Super Powerful Solutions to Contemporary Crisis. Superman is an illegal immigrant who crash landed in comic strips in 1933 and has been

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1 Super Powerful Solutions to Contemporary Crisis Superman is an illegal immigrant who crash landed in comic strips in 1933 and has been leaping over buildings, or leveling them in a single bound ever since. He has a violent disposition and a tendency to tear down buildings, throw vehicles and generally wreak havoc on the infrastructure of Metropolis. Furthermore, if Barbie draws criticism for creating unrealistic expectations for women, imagine how young men must feel when they look at him. His crimefighting companions Batman and Wonder Woman are not much better with their respective vengeance inspired vigilantism and apparent inability to wear enough clothing. This would certainly not be an appropriate message to send to children, but according to recent research on the effects of superheroes, this is not the message audiences are picking up from superheroes. While some may argue that superheroes in television, comics and cinema are improper, there is intriguing evidence that rather than tearing down self-confidence, superheroes are building it up, and rather than inspiring violence, they are inspiring hope and rather than eroding societal morals they are teaching them. Powerless To Prevent Moral Decay: Superman to the Rescue The greatest benefit that superheroes have to offer is counter to the idea that violent mannerisms and scandalous attire are eroding the morals of American children. Rather, superheroes and their stories serve as a medium for developing a strong moral character. According to Justin F. Martin, a PhD in developmental psychology at Witworth University, the fact that superheroes are portrayed in a complex story line involving other characters and moral dilemmas allows children to see themselves as part of a complex situation and that their actions will affect others (Martin 2008). Additionally, despite the common use of violence, superheroes

2 rarely ever kill and have a primary goal of apprehension, not annihilation (Martin 2008). Comic book fans, even young ones, can understand the complex implications of a superhero s actions such as taking on a secret identity so that the superhero will never receive the credit for his or her actions. Readers are able to identify that the superhero is willing to perform selflessly for the value of the action alone, and to some degree emulate it (Fingeroth 2004). There have been several studies that show that children s understanding of superheroes is a good indication of their moral character development. In one such study, children who were more familiar with superheroes such as Spiderman, Batman, Superman, the X-men and the Fantastic Four were more likely than their peers to attribute positive qualities to these superheroes and also score highly on a survey of designed to assess morality in the children (Martin 2008). Primarily, Martin s research indicates that children emulate and internalize positive qualities from the media fabricated heroics of Spiderman, Batman and Superman, but does not directly address the issue of whether or not their super violence also seeps into the children s character. However, research conducted by Amy Parsons, the Executive Vice Chancellor at Colorado State University, and Dr. Nina Howe of Concordia University who specializes in Early Childhood Development and Education, of all the preschoolers that they studied, none exhibit any more violence or aggression when playing superhero games than they do playing any other games (Parsons, Howe, 2006.) They also state that Any arguments that point to negative impacts are based mostly on anecdotal reports, unsystematic teacher interviews, or position statements rather than empirical studies (Parsons, Howe, 2013.) Indeed, although there are several studies that show a link between increased aggression and increased media portrayal of violence, there are virtually no studies that show that there is a link specifically between superheroes and increased aggression. It may be prudent to avoid excessively violent media,

3 especially considering that most people do not actually enjoy the graphic scenes of carnage (Weaver, Wilson 2009.) But given the substantial evidence that superheroes have positive effects on viewers, especially children, and the fact that there is little evidence that they are a cause of delinquency, superheroes should not be number among the list of media items to avoid. Children are a bit like balloons and superheroes are a bit like a wool cloth; when the two rub up against each other, the balloon does not absorb lint, rather it becomes positively charged. The more exposure to superheroes a child has, the more likely it is that the child has a strong understanding of morality. Superheroes and Self-confidence Even beyond the role that superheroes play in developing moral character, they have some other interesting positive benefits. We are all familiar with the fact that most people want to change their physical appearance one way or another. People want to be thinner and more toned, or larger and more muscular and to a large extent, dissatisfaction with body image is a result of the popular culture icons that we see on TV or magazines. How are men supposed to compare with Chris Hemsworth as Thor or Chris Evans as Captain America? How are women supposed to measure up to Scarlett Johanson as Black Widow or Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman? The reality is that most people will never be able to obtain the body dimensions that these superheroes or their actors have. However, according to research done in 2013 by PhD students at the University of Buffalo, the negative effects of these superheroes on body image and self esteem can be reversed by simply forming a relationship with a superhero. In this study, men were shown an image of either Batman or Spiderman, both very muscular, given a few moments to look at their hyper masculine bodies and then prodded into telling the researchers how they felt about their own bodies. People who idolized the superhero they were shown actually rated

