Recently Dan Fingeroth, former editorial director of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man line and a consultant on the first Spider-Man movie, was quoted as saying
I saw this and quibbled with a few: I think strength better embodies the Hulk than rage. Spider-Man has more heart than Captain America? Than Daredevil? Than Professor Xavier? I’ve always thought responsibility was Spider-Man’s defining characteristic. But I can see where he got optimism and revenge for Superman and Batman.
Which got me thinking about OTHER superheroes and what qualities they might embody. I came up with:
Wonder Woman - Equality
Green Lantern (Jordan) - Fearlessness
Green Lantern (Rayner) - Imagination
Captain America - Determination
Fantastic Four - Family/Cooperation
X-Men - Alienation
Sub-Mariner - Arrogance
Black Panther (Priest’s interpretatin) - Control
Punisher - Remorselessness
Then, because I have too much time on my hands, I envisioned villains, too.
But there was a long list of B-heroes and villains I wasn’t sure how to categorize.
Swamp Thing
Aquaman
Hawkman
Flash
Wolverine
Ghost Rider
Plastic Man
Elongated Man
Nightwing
Robin II (Todd)
Robin III (Drake)
She-Hulk
Hawkeye
Scarlet Witch
The Wasp
Ant-Man
The Falcon
Luke Cage, Power Man
Iron Fist
Cyclops
Jean Grey
Storm
Daredevil
Atom
So I’m asking superhero comics fans – what do you think? How would you categorize heroes/villains?
Bosda. I already did ask that queestion… of other poster. Last six words of the OP.
I like your definition for Wolverine… “Animal fury.”
I think you can summarize any character in one word regardless of how old the character has been around. But I didn’t use Thor, Iron Man, etc. because I only have a very elementary grasp of those characters and I figured someone else would be happy to do it.
Ranchoth. I think self-sacrifice falls under “responsibility” more than “heart” If you sacrifice, something else stands to gain: your family, your employer, your nation, etc. That’s a responsible act, generally.
If you don’t think Hulk symbolizes rage then I must respectfully disagree. Unless his origin has changed again, he is the living embodiment of Bruce Banner’s sublimated rage.
Mm… I’m not sure I agree with the premise of the OP.
Comic characters are not intended or designed, IMHO, to represent anything. They aren’t symbols, they’re vehicles – intended to act as vicarious representations of the reader on flights of fancy.
The Hulk appeals to anyone who’s ever been abused and misunderstood and felt any need to go berserk and kick some serious ass. His basic origins reflect this – nerdy scientist who takes tons of flak from gung-ho general, and suddenly he becomes a giant musclebound monster!
Superman is for anyone who ever wanted to fly. He’s also a more controlled version of the “super strong ass kicker;” nerdy reporter takes off his clothes and becomes sex symbol who can lift a Buick with one hand.
Batman’s appeal is a little different. Batman is for the reader who isn’t interested in impressing the girls. Batman’s for the reader who (a) wants to beat up everyone who ever hurt him, and (b) scare the living hell out of everyone else. Batman’s a hero only by virtue of the fact that he won’t kill, and that he only beats up bad guys.
Spider-Man’s appeal is that he is Everyman; he’s not as extreme as any of the previous examples. He’s just the “average joe” who can’t seem to get a break, and finds escape from his humdrum, often thorny life by putting on a costume and swinging around New York. He escapes from his life, just as his readers do by opening the comic.
In recent years, these characters have ALL become complex enough that I sure wouldn’t wanna have to boil each down to a single word… or concept… or even a single premise, in some cases.
