Page 33, Vol 1, #16: The End of Innocence

Who are your heroes?

In 1974, immediately after the Vietnam War, Marvel introduced a new character. Like Captain America, who was born out of the patriotism and gung-ho enthusiasm of the American public during World War II, this character reflected the attitudes toward war and national fervor of his time. Unlike Captain America, the climate was not one of enthusiasm and love for the nation's role in global politics.

We had just gotten over Watergate -- an event that destroyed much of the faith people had in the office of the president. We had just finished Vietnam -- the first war the US could not claim to have won, and a conflict that had dragged on for well over a decade while a huge portion the home front not only lacked enthusiasm for the war, but actively worked to end US involvement. Cynicism and anger were de rigueur.

And thus a character was conceived. A man who had served his country expertly in southeast Asia, but who no longer had faith in the government and legal procedures. He was not a maverick like Wolverine or Hawkeye. He was a full on rebel, for good or bad, out to fix society's crime problem by killing the criminals.

The Punisher has ever since stood large in the imagery of comics. He has a tremendous influence on not only the Marvel Universe that spawned him, but on heroes throughout comic books. The mood of comics since this time has continually gotten darker, even when looking at the "pure" heroes -- never again will Batman be seen as the campy, fun-loving character Adam West portrayed. When it gets remotely close to that mood, such as in Batman Forever the fans get angry.

So what's the point?

The point is a society gets the heroes it believes in, and therefore the heroes it deserves.

Superman is occasionally called a "blue boy scout," as if his dedication to truth and justice, and not just beating up the bad guys, makes him an anachronistic freak show. In fact, he possibly is. Superman has drawn lines regarding moral behavior. There are things he will and will not do. He has the strength to be the most efficient and effective problem solver. His power enables him to impose his will on the entire planet, if he should choose.

In short, Superman could be the ultimate expression of the id -- a raging, monstrous being only in pursuit of fulfilling its own gratification.

What makes Superman an interesting character is not his cool powers. It's not that he could lose control like Hulk or Wolverine. It's not that he has a sociopathic need to revenge something or accomplish a goal like Batman.

Superman is admired because he has chosen to work for good. He is, in short, what we want to be, morally. He has made this decision consciously, without coercion, and in a clear head.

Look at another character for a moment. For a short period, Venom is impressed into government service as a black ops agent. He is kept in check and does public service because they put a bomb in his chest. But he can circumvent the external constraints (he does in fact, actively try to diffuse the restraint). More dangerous is that he doesn't have anything to prevent him from bending the rules and pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable. In the end, he proves uncontrollable, when his "other" removes the bomb.

You cannot force a character to serve society's interests. At least, not for long.

However, in my unofficial and unscientific surveys, "dangerous" characters like Batman, Venom, Spawn, and Punisher are more loved and welcomed, while we point out the strength of character in people like Superman derisively.

We have sports heroes that obsess about their own success and abuse drugs. We have law enforcement who take it on themselves to go beyond the bounds of their legal limits. We have politicians who, rather than seek the common good, seek after the agenda of a limited portion of society.

Well, we got the heroes we believe in. We have reaped the seeds of ideals we accept and place our faith in.

The comics themselves are only symptomatic. The Punisher isn't real. But whether art reflects life or life reflects art, the image of the Punisher is indelibly marked on our society. We've embraced that set of standards, and we should hardly be surprised to see it showing up in the news.

Discuss it in our forums.

Written by SaintEhlers on August 01st, 2006