Superheroes...Shazam!
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"And if I go crazy then will you still call me Superman?
If I'm alive and well, will you be there holding my hand?
I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might
Kryptonite"
Superheroes, as we know them, have been around for decades and they intrigue me. You've gotta think that all those ancient myths and legends like Ulysses, Beowulf, Perseus and King Arthur were definitely superheroes in their day. Actually, I learned that the term Super Heroes is a trademark co-owned by DC and Marvel comics. Wikipedia, as usual, offered a tremendous amount of Superhero info.
Superman first appeared in 1938, his reputation spurred on by the popularity of comic books at the time. We've seen Superman movies ...Superman, Superman Returns, Superman 2 – 15 (or so it seems). Man of Steel just opened recently at the local movie theaters. It got me to thinking about the criteria for a superhero in the first place. Here's what I came up with...
1. Superhuman or extraordinary power, but not necessarily human, e.g. Superman is an ET although I think he was a naturalized citizen. And, I guess, not necessarily superhuman, e.g. Batman has enough money to fabricate what he needs to be achieve almost superhuman powers.
2. Saves the world and fights bad guys in spare time. There always seems to be an arch-villain or two and he/she/they are pretty famous, too, and can match powers with the superhero.
3. Cool costume – I like this part the best …. though doubt if I could look as good in leotards or spandex as Wonder Woman.
4. Secret identity – For some reason, they feel the need to hide their identity and if they wear their nifty costumes, even the people closest to them can't figure out who they are. Shame on you, Lois Lane. You were pretty unobservant for a reporter!
What brought all this to mind, by the way, is that I saw a Superman cape in Wal-Mart the other day and I was sorely tempted to buy it … and so I did. I've always wished that I could fly or be super strong or maybe cling to the sides of buildings or beat up bad guys. So far, my wishes have not come true. So, for a mere $6.97, here was my chance. I grasped that bright red cape with a big yellow “S” in my hands and dreamed about flying.
I called my sister, Lin, to come over and try it out with me. She's much more athletic than I am. She did a few pre-flying exercises on the living room floor and headed out to the front yard wearing the new cape. It was then I saw the warning label:
Really? Well, heck, why buy it?