We all have our favorite superheros.

Just about everyone, both boys and girls alike, remembers running around their living room or yard wearing the table cloth or favorite blanket as a cape, putting on a mask, and “taking flight,” pretending to be superheros and battling the bad guys. Today you can order a customized T-Shirt with your name and your favorite Superhero.

Most of us are well aware who Superman, Wonder Woman, and X-Man are because of comic books, Saturday morning TV shows, and clever toy marketing campaigns.  The word “superhero” itself was first noted in a dictionary in the 1700s, but the idea of the superhero existed long before that. Hercules used his strength to help those less fortunate, King Arthur had no superpowers, but attained superhero status none the less with his kind heart and iron will to protect and uplift his people. Real or imaginary, superheroes have existed for thousands of years throughout history.

Superheros Comic Books

The most popular representation of superheroes is the comic book. First printed in 1934 in the U.S., comic books began as a reprinting of the daily newspaper “funnies” and did not involve the superhero. However, in 1938, when Superman hit the scene, comic books became to number one media outlet for the superhero and still is to this day.

Since 1941, the movie industry has recognized the popularity of the superhero and has reacted with several movies like Captain Marvel, Batman, The Incredibles, X-Men, Iron Man, Supergirl, Swamp Thing and the Rocketeer, not to mention hundreds of others. The popularity of these movies rests in the attractiveness to a broad audience. With the exception of a few movies geared toward adult only audiences, everyone from small children to grandparents trek to the movie theater to buy their tickets and popcorn and watch the good guy save the day. Many times when the children leave the theater, it is followed up by a trip to the department store to grab the latest rendition of the superhero in doll form, along with the children’s meals, backpacks, pencils, pillow cases, and pajamas to go with it, bolstering the multi-billion dollar superhero industry.

The magnetism of superheros lies in the very purpose of their existence itself. The ongoing battle between good and evil as played out by the “do good” superhero and opposing “bad guy.” It does not necessarily matter if the superhero has superpowers or not; indeed many of them do not possess the ability to fly, become invisible, or spew fire and ice. What matters most is that the good guy fights for all those who cannot and wins, every time.

Superheros are forever!

As long as comic books are printed, movies are made, and the fight between good and evil exists, there will always be room for the superhero in people’s hearts around the world.

As long as comic books are printed, superheros movies are made, and the fight between good and evil exists, there will always be room for superheros in people’s hearts around the world.