5 Reasons Why Superheroes Are Superb

Just the other day I found myself stalking anyone who attended the San Diego Comic Con on Twitter. Yes, I was stuck in Singapore (hopefully until I get my degree) but that didn’t stop me from joining all the fun at SDCC 2016, particularly at the Marvel panel and exhibition in Hall H. I was especially looking forward to the Women of Marvel panel, which included G. Willow Wilson — writer of my favourite superhero, Ms Marvel/Kamala Khan. Yet, the highlight of it all had to be Brie Larson casted as Captain Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Loved her in Room and Short Term 12; I have no doubt she’d be amazing as Captain Marvel.

But what struck me was how parallel this whole thing was to my life.

Firstly, I must say that I love Ms Marvel/Kamala Khan simply because she is someone I could easily relate to. She is the first Muslim superhero to have her own series and I couldn’t be happier about Marvel moving towards having more diverse representation in their characters.

But get this: Ms Marvel is a fan of Captain Marvel. And now, one of my favourite actors is going to play Captain Marvel.

I mean, how much more #relatable can it get?!

But besides all these coincidences, one has to wonder: why exactly have these heroes and their stories have resonated so much with us?

1. They are human.

Okay, I know some superhero fans out there are going to start screaming, “What about Barrions? Asgardians? Kree?” (Just some common DC and Marvel alien species — don’t worry, this will not be on the test.) But what I’m referring to is their humanity — that altruism that never fails to shine through. That is the fundamental virtue about being human. We look out for one another. We form healthy relationships as the basis of social intelligence. We show love. We show kindness and all values in nature that make us human. What superheroes do encompasses all these acts of humanitarianism — they protect the innocent and they save the world. And as cliché as this sounds, they are our role models.

This is not to say they are perfect either. As the saying goes, “To err is human.” So there’s a second reason:

2. They make mistakes.

In the comics and their stories, I’ve noticed a necessary element in their characterization: flaws. And how is this superb, you may ask?

These little hiccups in their personality make them effortlessly human. And they embrace these imperfections and learn from their mistakes.

Even more so, these superheroes exist in an imperfect world, one challenged by war and violence — one that needs lots of hope.

3. They represent hope.

A classic example of this is Captain America. He was created in a time where people had much to lose — their loved ones, their home. What Captain America did was give them a form escapism as well as unity and hope amidst the World War.

And I suppose it is difficult to recognize that when we were young and watched superheroes like X-Men every Saturday morning. All we cared about was how good beats evil and how these extraordinary people save the day. But there is still so much about superheroes that we’ve missed as kids, including the fact that,

4. They have an alter ego.

An alter ego makes them more appealing to children because it is a primary need in one’s early development. In self-psychology, it is defined as ‘the desire to feel alikeness to other human beings.’ Of course, we couldn’t have pointed this out when we were kids. Psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan provides a common example of this desire to mirror:

‘The child who strikes another says that he has been struck; the child who sees another falls, cries.’

So it’s almost as if these double lives of our favourite superheroes have influenced us subconsciously, but positively. They succumbed to that primary narcissism we had as a child.

And the fact that we grew up with these characters makes them all the more superb. The same answer to this lies in: Why are decade-long franchises like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars so successful?

5. They have a compelling journey.

American scholar Joseph Campbell defined the narrative pattern ‘Hero’s Journey’ as the backbone of modern literature. It is a recurring theme of ordinary people being called upon extraordinary circumstances. We subscribe to a character’s inspiring adventures on a personal level, but as superb as they are, these are not exactly our stories.

So I’d like to end this with some wisdom from Rumi:

‘Don’t be satisfied with stories, how things have gone with others. Unfold your own myth.’

Have a great week everyone.