For as long as I can remember I have been using the term “Superhero” when speaking about a goody comic book character and in that time I have never really thought to myself ‘What defines a Superhero?’.

With the question ‘What defines a Superhero?, what I am asking is what makes a Superhero different from just a hero and what defines them, especially in the comic book world, what makes a Superhero different from all the others in a costume with a secret identity?

Here are entries for Superhero from the first two dictionaries I checked online.

Superhero:

“A fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers; also: an exceptionally skilful or successful person”

And

“A benevolent fictional character with superhuman powers, such as Superman”

This doesn’t really give me enough to answer the question and is where I start to get confused. For instance when we talk about guys in the mould of Ghost Rider and The Punisher who are quite happy to kill for the great of good are they Superheroes? And what about like Magneto and people like him because when he turned all good and joined the X-Men team do we now call him a superhero even though he has killed so many people in the past because he WAS a Supervillain but then turned good?

I have been thinking about the question now for five days or so because I wrote the above last week before work got a hold of me.

I have managed (I think) to define what I would class as a ‘Superhero’, It may not be the ‘official’ view of what a Superhero is and I would highly imagine the definition of Superhero differs from each person to the next but here is what I broke mine into and what from now on I will use it to define a Superhero.

The first thing to take into account is that Superheroes don't necessarily have to have superpowers. Batman, Green Arrow, Nightwing to name just three don’t have superpowers, yes the all have amazing talents but no ‘actual’ superpowers and yet I would class all three as Superhero’s.

People like Punisher, Ghost Rider, and Magneto like I mentioned before do not in my eyes class as a Superhero because there are a few rules one has to have to get ‘Super’ added to that Hero part in my eyes.

The rules I am talking about are not many but I believe needed to define and help separate the Superhero from the hero.

First up and MOST importantly is the moral code and what they live by, when out fighting crime and doing the greater good, which options do they chose?
Sometimes the most honourable or heroes may have to be non heroic and walk away, they may have to chose an option they don’t want too and don’t like but for them It’s about doing the right thing no matter how much vengeance or revenge is there, no matter who it is every life is equal.

Second and last rule is that they have to have either a superpower or a special talent and use it to fight a good fight, use the power/talent to try and make earth and which ever other planets they are on a better place. Fight for Truth, Justice and Honour.

I could go on and define each of my two rules more but the article is getting on a bit and we all know I can waffle so ill stop it there.

I will finish by saying the list of people I used to call a superhero has about halved.

Regards

Muldwych

The misses and I took our kids to a Halloween party on Saturday where I got my picture taken with a pregnant Batman (see image, that's me on the left).

This image led on to a conversation at work today which I found quite fascinating and led me to a few questions which I thought I would share as an article with you.

My work colleague said after seeing the picture “Well it can’t really be Batman as they are pregnant and Bruce Wayne being a guy is not going to fall pregnant is he?”

I could see where they were coming from BUT I then felt compelled to start explaining the multiverse concept to them whilst simultaneously explaining Flashpoint too.

I was explaining that in flashpoint ‘The Flash (Barry Allen)’ in his attempt at saving his mother's life went back in time to stop the killer which in avertedly alters the entire course of history in the DC Universe, it changes Batman to become Thomas Wayne and not his son Bruce, it also changes The Joker to become Martha Wayne and not the guy we have known for so long, not to mention what happens to everyone else in the DC Universe like Kal-El, Aquaman, Hal and Wonder Woman to name just a few whose lives were altered by Flashpoint.

Take this into account with the multiverse (or meta-universe, metaverse) which is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes (including the historical universe we consistently experience and mainly read about in the DC comics) that together comprise everything that exists and can exist: the entirety of space, time, matter, and energy as well as the physical laws and constants that describe them, then I think that the possibility for a pregnant Batman is there or thereabout.

The DC Multiverse consists of numerous worlds, most of them outside DC's main continuity or the DC universe where our main DC hero’s live. The first time DC used this was way back in 1953 where Wonder Woman fell through a space-time warp and encountered her other self, so tell me why couldn’t a flashpoint type scenario have happened on one of the multiverse universes, its earth 1, 2, 3, or whatever???

NOW taking all this into account AND the fact there is already a guy who gave birth to children (Thomas Beatie), granted he used to be a woman but lives his life as a man and gave birth to the children as a man (if you haven’t seen before please check Google) this leaves me with a few questions.

Could a multiverse Batman who has gone through a Flashpoint event become pregnant?

Could Batman go though a possible transgender operation on a multiverse which turns him from a man into a female that can give birth?

Could this Flashpoint type event have altered Thomas and Martha’s pregnancy which in turn then makes Bruce Wayne a she who could then become a man and give birth?

Could multiverse Bat's get a woman's womb implanted into him to carry a child?

So many questions/theories my head may explode!!!!!!!!

Time for me to finish for the week but before I go I will tell you that YES!!!! This is the stuff that goes through my head on a daily basis, so if you ever speak to my misses please say well done as she has to put up with this type of conversations on a daily basis.

Regards

Muldwych

Thought I would post and let everyone know that some of the best comedy on TV is BACK next week in the UK on Thursday 3 November E4 at 8PM (20:00).

Series 5 Episode 1 Brand new series -The Skank Reflex Analysis: In the opening episode of the fifth series, Penny worries that she's screwed things up with her friends after her night with Raj.

This is a whole new series so if you haven’t watched the show before here is your hop on point, no program will give you more laughs and chuckles.

I know that it’s been on US for a couple months now and a lot will have watched online but if like me you have waited the wait no more.

There have been so many good comic book adaptation movie's released in recent years like the Ironman, Spiderman and Batman movies with more recently Green Lantern (yes I liked this film), X-Men: First Class, Captain America not to mention movies coming to our screens very soon that I am excited about like the Batman sequel ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012), Spider-Man reboot ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ (2012) and the next Superman instalment Man of Steel (2013).

Along with the movies there is has been and still are some great TV shows both Animated and Live action for example Smallville, Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes, Batman: Brave and the Bold and not to mention the totally brilliant Walking Dead from Robert Kirkman along with the soon to come Green Lantern Animated series.

This is fantastic for comic book fans like you and I. This got me thinking, what if I could choose which was to be made next what would I pick?

After thinking about this for a while I have chosen four that I would love to see. It would be far to big a column if I chose script writers, directors and the like so all I have done is choose the medium, the comic I would like seen transformed and lastly the main actor/actress role and who I would like to see play them.

If you have any ideas as to what you would like to see please leave a comment telling me or hit me up on twitter and let me know.

Witch Doctor - Dr Vincent Morrow played by Michael Sheen

First up is my beloved Witch Doctor, I would ABSOLUTLY LOVE this comic to be given a TV deal in the same way as Walking Dead has. Brandon Seifert could help with the writing as Kirkman has done with walking dead, it would be amazing. In the lead role of Dr Vincent Morrow I could only see one person and that one person just happens to be my favourite actor in the world Michael Sheen. He not only looks a bit like Dr Morrow but he would bring that depth to the character we see in the comic to screen so well and I think it would be a smash hit.

Aquaman – Arthur Curry played by Daniel Craig

Three films ive chosen now the first of which is Aquaman, this has been the surprise smash hit of the DC new 52 titles,I think with the right direction and making him more gritty and less comedy that the film would be amazing. Ive put Daniel Craig in the role here as I think for a less comedy approach he would be great.

Animal Man – Bernhard "Buddy" