Superhero Research Paper

Saving the Superhero. There has been a growing concern among parents and professionals alike that the superhero of yesterday is becoming the super villain of today. There has been steady shift from the comic book heroes that used to simply stand for peace, justice, and the American way, into the ultra violent, egocentric, and womanizing characters like we see depicted in the 2008 film Iron Man. In the film Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man, is depicted as a womanizing hero more worried about his ego than the greater good (Iron Man). When in 1963 readers watched in awe as Tony Stark escaped Vietnam in his legendary suit of armor. The superhero once helped us cope with hard times, gave us ideals to look up to, and promoted patriotism,
Bartlett notes in her article that certain children, largely those with a weak support system, such as children in broken homes or with unsupportive parents, are far more at risk than an average child. Bartlett further states that school yard hero villain play is significantly different than a child attempting to manipulate his/her surroundings by embodying the powers of a hero (Bartlett). Being on the playground and a child saying "you 're the Joker and I am Batman" is harmless superhero play but, when a child embodies the Hulks super strength to break free of his time out and directly disobey his/hers parents punishment, a parent must acknowledge this as one of the early warning signs. These warning signs should not cause parents to panic, but encourage and alert them that it is time to have the "superhero
As noted by Mitchell superhero play supports the development of a strong vocabulary, complex problem solving skills, social responsibilities, and democratic principles all accompanied with great physical activity. There are other more subtle benefits superhero play and media brings to the table that the general consensus over looks. Take for instance, Captain America’s involvement with World War II. Americans were having a hard time understanding why we became involved in Europe and what was taking place overseas. Captain America was used to symbolize our involvement in the war, helping people to see that we were fighting the good fight against the tyranny of Nazi Germany. Captain America also presented a way to help Americans understand the war that was simple, fun, and boosted American military support (Bryant 3). Ironman was used in almost the same fashion during the Vietnam War. Ironman was created during the Vietnam conflict and was portrayed being directly involved in the war when he escaped capture using his iconic suit of highly advanced armor. The Vietnam war was met with great resistance throughout the entire conflict, but Ironman gave Americans the hope that even when captured, they would be able to escape or succeed every time (Bryant 5).Ironman has transcended generations and wars to bring more American support to the U.S. Military. In the 2008 Iron Man movie, the