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[-] azertyfun@sh.itjust.works 14 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I'd argue many super-heros actually embody a social force for good, which is depicted through the actions of a single person for practical writing reasons. When Captain America finds himself out of the Avengers and fighting against the government, it's not vigilantism but thinly-veiled political commentary.

Of course what you describe also happens, and lots of the times it ain't that deep. But I wouldn't say it's "all super-heroes", and Batman stands out a lot for me with his ultra-individualistic values (at least among the mainstream superheroes).

[-] masquenox@lemmy.world 0 points 10 months ago

I’d argue many super-heros actually embody a social force for good,

I'm afraid not. Here's what you're missing - the "powers" these super-creeps have? They are all - without exception in the universe these super-creeps exist within - metaphors for institutionalized and concentrated power in the real world.

What does that power look like in the real world? There's a good reason we say, "there is no such thing as a good billionaire."

[-] azertyfun@sh.itjust.works 4 points 10 months ago

Yeah, of course if you apply real-life power dynamics to superheroes you get "The Boys".

In-universe however superheroes seemingly have a super-power that makes them super-resistant to moral corruption (unlike super-villains).

This is because, now get this: The characters don't really exist. They're fictional plot devices.

[-] masquenox@lemmy.world -1 points 10 months ago

The characters don’t really exist. They’re fictional plot devices.

You are still missing it - the “powers” these super-creeps have? They are all - without exception in the universe these super-creeps exist within - metaphors for institutionalized and concentrated power in the real world.

They’re fictional plot devices.

Let me fix that for you - they are fictional characters that justifies institutionalized and concentrated power.

[-] discostjohn@programming.dev 4 points 10 months ago

Jesus Christ, you keep repeating the same ridiculous argument without processing what anyone else is saying to you. Are you drunk, dude?

Do you think Stan Lee made all his characters as explicit references to "institutionalized and concentrated power in the real world"?

You seem like you've never read a comic in your life, but maybe watched a few YouTube videos about superhero politics, sort of understood them, and then made it your mission to proselytize those ridiculous opinions.

[-] masquenox@lemmy.world -2 points 10 months ago

Jesus Christ

Appealing to Christ will not magically make your super-creep "heroes" less problematic.

Do you think Stan Lee made all his characters as explicit references to “institutionalized and concentrated power in the real world”?

Yep. I have to give Stan Lee credit that, at least, with some (not all) of his characters he tried to circumvent the fundamental nature of the super-creep genre - such as with Peter Parker, for instance - but that doesn't change the rigidly Ayn Randian nature of the universe this genre exists within.

You seem like you’ve never read a comic in your life

I was reading this stuff (and discovering far better stuff) long before the Berlin Wall fell, Clyde - sure you want to go down this route?

mission to proselytize those ridiculous opinions.

It doesn't matter how reactionary you get about this - the subtext of the super-creep genre is what it is and can never be anything else.

They are still fictional characters that justifies institutionalized and concentrated power - no matter what the good but naive intentions of their creators might be - that is what they always have been and always will be.

this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2024
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