Superheros

 We want superheros, but when we get them, they turn out to be supervillains.

A superhero is someone who uses their power for "good".  But the operative word here is not "good" but "power".

Lex Luthor became Superman's arch nemesis because Superboy saved Luthor from a fire in Luthor's laboratory. By blowing the fire out, Superboy caused Luthor to go bald.  Instead of inventing Monoxidil, Superboy merely apologized.

As one of Superman's creators said, he was the wish fulfillment fantasy of two Jewish kids in 1930s America.

It has taken at least two generations of superhero fans and creators to begin to recognize how problematic the idea of a superhero is.

"Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings with a single bound.  

"Look, up in the sky:  It's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Superman.  

"Superman, strange being from another planet who came to earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal man.  Superman:  who can change the course of mighty rivers, bend steel with his bare hands, and who, disguised as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way."