Beyond The Arc
rmirasol@theguidon.com
The popularity of comic book superheroes rapidly increased at the turn of the century. Thanks to the numerous adaptations that have graced the silver screen, characters such as Spider-man and Superman are now household names.
With the way comic book superheroes have penetrated popular culture, spotting someone walking around in a Green Lantern or Superman shirt isn’t that difficult a task. As an avid comic book reader who visits his local comic book store every Wednesday, this is a welcome sight.
The way comic book merchandise has so strongly permeated today’s pop culture, it’s hard to imagine that there was a time when children had to hide comic books from their parents and teachers to avoid punishment. It’s even harder to believe that comic books were once referred to as 10-cent trash.
I attribute this historically rude reception of comic books to society’s confined perception of the medium at that time. Often disregarding comic books as having only a single purpose in the sphere of literature—to serve as a source of entertainment. Readers failed to see what else it had to offer.
The longevity and recent success of all these comic book titles and characters has indeed proven that the medium is capable of providing something special to its audience. Having browsed through hundreds of issues myself, I can attest to the fact that of all that comic books have to offer, the best is the ability of their superheroes to tell us something meaningful about our humanity.
Humanity, after all, has always sought to use stories as a means of explaining the world in which it lives. Just as ancient man tried to make sense of his world using gods and monsters, modern man uses godlike superheroes and monstrous villains to do the same.
Thus, the various story arcs found within comic books not only provide entertainment; they also touch on major cultural and philosophical concepts, such as mankind’s inner struggle and the battle between good and evil, to name a few.
The pantheon of comic book superheroes is without a doubt a reflection and examination of mankind; not just some fantasy.
These characters look at human nature and the war being waged within each individual, like Bruce Banner and his alter ego, The Hulk. They enlighten us on feminism and the strength of women through characters such as Wonder Woman. They celebrate endless possibilities when it comes to human accomplishments by giving us Batman. They even provide us with the perfect role model in Superman, who stands as the ultimate human ideal.
This deep layer residing within comic book stories and characters is what truly draws millions of followers, both hardcore readers and casual fans.
So the next time you see someone suited up in tights at a comic book convention, don’t be so quick to write him or her off as a geek. If given the chance, these costumed citizens will probably end up surprising you one way or another. After all, their favorite literary medium ended up surprising most doubters and naysayers.
