# Comic Book Superhero cliches **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 25, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845 "2003-09-25T21:46:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/21 "2003-09-27T07:12:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by shy guy \* > **There’s Jesse Quick, daughter of the golden ager Johnny Quick. She’s recently lost her speed powers, last I knew. Also, her costumes have all been utter abominations. Another point in the male heroes who have female versions of them column, though. There’s also a female Kid Flash from Kingdom Come, Wally West’s daughter. And XS from the Legion was in the present for a while, I think.** So, a touch of Current Canon and a touch of Kingdoms for the Flash-girl. Still, most of the Flash-spinoffs are male (the original Kid Flash is male, as is Impulse, and doesn’t the Kingdoms one have a brother, or is that old continuity? Been a while, sorry.) Don’t think XS counts, but I’ll grant Jesse Quick (though as a counterpart to her dad, rather than Flash, just for the sake of keeping the board clean.) > [@](#): > > \*\*This didn’t really seem to be true post-Crisis though, did it? The Matrix Supergirl wasn’t as powerful as Superman, and neither was the one that came after that. Superboy’s equal, sure. \*\* Mae (Matrix) was the one I was thinking of when I added the ‘most incarnations’ caveat. I wasn’t aware there was a new one. Worth trying to get into? ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/22 "2003-09-27T15:18:01Z")
Prisons are a mere resting place for super-villains. Escaping from even the most maximum security facility can occur with amazing eaze, usually in-between issues. ---
**Author:** ![magog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/fbc32d/32.png) [@magog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magog)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/23 "2003-09-27T16:24:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FabioClone \* > **Radiation is a good thing!** > Instant superpowers. But remember kids, with that wacky radiation you never get the same result twice. Just finished reading a Daredevil comic that hit on this… One of the characters: “You’re saying that the radioactive isotope (whatever that is) maybe blinded him and gave him super powers? … You know what would happen to me if I was struck in the face with a radioactive isotope? I would get leukemia and die.” ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/24 "2003-09-27T16:30:13Z")
Hannibal Tatu, occassional comics commentator, co-devised the [Black Hero Origin Algorithm](http://www.operative.net/archive/columns/word/15-blackheroorigin.html), which basically states the following cliches concerning MOST black heroes you see in DC and Marvel Comics. **Black heroes are inspired by white heroes.** Example: John Henry Irons, Steel (Superman), John Stewart (Green Lantern), James Rhodes, War Machine (Iron Man), Isaiah whasisname and Josiah X (Captain America), J.J. (Thunderbolt), Monica Whasername (Captain Marvel), Goliath (Giant Man)… **Black heroes have been in the Olympics.** I know Black Lightning. Are there more? Who? **Black heroes have a criminal background.** Storm (pickpocket), Falcoln (pimp), Luke Cage (convicted murderer), Cyborg (petty thief)… **Black heroes grew up in poverty.** Damn near half of everyone I’ve already named… and also Death The Black Racer, Vixen, Bronze Tiger, Icon… I’ll also note: Most black superheroes DON’T have their own secret headquarters-- or if they do, it’s part of their group affiliation. Most black superheroes can’t fly. Most black superheroes have poorly established secret IDs. …Which brings me to my gripe about black villains. Black villains operate strictly on a citywide scale as dope dealers, hired killers and young thugs. They are never the bombastic, world-conquering, time-travelling, space-faring, masterminds-with-evil-henchman that are the banes of most superhero teams and individual archetypes. (Even Black Manta is a stretch.) Black villains are NEVER major villains. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/25 "2003-09-27T17:29:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Askia \* > \*\* > > **Black heroes are inspired by white heroes.** > Example: John Stewart (Green Lantern), James Rhodes, War Machine (Iron Man), \*\* Those two are unfair. John Stewart _was_ a Green Lantern, and James Rhodes actually stood in as Iron Man when Tony Stark was struggling with alcoholism. \*\* > [@](#): > > Black villains are NEVER major villains. \*\* For which you can thank the civil rights movement. It’s called “positive discrimination” \. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/26 "2003-09-27T17:45:44Z")
Asian heroes are typically martial artist types. _Sigh_. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/27 "2003-09-27T19:42:13Z")
You can’t forget the cornball stereotyped dialogue, either. Consider: “How can anything so big move so fast?” (Dumbfounded hero on battling a speedy behemoth, usually the Hulk.) “I love you.” “And I, you.” (Superheroes professing their love. Usually appears in a Chris Claremont comic.) “The fools! I’ll destroy them all!” (Luthor, Dr. Doom, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2003, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845/28 "2003-09-28T04:36:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JThunder \* > \*\*Asian heroes are typically martial artist types. _Sigh_. \*\* Or techoids. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/comic-book-superhero-cliches/203845.md?page=1)