{"id":6251,"date":"2022-07-31T12:18:27","date_gmt":"2022-07-31T19:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/?p=6251"},"modified":"2022-07-31T17:05:54","modified_gmt":"2022-08-01T00:05:54","slug":"why-does-america-reject-real-heroes-but-embrace-fictional-superheroes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/31\/why-does-america-reject-real-heroes-but-embrace-fictional-superheroes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Does America Reject Real Heroes But Embrace Fictional Superheroes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

8-1-22<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a poll were to be taken, for instance at ComiCon International, whose annual fest just concluded in San Diego; and let\u2019s say especially in such a control-group sample of geeks and nerds (take it easy, I spent a portion of my career serving them) \u2013 and the question was about superheroes…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s say, Who is the greatest superhero of them all? or Who has the greatest powers? Whose conflicts, challenges, victories are the most impactful? Who can endure anything, from bombs to betrayal, and maybe come back stronger? …The answers would be many, and even cosplay attendees might start shoving each other around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The questions do not arise from preconceived habits or childhood favorites, but rather the intricate premises of the Marvel and DC (etc) \u201cuniverses,\u201d and the passionate investment that young fans (and older college students) (and adults) make in the worlds of these characters and the consistently maintained cocoons of comics and movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I was an editor at Marvel Comics (and generally regarded as someone who was always bewildered by such things) there were periodic bullpen, or bull, sessions, brainstorming new ideas, directions, stories, and costumes. More than once I proposed a concept and was shot down. \u201cThat\u2019s not logical!\u201d \u201cThat could never happen!\u201d \u2013 as the editors returned to discuss piercing the Sixth Dimension or stealing the appearance of a villain after drugging some interplanetary potion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOK, I understand,\u201d I said. But I didn\u2019t. When I left Marvel I spent a few years writing comic-book stories for Disney. Somehow, talking mice and half-naked ducks seemed closer to reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stan Lee used to talk to us about comic books and superheroes being reliant on the \u201csuspension of disbelief.\u201d That basic formula (actually promulgated centuries ago by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, not Stan Lee!) has provided an appeal to young readers since the 1930s. As I wrote last week, it seems to me that the well has been a bit poisoned. In comics and spun-off movies, good versus evil is obsolete, or at least superseded and made somewhat nuanced by political correctness, a desperation for new<\/em>er premises, and the culture\u2019s general decline in values that I think propels the increase in sex and violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All while art imitates life imitates art in society. But in one corner, there is a growing active and fertile group of creators staking a claim \u2013 not only for traditional values and wholesome storylines\u2026 but for Biblical Christianity. Good guys who are <\/em>good guys, and who win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I call this new corps of Christian cartoonists \u201cdisciples,\u201d maybe more numerous than Jesus\u2019s original gang, but spreading the Good News nonetheless. Al Nickerson (The Sword Of Eden<\/em>) is one of the best, and a favorite of mine. Daniel Hancock is part of the creative ferment at Terminus Media (https:\/\/www.terminusmedia.com<\/a> ) where he collaborated with Daryl Peninton and Matt Baker as editor on \u201cSamson: Rise,\u201d and works closely with Dr. Barron Bell as story\/scriptwriter of the sci-fantasy graphic novel series Dominion: Fall of the House of Saul.<\/em> He is also founder and director of Bible Actors Productions, creator of End Of Darkness<\/em>, a full-cast audio drama on the life of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daniel shared a statement from Terminus: \u201cWe want everything we do to honor the Creator who has authored the greatest true story of love and redemption that the world has ever seen. We want to love our neighbors (all<\/em> our neighbors) by using our gifts and talents to entertain and equip them to live abundant lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside the traditional comic-book realm everyone remembers the ubiquitous Veggie Tales<\/em>, all Bible-based. Tom and Tony Bancroft, Barry Cook, and Jeff Keane, are superb animators and committed Christians. There are groups and studios of creators but probably the largest \u2013 a fellowship of very professional business minds \u2013 is the Christian Comic Arts Society (https:\/\/my.christiancomicarts.com<\/a> )<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This group deserves a careful look, at least at their website with its impressive mission statement; and the roster of member cartoonists, including aspirants. The members produce all sorts of stories \u2013 yes, also serving kids who were weaned on gritted-teeth fights and explosions and breathless rescues \u2013 but it is refreshing to read the creators\u2019 testimonies and visions; their commitment to Christ; and \u2013 my view, speaking from the outside \u2013 their efforts to redeem the culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will mention other Christian cartoonists of the day, wanting to give honor to those who honor God through their work. They additionally include Eric Jansen, Chivas Davis, Art Ayris, Doug TenNapel, Scott McDaniel, Steve Crespo, and Paul Castiglia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al Nickerson (The Sword Of Eden \u2013 www.theswordofeden.com <\/a><\/em>), was an artist for DC Comics, Archie Comic Publications, Marvel Comics, and Warp Graphics. He has been a designer and animator for Sesame Street<\/em>, MTV Animation, and Nickelodeon. The Sword Of Eden<\/em> is an inventive series, arrestingly drawn, and revolving around retrieving the legendary sword used by angels to keep Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The speculative adventures includes demons (which, of course, do exist in Bible narratives), villains, and a possible detour to locate Noah\u2019s Ark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComics, sequential art, is a powerful literary art form,\u201d Nickerson said; \u201ca wonderful medium through which to share the Gospel message\u2026. I have