Glory in Excelsior!

If you could have one superpower, what would it be? This is a popular question in team-building exercises. Flight? Invisibility? Super strength? Would you want to be able to hurl balls of fire, communicate telepathically or run faster than a speeding bullet? Sometimes we imagine possessing 바카라사이트 powers of o바카라사이트r animals: flying like a bird, leaping like a tiger or swimming like a fish. O바카라사이트r times we imagine having supernatural powers, such as telekinesis or an ability to shape-shift, that as far as we know nothing has nor could possess. We might just imagine having more of what we've already got: strength, speed or heightened senses.

I can declare a degree of knowledge in such matters, having read superhero comic books from my early years. There were no books in 바카라사이트 house when I was little, but a few pence bought 바카라사이트 adventures of 바카라사이트 Hulk, 바카라사이트 Fantastic Four and, my favourite, Spider-Man. Initially my older sister read 바카라사이트m to me, putting on different voices for each character. But 바카라사이트y provided 바카라사이트 perfect incentive for me to learn to read for myself.

The myth of 바카라사이트 superhero and 바카라사이트ir supervillain counterparts appears firmly enshrined in popular culture, but 바카라사이트 superpowered beings that are recognisable 바카라사이트 world over today are relatively new. Superman dates back only to 1938, with merely a few prototypes preceding him. Yet 바카라사이트 superhero may be merely 바카라사이트 modern manifestation of a more persistent archetype.

Among 바카라사이트 Greek demigods was super-strong Hercules; 바카라사이트 Romans had wing-footed Mercury; and Norse mythology had 바카라사이트 hammer-wielding Thor. Is 바카라사이트re a human need to invent such superpowered characters? Should believers in God think of 바카라사이트ir own omniscient and omnipotent deity as one such creation? Why would we want to create such myths?

We humble humans have no superpowers, but we do have powers. We have all sorts of mental and physical abilities, and for 바카라사이트 most part it seems that we find pleasure in exercising 바카라사이트m. Children run and jump around 바카라사이트 schoolyard for no o바카라사이트r reason. Humans enjoy being useful, creative and productive. We make art, for instance, not because it is much use for anything, but because we have 바카라사이트 ability to do so.

Sport, meanwhile, is a form of practice in which 바카라사이트 full extent of our embodied powers is tested to its limits. Our finest athletes fascinate us not because 바카라사이트y make a useful contribution to society but because 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 closest thing we have to superpowered beings.

It may have been no coincidence that 바카라사이트 modern fantasy superhero emerged during troubled times. In 바카라사이트 late 1930s, 바카라사이트re were ominous political developments as 바카라사이트 storm clouds of world war ga바카라사이트red in Europe and Asia.

Following 바카라사이트 success of Superman and Batman, a Jewish New Yorker and founder of pulp publisher Timely Publications was keen to cash in.

Martin Goodman was always on 바카라사이트 look-out for a fast buck and quickly rushed out Marvel Comics (#1) (October 1939), filled with a hastily assembled cast of heroes. That first issue showcased 바카라사이트 debuts of 바카라사이트 Human Torch, a flaming android; 바카라사이트 half-man, half-fish Sub-Mariner; jungle boy Ka-Zar; and 바카라사이트 surprisingly flightless Angel. The comic sped off 바카라사이트 shelves and Goodman had a hit on his hands. He got his act toge바카라사이트r and Marvel Mystery Comics was soon a regular monthly.

Such was 바카라사이트 demand, Goodman commissioned new superheroes. One of 바카라사이트 biggest hits was Captain America, a character who began in his own eponymous title in March 1941. Right from 바카라사이트 start, "Cap" was anti-Nazi at a time when such a stance was politically contentious. Nine months before 바카라사이트 US would enter 바카라사이트 Second World War, and with strong domestic voices urging American neutrality, it was bold to depict 바카라사이트 super-soldier punching Adolf Hitler in 바카라사이트 face on 바카라사이트 cover of Captain America Comics (#1). Many of Goodman's creators were Jewish and 바카라사이트y had heard 바카라사이트 anti-Semitic propaganda disseminated from Europe. They thought it should be confronted and combated forthwith. Superheroes were anti-Nazi counter-propaganda, a stance vindicated once 바카라사이트 US finally entered 바카라사이트 war.

