How Storytelling can improve men's and boys' Lives.
How popular comics become.
Today, as an adult, I relive the nostalgic magic of comics in the ever-growing landscape of comic book media. Our heroes reflect who we are and who we wish to be. Superheroes are the Greek gods of our age (some literally take on Greek and Norse god personas).
My relationship with heroes.
You may have guessed from the website and the name of this project that I didn't have the best childhood. However, one of my bright memories growing up was Saturday morning cartoons. If you grew up in the 90s like I did, you might have watched shows like, "The X-Men," "Spiderman," "Fantastic Four," and "Iron Man." I woke up every Saturday excited to watch these shows with my stepdad. This was our time to connect. We spent hours in the kitchen discussing the stories of the best superheroes. I always feel close to other people when talking about comics.
Growing up, Spiderman was my favorite superhero. He still is. (I am a Marvel superhero guy, though I enjoy some DC and Image comic storylines) I know he's not the strongest, fastest, or most brilliant hero. His life always seems chaotic. Peter Parker's relationships were messy and unstable. Teachers always saw promise in Peter but thought he needed to be more focused. Spiderman's most significant enemies were usually family, mentors, and teachers, whom his alter ego, Peter Parker, looked up to. Navigating both halves of his identity was challenging and confusing. It wasn't clear who he could trust. Growing up, I related to this character, and later, I had to fight the very system and group of mentors I looked up to. Navigating both halves of my identity and learning that I couldn't always trust people who were supposed to be looking out for me has been a tumultuous process. As a young man, and sometimes still today, I ask myself, what would Spiderman do?
What comics were originally for?
Comics were initially created to help young boys develop a sense of morality. These stories were built to serve as a guide in an uncertain world, assisting boys to delineate good and evil. Comics have been used to:
Teach the value of human life (the line separating hero, anti-hero, and villain).
Recruit for war using heroic propaganda.
Guide boys as a rite of passage into manhood.
I want to dive into two comic book characters and talk about what main lessons young boys can walk away with.
Spiderman's Uncle Ben constantly reminded him, "With great power comes great responsibility." The Spiderman comic is about making hard, selfless decisions. Peter Parker constantly sacrifices his time, safety, and talent for others despite being publicly hated by prominent news media outlets. Young men learn that we should use our strength, skills, and talent for the good of those around us despite the potential for negative stigma and even personal loss.
Green Lantern
Moving beyond my personal affinity for Spiderman, The Green Lantern is DC's most remarkable character and storyline. I just read Blackest Night (and highly recommend it). The Green Lantern is about using one's willpower to create. Green Lantern's philosophical nemesis is the idea of fear. Hal Jordan's character is constantly on a quest to combat fear within himself. The moral of this story is to embrace willpower and creativity and realize that fear will undermine your efforts. As we become our communities' superheroes, we should protect the innocent and stay vigilant in working through their internal fear.
Comics grew up with us.
As stated earlier, comics were created for young boys, but we didn't want to let go of those stories as we aged. The comics had to grow up with us and discuss more mature subject matter. Enter the graphic novel. These political stories asked big questions such as, “What is evil?” For me, comics were my introduction to thinking deeply.
The X-men :
The X–Men cartoon and later comics challenged me to think about all the different approaches to civil rights. I found myself thinking that Magneto had some valid points as he questioned Professor X. For some of my white friends, the plight of the mutants was the beginning of their understanding of the struggles present in Black America. Comics were a way to tell a nuanced story without preconceived notions of good and evil. It allowed me to wrestle with moral questions and find answers for myself. After hearing both sides, I decided what I thought was right and wrong.
Healing, Heroism and Growth.
Stories are the best tool for men and boys to change and heal. A hero can change a male's perspective, goals, and sense of responsibility. Comics can inspire empathy and breed understanding. Our health starts in our minds and then in our hearts. It's the stories we tell ourselves and each other. It is our hope and belief in each other and the world. We superimpose ourselves on superheroes; maybe their stories reflect us and the society we have created. Perhaps we can explore, grow, and work through the nasty, painful parts of being a boy or man through comics. I encourage you to read comics to your sons. Take them to see the movies and discuss their morals. Comic books are a good springboard for conversations about responsibility. For my writers and creators out there, you might be doing more healing work than you think. Keep inspiring us to have courage, kindness, and strength. Keep challenging us to think deeply and explore the parts of ourselves that are selfish and angry. Keep asking the question, “What does it mean to really be a superhero?”
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