“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – John Dalberg-Acton. April 5, 1887.
The idea of the superbeing not as an aspirational figure but a cautionary tale is one that predates even the concept of the superhero. Philip Wylie’s 1930 novel about a superhumanly strong and tough man, Gladiator—a key influence on Superman—isn’t one of high adventure and happy endings. Long before they brought the Man of Steel we all know and love to life, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s 1933 “Reign of the Superman” wasn’t about a heroic character at all, but rather a mad scientist whose experiments grant a man telepathic powers who is soon corrupted by his gifts. Hell, we could rewind this thousands of years and see how mythological gods and heroes were far from paragons of virtue themselves.
It’s why even in the most shiningly optimistic superhero tales, there’s always...
The idea of the superbeing not as an aspirational figure but a cautionary tale is one that predates even the concept of the superhero. Philip Wylie’s 1930 novel about a superhumanly strong and tough man, Gladiator—a key influence on Superman—isn’t one of high adventure and happy endings. Long before they brought the Man of Steel we all know and love to life, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s 1933 “Reign of the Superman” wasn’t about a heroic character at all, but rather a mad scientist whose experiments grant a man telepathic powers who is soon corrupted by his gifts. Hell, we could rewind this thousands of years and see how mythological gods and heroes were far from paragons of virtue themselves.
It’s why even in the most shiningly optimistic superhero tales, there’s always...
- 5/9/2022
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
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