Superhero
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| - | A '''superhero''' (also known as a '''super hero''') is a [[fictional character]] "of unprecedented physical prowess dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest.” | + | In modern [[popular fiction]], a '''superhero''' is a type of [[hero|costumed heroic character]] who possesses [[supernatural]] or [[superhuman powers]] and who is dedicated to fighting crime, protecting the public, and usually battling [[supervillains]]. A [[female]] superhero is sometimes called a '''[[superheroine]]'''. [[Fiction]] centered on such characters, especially in [[American comic book]]s since the 1930s, is known as [[superhero fiction]]. |
| - | ===Supervillain psychopathic characters=== | + | |
| - | [[Comic book]]-inspired movie [[supervillain]]s such as [[Gene Hackman]] and [[Kevin Spacey]] as [[Lex Luthor]] in ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'' and ''[[Superman Returns]]'', and [[Jack Nicholson]] as the [[Joker (comics)|Joker]] in ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]'', also qualify as comedic psychopathic characters (although it is to be noted that certain interpretations of the Joker in the comic book series depict him more in the manner of the [[Fictional portrayals of psychopaths#Postmodern psychopathic characters|postmodern psychopath]]). With their wild antics and extravagant crimes, supervillains often make comic [[stooge]]s out of their straight-arrow, stiff-backed [[superhero]] nemeses. | + | |
| - | Even [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]] as the absurd, pompous [[Dr. Evil]], an effete [[megalomaniac]] forever plotting world domination in the [[Austin Powers]] movies, is but a [[parodic]] [[pastiche]] of the preposterously well-financed and well-equipped psychopathic supervillains (both smooth and comedic) that appear in the [[James Bond]] series, such as [[Ernst Stavro Blofeld]], [[Dr. Julius No]], [[Auric Goldfinger]], [[Emilio Largo]], [[Scaramanga]], [[Karl Stromberg]], [[Hugo Drax]], [[Max Zorin]], and [[Le Chiffre]]. | + | By most definitions, characters do not require actual supernatural or superhuman powers or [[phenomena]] to be deemed superheroes. While the Dictionary.com definition of "superhero" is "a figure, especially in a [[comic strip]] or cartoon, endowed with superhuman powers and usually portrayed as fighting evil or crime", the longstanding [[Merriam-Webster]] dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person". Terms such as masked crime fighters, costumed adventurers or masked [[vigilantes]] are sometimes used to refer to characters such as [[Spirit (comics)|the Spirit]], who may not be explicitly referred to as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits. |
| - | Notable henchmen in the Bond series who qualify as supervillain psychopathic characters include the [[lesbian]] [[spymaster|spymistress]] [[Rosa Klebb]], the steel-eyed [[assassin]] [[Red Grant]] (who is described as a "paranoiac psychopath"), the lethal Korean manservant [[Oddjob]], the ''[[femme fatale]]'' [[Fiona Volpe]], the bionically enhanced strongman [[Jaws (James Bond)|Jaws]], and the [[Amazons|Amazon]] murderess [[May Day (James Bond)|May Day]]. [[Robert Shaw]]'s portrayal of the affectless blond killer, Red Grant, in ''[[From Russia with Love (film)|From Russia with Love]]'', is probably the closest the Bond movies have come to depicting a psychopathic personality with a plausible degree of clinical accuracy. | + | Some superheroes use their powers to counter day-to-day crime while also combating threats against humanity from [[supervillain]]s, who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superhero's [[archenemy]]. Some long-running superheroes such as [[Superman]], [[Batman]], [[Spider-Man]], [[Wonder Woman]], [[Captain America]], [[Wolverine (character)|Wolverine]], [[Hal Jordan|Green Lantern]], [[Wally West|The Flash]], [[Hulk (comics)|Hulk]], [[Thor (Marvel Comics)|Thor]] and [[Iron Man]] have a [[rogues gallery]] of many villains. |
| + | == See also == | ||
| + | *[[Hero]] | ||
| + | * [[Real-life superhero]] | ||
| + | * [[Science hero]] | ||
| + | * [[Superhero film]] | ||
| + | * [[List of actors who have played superheroes]] | ||
| + | * [[List of superhero debuts]] | ||
| + | * [[List of comic book superpowers]] | ||
| + | *''[[Our Gods Wear Spandex]] '' (2007) by Christopher Knowles | ||
| + | * [[Supervillain]] | ||
| - | [[Zim (Invader Zim)|Zim]], the titular character in the [[Nickelodeon (TV channel)|Nickelodeon]] [[animated series]], ''Invader Zim'', is also a parody of the supervillain; his comic absurdity is tempered by moments of genuine malice and destructiveness. | ||
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Revision as of 09:17, 25 September 2016
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In modern popular fiction, a superhero is a type of costumed heroic character who possesses supernatural or superhuman powers and who is dedicated to fighting crime, protecting the public, and usually battling supervillains. A female superhero is sometimes called a superheroine. Fiction centered on such characters, especially in American comic books since the 1930s, is known as superhero fiction.
By most definitions, characters do not require actual supernatural or superhuman powers or phenomena to be deemed superheroes. While the Dictionary.com definition of "superhero" is "a figure, especially in a comic strip or cartoon, endowed with superhuman powers and usually portrayed as fighting evil or crime", the longstanding Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the definition as "a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skillful or successful person". Terms such as masked crime fighters, costumed adventurers or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer to characters such as the Spirit, who may not be explicitly referred to as superheroes but nevertheless share similar traits.
Some superheroes use their powers to counter day-to-day crime while also combating threats against humanity from supervillains, who are their criminal counterparts. Often at least one of these supervillains will be the superhero's archenemy. Some long-running superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Wolverine, Green Lantern, The Flash, Hulk, Thor and Iron Man have a rogues gallery of many villains.
See also
- Hero
- Real-life superhero
- Science hero
- Superhero film
- List of actors who have played superheroes
- List of superhero debuts
- List of comic book superpowers
- Our Gods Wear Spandex (2007) by Christopher Knowles
- Supervillain
