HOW TO BECOME...
A SUPERHERO!
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION STEP ONE
HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS! STEP TWO
HOW THEY GOT THEIR POWERS! STEP THREE
INSIDE A HERO’S WARDROBE! STEP FOUR
WHERE THE HEROES HIDE! STEP FIVE
HOLY SMOKES! CATCHPHRASES! STEP SIX
A HERO’S TOY COLLECTION! STEP SEVEN
MARVEL VS DC! COMIC BOOK LEGACY!
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INTRODUCTION A superhero is a type of character possessing “extraordinary or superhuman powers” and is dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes have dominated American comic books and crossed over into other media. The word itself dates to at least 1917. By most definitions, characters do not strictly require actual superhuman powers to be deemed superheroes, although terms such as costumed crime fighters or masked vigilantes are sometimes used to refer to those such as Batman and Green Arrow without such powers who share other common superhero traits. Such characters were generally referred to as “mystery men” in the so-called Golden Age of Comic Books to distinguish them from characters with super-powers.
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A SPIDER! IT BIT ME! WHY IS IT GLOWING?
STEP 01:
EXPERIENCE A LIFE CHANGING TRAGEDY!
Why do they choose to do it in the first place? Why do they keep at it, week after week and year after year? Every superhero needs an influence or a motive! It could be family tradition, revenge, a form of patriotic duty, or it could even be the result of some form of chemical accident. But with no dramatic drive, you have nothing to fight for, nothing to protect or talent to utilize! Of course, those of us born here on Earth have to find other ways to fuel our superpowers. What about giving yourself a dose of some unstable atomic nuclei to jump-start your powers?
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HISTORY OF COMIC BOOKS! Since the introduction of the comic book format in 1933 with the publication of Famous Funnies, the United States has produced the most titles, along with British comics and Japanese manga, in terms of quantity of titles. Comics as a print medium have existed in America since 1842. The introduction of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s Superman in 1938 turned comic books into a major industry, and is the start of the Golden Age of comics. Historians have proposed several names for the Age before Superman, most commonly dubbing it the Platinum Age. The Silver Age of comic books is generally considered to date from the first successful revival of the dormant superhero form— the debut of Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino’s Flash in Showcase No. 4. The Silver Age lasted through the late 1960s or early 1970s, during which time Marvel Comics revolutionized the medium with such naturalistic superheroes as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s Fantastic Four and Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s Spider-Man.
SUPERMAN’S FIRST APPEARANCE WAS IN ACTION COMICS #1, PUBLISHED ON APRIL 18, 1938 (COVER-DATED TO JUNE 1938).
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YOU CAN’T AVOID YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!
STEP 02:
FIND YOUR SPECIAL SUPER POWER!
Don’t dive in the biohazardous stuff just yet because you might just have a hidden power somewhere in you.
IT’S IN YOUR BONES AND YOU KNOW IT.
First go through this list. Get some Kryptonite and feel if weakness falls upon you. Try running as fast as you can and vibrate through a wall. If this doesn’t work, try jumping off of a roof and flying. Make sure to have a trampoline ready if you’re not sure already! Alas, if this does not work then make your hand into a rockstar formation and see if you can shoot webs from your palms! Find your secret claws that shoot out when your angry. God of Thunder? Afraid of Bats? Turn green when mad? Clobberin’ time? The possibilities are endless!
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HOW THEY GOT THEIR SUPER POWERS! Most super humans start off just like you and me. They have to solve problems using everyday resources like Judge Judy, the local police department and letters to the editor. Having to depend on these external resources can be frustrating. Superman was lucky enough to gain his powers as an accident of birth. Born KalEl, the sole survivor of the destroyed planet Krypton, his alien anatomy is supercharged by the light of our yellow sun, giving him abilities as varied as flight, heat vision and bullet-proof skin. Of course, those of us born here on Earth have to find other ways to fuel our superpowers. Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk and Daredevil all benefited from exposure to radioactive materials. Continuing this trend of “average,” technically; Batman does not have any ‘superpowers’. Years of rigorous training have enabled him to obtain peak human strength and outstanding acrobatic skills. He is also very wealthy, and he uses most of his wealth to buy gadgets that help him fight crime.
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A SPIDER! IT BIT ME! WHY IS IT GLOWING?
STEP 03:
GET YOUR CUSTOM SUPER SUIT!
