Superheroes – Now and Then

For years, men and women of all ages have had a fascination with superheroes. From blockbuster movies to action figures, comic books and clothing, superheroes are a huge part of American culture. Spider-man made his debut in the 1960′s in comic books and soon became an icon to children everywhere. Bringing this larger than life character to the big screen in 2002 brought in a record $403 million, of which $100 million was in its first weekend alone!

Like Spider-man, many superheroes start off as comic book characters before getting their big break in Hollywood. Collectors can profit enormously with their treasures. One collection of vintage comic books recently sold at auction for over $1 million!!! Comic books about superheroes aren’t the only items sought after by collectors. Action figures, which have been around for decades, can go for high dollars, especially if kept in original packaging or excellent condition. Some people will spend hundreds if not thousands to build their collection. Most adult collectors began amassing their favorite titles during childhood when first introduced to their favorite hero or heroes.

Part of America’s obsession with superheroes is the notion that they can do so many things that “normal” people cannot- whether it be flying, like superman, or climbing buildings like Spider-man. Also, many superheroes are seen as “normal”humans when not in costume – such as Clark Kent and Peter Parker. Boys and girls of all ages fantasize about being able to transform into someone with amazing powers, with capabilities beyond their wildest dreams. From defeating a villain to saving the lives of an entire city, superheroes are looked up to and idolized by fans young and old. And superheroes are not only for boys and men, but girls as well. Wonder Woman is among the most well-known female superheroes of all time. For years, girls have often played with action figures as much as, and sometimes more than, Barbie and baby dolls.

As Halloween rolls around this year, some of the most popular costumes for kids are Captain America, The Green Lantern, and Thor. These three characters were recently made popular again when brought to movie theaters across the country. Not only did the movie industry profit from the newfound popularity of superheroes, so did toys stores, book stores and clothing stores across the world. Often, children look up to these characters as role models, and strive to be as great as they are. For years to come, we will be seeing the phenomenon of these amazing men and women.

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