Difference Between Superheroes And Anti Heroes

Heroes have been around since the beginning of time, whether they are good or evil. A hero that comes to mind that are both of those things is the one and only, Deadpool. Deadpool is considered an anti-hero to many because his actions are bad, but they help society become safer. Basically, his job is to kill people that may cause a burden to society and bring them down. By killing these people, it makes society feel safe knowing they will not be bothered by bad individuals. Deadpool is on the anti-hero journey, meaning he "ventures forth from the world... and comes back from his mysterious power to" give favors to the people in need (Indick). Deadpool has two very specific archetypes; the trickster and the fool. These archetypes form who the individual is as a person and gives him character. The decisions made by this anti-hero affect his archetypes by being extremely taunting and self-centered.

There is no doubt that the popularity of the anti-hero as we know it has increased in recent times. With unlikely, yet popular moral gray protagonists like Jack Bauer, Dexter, and Gregory House leading some of the most popular TV shows and characters like James Bond, Lisbeth Salander, Tyler Durden (from Fight Club), and Jack Sparrow being some of the most memorable in movies, it is not surprising that there has been an increased interest to understand what causes this characters to be so popular (Peter Jonason in et al., 193). What is it that makes them as likeable, if not more, than a normal hero? How come we relate to characters that perform actions that, if done in real life, would cause us to see them in a whole different light?

Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman—what do all these characters have in common? They are all products of the human aspiration to be saved. The word hero is passed around too much these days. A hero is not a football player that scores the game-winning touchdown or the goaltender who saves his team from a loss. A hero is usually an ordinary person that did extraordinary things. A true hero is really never a hero at all; at least not in their own mind. However, there are various cases today in which we see the exact opposites of these characters, the anti-heroes. The anti-hero is one who cannot be classified as a hero, for that said character lacks natural heroic qualities. However, the anti-hero cannot be described as a villain either.

Superheroes, everyone knows them as the ones who fly or run around defeating the villains, then there are the vigilantes who like to keep their actions in the dark. These two groups have always been confused with one another and there really is not a clear difference in their goals. However, there are many differences in the way they will reach them. They protect the world in many different ways, and they leave people in admiration.

In the reading, “Why We Love TV’s Anti-heroes” by Stephen Garrett, he points out that anti-heroes are becoming more popular than the traditional hero. Garrett states, “the word hero is abused in the news, the sports reports, and even in conversation” (318). For example tabloids recognize someone who battles a drug addiction and overcomes it or a substitute kicker for the football game kick the winning field goal (318). You see he argues that traditional heroes are “boring” and that there are no longer any more real heroes (318-321). Anti-heroes are characters or people who are just evil but still get the viewers to like

By definition a hero is “a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” So what is an “Anti-Hero?” An anti-hero is a noble and courageous man much like a hero, but he is selfish and cruel. As readers, we attach ourselves to the anti-hero because we want to see “the good” in everyone. Walter Lee Younger in the play, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is an anti-hero because of his narcissistic traits, nobility as he evolved, and his passion that drove the action of the play.

Anti-heroes do not solely exist in the fictional world. There are people in the real world, everyday who fit the anti-hero description. They are… the Mob. In ancient times loyalty was purest form of respect. It was a way of life. One was loyal to his or her family, govern, king, and God. Hand in hand with loyalty, comes the right to revenge. The Mob is one of the few “societies” that has reserved that tradition. For example: when a family member is assassinated, it is not only the right, but also the duty of the surviving family to avenge that death. This loyalty to one’s own, coupled with the fierce determination to protect them, are incredibly heroic qualities. Organized crime families are oohed and ahhed by the press and pop culture, and have their own fans. While these people are not ideal role models, they possess heroic qualities worthy of aspiration.

