The things happening in the world around us are often negative, new tragedies inundate us every day. It’s easy to feel like there’s no hope sometimes, and that’s exactly why we all need superheroes. Yes, we know they’re fictional, but the feelings they inspire are very real. Let’s take a look at some of our favorite superheroes and why we need them.
Batman
We’ll start with a classic. To bring you up to speed, Batman is the secret identity of Bruce Wayne: billionaire, orphan, and nemesis of the Joker. He lives in Gotham City and is often considered one of the darker superheroes. So why do we need Batman?
Bruce Wayne is a billionaire, he has the opportunity to do anything he wants to, but he chooses to save the residents of Gotham City from villains. We’re not all billionaires, and we certainly can’t all throw a punch like Batman, or have gadgets handy for every situation, but we can choose to help our community. Have some extra time or money? Donate to or volunteer at your local food bank and help feed members of your community. Don’t feel like Vigilante is the best next career move for you? Check in on your neighbors every once in a while, especially your elderly neighbors. Batman inspires us to do what we can with the resources we have, even if that doesn’t mean having super powers!
Superman
I’m sure we’ve all heard of Superman before, but we’ll start with some background information just in case. Superman aka Kal-El aka Clark Kent was born on the planet Krypton. Krypton was on the brink of imploding, so baby Kal-El was sent away in a spaceship by his parents. His spaceship landed in the Midwest and was found by the Kent family, who adopted him as their son, Clark Kent. It turns out, on earth, Kryptonians have superhuman strength, are bulletproof, can fly, and have heat vision among other powers. Obviously, with all those superpowers Superman can save the world — and he does, numerous times.
But you can’t fly, you can’t lift a car above your head, and you’re definitely not bulletproof so why do we need Superman? It’s about to get corny but stay with us for a minute. Superman could use his powers for evil—no one on earth can match his powers. Instead, Superman chooses to use his powers for good and to help others. Does he sometimes fly somewhere when he’s running late or use his super strength to complete an otherwise tedious chore on the farm? Absolutely! But, Superman always uses his powers to help others, and you can do the same! Are you a computer whiz? Volunteer to help a small business or nonprofit upgrade their website. Are you a great athlete? Find an opportunity to coach a team of kids at your local gym. Let Superman inspire you to use your powers for good!
Wonder Woman
As far as superheroes go, Wonder Woman has one of the best backstories. She was molded out of clay by her mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira. Themyscira is an island that’s supposed to be unreachable by man, that is until a man, Steve Trevor crashes a plane upon their shores. The Amazonians led by Queen Hippolyta take in Steve and heal him from his wounds. This, of course, is what changes everything for Wonder Woman aka Diana Price. With the arrival of Steve, the Amazonians realize that Ares, the God of War, is a threat to their existence and Diana is sent to the ‘Man’s World’ to hunt him down.
Wonder Woman has super strength, is able to control electricity within her body, has telepathy, extreme intelligence, and can turn her brain energy into muscle power. She’s certainly not a woman to mess with! Because of Wonder Woman, we know not to underestimate people. Wonder Woman’s story takes place during World War II. This was during a time when only men were warriors, but as we now know, women are just as important in the fight for good over evil! Wonder Woman also shows us that brain power can be as important as strength. Next time you’re with a group of people, look around for someone that is frequently talked over, they might have the next great idea. Remember Wonder Woman and don’t count them out, you never know who might surprise you next.
Supergirl
Supergirl, the cousin of Superman, is often overlooked in the world of superheroes. Like Superman, her parents sent her from the imploding planet of Krypton, except, unlike Superman, she wasn’t a baby but rather a teenager. Her spaceship was crashed into by a piece of Krypton when it exploded, and her ship got lost in space until finally crashing to earth almost 30 years later. She was found by Batman and Superman. Like Superman she has super strength, can fly, has heat vision, cooling breath, and has bulletproof skin. So what can we learn from Supergirl that we haven’t already learned from Superman?
The most important lesson the super cousins teach us is that you’re allowed to be different. Supergirl aka Kara came to Earth decades later than she should have and found that her baby cousin was one of the single most important people on the planet. Talk about living up to family expectations! Even though Supergirl has the same powers she takes a different approach to learning about them and has a different journey to deciding to use them for good. Everyone takes a different journey, and Supergirl reminds us that’s okay! We can forge our own paths and still make a difference in the lives of others.
Superheroes show us that even if the world is being blown apart by a villain that looks like an evil clown, there are always people choosing to do good. Like Mr. Rodgers said in his famous quote, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” Superheroes remind us that there will always be someone there to help, and they inspire us to be those people.
If you want to stand out as a helper, grab a superhero tee from our store and channel your inner superpowers to help humankind.