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Really, why ARE some Superhero's popular?
Jun. 9th, 2006 12:39 amThere was an interesting discussion on one of my groups, that started with a question on why Aquaman wasn't a more popular character. It quickly expanded into a debate over why some comic book characters (such as Batman, Superman, Spiderman and Wonder Woman) are iconic and hare imprinted on the public consciousness, and others, (like Moon Knight, Green Lantern, and Captain America) remain obscure. A lot of possibilities were floated, ranging from longevity, to good publicity, to having a decent stable of supervillains. I went for a more psychological perspective- this is what I came up with.
I suspect that among all the other aspects of superhero popularity,one must also consider the underlying themes, and how well they resonate with the general public. That is, how well people can identify with the basic archetype, the story behind the character. So, to look at some examples:
Superman- The nebbish who becomes the most powerful man on Earth, and who saves the girl of his dreams. Practically everyone has had a daydream of being powerful- while staying themselves.
Spiderman- Power and responsibility, in many ways a metaphor for adulthood. Again something many people can identify with.
Batman- loss and revenge. Nearly everyone has had a tragedy in their life, or experienced an injustice where they've wished they could do something about it.
X-Men- Alienation and prejudice. Again, a theme that resonates with many people, especially teenagers.
Wonder Woman- a powerful woman, living up to her potential. A daydream of both genders, actually.
By contrast, take Aquaman: his theme is...what exactly? "I am king of the seas?" Not exactly a potent archetype.
Really, I suspect that the more easily a character satisfies common daydreams about one's life, the greater the chance it has of becoming something of an archetype. In fact, I think the notion of fantasy concepts that people identify with because they resonate with their own personal fantasy life is worth further exploration- possibly even a look outside of comics, at the other iconic heroes that have lasted: Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Dr. Who, Kirk, et. And also examine why others, such as Doc Savage are fading away.
Now, assignment for the class- what is the daydream archetype for GI Joe?
I suspect that among all the other aspects of superhero popularity,one must also consider the underlying themes, and how well they resonate with the general public. That is, how well people can identify with the basic archetype, the story behind the character. So, to look at some examples:
Superman- The nebbish who becomes the most powerful man on Earth, and who saves the girl of his dreams. Practically everyone has had a daydream of being powerful- while staying themselves.
Spiderman- Power and responsibility, in many ways a metaphor for adulthood. Again something many people can identify with.
Batman- loss and revenge. Nearly everyone has had a tragedy in their life, or experienced an injustice where they've wished they could do something about it.
X-Men- Alienation and prejudice. Again, a theme that resonates with many people, especially teenagers.
Wonder Woman- a powerful woman, living up to her potential. A daydream of both genders, actually.
By contrast, take Aquaman: his theme is...what exactly? "I am king of the seas?" Not exactly a potent archetype.
Really, I suspect that the more easily a character satisfies common daydreams about one's life, the greater the chance it has of becoming something of an archetype. In fact, I think the notion of fantasy concepts that people identify with because they resonate with their own personal fantasy life is worth further exploration- possibly even a look outside of comics, at the other iconic heroes that have lasted: Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Dr. Who, Kirk, et. And also examine why others, such as Doc Savage are fading away.
Now, assignment for the class- what is the daydream archetype for GI Joe?