Superheroes around the World

CarrieLynn D. Reinhard, PhD.

Roskilde University

What is a superhero?

But what about these?

What makes some characters superheroes, and others not?

Do they all have to be from the United States?

What do people outside of the United States think about

superheroes?

International Survey• Spring of 2009, International survey:

– Advertised across different country specific Facebooks, from the United States to Japan, from South Africa to Sweden.

– 1000+ partially completed the online survey. – Of this group, only the 112 who answered all the close-

ended answers and provided a real country of origin were included in the analysis.

• Discuss: – What defines a superhero?– How well know American superheroes?– What other cultures’ heroes could be superheroes?

What defines a superhero?

Main Definitional Categories

• Sanctioned Mission– Engages in missions sanctioned by society/culture in which stories

originate

– Either as “the calling”, assigned or personally taken up

• Superpower(s) – Possesses some ability that is beyond what a normal human could do with

training or technology

• Secret Identity – Engages in mission-related activities under a pseudonym to protect real

identity and loved ones

• Codename – Pseudonym, or the operational name given when engaging in mission-

related activities

• Costume Motif – Iconic representation of what the character stands for, is able to do,

overall theme/power

– Worn in mission-related activities, often to protect real identity

American SuperheroesSuperhero

Sanctioned Mission

Super-power(s)

Secret identity Code-name

Costume motif

Superman X X X X XBatman X   X X X

Wonder Woman X X X X XGreen Lantern X X X X X

The Flash X X X X XGreen Arrow X   X X X

The Martian Manhunter X X   X XSpider-Man X X X X X

Iron Man X X X X XWolverine X X X X XThe Hulk   X X X X

Storm X X X X XCaptain America X X   X X

Ghost Rider X X X X XThor X X     X

Mr. Fantastic X X   X XThe Human Torch X X   X X

Punisher X   X X XHellboy X X   X X

The Shadow X X X X XZorro X   X X X

• The percentages of people who agree or disagree or are not certain that the specific characteristic is necessary for defining a character as a superhero.

1321 19

34 40 37

68

13

2515

3229

24

22

74

5566

34 3139

10

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Extrao

rdin

aryA

bilities

Stro

ng

Mo

ralC

od

e

Serve

Mo

tivation

Secret

Iden

tity

Co

den

ame

Orig

inal

Co

stum

e

Tig

hts &

Cap

esYes

Maybe

No

How well known are American superheroes?

Recognizing Superheroes: DC

1 011 5 10 13

1 3

8

25 5

2 4

8

5

5 4

96 93

73

8880 79

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Su

pe

rma

n

Ba

tma

n

Aq

ua

ma

n

Wo

nd

er

Wo

ma

n

Th

e F

lash

Gre

en

La

nte

rn

YesMaybe

NoUnfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes: Marvel

515

2 5 28 135

5

26 10

5

135

7

2

515

7

10

8573

9484

7380

64

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Wo

lverin

e

Mr. F

an

tastic

Sp

ide

r-Ma

n

Iron

Ma

n

Th

e H

ulk

Ca

pta

inA

me

rica

Th

or

YesMaybe

NoUnfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes: Other Comic Book

1325 25 21

13 14 19 25

14

2715 22

18 1214

2113

22

1519

1412

11

17

60

26

4538

5562 56

37

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

He

llbo

y

Sw

am

pT

hin

g

Sp

aw

n

Pu

nish

er

Bla

de

Silve

r Su

rfer

Gh

ost R

ide

r

Cro

wYesMaybe

NoUnfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes: And Others Still…

1934

2 617 15,2

14

16

5132

45

4,5

13

7

17

13

17

5,4

5443

30

49

21

75

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Th

eP

ha

nto

m

Th

e S

ha

do

w

Ta

rzan

Zo

rro

Dick T

racy

Mr.

Incre

dib

le

YesMaybe

NoUnfamiliar

What is the reason for such patterns of recognition?

What other cultures’ heroes could be superheroes?

Would-Be, Could-Be SuperheroesSuperhero??