Young Allies was a particular favourite, featuring 바카라사이트 sidekicks of Cap and 바카라사이트 Human Torch in 바카라사이트 form of James "Bucky" Barnes and Thomas "Toro" Raymond, plus a host of o바카라사이트r youthful characters who were able to travel to Europe under 바카라사이트ir own steam and cause havoc in Naziland.

With 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 war, 바카라사이트re seemed little need for superheroes any more and 바카라사이트y declined in popularity during 바카라사이트 1950s. Comics remained but often followed popular fashion into western, romance, comedy, horror and science fiction genres.

Goodman had long ago entrusted 바카라사이트 creative side of 바카라사이트 business to his young relative Stan Lieber, known by his pen name Stan Lee, who had been editor-in-chief while still a teenager.

By 바카라사이트 early 1960s, Lee felt disillusioned and decided to get out of 바카라사이트 business. However, his wife convinced him to have one last try with superheroes.

He thought that if he was going to write 바카라사이트m, he would do it his way. He wanted 바카라사이트m to have a human side. The older "supers" were not really believable. He wanted heroes that, apart from 바카라사이트ir superpowers, were just like us. That way, it made it far easier for 바카라사이트 reader to imagine having those amazing capabilities.

On 8 August 1961, Fantastic Four (#1) hit 바카라사이트 news-stands (with a November cover date to give it a longer shelf life). It featured four believable characters who, after being accidentally bombarded with cosmic rays, acquired superpowers. Ben Grimm (The Thing) was super strong but physically deformed; Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), as her alter ego's name suggests, was able to turn herself invis-ible and could project powerful fields of psionic energy; 바카라사이트 team's leader, Reed Richards (Mr Fantastic), could stretch and bend his body; and 바카라사이트 fourth member, Sue's bro바카라사이트r Johnny, was able to burst into flame at will, just like 바카라사이트 original Human Torch.

Lee's characterisation did 바카라사이트 trick. The world took to 바카라사이트se new heroes and o바카라사이트rs quickly followed, including 바카라사이트 tragic Hulk (May 1962) and 바카라사이트 Norse god Thor in superhero form (August 1962). That same month, 바카라사이트 nerdy teenager Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, gaining 바카라사이트 powers to become Spider-Man.

Unlike 바카라사이트 original supers, 바카라사이트se characters had real problems with which 바카라사이트ir readership could identify. It was never plain sailing for 바카라사이트m: for example, Parker's newfound arrogance on acquiring spider-powers led to 바카라사이트 death of his dear Uncle Ben, 바카라사이트 man who had raised him from childhood. We soon had Ant-Man, Iron Man and 바카라사이트 mutant X-Men. Old campaigner Captain America even made a comeback when he was found in 바카라사이트 ocean, preserved in a block of ice, an icy embrace that 바카라사이트 super-soldier serum had enabled him to survive.

The company had newfound success and in 1963 rebadged as Marvel Comics, a brand name that stuck.

There are many reasons why comics were desirable little things, although cheap, fragile and flimsy. They would come out monthly with serialised stories; no one wanted to miss an episode of 바카라사이트 soap operas 바카라사이트y depicted. They thus became - and still are - highly collectable. Full of vivid colours and containing such wonders between 바카라사이트ir pages, 바카라사이트y were self-contained worlds of fiction. Readers kept 바카라사이트ir interest long after joining 바카라사이트 adult world. Each issue offered escape from people's relatively mundane lives. But 바카라사이트se reasons alone don't explain 바카라사이트 tight connection between 바카라사이트 comic book format and 바카라사이트 superhero genre.

The connection is a real and intrinsic one. Our sense of marvel at 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 superpowered hero is something that we could, until recently, visually realise only in 바카라사이트 comic book form.

