The image of an elderly, bruised and battered Superman that graced The National's front page yesterday hit a chord with many who saw it. Photographer Mark Beck's shot of a Sharjah man looking more like a superannuitant than a super hero is part of a series shot in advance of the Middle East Film and Comic Con 2014 in Dubai this weekend.
Expect to see many other cosplay (as they are called) aficionados who will dress as their favourite fictional characters for the annual convention. These will draw upon popular programmes like Star Wars and Doctor Who but will also extend through to obscure manga characters that only the most committed fans of Japanese graphic novels will recognise. One thing, however, is guaranteed: one ought to expect an overabundance of heroes.
That poses the question of why heroes have such enduring and universal appeal. At its most basic, having a super hero at your side harks back to school days, when one had – or wished for – a big brother nearby when the bullies began to circle in the playground.
Is it really all that different now that we’re grown up? It’s always nice to know someone both powerful and honourable is looking out for us.
