Superheroes around the

World

CarrieLynn D. Reinhard, PhD.

Roskilde University

What is a superhero?

But what about these?

What makes some characters

superheroes, and others not?

Do they all have to be from the

United States?

What do people outside of the

United States think about

superheroes?

International Survey

• Spring of 2009, International survey:

– Advertised across different country specific

Facebooks, from the United States to Japan, from

South Africa to Sweden.

– 1000+ partially completed the online survey.

– Of this group, only the 112 who answered all the

close-ended answers and provided a real country of

origin were included in the analysis.

• Discuss:

– What defines a superhero?

– How well know American superheroes?

– What other cultures’ heroes could be

superheroes?

What defines a superhero?

Main Definitional Categories

• Sanctioned Mission

– Engages in missions sanctioned by society/culture in which stories

originate

– Either as “the calling”, assigned or personally taken up

• Superpower(s)

– Possesses some ability that is beyond what a normal human could do

with training or technology

• Secret Identity

– Engages in mission-related activities under a pseudonym to protect real

identity and loved ones

• Codename

– Pseudonym, or the operational name given when engaging in mission-

related activities

• Costume Motif

– Iconic representation of what the character stands for, is able to do,

overall theme/power

– Worn in mission-related activities, often to protect real identity

American SuperheroesSuperhero

Sanctioned

Mission

Super-

power(s)

Secret

identity Code-name

Costume

motif

Superman X X X X X

Batman X X X X

Wonder Woman X X X X X

Green Lantern X X X X X

The Flash X X X X X

Green Arrow X X X X

The Martian Manhunter X X X X

Spider-Man X X X X X

Iron Man X X X X X

Wolverine X X X X X

The Hulk X X X X

Storm X X X X X

Captain America X X X X

Ghost Rider X X X X X

Thor X X X

Mr. Fantastic X X X X

The Human Torch X X X X

Punisher X X X X

Hellboy X X X X

The Shadow X X X X X

Zorro X X X X

• The percentages of people who agree or disagree or are

not certain that the specific characteristic is necessary

for defining a character as a superhero.

1321 19

3440 37

68

13

2515

3229

24

22

74

5566

34 3139

10

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Extra

ord

inary

Ab

ilities

Stro

ng

Mo

ral

Co

de

Serv

e

Mo

tivatio

n

Secre

t

Iden

tity

Co

den

am

e

Orig

inal

Co

stu

me

Tig

hts

&

Cap

esYes

Maybe

No

How well known are American

superheroes?

Recognizing Superheroes: DC

1 011

5 10 131 3

8

2

55

2 4

8

5

5 4

96 93

73

8880 79

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Su

pe

rma

n

Ba

tma

n

Aq

ua

ma

n

Wo

nd

er

Wo

ma

n

Th

e F

lash

Gre

en

La

nte

rn

Yes

Maybe

No

Unfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes: Marvel

515

2 5 28 135

5

26 10

5

13

5

7

2

5

157

10

85

73

9484

7380

64

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Wo

lve

rine

Mr. F

an

tastic

Sp

ide

r-Ma

n

Iron

Ma

n

Th

e H

ulk

Ca

pta

in

Am

eric

a

Th

or

Yes

Maybe

No

Unfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes:

Other Comic Book

1325 25 21

13 14 1925

14

27

15 22

18 12

14

2113

22

1519

1412

11

17

60

26

4538

5562

56

37

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

He

llbo

y

Sw

am

p

Th

ing

Sp

aw

n

Pu

nis

he

r

Bla

de

Silv

er S

urfe

r

Gh

ost R

ide

r

Cro

w

Yes

Maybe

No

Unfamiliar

Recognizing Superheroes:

And Others Still…

19

34

2 617 15,2

14

16

5132

45

4,5

13

7

17

13

17

5,4

5443

30

49

21

75

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Th

e

Ph

an

tom

Th

e S

ha

do

w

Ta

rza

n

Zo

rro

Dic

k T

racy

Mr.

Incre

dib

le

Yes

Maybe

No

Unfamiliar

What is the reason for such

patterns of recognition?

What other cultures’ heroes

could be superheroes?

Would-Be, Could-Be SuperheroesSuperhero??

