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Even superheroes bleed

Superheroes are accurate barometers of the times and in the latest edition of Spider-man, we see a conflicted Spidey echoing millennial angst

They are human after all Spider-man and Superman

In the beginning, before the superheroes, life was simpler.

They have always stood high as symbols of hope, strength and justice. Often considered god-like beings of immense, unimaginable super powers, today’s superheroes are anything but this.

Through the ages, superheroes have grown and regressed depending on the global scenario of that time. Wolverine served in Operation Desert Storm, Captain America fought the Nazis during World War II.

In the ‘Amazing Spider-man’ series, Peter Parker is an ordinary man with some extraordinary troubles. Apart from delay in paying the rent and utility bills, as Spider-man, he also has to a deal with raging sociopaths.

Parker is a science teacher in his old high school who wants to bring change as Peter Parker and not as Spider-man.

This conflict between his self and alter-ego is reminiscent of the roles we play as individuals in society. We are all unbreakable and invincible one minute, weak and vulnerable the next.

But more than ‘Amazing Spider-man’, readers relate to the Ultimate Spider-man character where Peter Parker is a bumbling, teenage superhero.

Another superhero, The Punisher, is perhaps what we all as individuals want to be. Often criticised for his excessive use of violence in bringing justice to the streets of New York,

The Punisher’s persona reflects the desire that some of us have to provide solutions to societal problems and eradicate those evils.

Bruce Banner’s alter ego we all know as The Incredible Hulk, is perhaps one of the most loved characters. The rage that he harbours is something we have all gone through. The Hulk’s ‘loner’ attitude is another aspect that people relate to.

Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the X-Men comics dealing with themes such as minority and intolerance made their first appearance in the self-titled X-Men series in 1963.

There is a theory that Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X influenced the characters of Professor Xavier and Magneto and that the X-Men stand for the African-American struggle. The X-Men, a congregation of mutants from across the globe, have gained immense popularity over the years through series such as “The New X-Men” and “X-Factor.”

With characters like Wolverine and Cyclops, who are again loners, the X-Men is also a tale of discovery as Wolverine is always on the quest for his past.

This concept deals with the alienation people face in society. Coupled with issues such as identity crisis, superiority and inferiority complexes and a general sense of belonging,

The X-Men stand for the unsung heroes of a society that lives in the shadows.

Known as the “Man of Steel,” Superman was first introduced in 1938 in the series titled ‘Action Comics’. The positive response from the public established Superman as the protector of the helpless. But unlike other superheroes, Superman has an air of invincibility.

With a lot being said about the revenge and forgiveness motif playing in “Spider-man 3”, fans should have much to cheer about.

With three villains, two love interests, mind-boggling stunts and Spidey himself becoming wicked, fans as well as pop culture watchers can be amuse themselves with much cosmic rationalising of whether superheroes are human after all. And in the meantime, pass me the pop corn!

AKSHAY RAJMOHAN & DEBAYAN DEB

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