Start off with some spandex. All superheroes need to move, and most of them choose to do so in the stretchy stuff. Superheroes don’t have to worry - they all seem to be blessed with the perfect bodies. For a costume base, you’ll need tights and a leotard, a unitard, or bike shorts over bike leggings and a stretchy Spandex T-shirt. Most superheroes wouldn’t be caught without this most dashing of accessories. - the cape. You can buy one from a costume store or make one yourself from a thin blanket or even a sheet. All you really need is a rectangle or oval of material that you can drape over your shoulders and tie, pin, or some velcro around your neck.
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INSIDE A HERO’S WARDROBE! Comic books might not be the first place people look for fashion, but come on: who can forget the surprising accuracy of their prediction that we’d all be wearing capes and tights by the year 2000? Well, okay, maybe not, but a superhero’s costume is a pretty important part of his character, so it can be a pretty big, big deal when it goes through some changes. Superheroes have a very iconic look however, they should still be able to change their laundry. The question that then arises is this: should super heroes be allowed to completely change their look? We all go through periods where we change our style. As long as these changes are character driven and the storyline warrants it, change is progress. Afterall, there are some characters such as Iron Man, where this is part of the character’s nature - to continually upgrade what’s going on. As a result, you are going to have a new look each and every time.
DESIGN YOUR COSTUME
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A SPIDER! IT BIT ME! WHY IS IT GLOWING?
STEP 04:
FINDFIND A TOP A TOPSECRET HEADQUARTERS SECRET LAIR! OR LAIR!
When you have a hard time keeping your plane because the landlord doesn’t like jets on his property, you need a lair. When thinking of a place, try to not make it obvious (Spiderman didn’t hide his stuff in central park). Also don’t be too elaborate. If you’re on a tight budget, your basement or maybe an abandoned warehouse could work.
TO THE BAT CAVE!
A giant Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica is something nobody would know about. Nobody at NASA noticed a giant crystal castle on the Earth? Try and pick something that is so obvious that no one would even think to look there!
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WHERE THE HEROES HIDE! Superman’s Fortress of Solitude has its most desirable trait right in the title: solitude. What’s the sense of a having a getaway if you’ve got your nosey butler asking if you want to do another round of ballistic tests, or your sidekick constantly repeating information you both learned twenty minutes ago? Superman is the last of his planet – kind of – and when he’s in his ice cavern, hanging with his crystals, he can unwind like only a Kryptonian can. If you’re going to have a grip of gadgets, you better have a better place to keep them than your sock drawer. Batman lives up to his name and keeps his gadgetry stored safely in a giant cave beneath his mansion. It’s a dark, murky place, but you can’t beat it for convenience. He can keep all his Bruce Wayne stuff upstairs and his Batman stuff downstairs. There also seems to be a limitless amount of rooms and a giant computer that puts my Alienware iron to shame.
THE BATCAVE IS THE SECRET HEADQUARTERS OF BATMAN, CONSISTING OF A SERIES OF SUBTERRANEAN CAVES.
BY THE HOARY HOSTS OF HOGGOTH!!!
STEP 05:
COMECOME UPUP WITH WITH YOURYOUR OWN FORM OWN OF CATCHPHRASE! CATCHPHRASE!
Catchphrases are a calling card; something that separates you from every other spandexclad do-gooder out there trying to make a name. Every superhero needs a super hero catchphase. It goes with their name and lets villains know that you are coming. You need something awe-inspiring to shout into the face of evil! But only after torough thought, research, and practice can you blurt out a spine-tingling phrase from out of the blue. A catchphrase should be a literary metaphor of your strenghts! As such, it needs to be able to strike fear into the cold hearts of your enemies before you even lay your first move onto them!
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HOLY SMOKES! CATCHPHRASES FROM COMICS! There are several attributes necessary in order to be a truly awesome superhero. You need a killer costume, of course. Original and interesting superpowers help. Usually, some form of personal flaw or psychological complex adds to your mystique. But the one thing that is an absolute must is your very own catchphrase. Here are the three most recognizable and successful catchphrases from comic book history! 1. HULK SMASH! What the Hulk lacked in the speech and brains department he more than made up for in brute strength and rage. Unable to eloquently express what he intends to do the simple “Hulk Smash” sums it all up. 2. IT’S CLOBBERIN’ TIME! Thing was the main muscle of Marvel’s First Family of Comics— the Fantastic Four. 3. MY SPIDER-SENSE IS TINGLING! Peter Parker has amazing power, but he’s still just a nerdy kid. When he said that his senses were tingling you knew something was gonna happen.
