Superhero Mythology

From Jim Silver on October 29th, 2009
(Follow Jim on Twitter at @JimSilver)

By Jim Silver (Follow me on twitter)

I always think about Super Heroes around Halloween because they tend to be the most popular costumes for boys. When I think of Super Heroes, I think of Batman, X-Men, Spiderman, Iron Man, Power Rangers, and Superman off the top of my head.

Now, I know this has been said before, but I am still fascinated on the fact that Superman is so different than every other Super Hero.

If you look at just about every Super Hero, they try to blend in society. In order to “save the world”, they transform and put on a Super Hero outfit. Superman is very different. Superman came to earth as a Super Hero and his disguise is being Clark Kent; a geek-like intellect, who is a klutz and stumbles through each day. Superman’s transformation is the opposite than every other Super Hero. Through Superman’s eyes, the best way to fit in society is to be Clark Kent.

This leads me to this thought: With every other Super Hero, the costumed character is the disguised point of interest. With Superman, the disguise is Clark Kent, the anti-hero. So Superman isn’t the costumed character, but Clark Kent is the transformed character.

Superman, not really a hero, but just himself. Think about it.

« »
  • Scott Brown
    In Kill Bill 2 the Bill character made this exact point.

    Bill: About two minutes, just long enough for me to finish my point. Now, a staple of the superhero mythology is, there's the superhero and there's the alter ego. Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.
blog comments powered by Disqus

The Team

Archives

Blogs We Love

Guest Bloggers