Why Are There No Fat Superheroes?
Lessons on body size and representation from the film “Shazam!”
Note: this essay has small spoilers for the film “Shazam”
On a recent Saturday night, I searched my usual streaming services for something fun and relaxing to watch on television. A friend recommended the film Shazam! and critics agreed, so I watched. Shazam! is the story of a teen boy who is chosen by a wizard as a champion to defend the world from the seven deadly sins. By saying “Shazam” the boy turns into a muscular, attractive adult superhero. Towards the end of the film his foster siblings also get this power. By also saying “Shazam”, the kids transform into fit, muscular, adults.
One of the siblings, Pedro, is a fat, queer, Latino teen. The quietest member of the family, he is the least formed character in the film. Except for a scene leaving a strip club where he says he’s not into women, we don’t know much about Pedro except he is large and silent. When he transforms into his superhero identity, he keeps all of his previous attributes: cis-gender male, Latino, and presumably, his queerness. However, he is no longer fat, he is tall and muscular with broad shoulders. He wears a tight suit, his now exposed muscles visible to the audience, similar to the title character. His super-self eliminates one noticeable physical…