4 their self esteem highly while those who didn t like or were unfamiliar with the hero they were shown felt more insecure about their body (Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 2013). This is fascinating, because rather than avoiding these superheroes to protect self-esteem, finding a superhero that people like not only negates the negative effects that ultra-fit popular icons have, it reverses the effects and is correlated with an increase in self-confidence. Defying gravity and despair Superheroes also fight important battles for us; namely the battles against societal unrest in tough times. Even though Superman is an illegal alien, he came to the United States in a time that he was desperately needed. Superman, like many superheroes was contrived and popularized during the Great Depression (Rizzo 2006). With nearly every industry collapsing, entertainment was one of the few industries that was growing, because people needed hope, and hope is exactly what superheroes were designed to bring. The Golden Age of comic books started with the Great Depression and according to Marianna Torgovnick who is a Professor of English at Duke University, almost all Depression era literature reflects a hopeful message (Torgovnick 2009.) The comics written during the 1930s were no exception. They were specifically designed to encourage the American public to persevere through tough times, sometimes even contorting themselves into outright propaganda. By World War II comic books were 80% of the reading material for soldiers in the war. The comic books reminded the soldiers of what they were fighting for (Rizzo 2006) and ever since, superheroes have been depicted in situations that reflect the circumstances of the real world. In times of high political turmoil such as the Iran Hostage Crisis, superheroes get in more fights, but share more moral lessons. Superheroes were born in

5 tough times as a way for society to cope. Even today, with no Hitler or Red Scare, superheroes are still contending with our political and societal qualms. Do we still need to be rescued? It is easy to show that superheroes have their roots in the noble intentions and of artists trying to bring hope back to a despair stricken American era, but are they still the same today as they were in the Golden Age? Or do they endure out of the promise of revenue they can bring in? There have been several recent superhero film adaptations that have enjoyed enormous popularity including the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the CW s Arrowverse a collection of TV shows that include The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. I contend that these shows exhibit all of the same qualities that made comic books valuable in the 1930s. Jason Dittmer of Georgia Southern University analyzed Captain America and how he reflected the ideals and conflicts of the post 9/11 political and social landscape of the United States. He argues that Captain America has served a vital role in helping readers to visualize the identity of America through his appearances in comic books leading up to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Dittmer 2005.) This trend has been continued through the movies that he has appeared in with the most recent example being Captain America: Civil War. This cinematic adaptation pits Captain America against his fellow superhero Iron Man. Despite seeming destructive to have two heroes fight each other, this movie is actually an excellent example of how the superheroes we see on screen today are still valuable tools in confronting troubles in our time. The plot of the movie is essentially the debate between having increased government regulation and thus increased safety, or retaining personal freedom. Captain America and Iron Man s clash creates a medium to explore the benefits and pitfalls of both perspectives. This is a valuable, almost critical conversation that must be had in the light of NSA surveillance and the current War on

6 Terror. Just like the Golden Age superheroes confronted Nazis in the pages of their comic books, the heroes of today wrestle with the political uncertainty of contemporary America. In many regards they are useful for exactly the same reason that the Golden Age heroes were to the baby boomers. But even with similarity in purpose to many Golden Age heroes, superheroes in the most recent batch of small screen successes are construed much differently than their predecessors. For example, the recent and wildly popular TV show Arrow initially portrays a less heroic version of the DC superhero Green Arrow. Throughout the first season of the show, the Green Arrow is depicted as an extralegal vigilante who kills corrupt city leaders and other villains. However, this is part of his journey to become the hero that comic book fans are familiar with. The reason that some shows, such as Arrow, are darker is not because the entertainment industry is trying to corrupt children or teenagers, but because the story of the Green Arrow is one of redemption. The consumption of new TV shows that portray superheroes in a somewhat different manner than traditional superheroes are thought of is valuable in showing humanity that was previously not present. Superheroes began being depicted in a darker light in the 1970s as a way to draw serious audiences and attention to a serious social issue (Karczewski 2013.) It is important to note that this darker genre of superhero depictions is not reflective of a shift in superheroes to become darker. It is simply an expansion of the genre to attract audiences that are already interested in darker content. Even these darker heroes can have a positive impact by introducing ideas of redemption or the struggle against inner darkness. For example, in the aforementioned The Arrow, the Green Arrow takes a vow not to kill after the first season and spends the remaining four seasons of his TV show trying to be a nobler hero than he was at his origins.