In the world that we are living in, there are many injustices happening everyday. Although every country have a legal system, some criminals still have not been arrested or received a proper punishment. Many people believe in a savior who will come someday to bring justice for them, and punish criminals and sinners. They make stories and movies about superheroes who come to help weak people to fight against the evil. People usually have a conception that a protagonist of a story should be a good person; however, there are many stories with an anti-hero protagonist who does both good and bad things. Base on people’s point of view, that kind of protagonist can be either good or evil. My most favorite book that has an anti-hero protagonist is

The first and foremost factor that enabled creators to write and audiences to consume stories about anti-heroes goes hand in hand with society’s severe mistrust in establishments. TV has had a major role in how events unfolded in late 20th and early 21st century, making it possible to bring the news into our living rooms. The rise of the anti-hero is a product of a series of chain events that started with many atrocities that our society had to endure, followed by society’s realization of how flawed our government and news reporting was, eventually leaving the the people of this country (and of the world) with a darker

An antihero is defined as someone who lacks the heroic qualities needed to make someone a hero. In the comic world they may have superpowers and you may think of them as a superhero because of those powers, but if you were to analyze their character you’d notice that they were lacking some “heroic traits.” Antiheroes may also be referred to as vigilantes however, Batman is referred to as a vigilante and he is widely accepted as a superhero.

A super villain is defined as the antithesis of a superhero, and are generally embedded into a plot to foil the actions of a superhero during the climax of a story. Superheroes possess powers that are exceptional to any power or ability a human could normally achieve. Likewise, a supervillain must dominate special powers, abilities and apparatus to pose a threat to superheroes. While the superhero continuously tries to better society, the supervillain refutes their attempts in order to inflict destruction and dismay. Typically, their motives are derived from traumatic incidents that occurred in the early onset of their lives (Gullo 2016). Albeit for some, no traumatic past or bad accidents were inflicted on the lives of these villainous creatures, as their motive comes from passion, experience, and a drive for chaos.

It is often said that heroes are made, not born; they are shaped by the paths they take and not the gifts they were born with. The same can be said for villains; they too are shaped by the paths they take and the life they make for themselves. Based on the philosophical belief that all people are born neither good nor bad, one can say that heroes and villains are made through their experiences in life. In his award winning novels the Killing Circle and the Guardians, Andrew Pyper explores the anti-hero. He introduces readers to the Killing Circle’s protagonist, Patrick Rush and The Gaurdians’ Randy (insert last name here); both of which become the anti-hero of their respective stories. An anti-hero is defined as a protagonist who lacks the

The superhero genre is so popular and influential that many studies have been done on its depictions of the groups and the impact it has on a large part of society how it has “become a staple on film, television, and in video games” (Darowski). The genre is so influential in fact, that it dates back all the way to the Ancient Greeks, and possibly even further (Haynes). Every group in history has had their mythologies and epic tales of crime fighters, they just did not call them superheroes. For example, Achilles only had one weakness (his heel) and was by the Greeks definition, considered a hero (greek-gods.org). The same goes for heroes like Perseus, Theseus, and even Heracles. Back then though instead of being changed into a super soldier in a lab by a German scientist or creating a flying metal suit in the desert, these heroes were part god which explained their extra-ordinary abilities. Super crime fighters have always existed, but when comic books began in the 19th century a new set of rules was created to guide their content to be more appropriate than the Greek tales (Coville).

A hero is someone who always is brave and fearless in the face of danger. He is not flawed and is admired for his heroic deeds by everyone while an antihero is one who lacks the conventional attributes of a hero. When we look at the definition of heroes, most people cannot relate to it. We make mistakes sometimes whereas traditional heroes do not make mistakes, and they are perfect. We compromise on certain issues even if it will not benefit everyone; traditional hero do not compromise, yet they want to make everyone happy by making the right decision while defeating evil vices. Most people cannot relate to traditional heroes because at some point in their lives, they have made mistakes and compromised on certain situations. The popularity of antiheroes benefits the society because everyone feels included in heroic acts in different ways.

Tit Elingtin once said, “The line between patriot and terrorist is drawn by the historian.” The same thing can be said about heroes and villains. When I was younger I wished to be a hero like Superman, Spider-Man, and even the Flash – the classics. There were days that I experienced their accidents so that I could gain their powers, but the odds of getting struck by lightning or getting bit by a radioactive spider were pretty slim and I definitely wasn’t from an alien planet. However, as I got older, I started to admire Magneto simply for what he stood for.