Sanctioned Mission

Super-power(s)

Secret identity Code-name

Costume motif

Ultraman X X X X XKamen Rider 1 X X X X XPower Rangers X X X X X

Gatchaman X   X X XSailor Moon X X X X XThe Guyver   X X X X

NERV X     X XSamurai Pizza Cats X       XMamoru Kusanagi X X     XPretty Girl Sammy X X X X X

Witch Hunter Robin X X   X XCard Capturer Sakura X X     X

The Knight Sabers X   X   XVash the Stampede X X X   X

Voltron X       XAstro Boy X X     X

Jesus X X     XHercules   X     X

Robin Hood X   X X  Beowulf X        

James Bond X   X X X

Recognizing Superheroes: Japanese

58 61

7

56

3020

18 11

17

13

22

22

85

12

7

1014

1623

64

2438 42

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Th

e G

uyve

r

Ka

me

nR

aid

er

Po

we

rR

an

ge

rs

Ga

tcha

ma

n

Go

ku

Sa

ilor M

oo

n

YesMaybe

NoUnfamiliar

Do other cultures, countries have superheros?

North AmericaCanada: Captain Canuck, Fleur de Lys, Nelvana

Argentina: El Eternauta

Mexico: El Santo,Kaliman,Blue Demon

Europe

France: Fantômas

Italy: Diabolik, Zagor

Spain: El Guerro del Antifaz, El Capitán Trueno

United Kingdom: Tank Girl, James Bond, V, Judge Dredd, MarvelMan, Promethea, Sherlock Holmes

Middle East

Israel: Sabraman, Adiri Atchelet Kuwait: The 99

Asia

Indonesia: Gundala, Gatotkaca, Garuda Putih China: The 108 Heroes of The Water Margin

Japan: Volton, M.K.R., Akazukin Chacha, Saint Tail, Astro Boy, Godzilla, Saint Seiya, Biomen

Let’s Break It Down…

• Codename: El Santo• Secret Identity: Rodolfo

Guzmán Huerta (sorta…)

• Superpower(s): strength, wrestling moves

• Sanctioned Mission: to fight supernatural creatures, evil scientists, criminals

• Costume Motif: silver mask, cape, leggings

• Codename: Gundala• Secret Identity:

Sancaka

• Superpower(s): shoot lightning, super speed

• Sanctioned Mission: to fight crime

• Costume Motif: Blue spandex, red boots/gloves, winged ears

• Codename: Robin Hood

• Secret Identity: Robert Fitzooth, Earl of Huntingdon, Robin of Loxley

• Superpower(s): marksmanship

• Sanctioned Mission: to ”rob from the rich to give to the poor”

• Costume Motif: green, and a hood

• Codename: Samson

• Secret Identity: ...• Superpower(s):

tremendous strength

• Sanctioned Mission: to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines

• Costume Motif: his long hair, toga/loincloth

• Codename: Jesus • Secret Identity: Son

of God

• Superpower(s): miracles

• Sanctioned Mission: to ease human suffering

• Costume Motif: long hair, beard, simple and flowing garmets

• Codename: Diabolik

• Secret Identity: unknown

• Superpower(s): technology

• Sanctioned Mission: to steal from criminals

• Costume Motif: black spandex covers all but eyes

• Codename: Pippi Longstocking

• Secret Identity: Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Daughter Longstocking

• Superpower(s): super strength

• Sanctioned Mission: to mock and dupe bad adults

• Costume Motif: long red pigtails, patchwork dress, long stockings

Appropriation versus Parody

Other Appropriations• La Mujer Murcielago (1968)• Japanese Spider-Man (1978)• Turkish Superman (1979)• Indian Superman (1987)

Parodies• Canada’s Mr. Canoehead• Superlópez from Spain• Falafel Man from Israel• Supershlumper from Israel• Italian Spider-Man (2008)

To learn more…

• International Catalogue of Superheroes

http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/

• My writings: http://issuu.com/ourmediapolis