The super-hero is something that I think people struggle to make intensely apolitical. But it cannot help but be political, because the classical role of the super-hero is constantly to return to the status quo. The super-hero cannot help but be a figure for conservatism. Grant [Morrison] will tell you that Superman is an aspirational figure. But the fact is one cannot aspire to be Superman, because one was not born on a different planet with all these innate genetic privileges. A super-hero should be an aspirational figure. Batman could be an aspirational figure. Except, of course, you know,
...more