MY SPIDER SENSES ARE TINGLING!
COMIC’S INFLUENCE ON FILM COMIC BOOK MOVIES MAKE RECORD BOX OFFICE PROFITS IN A SINGLE WEEKEND: INSPIRE TOYS, CLOTHING, AND OTHER MERCHANDISE COLLECTED BY GENERATIONS.
COMIC BOOKS HAVE GENERATED - AND CONTINUE TO GENERATE A UNIQUE FAN BASE
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MODELED AFTER THE AUSTRALIAN BUSHIMAN’S BOOMERANG!
STEP 06:
WHAT’S A HERO WITHOUT TOYS OR GADGETS?
We all know about superheroes and how they have abilities that we’d love to own, but do they have help? Now some heroes have classier gadgets than others. Rings, Batarangs, Smoke Grenades,and Grapples are the simplest. If you are an ordinary human being lacking super natural strength, you will need these to survive in dangerous situations!
THE FLYING BATARANG!
Make sure your gadgets play up your strengths! If your power is superspeed, you will need something that can handle extreme friction! If you could fly, but you do not have invulnerability, you would need something to keep you warm and manage your breathing. And so on and so fourth!
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A HERO’S TOY COLLECTION Throughout comic book history, heroes have relied on numerous gadgets to defeat an infinite number of bad guys! Cursing along the road fighting evil in Gotham, Batman sure has a stack of automobiles that would make all of us day dream about them. Batman is just another regular guy who is out to save the city he loves; however the moment he adorns his cape the gadgets just don’t stop pouring in. Thor’s Hammer is something to reckon with. It is not just a weapon it is the symbol of power that Thor, God of Thunder wields. The only person who can use the hammer is Thor himself and no one else. Tony Stark lives in a mansion of gadgets. But if you had to pick just one, it has to be his armor which doubles as his master weapon. A ring to destroy evil. The Green Lantern Power Ring is a power ring that was created by the Guardians of the Universe and this rings gives the user an incredible amount of sheer power.
BATMAN HAS A SEEMINGLY ENDLESS ARRAY OF GADGETS. MOST OF WHICH HAVE A TITLE RELATING TO BATS THAT HE USES TO SAVE THE DAY.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!
STEP 07:
JOIN A SUPERHERO LEAGUE OR GROUP!
Now you must team up with others and fight the wretched powers of evil! When the world’s greatest heroes are unable to defeat a threat to society individually, they must call upon the help of fellow super heroes! It is incredibly important for heroes to cooperate together as a team to defeat potential threats. As your powers strengthen, so do the powers of your enemies - not to mention, they begin to realize your weaknesses. The best way to remedy this is to bring in some new clever minds and powers for help!
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MARVEL V.S. DC COMICS! The Marvel vs. DC dogfight has raged since the beginning of comic book time. DC is older, taking its name from 1937’s Detective Comics. In June 1938, the company released what would become the most valuable comic ever: Action Comics #1, introducing a fella from Krypton called Superman. This essentially launched the Golden Age of comics, in which DC introduced icons like Batman, the Flash, Aquaman, and the Green Lantern. Meanwhile, the company’s rival, Timely Comics, staked its claim with Marvel Comics in 1939, introducing future mainstays the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner. A new hero, Captain America, debuted the next year. After waning through the ’40s and ’50s, the costumed hero genre rose again in the late ’50s with DC’s Justice League of America. In 1962 Timely, now called Marvel Comics, introduced the Fantastic Four. The Silver Age had begun, and it would introduce the biggest hero of the era: Spider-Man.
THE AVENGERS MADE ITS DEBUT IN THE AVENGERS #1 (SEPT. 1963), CREATED BY WRITER-EDITOR STAN LEE AND ARTIST/CO-PLOTTER JACK KIRBY.
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LEGACY . Comic Books impact the world in so many ways - they have a way of taking people away from their problems and bringing them to a new world full of wonderous and amazing things. Comic books give us a hero to look up to and relate to. Take Spider-man, he is a simple teenager who had to deal with teenaged problems like the rest of society. Comic books break ground and defy reality - they offer us a form of escape and enrich us in a world of imagination.
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EVIL-DOERS,
BEWARE!!