Rethinking the Superhero: A Concept in the Making

This chapter reconceptualizes the superhero in a threefold way. First, it questions the allegedly sacrosanct nature of the superhero’s origin and identity in the comic books and dissociates it from the preassigned conventions that historically harnessed its imaginative possibilities. Secondly, it emphasizes the humanity of superheroes, rejecting the familiar trend to see them as nonhuman or posthuman figures. Thirdly, it explores how ‘doing’ or ‘performativity’ constitutes the ‘being’ of the superhero. This new configuration creates new possibilities and harbours a democratic openness where to be a superhero is not the prerogative of the chosen ones but open to all. The removal of originary task makes them more exciting and brings them down to the human world.