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On August 23, 2024, Kasie and Rex gave a nod to Soda City ComiCon with a conversation about Superheroes. Here are the show notes:

Theme for the day

Superheroes

Agenda

• Quick Catch Up
• What makes a hero super?
• Does the hero have to be super?
• How do you write one?

Segments 1 & 2

The last time we focused on Superheroes was November 24, 2018 in a tribute to Stan Lee (episode 20). We were really new at this so maybe (hopefully) this time, we’ll do it better. Why now? Why today? Because it’s Soda City ComiCon weekend and everyone’s talking super heroes this weekend. Well, not everyone. Despite the MCU and The Big Bang Theory making superheroes (and comics) cool, it’s still a rather niche place to write and create.

Let’s start with what qualifies a hero – in any story, the hero is the character you’re following and rooting for, the one who goes on a journey (spiritually and also maybe physically but definitely emotionally). Here’s a link with six common hero archetypes:

• Everyman – underdogs in extraordinary circumstances – think Sam Witwicky – no special gifts, just happens to get Bumblebee, a transformer, as his vehicle.
• Classical hero – individual with some kind of extraordinary gift or talent, something that makes them special from others, maybe bravery or cleverness – think Harry Potter.
• Epic hero -a la Greek mythology, this character possesses extraordinary – otherworldly qualities. Thor, Hercules, Achilles.
• Tragic hero – possesses a tragic flaw that damns him/her/them to fail but also endears them to the audience so we feel empathy when they fail. Think Romeo, Oedipus, or basically every Hemingway character.
• Anti-hero – does not possess heroic qualities but nonetheless acts in heroic ways – this is Deadpool, Wolverine, Han Solo – they’re reluctant heroes, they have good in them, but also murky morality.
• Byronic hero – sulky or sullen on the surface while underneath possessing a rich, textured inner self; typically some kind of core wound and the exterior is a defense mechanism – it’s Mr. Darcy, the Beast from Beauty and the Beast, or Edward Cullen.

So what makes these characters super? Powers. Duh.

What are some powers our characters can have and use to meet their hero destinies?

• Strength
• Speed
• Flight
• Quick reflexes
• Teleportation
• Mind reading
• Clairvoyance – telling the future
• Shape shifting
• Physically fit – or good looking – attractive
• Telekinesis – moving objects with their mind
• Invisibility
• Elemental powers – water, fire, wind, earth
• Energy or electricity manipulation
• Spider powers (only specific heroes have these – wink)
• Breathe underwater (lookin at you, Jason Mamoa)

All heroes have weaknesses, too. They can’t be infallible (you hear that, Superman?) and writers have come up with a plethora of weaknesses for heroes.

The best weaknesses, according to this link, are adjacent to or related to or even caused by their powers. For example, many heroes get exhausted using their powers, mind powers can cause headaches, their own weapons can work on them like Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth, Cyclops (XMen) can’t control those laser beams without use of his glasses, Aquaman dries out, Iron Man has a heart condition.

Some weaknesses are just plain weird (link): Daredevil’s overdeveloped sense of hearing makes concerts or other loud places unbearable, the Human Torch can overheat, Wolverine struggles with magnets, Deadpool has a phobia of clowns and a phobia of cows.

Segment 3

Does the hero have to be super? No, there are plenty of characters who do extraordinary things simply because their arc has them haling from core wounds and choosing to achieve the previously-said unachievable. We love a Rocky who works his ass off to get what he set out to get.

So, then, why do we love superheroes? Especially when we know the powers aren’t real? Why are we willing to suspend disbelief and follow them on their journey? Why do we root for them? This article has a theory:

• coping with adversity, 
• prosocial behavior,
• justice and morals, and, 
• escapism

In terms of the types of hero stories, we tend toward the origin stories. We like to see how heroes become heroes. When do they choose? Iron Man is shown the truth of his company’s exploits and decides that’s not the legacy he thought he had and he should correct it. Bruce Wayne witnesses a criminal killing of his own parents and decides to fight crime. The adversity they overcome and their choice to be good is compelling.

We also like stories where people help others and superheroes are prone to prosocial behavior. We look up to people who serve others. There’s even research that shows that people who watch superhero films feel more inclined to help others. They’re inspired to behave in altruistic ways.

We are drawn to acts of justice from as early as six months old. We recognize fairness and right and wrong and want to see right triumph. It’s the common fight for justice, or the commitment to a just cause, that rallies us around the hero.

Finally, escapism. We love to think of a world that is different, dare I say, better? Than ours.

Spiderman came out in May of 2002. Just eight months after 9/11. It was in post production, so already underway when 9/11 happened, but would as many people have been drawn to it if 9/11 hadn’t occurred? 1.64 Billion moviegoers saw Spider-Man (the Tobery Maguire version) – people clearly hungry for a figure who could save the world or at least defend NYC.

It took seven years for the Marvel Universe to begin its rise, but Iron Man and his Afghanistan/Taliban-like origin story was a HUGE success. The Avengers raked in $200.3million on opening weekend in 2012. A generation comforted by the idea that the government-funded S.H.I.E.L.D. was watching out for our safety from everything (link).

Segment 4

So how do you write them? Well, we covered that way back in Episode 20 when we found this link. It says:

“The hero starts in trouble, and then through his own efforts, gets out of trouble. That’s it. That’s the entire hero’s journey that’s needed for superheroes.”

We can unpack the rest of their suggestions, too. 

This blog has some great albeit general advice:

• Give your hero a tragic origin story – think Spiderman’s Uncle Ben dying in front of him
• Give your hero flaws to overcome – Captain America is a bit naive though in his defense he was asleep for a long time
• Give your hero conflict and drama (duh) – Clark Kent’s challenged relationship with Lois Lane, Peter Parker isn’t rich, he needs a job!
• Give your hero a personally or psychologically connected villain – Peter faces off with his bestie because his bestie saw Spiderman kill Green Goblin (dad), Black Panther’s cousin challenges him for the throne, Joker is an anarchist while Batman strive for law and order.
• Give your hero a unique and distinguishing quality (also duh) – Daredevil is blind, Deadpool is maimed, Peter Parker is a teenager with regular kid woes.