In 2012, American anthropologist and publicist David Graeber published a piece on the current hype over the superhero genre called “Super Positions.” Here he claims that the superhero genre consists of repetitive stories. The Heroes we love on screen do no more than react to what the villains attempt to change. The Antagonist being the one who wants to actively change the Status Quo. He explains it by a quotation of Umberto Eco, who remarked the following:
“(…) comic book stories already operate a little bit like dreams: the same plot is repeated, obsessive-compulsively, over and over; nothing changes; and even as the backdrop for the stories shifts from Great Depression to World War to post-war prosperity, the heroes, (…) never aging, always the same.”
Eco in Geber, 2012.
Maybe one of you also immediately thought of director Christopher Nolan and his Dark Knight trilogy, it kind of opens the genre and thematizes how messed up Bruce Wayne as a character is. Graeber explains that Batman Begins, as well as the The Dark Night had moments of “genuine eloquence”. Nolan discovers human psychology and thinks about the relationship between creativity and violence (cf. Graeber, 2012). Graebers assumption is generally that Superheroes are purely reactionary. They barely have a project on their own. Only react when a Supervillain attacks the city and have no other motivation to change the world whatsoever. They barely intrude in politics and while the most recent Marvel films attempted to blur the lines between hero and Antagonist, like Wanda in the newest Doctor Strange film.
In the end though they still end up and want to remain with the status quo. Stay exactly where they left of before. Graeber explains it the following way:
“Almost never do superheroes make, create, or build anything. The villains, in contrast, are endlessly creative. They are full of plans and projects and ideas. Clearly, we are supposed to first, without consciously realizing it, identify with the villains. After all, they’re having all the fun. Then of course we feel guilty for it, re-identify with the hero, and have even more fun watching the superego clubbing the errant Id back into submission.”
Greaeber, 2012
The Avengers for example only gather when there is a great danger in sight. When someone like Thanos threatens to get rid of half of earth’s population. In Falcon and the Winter Soldier Mackies Captain America told a Senator to “do better.” But is that really a political act? It is rebellion at its bare minimum, to be honest, and in no way do I plan to attack the superhero genre. I myself enjoy Marvel films every now and then. It is just interesting that as the spectator we often feel more drawn to the antagonist, the criminal – the one who rebels and wants a new world order.
An example that immediately pops into my head is the love the character Loki received in the early Thor films (and now in his newest Disney+ series) or the fascination the audience had with the character of the Joker in the DC Universe.
“As Walter Benjamin noted, we cannot help but admire the “great criminal”: because, as so many movie posters put it, “he makes his own law.” After all, any criminal organization does, inevitably, begin developing its own—often quite elaborate—set of internal laws.” Explains Graeber.
The Boys and how it challenges Graebers Thesis:
In 2019 Amazon prime premiered Showrunners Eric Kripkes (Supernatural Seasons 1-5) Superhero Satire “The Boys”. Based on the Comic Book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, it tells the story in which Superheroes are placed in our current world. They have agents and are let by a huge cooperation called Vought.
Being a hero is more of a business than just a hobby. The Seven are the equivalent to the Avengers. Showered with fame, money and the publics admiration most of them stopped being empathetic towards others.
They can be cold, cruel and brutal.
I want to take a look at the actual heroes of this story. In this show the so called heroes are the ones who maybe would be considered Antagonists in the Marvel or DC Universe. They are outcasts who have been treated wrongly by the heroes and seek revenge. They want to change the system and bring Vought down. One very significant example I want to talk about the character of Starlight. Starlight was invited to join the Seven through an audition process. It was completely different than what she imagined it to be. Especially since media outlets and the general public support and celebrate the Seven.
When she finds out that the heroes she idolized are egoistic, manipulative and straight-out evil she decides to rebel. An action Graeber didn’t really see in other superhero genres. While Annie wants to also get rid of people like Homelander, she also fights for justice and wants to change the system the famous heroes lie in and function with.
When she joins the Boys who follow the same goal to get rid of the current heroes, she actively tries to expose the wrongs of Vought and especially the reality of Homelander being quite the opposite of what general public thinks of him.
The show actively tries to prove Graeber wrong. Shows that a superhero can also actively try to conquer the world – in a good and justice loving way. She also is presented as a multifaceted character, just as everyone else. We know of her backstory. She is her very own person and is known to be multifaceted. She finds ways to conquer the injustice she sees through the actions Homelander, Vought and Co.
The show truly challenges stereotypes the audience has of the superhero genre and turns expectations around.
While a lot of Stories mostly also follow the patterns of Joseph Campbells Heroes Journey (from which we know that Kripkes former Show Supernatural took a lot of inspiration from 😉) , this one has an original take on it. The characters help one another. They can self-reflect and teach oneself by making mistakes and they’re not afraid to take risks if that means that they can reinvent the society they live in. Shows like The Boys or even Amazon Studios’ Invincible (2021) prove that not every Superhero story has to follow the same pattern and can be original and interesting as well.
-Rue.
Source & For further reading:
Graeber, David: Super Positions in The New Inquiry (2012):