Every so often, something or someone comes along and changes everything that we know, or we thought we knew. It could be the discovery that the world is flat, it could be the realization that race does not biologically exist, or it could even be a fictional character.
Enter Spiderman, the hero who changed it all.
When Stan Lee, the "father of superheroes", proposed the idea of Spiderman, he was immediately shot down. He was told that the idea of a superhero named Spiderman was the dumbest idea ever heard; who on earth would like a hero called Spiderman? People hate spiders. Not only was this so called "hero" spider themed, but he was going to be a teenager. Superheroes were supposed to be grown men, not children. The next major flaw of Spiderman was just that; he had flaws.
Are you kidding me? This guy was a hero? Weren't heroes supposed to be flawless, strong, incorruptible?
Back in the 50's and 60's when Lee first proposed Spiderman, this sort of thing was unheardof. Superheroes were supposed to all be like Superman. All men. All strong. All impossibly moral.
Stan Lee was shot down, laughed at, and ridiculed.
Today, Spiderman is amoung the most popular and well known of all the Superheroes, joining the ranks of Batman, Superman, Iron Man, and many more. There are three Spiderman films along with numerous television shows and comic books. Spiderman has costumes, decorations, dishes, backpacks, action figures, and yes, even Snuggies (which I am the proud owner of).
This is why I personally love Spiderman, because he defied what everyone told him he had to be. Because while he is a superhero, he also has a human side, an unperfect side, and so many more people can relate to him than they can to the alien that is Superman and the multimillionaire that is Batman. Spiderman, not afraid to be the posterboy for underdogs.
'Til tomorrow,
--A
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