Sanctioned

Mission

Super-

power(s)

Secret

identity Code-name

Costume

motif

Ultraman X X X X X

Kamen Rider 1 X X X X X

Power Rangers X X X X X

Gatchaman X X X X

Sailor Moon X X X X X

The Guyver X X X X

NERV X X X

Samurai Pizza Cats X X

Mamoru Kusanagi X X X

Pretty Girl Sammy X X X X X

Witch Hunter Robin X X X X

Card Capturer Sakura X X X

The Knight Sabers X X X

Vash the Stampede X X X X

Voltron X X

Astro Boy X X X

Jesus X X X

Hercules X X

Robin Hood X X X

Beowulf X

James Bond X X X X

Recognizing Superheroes: Japanese

58 61

7

56

3020

18 11

17

13

22

22

85

12

7

10

14

1623

64

24

38 42

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Th

e G

uyve

r

Ka

me

n

Ra

ide

r

Po

we

r

Ra

ng

ers

Ga

tch

am

an

Go

ku

Sa

ilor M

oo

n

Yes

Maybe

No

Unfamiliar

Do other cultures, countries

have superheros?

North AmericaCanada:

Captain Canuck,

Fleur de Lys,

Nelvana

Argentina: El

Eternauta

Mexico:

El Santo,

Kaliman,

Blue Demon

Europe

France: Fantômas

Italy: Diabolik, Zagor

Spain: El Guerro del

Antifaz, El Capitán Trueno

United Kingdom: Tank Girl, James Bond, V, Judge Dredd, MarvelMan, Promethea,

Sherlock Holmes

Middle East

Israel: Sabraman, Adiri Atchelet Kuwait: The 99

Asia

Indonesia: Gundala, Gatotkaca, Garuda Putih China: The 108 Heroes of

The Water Margin

Japan: Volton, M.K.R., Akazukin Chacha, Saint

Tail, Astro Boy, Godzilla, Saint Seiya, Biomen

Let’s Break It Down…

• Codename: El Santo

• Secret Identity: Rodolfo

Guzmán Huerta (sorta…)

• Superpower(s): strength, wrestling moves

• Sanctioned Mission: to

fight supernatural

creatures, evil scientists,

criminals

• Costume Motif: silver

mask, cape, leggings

• Codename: Gundala

• Secret Identity: Sancaka

• Superpower(s): shoot

lightning, super speed

• Sanctioned Mission: to fight crime

• Costume Motif: Blue

spandex, red

boots/gloves, winged

ears

• Codename: Robin

Hood

• Secret Identity: Robert

Fitzooth, Earl of

Huntingdon, Robin of

Loxley

• Superpower(s): marksmanship

• Sanctioned Mission: to ”rob from the rich to

give to the poor”

• Costume Motif: green,

and a hood

• Codename: Samson

• Secret Identity: ...

• Superpower(s): tremendous strength

• Sanctioned Mission: to deliver the Israelites

from the Philistines

• Costume Motif: his

long hair, toga/loincloth

• Codename: Jesus

• Secret Identity: Son

of God

• Superpower(s): miracles

• Sanctioned

Mission: to ease

human suffering

• Costume Motif: long

hair, beard, simple

and flowing garmets

• Codename:

Diabolik

• Secret Identity: unknown

• Superpower(s): technology

• Sanctioned

Mission: to steal from

criminals

• Costume Motif: black spandex covers

all but eyes

• Codename: Pippi

Longstocking

• Secret Identity: Pippilotta

Delicatessa Windowshade

Mackrelmint Ephraim's Daughter

Longstocking

• Superpower(s): super

strength

• Sanctioned Mission: to

mock and dupe bad adults

• Costume Motif: long red

pigtails, patchwork dress,

long stockings

Appropriation versus Parody

Other Appropriations

• La Mujer Murcielago (1968)

• Japanese Spider-Man (1978)

• Turkish Superman (1979)

• Indian Superman (1987)

Parodies• Canada’s Mr. Canoehead

• Superlópez from Spain

• Falafel Man from Israel

• Supershlumper from Israel

• Italian Spider-Man (2008)

To learn more…

• International Catalogue of Superheroes

http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/

• My writings:

http://issuu.com/ourmediapolis