As we watch or read about our favorite superheroes we tend
to overlook key contributions to their character. We tend to ignore the
importance of supporting characters. I’m not saying we all do it, but they
sometimes don’t get as much credit as they should. It is these characters that
can help a hero in a difficult situation, guide them to overcome their greatest
challenges or even contribute to the start of their superhero career. They can
be the foundation and backbone of a superhero’s entire persona and they should
never, ever be taken for granted. To effectively examine contributing casts of
characters I have chosen to look at the supporters of arguably the three most
recognizable heroes in comics: Superman, Batman and Spiderman.
Superman
The last son of
Krypton and the most powerful being in the DC Universe. Superman is the
“All-American”, perfect superhero; he’s friendly to the people, well mannered
and does not see failure as an option. Hell, he’s even risked his own life to
save villains who wouldn’t have returned the favor, but he wouldn’t be this way
if it weren’t for his supporting cast of family and friends. There have been
several “What If” stories involving the Man of Steel, mostly revolving around
where his spaceship could have landed on the planet. This is a great theory
because if you change where he grew up then you change his entire personality,
but more importantly, if he didn’t grow up under the loving parenting of Ma and
Pa Kent then he wouldn’t be the “perfect” superhero he is today.
Lois Lane, on the other hand, has
nothing to do with his evolution into super-heroism, but acts as his
inspiration to continue it. It seems that every battle, dangerous risk or
world-saving act has always come back to the overall safety of Lois, proving that
without her presence in his life, Superman’s constant need to save humanity may
not have been as strong.
Batman
If not for the large
supporting cast of the Caped Crusader, Batman would have become a murdering
madman, unable to tell the difference between vengeance and justice. Luckily,
his fellow crime fighters, assumed father figure and long-time friend have all
been able to keep him from crossing the line that “once you cross there’s no
going back”. After the death of Bruce’s parents, Alfred was thrust into the
role of his father. He gave Bruce the confidence and the positive influence,
surrounding that great tragedy, to become a masked hero to fight for justice,
not revenge. But Alfred cant always be there for Batman, especially when out on
patrol, which is why Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl and even Commissioner Gordon are
able to comfort and assist him out on the streets and help take some of the
weight of Gotham’s future off his shoulders.
Friends and family can only do so
much though, sometimes it is a hero’s greatest enemy that can unknowingly
support the hero and help him realize why he puts on a mask every night. The
Joker, the greatest villain in the Dark Knight’s roster, has murdered innocent
victims time and time again, but has also helped Batman see his parent’s death
more clearly, fueling his desire to avenge them and bring murderous villains
like the Joker to justice. Thanks Joker…?
Spiderman
When we think of old
Webhead we see a fun-loving, wise-cracking teenager, having a blast and saving
the city while doing it, but the story of Spiderman is very tragic, probably
even more so then Batman’s. Right from the beginning, Peter learned the hard
lesson of having great responsibility along with his great powers after the
death of his Uncle Ben. And exactly 121 issues later, Gwen Stacy is killed by
the Green Goblin or Spidey’s web (we’re not 100% sure about that one). Two
eventful deaths, both of which shaped Spiderman’s character and, again, helped
him understand why he has to stop villains like the Green Goblin and that with
great power really does come an even greater responsibility, which is to use
those powers to protect the ones he loves; his Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy were
the ones who taught him that.
Aunt May seemed as though she was
just nagging all the time, but she was just generally concerned for Peter’s
well being as well as being a big inspiration to him. It was, after all, her
and Uncle Ben that raised him into the “responsible” man he is today. Peter had
many friends and co-workers who were there for him throughout his entire comic
career like Betty Brant, Robbie Robertson or even Harry Osborn (when he wasn’t
the Green Goblin). But none stood out as much as Mary Jane Watson, literally,
Peter couldn’t take his eyes off her. If there was anyone who inspired Peter to
continue being Spiderman, even in his doubts, it was her. She has always been
there for him and has given him the confidence to maintain his crime fighting,
as have all the close characters in Peter’s life.
If you still don’t believe
that supporting characters are a contributing factor to a superhero’s greatness
then just pick up a comic book and start reading. These supporters are
everywhere; half the comic will be about our hero, and the other will be about
the ones closest to them, those who inspire and believe in them. That should
tell you something.
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