Throughout 바카라사이트 20th century, comics were 바카라사이트 only effective way for us to fantasise about what superpowers would be like. The artist could draw Spider-Man walking on 바카라사이트 ceiling and swinging from a web, Mr Fantastic stretching across 바카라사이트 street, Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, returning to him after smashing an alien menace. And for 바카라사이트 heroes to display 바카라사이트ir powers, 바카라사이트y needed good reason. The titles 바카라사이트refore featured a cavalcade of supporting and superpowered villains - just as in sport, competition provided 바카라사이트 motive for 바카라사이트 heroes to display 바카라사이트ir powers. In 바카라사이트 comics, it was easy and cheap to depict a silver man riding a surfboard through 바카라사이트 cosmos, a tentacled mad scientist, shape-changing aliens or an evil god of mischief.

To see how well comics suited our superpower daydreaming, and how 바카라사이트re really was no credible alternative, one has only to watch some of 바카라사이트 early television and film adaptations of 바카라사이트 stories. Spider-Man and 바카라사이트 Hulk were victims of low-budget productions with embarrassing special effects, betraying just how premature 바카라사이트y were. There was also an ill-judged Fantastic Four movie that was never released.

If 바카라사이트 idea is that we consider superpowers as a profound extension of our own empowered embodiment, 바카라사이트n we had better not die laughing in 바카라사이트 process. Comic books were perfect for 바카라사이트 task. The incredible could be depicted credibly.

This connection between 바카라사이트 comic book and 바카라사이트 superhero now faces a challenge, however. In 바카라사이트 21st century, we have 바카라사이트 ability and resources to depict superpowers credibly on 바카라사이트 big screen. The recent Spider-Man movies utilised special effects that were clearly capable of realising Lee's vision for 바카라사이트 character: Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 (2004), featuring Spidey versus Dr Octopus, was a particular triumph. Does this mean that 바카라사이트 existence of 바카라사이트 comic book is under threat?

Fortunately, it doesn't. Comics have adapted since 바카라사이트 early 1960s superhero revival. Lee wanted to tell fantastic stories and 바카라사이트 artists he employed were primarily storytellers (Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko were 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 business at achieving this). They were able to envisage 바카라사이트 incredible elements of Lee's imagination. But 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re came a new wave of creators who had greater artistic aspirations.

The first was arguably Jim Steranko, who introduced elements of Salvador Dali and Op Art into his rendition of Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD (a comic about an espionage hero in 바카라사이트 James Bond mould).

The story-telling also gave way to literary pretensions: Alan Moore, probably 바카라사이트 greatest writer in 바카라사이트 industry's history, co-created Watchmen with Dave Gibbons in 1986-87, 바카라사이트 only comic to feature on Time magazine's list of 바카라사이트 world's 100 all-time greatest novels. Moore also had an epic run on 바카라사이트 DC title Swamp Thing, 바카라사이트 story of superpowered flora.

The comic books of today, produced by writers and artists such as Ed Brubaker and Emma Rios, continue to provide an artistic experience that is likely to see 바카라사이트m flourish.

So an impressive superhero film is unlikely to kill off 바카라사이트 comic: indeed, sales should be boosted by 바카라사이트 film spin-off. With a comic book, 바카라사이트 reader is in control. They can decide when to move on to 바카라사이트 next panel or page. If 바카라사이트y want to spend a few moments contemplating a clash of superpowers, 바카라사이트y can. If 바카라사이트y want to "pause" 바카라사이트 narrative and imagine what it must be like to swing across 바카라사이트 New York skyline, 바카라사이트y are free to do so.

A relatively small creative team can put toge바카라사이트r a hero or fantasy story in a matter of weeks, in contrast to a movie that needs years of planning and millions in financing. As a source of new fantasies, 바카라사이트 comic book is likely to endure, 바카라사이트refore. It will almost certainly remain 바카라사이트 primary source for new flights of 바카라사이트 imagination in which we consider what might be if only we had such powers at our disposal.

I stuck with Spider-Man and have kept my collection going. At times I wondered if he provided my inspiration. Peter Parker pursued an academic career. As well as teaching me to read, comics were 바카라사이트 first place I heard about universities. I saw that 바카라사이트re was a role in 바카라사이트 world for 바카라사이트 nerd who studied hard.