Superheroes hold power to a diverse of ethnicities and cultures. In eastern culture it is the deities, myths, and spiritual guidance that hold power through storytelling folklore. Civilizations that craft the livelihood of individuals through forms of art that were made, sourced by the local land and detailed accounts through literature enhance a present-day community. Reflecting the history of the humans who descended from their ancestors becomes vital in practicing modern eastern culture. In Western Culture, the term superheroes give a reassuring message to the ones that are in physically troubled situations that there are a group of super humans that can save you whether it is from blocking a in incoming train or saving your cat from a burning tree. The sub-genre of Eastern or Western differs throughout neighborhood countries and storytelling, the agreement to what superheroes are purposely meant to portray is a maintaining a positive idea of if you’re in a situation, that can alter your life, there is always a person who has your back or can guide you to understanding your true self. The powers of superheroes vary from origins, some from birth from a rare mixture of human and a supernatural being or just like Peter Parker, bitten by a radioactive spider and turned into everyone's friendly neighborhood Spiderman.
Going to the Comic Con Museum for the first time brought nostalgia to my face. It has been a long time to step in, with a turned in digital signed waiver, and go on a bus to for a class assignment field trip. Everything was very pleasing to my eye, learning about pop culture highlighted through the years shows a similarity that ties with the graphic novel “The Best We Can Do” by Thà Bui. As a child I am only referenced as a guide to learn what is cool! Taking multiple pictures for my amusement I decided to choose a portrait montage of the great Stan Lee. I chose this picture of Stan Lee by artist Rob Pryor as my “AHA” moment. As the brilliant mastermind behind the creator of beloved superheroes such as Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, X- Men and many more. The warmth of knowing the world is much safer when you are protected by an individual gives comfort to all walks of life. Stan Lee’s depiction of normal individuals becoming incredibly strong, equipped with supernatural abilities shows a sense of safety for children to sleep at night as adults reminisce on their childhood memories. The reason I have chosen this portrait collage of Stan Lee is that he is a working-class immigrant parent person that got his success later in life. It is wonderful to see his passion in illustrations and is presented with a grand legacy through his creative endeavors. I have a major respect for his drive to create a world that is equally known through all ages. I have always enjoyed how most superheroes are individuals that navigate through everyday life as well. As a child the action in comic books helped me understand verbs! The explosive action styles of comic book artists had me excited for each page turn to this day. I felt as if I mastered any small goal, I have gained a small superpower just like the superheroes.
The graphic novel “The Best We Can Do” by Thà Bui ties into the human narrative of what is a superhero. The contrast to what the Comic Con Museum provided vs the Graphic novel done by Bui is the reason western pop culture superheroes where made was to escape the world of the mundane monotonous world of the 9-5 waiting for your parents to pick you up from school. For children to look forward to Saturday mornings and not worry about the wars happening in Eastern Europe and Asia where their family member was drafted. Bui’s representation of a hero is a narrative of a true story in a way to highlight the troubled society that was presented during that time of a war era, it is the personal truth of how did her family managed to deal with being in a situation they had no control over and how it affected her in the present day. Bui creates raw detailed accounts that creates a bond to others who share a similar story to her truth. The ones that surround her life helped her to gain strength to be her own superhero, the strength she had gathered and gave her the courage to tell her story through an Asian perspective lens for readers to understand the compassion it takes to do the best you can in certain circumstances.
Cited Works
Pryor, Rob. Stan Lee. Comic Con Museum San Diego, California
Bui, ThÃ. “The Best We Can Do” Abrams Comicarts. New York 2017
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