crevices where it had lost its appeal to contemporary audiences.

The superhero is firmly embedded in popular culture, and the values of heroes such as Superman and Spider-Man are known all over the world. They genuinely are modern mythological figureslike gods, they can be molded to whatever story needs to be told, and their histories can be continually reinvented to suit their audiences. Looking back on the history of American comics, one can also see the history of American culture. Superheroes have sometimes influenced dominant social norms, as in World War II. They have revealed a fascination with spectacle and violence in modern culture. They reflect humanity's greatest dreams and deepest fears. It is fitting that such a flexible symbol of individualism should be emblematic of the comic book, a medium that is both boundless in its possibilities and widely accessible. Doubtless, the superhero will continue to affect the graphic novel and popular culture for generations to come. Like the superheroes themselves, the genre can never truly die, only be reborn anew.

Bibliography

Bongco, Mila. Reading Comics: Language, Culture, and the Concept of the Superhero in Comic Books. New York, Garland, 2000.

Coogan, Peter. Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre. Austin, MonkeyBrain Books, 2006.

Garrett, Greg. Holy Superheroes! Exploring the Sacred in Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film. Louisville, Westminster John Knox Press, 2008.

James, Juan. "The Evolution of Superheroes: A Journey through Comic Book History." Comic Crusaders, 2024, Accessed comiccrusaders.com/the-evolution-of-superheroes-a-journey-through-comic-book-history. Accessed 11 July 2024.

Rosenberg, Robin. "The Psychology behind Superhero Origin Stories." Smithsonian Magazine, Feb. 2013, www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-psychology-behind-superhero-origin-stories-4015776. Accessed 11 July 2024.

Towns, Brandon. "What Now: The Creative Potential in the End of the Superhero Craze." Roger Ebert.com, 22 June 2023, www.rogerebert.com/black-writers-week/what-now-the-creative-potential-in-the-end-of-the-superhero-craze. Accessed 11 July.

Wandtke, Terrence R., ed. The Amazing Transforming Superhero! Essays on the Revision of Characters in Comic Books, Film and Television. Jefferson, McFarland, 2007.