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Week 13- Reconsidering the Superhero

The reinventing of superhero has been an almost routine process throughout the past few decades, from iconic symbols of ideals to relatable "every-men" to representations of diversity to psychological explorations, the "super" hero has been put through many a test to stand as its own archetype of a character. Still closely tied to their classical variants of the characters, modern superheroes often dip into both comedy and tragedy, while including moments of action and moments of stillness/tenseness. While one exploration of the superhero, “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” might be more closely associated with the explosive, over the top fantasy of the superhero persona, the gritty “realism,” and psychopathic ideology of “Arkham Asylum,” shift the focus away from action focused into almost purely abstract character narration and exploration. But comics don’t have to be one or the other, “The Dark Knight Returns” by Frank Miller serves as a combination of the two extremes; exploring the mental stability of Batman, (and later Superman) and the Joker, while also including multiple fantastical scenes of pure action. (Batman punches superman with construction equipment while wearing power armor! No psychological exploration here!) Comics have evolved to be adaptable by numerous pacts of society and the super-hero has routinely proven to be a flexible archetype that can reach all audiences. Whether amazed by the dazzling visuals as a youth, interested in the moral and political repercussions of these unique individuals as an adult, or a mixing of the two, the superhero is well cemented as a solid archetype of all colors, sexes, backgrounds, and futures. 

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