Daniel Sherrier's Blog, page 4

Superheroes Must Aspire

I rewatch Superman: The Movie at least once every few years. I don’t expect to ever give Man of Steel or Batman v. Superman a second viewing.

Not one of those three movies is perfect, not even the 1978 classic. Did we really need Lois Lane’s aerial poetry slam? Or a Superman who could turn back time, thereby achieving a feat that Cher could only sing about? Of course not, but those are forgivable blemishes when we consider Christopher Reeve’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the first and greatest superhero.

Christopher Reeve’s Superman gave us an ideal to aspire to. Sure, we can never be him, but we can put others first, help people to whatever extent we’re able, conduct ourselves with dignity and maturity, and generally strive to be the best person we can be.

Compare that with the more recent movie Superman, a terrifying, joyless, godlike figure whose parents encourage him to put his own needs first. (The course correction in Justice League is too little, too late.) That Superman is nothing to aspire toward.

Superheroes should never terrify the innocent. In some cases, the responsibility can terrify the superheroes, but they work through any fears and rise up to the challenges before them.

The one recent DC movie that got it right, Wonder Woman, also isn’t perfect, but Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman is a heroic, aspirational character who does what’s right, even when others assume there’s no hope of success. That’s the most important aspect.

The Marvel movies give us superheroes who are more flawed, but they’re still striving to be better. The first Iron Man movie shows Tony Stark rebuilding himself into a better man, literally and figuratively. Thor must prove himself worthy of his power. Ant-Man needs to get his life back on track so he can be a better father. Spider-Man screws up, but he takes responsibility for his mistakes and makes things right.

The powers have a wish-fulfillment appeal, but they also serve as a metaphor for improvement, for becoming something more than we are. And a strong moral foundation is necessary to use those skills properly and in a way that benefits other people. The focus isn’t on feeling superior to other people—it’s about being superior to who you were yesterday.

There are right ways and wrong ways to develop. The villains are the generally the ones who have stumbled down the wrong path.

So how does a superhero develop? A superhero should be a great role model, but how does that superhero become a great role model? After all, nobody is perfect. We all remember the mistakes we’ve made. Who are we to set an example for others?

The development of a superhero is what The Flying Woman (and, ultimately, the entire TERRIFIC series) is all about, and it represents maturation of any sort, whether someone is trying develop into the best teacher for their students, the best parent for their children, the best professional at the top of their chosen field, or generally just the most responsible and productive adult they can be while striving to make their part of the world a better place.

Superheroes aspire. They can make mistakes, experience setbacks, and struggle to find the correct path, but they work to better themselves so they can better the world.

Find The Flying Woman on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. For a chance to win a Kindle copy, enter the giveaway on Goodreads by December 19.

Goodreads Giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a Kindle copy of ‘The Flying Woman’

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Goodreads Book Giveaway


The Flying Woman
by Daniel Sherrier

Giveaway ends December 19, 2018.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

It’s the season of giving, so I’m giving Kindle copies of The Flying Woman to 100 readers in my first-ever Goodreads Giveaway. Click the above link to enter.

Thank you to all who show an interest, and I hope everyone enjoys the book.

‘The Flying Woman’ — The Press Release!

Below is the official press release for The Flying Woman. Check it out, and then mosey on over to Amazon and add the book to your Goodreads shelf.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Author launches novel series featuring female superhero
‘The Flying Woman’ tackles secret identities, responsibility, and fear of failure

Nov. 28, 2018 – How do you act like the perfect person when you know full well you’re nowhere near perfect? That’s the question at the core of “The Flying Woman,” a new superhero novel by Daniel Sherrier.

In “The Flying Woman,” the impossible has become reality. A masked man possesses extraordinary powers, and he’s using those fantastic abilities to fight crime and pursue justice. Meanwhile, Miranda Thomas expects to fail at the only thing she ever wanted to do: become a famous star of the stage and screen.

One night, Miranda encounters a woman who’s more than human. But this powerful woman is dying, fatally wounded by an unknown assailant. Miranda’s next decision propels her life in a new direction—and nothing can prepare her for how she, and the world, will change.

“While superheroes dominate the film, television, and comic book landscapes, the genre has made less of a dent in prose fiction,” Sherrier said. “I took that as a challenge—how to adapt a genre created for visual mediums into a novel?”

He found the answer in one of the oldest staples of the genre—the secret identity.

“A secret identity raises interesting questions about what’s beneath the polished, heroic exterior,” Sherrier said. “In ‘The Flying Woman,’ Miranda needs to figure out how to grow into her new superhero role when she feels totally unqualified. Having super-powers is wonderful, but the responsibility is terrifying.”

“The Flying Woman” is published through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing and is available in paperback and ebook formats. It is the first book of a planned series.

Daniel Sherrier was born in New Jersey and grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia. He graduated from the College of William & Mary with a degree in English and Theatre. He resides in Henrico County and has written for community newspapers in Caroline, Hanover, and James City counties.

For more information, visit sherrierbooks.com or facebook.com/drsherrier.

Media contact:

Daniel Sherrier

daniel@sherrierbooks.com

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Daredevil and Perseverance

I encountered some technical difficulties while making this video, but I persevered.

See what great lessons we learn from superheroes?

The best ’60s Marvel battles featured the superhero as the underdog. The classic Daredevil #7 (1965) features a lopsided fight between Daredevil and Namor the Sub-Mariner, in which DD showcases one of his greatest attributes — perseverance. 

A brief reading from “The Flying Woman”

How do you act like a perfect person when you know full well you’re not?

I discuss The Flying Woman and read a short excerpt in the video below:

The Flying Woman — now available in paperback!

At long last, The Flying Woman is available in paperback on Amazon! The ebook version will follow soon.

Please have a look, and thanks to everyone who takes a chance on it.

The Avengers and the Cycle of Hatred

In my latest video, I examine Avengers #113 from 1973, written by Steve Englehart and drawn by Bob Brown. The comic uses the Vision and Scarlet Witch’s relationship as a metaphor for anyone who might be different, and it tells a strong story in the process.

(And this time, I tried out the pure voice-over approach. Still fine-tuning to see what works best. The learning process continues!)

Lois Lane and the Rejection of Victimhood

Superman’s earliest appearances featured two aspirational characters: Superman himself, and Lois Lane.

Cover Reveal — The Flying Woman

The Flying Woman has a cover!

Art and design by Justin Burks of Birdhouse Branding

You’ll be able to read what’s after the cover this fall!

Superman and Self-Control

Superman wouldn’t be Superman if he didn’t voluntarily choose to set boundaries for his own behavior. And, to varying extents, he’s been doing that since 1938. Here’s my latest YouTube video: