Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve had a special place in my heart for superhero comics. I kept that interest through college and even into my thirties and forties. I loved the Superman movies of the 1970’s. (Well at least the first two.)

The old comic book heroes were heroes in the classical sense. They helped in the enforcement of laws and handed the villains over to the authorities for trial and punishment. They never took it about themselves to be judge, jury, and executioner. Also, with few exceptions such as the Batman, they had come to have superpowers that allowed them to take on villains that out matched the authorities or go into situations that would save lives of the innocent (such as disasters).  Moreover, these heroes did so with anonymity, and often to the detriment of their personal lives.  And, as with Spiderman, they felt compelled to be heroes because these great powers gave them great responsibility, or as in the case of Batman, they felt forced in their role due to the corruption of the local authorities.  In short, they demonstrate to young boys to go do what is right without waiting for approval or concern of winning personal accolades or weighing the personal cost.  But always within the limits of society at large (don’t punish the villains yourself, hand them over for punishment).  They affirm self-reliance and self-governance.

It has been almost thirty years since the last time I’ve read a comic book, and from what I’ve seen of the television and movies based on modern comics I’m sure I would be disappointed. It seems the urge is to deconstruct the hero in general and the superhero in particular. Today’s superhero has very little to differentiate him from the villains he is fighting. I’m not asking for perfection in our heroes and showing them with a few flaws does make them more relatable. Moreover, seeing them strive to do what is right in spite of failings is far more inspiring. But stories such as The Boys, The Snyderverse or The Watchmen don’t give us heroes, they give us self-centered demagogues who have no sense of duty or responsibility.

I understand the wish for more mature stories and characters than just the simplistic comic books of the 50’s and 60’s. But surely, we can find a balance.

#superheroes, #heros, #youthfullessons