# Superheroes sometimes called "The . . ."
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** comic-books-manga
**Created:** [August 18, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894 "2022-08-18T14:16:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/1 "2022-08-18T14:16:36Z")
Batman is sometimes referred as The Batman.
Similarly:
- The Hulk
- The Flash
- The Wolverine
- The Green Arrow
On the other hand, other superheroes are always just “Name,” never "The (Name). For example Peter Parker is not The Spider-Man. Is there some reason, grammatical or otherwise, why this is so?
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/2 "2022-08-18T14:58:42Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#):
>
> For example Peter Parker is not The Spider-Man.
[“The Amazing Spider-Man”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Spider-Man)?
I was going to suggest, as a WAG, that “The” was more likely to be used with a name that otherwise might be interpreted as an ordinary, mundane word (like “flash” or “hulk”). But that’s obviously not a hard-and-fast rule. Mostly, I suspect it’s just “whatever the writer(s) thought sounded best.”
A similar point could be made about names of rock bands (i.e. some do and some do not start with “The”).
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/3 "2022-08-18T15:00:40Z")
“Superman” is a superhero. “The Superman” is a yoga pose.
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### Author:  [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/4 "2022-08-18T15:08:18Z")
Batman was introduced as The Batman.
The Hulk was introduced as The Incredible Hulk.
The Flash was introduced as The Flash (but the comic’s title was just Flash).
Wolverine was introduced as The Wolverine.
The Green Arrow seems to have been introduced as The Green Arrow.
Spider-Man, on the other hand, was introduced as just Spider-Man (though his comics were titled The Amazing Spider-Man).
My wank is that you might introduce someone as The Batman or The Wolverine, and you may even refer to them as such now and again, but that will quickly become cumbersome, and (especially in dialogue) they will quickly just be called Batman or Wolverine.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/5 "2022-08-18T15:14:52Z")
The primary reason that Spidey’s main mag is called _The Amazing Spider-Man_ is that the comic replaced _Amazing Fantasy_ which was where Spider-Man debuted.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/6 "2022-08-18T17:22:00Z")
Groups usually get a The: The Avengers, The Defenders, The Eternals, The Justice League/Society of America, The Boys.
The was used a lot in the olden days. The Atom, The Black Hood, The Wizard, The Human Torch, The Hangman, The Avenger (singular), and my favorite, The Fantom of the Fair.
Why? Probably because it just sounded better with some names. Who wants to write, “Look out! It’s Wizard!” when you can write “Look out! It’s The Wizard!”
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### Author:  [@tullsterx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tullsterx)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/7 "2022-08-18T18:13:49Z")
It’s think its similar with band names. It’s something that was determined by he marketers/producers/writers/talent. Did they anyone ever say “The Fleetwood Mac Band?” I’m sure somebody did, but not the band or the record company.
The Pink Floyd Band
The Allman Brothers Band. . . nah, that works
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/8 "2022-08-18T18:21:12Z")
I wonder if this, like the “leotard with underwear on the outside” look, comes from circus performers? “The Strong Man,” “The Bearded Lady,” “The Dog-Faced Boy.” It would also explain why a lot of the heroes who use this convention are the older ones.
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### Author:  [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/9 "2022-08-18T18:23:45Z")
Smokey the Bear. Lately his handlers are insisting it’s “Smokey Bear”.
No.
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### Author:  [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/10 "2022-08-18T18:25:18Z")
I can see superhero costumes evolving from leotards, but what about capes? Maybe Zorro?
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### Author:  [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/11 "2022-08-18T18:28:24Z")
> [@Hatchie](#):
>
> Smokey the Bear. Lately his handlers are insisting it’s “Smokey Bear”.
>
> No.
It’s always been [Smokey Bear](https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/story-smokey-bear).
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### Author:  [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/12 "2022-08-18T18:36:41Z")
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO1FvirJ6wU)
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/13 "2022-08-18T18:37:28Z")
> [@furryman](#):
>
> I can see superhero costumes evolving from leotards, but what about capes? Maybe Zorro?
Or the Scarlet Pimpernel’s (arguably the first modern superhero) riding cloak.
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/14 "2022-08-18T18:42:37Z")
> [@furryman](#):
>
> I can see superhero costumes evolving from leotards, but what about capes? Maybe Zorro?
Zorro was likely an influence there, but it mostly also comes from circus performers. Leotards aren’t terribly warm, and those big circus tents would get cold, so performers waiting to go on would wear cloaks until they went on stage. A lot of the time, their act would begin by dramatically throwing off the cloak.
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### Author:  [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/15 "2022-08-18T18:51:54Z")
From my link:
> It’s Smokey Bear, not Smokey the Bear. “The” was added when songwriters penned Smokey’s tune. It helped with the rhythm of the song. It’s the only time Smokey Bear ever has a middle name.
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### Author:  [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/16 "2022-08-18T18:53:32Z")
Damn! I was hoping he was remotely related to Kermit the Frog.
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### Author:  [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/17 "2022-08-18T19:00:11Z")
The song is really what put Smokey on the map. Oh, he probably got featured in Life magazine back when he was discovered, but then mostly forgotten until Gene Autry and a host of others recorded that catchy little tune. And Smokey the Bear was pretty much how he was known (and likely still is, if you took a poll) thereafter, killjoy originalists notwithstanding.
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/18 "2022-08-18T20:26:43Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#):
>
> I was hoping he was remotely related to Kermit the Frog.
Which reminds me that it’s “Kermit the Frog” and “Fozzie Bear,” never “Kermit Frog” or “Fozzie the Bear.”
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### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/19 "2022-08-18T20:29:33Z")
> [@sciurophobic](#):
>
> On the other hand, other superheroes are always just “Name,” never "The (Name). For example Peter Parker is not The Spider-Man. Is there some reason, grammatical or otherwise, why this is so?
Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spider-Man!
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A43sHQ9BKxg)
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [August 18, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superheroes-sometimes-called-the/969894/20 "2022-08-18T21:42:35Z")
We are missing a significant one.
Hint: spoon.
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