the opportunity to create Christian comics that Christian readers can enjoy without feeling attacked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a bias [against Christianity] in entertainment. Modern Western culture promotes a godless woke agenda. The world hates Jesus, Christianity, and Christians. Therefore, it is vital to support true Christian entertainment. Don\u2019t let the liars and people who are filled with hate influence your work or what you have to say. We live in a broken and sinful world in need of the Savior. The message of repentance and belief in Jesus the Messiah unto salvation should always be shared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My new best friend, introduced by the amazing facilitator Gordon Pennington, is Jim Krueger. He wrote the story script for Midway Games\u2019 Mortal Kombat Shaolin Monks <\/em>video game, which won the Satellite Award for Best Action\/Adventure Video Game. In the comics field, his main focus, Jim wrote the 12-issue miniseries Justice<\/em> with Alex Ross for DC Comics. It was a New York Times Bestseller, and won an Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel. About a decade after I left Marvel, Jim became its Creative Director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His original works include The Foot Soldiers<\/em>; Alphabet Supes<\/em>; The Clock Maker<\/em>; The Runner<\/em>; The High Cost of Happily Ever After<\/em>: and The Last Straw Man<\/em>. Jim\u2019s other work for Marvel Comics includes the Earth X<\/em> trilogy with Alex Ross; Avengers<\/em>; X-Men;<\/em> and Avengers\/Invaders<\/em>. His comics work for other publishers includes Star Wars<\/em>; The Matrix Comics<\/em>; Micronauts<\/em>; Galactic<\/em>; and Batman<\/em>. Jim’s company is \u201c26 Soldiers,\u201d where he serves as president and publisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jim is a committed Christian, even now working on new projects, and will guest on this blog soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Good and evil, in mainstream commercial comics and movies, have become tokens, not gems nor compasses. I was invited to write for the animated TV series ThunderCats <\/em>years ago, <\/em>and the creator emphasized that there were to be \u201clessons\u201d at the end of every episode. In fact he called them \u201cmorals,\u201d but they were neither (to my emerging conscience) \u2013 the template sounded good, but the \u201cstory bible\u201d forbade spiritual messages or, certainly, Biblical values even sanitized. Empty clich\u00e9s: the way of contemporary society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christians must realize and act on the premise that any values divorced from Biblical truth are counterfeit. Viewers and readers being presented, say, \u201cNew Gods\u201d while the old God was ignored, dismissed, and, most tellingly, disbelieved are enabling evil. Innocent people are encouraged to find comfort in the saying that believing something<\/em>… is enough. A false choice when Revealed Truth is available to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A society with no core beliefs cannot<\/em>, by definition, operate on any positive standards or values. A culture that does not recognize right and wrong; practices Relativism; and rejects Absolute Truth\u2026 will die at the hands of forces that create their own rules. If you doubt me, check out the nightly news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who follow horoscopes and read tarot cards usually dismiss the Bible as mumbo-jumbo. Kids who are obsessed with superheroes don\u2019t want to think about the Jesus Who walked on water and through walls, made the blind see and could read minds, and conquered death. Victims of terminal illnesses will grasp at copper bracelets and expensive herbal remedies and the Power of Wishful Thinking… but too often reject documented cases of real miracles by the \u201cLord Who Healeth Thee.\u201d Tragic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the parlance of today\u2019s comics culture, Jesus was the greatest superhero of them all. He was sent to earth; He knew the past of prehistory and could foretell the future; He turned water into wine; He fed a multitude by praying an increase over a basket of fish and bread; He raised people from the dead, and rose Himself despite agonizing torture and putrefaction in a tomb. He changes lives like mine, maybe the grandest miracle I know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His costume was a simple robe, except for the holy Blood that covered Him in line with uncountable prophesies and predictions. And He did this all for us sinners while we were yet in our sins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Jesus was not a fictional character, but indisputably a historical figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I knew Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who invented Superman as teenagers in Cleveland. \u201cIt seemed like a fun character, a fun story to think about.\u201d I asked Bob Kane how he came to create Batman. A similar story \u2013 at least no high-culture or pop-culture babble about cosmic forces of evil and revenge. \u201cA fun idea,\u201d he claimed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christianity is nothing if not about the supernatural. Welcome to Reality, not Fantasy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All hail the POWER of Jesus\u2019 name!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+ + +<\/p>\n\n\n

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Greenknight by Al Nickerson<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Video Click: Power In The Blood \ud83c\udfb5 The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

8-1-22 If a poll were to be taken, for instance at ComiCon International, whose annual fest just concluded in San Diego; and let\u2019s say especially in such a control-group sample of geeks and nerds (take it easy, I spent a portion of my career serving them) \u2013 and the question was about superheroes… Let\u2019s say, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11,53,2797],"tags":[3605,791,3586,3606,2737,2738,3608,2735],"class_list":["post-6251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-faith","category-judgment","tag-al-nickerson","tag-bob-kane","tag-charity-gayle","tag-daniel-hancock","tag-jerry-siegel","tag-joe-shuster","tag-lewis-e-jones","tag-stan-lee"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1bRYz-1CP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6251"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6296,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6251\/revisions\/6296"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mondayministry.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}