7 The need for heroes is as great today as ever, and the on-screen heroes are as wellequipped as ever to satisfy that need. Moving from a propaganda to a powerful tool in social commentary, superheroes are still fighting the good fight. BAM! They Can t Be Ignored Another reason that boycotting superheroes is not the best policy, is that it is probably unattainable. Five of the top ten highest grossing box office hits of this year were superhero films. And according to most prevailing research, their popularity is not diminishing, it is growing (Lewis 2016.) With half of the most popular movies of this year being superhero movies, it is extremely unlikely that anyone has had no exposure to superheroes. Comic books are known for their bright flashing exclamations and the BOOM on the pages is making ripples in the everyday media virtually everyone is exposed to. This being the case, the best policy is to encourage children to find a superhero they identify with. You may remember earlier that participants in a study were more likely to have selfesteem when it came to their non-super powered musculatures if they liked the super muscular superhero they were shown. This was part of a study conducted to determine the effects of a para-social relationship between superheroes and their fans (Young, Gabriel, Hollar 2013.) A para-social relationship is basically a one way friendship with a superhero. It is like a celebrity crush, only from what research indicates, more productive. As already discussed, superheroes have the ability to instill both self-confidence as well as moral understanding, but it is crucial to understand that these desirable effects are only attained when a person has a para-social relationship with a superhero. Instead of berating children for viewing or enjoying super powered literature, such activity should be encouraged. By allowing children to decide what superheroes they like the

8 most and encouraging them to follow along in their adventures, a para-social relationship can be formed. Without this step, superheroes can be as dangerous as people who would like to avoid them fear, but with the para-social bond, superheroes will bolster society. Furthermore, the benefits of this relationship to superheroes is not exclusive to children who are still developing their character and exploring morals for the first time. At every stage of life human beings are developing and determining what kind of person they want to be. In a world with superhuman heroes flying on and off screen, everyone should find a superhero that engages them, with adventures and mishaps relevant to their lives. Super Easy, Super Fun. Superheroes simply are not going away and there is no reason for them to. They may be able to cause harm, but the solution is both easy and fun: find a superhero that is a good role model for you. Go watch Marvel s Doctor Strange, enjoy The Flash on TV or read a comic book. There are seven new additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and two from DC comics coming out in the next four years. Superheroes take the most complex issues our time has to offer and creates stories out of them that encourage reflection on morality and character and chances are good that there is a superhero for you out there. They build their fans up and support the scaffolding of society. This world needs more heroes, and superheroes count.

9 Works Cited Dittmer, Jason. "Captain America's Empire: Reflections on Identity, Popular Culture, and Post- 9/11 Geopolitics." Annals of the Association of American Geographers 95.3 (2005): Print. Lawrence, John Shelton. "Superman on the Couch: What Superheroes really Tell Us about Ourselves and our Society." Journal of American Culture 28.4 (2005): Print. LEWIS, KRISTIN. "What's with these Guys?" Scholastic Scope 65.4 (2016): Print. Martin, Justin F. "Children's Attitudes Toward Superheroes as a Potential Indicator of their Moral Understanding." Journal of Moral Education 36.2 (2007): Print. Parsons, Amy, and Nina Howe. "Superhero Toys and Boys' Physically Active and Imaginative Play." Journal of Research in Childhood Education 20.4 (2006): Print. This is Spiderman's Mask. No, it's Green Goblin's : Shared Meanings during Boys' Pretend Play with Superhero and Generic Toys." Journal of Research in Childhood Education 27.2 (2013): Print. Rizzo, Johnna. "Zap! Pow! Bam!" Humanities 27.4 (2006): Print. Rŉžička, Jiří G. "American Superheroes and the Politics of Good and Evil." New Presence: The Prague Journal of Central European Affairs 12.2 (2010): Print. Savage, Joanne. "Does Viewing Violent Media really Cause Criminal Violence? A Methodological Review." Aggression and Violent Behavior 10.1 (2004): Print. Schollmeyer, Josh. "Super Beings in Tough Times." Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 62.2 (2006): 12. Print.

10 Torgovnick, Marianna. "The Buoyancy of Depression Entertainment." Chronicle of Higher Education (2009): B12. Print. Weaver, Andrew J., and Barbara J. Wilson. "The Role of Graphic and Sanitized Violence in the Enjoyment of Television Dramas." Human Communication Research 35.3 (2009): Print. Young, Ariana F., Shira Gabriel, and Jordan L. Hollar. "Batman to the Rescue! the Protective Effects of Parasocial Relationships with Muscular Superheroes on Men's Body Image." Journal of experimental social psychology 49.1 (2013): Print.

Essay 4: Arguing for a Superhero. on whether or not they are beneficial to society. I believe superheroes offer an abundance of

ENGL 1301.24156 Dr. Evans 03 October 2016 Essay 4: Arguing for a Superhero Introduction Superheroes can be viewed at as a controversial subject because of the various opinions on whether or not they are