In our quest for an answer to the question ‘’Why do we love Superheroes?’’, we wanted to gain the perspective of ‘’we’’- the humans, and the psychology behind why we are drawn to these recognisable but otherworldly creatures.
Rosenberg, above, eloquently describes how we identify with Superheroes. Is this typical of the human view? This is what our research turned up and it explains why superhero fiction is going from strength to strength!
‘’They have a story of how they became superheroes-we can see how they acquired their powers. It makes people watching understand that they too could become a hero, even though they aren`t born one’’-Lewis, 18yrs.
‘’If your gender, ethnicity, or disability is represented, it makes you feel empowered, included and accepted. If they can beat the odds, you can’’-Amelia, 18 yrs.
It seems, then that it is all about relatability. But surely this is a misnomer. It is only the appearance of a superhero, in human form, inhabiting a physical body, which makes them human at all. After all, no human has ascended the heady heights of Superman, the stickability of Spiderman, or the strength of the Incredible Hulk.
Jack Kirby explains that by designating each Superhero an alter ego, we are drawn in. By placing them in the real world and giving them human families, friends, people they love, and even people they don’t love-just like a normal human being- our attention and emotions are captured. In their human form they are flawed, like us. We see ourselves amongst their characteristics.
However, it is not the personality, gender, ethnicity or disability that defines a Superhero, or even their unique power. It is their willingness to do whatever is necessary to succeed- their quest for success-and this is what makes them relatable. We are transported into a world where the struggle is worth the pain. Where despite flaws, they are still able to beat the odds and save the day (well, most of the time anyway!). They show us a ‘’better us’’-the hope for our triumph.
The wonderful and sadly missed Stan Lee`s message was that ALL can grow, explore our identities, and ultimately be Superheroes in our own way.
This is why we love Superheroes and why we love reading about them!
When ordinary people experience unsettling changes, they discover that super powers aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Enhanced senses come with a downside that make them desperate, or worse, drive them mad.
We work with both traditionally published and “indie” authors who have self or independently published books and our mission is simple. It’s to discover new and talented authors and help them give their work the attention and awareness it deserves. We do this by providing professional and credible reviews which are respected by our readers. Our primary focus is on fiction across all genres, non – fiction with broad appeal and selected poetry.
Albert Einstein said that. No doubt imagination, then, is a great thing to have if it yields such rich thinking in adulthood-But when does imagination start in the brain? And how important is reading for developing imagination young minds?
An enduring memory of my teenage self sneaking into my mother’s bedroom in search of Mills and Boon still brings a slight blush to my cheeks.
The fact is that few authors really master the art of suspense and those who do are the ones who come to understand its underpinning psychology.
The imaginary worlds and characters of fantasy fiction continue to enthral readers around the world.
From humble beginnings in 2002 as a book review club BookViral has grown to become the first choice in book reviews for authors around the world and one of the biggest book review sites on the web. BookViral reaches millions of potential readers through best practice SEO and a trusted social media presence ensuring readers get unbiased, critical recommendations they can trust.
BookViral also offers a full suite of author services, including, book editing services for unpublished and self-published authors, website design and bespoke SEO that help authors get discovered by more potential readers as well as industry influencers, such as publishers, agents and film executives.
© Copyright 2019 BookViral Reviews. All Rights Reserved.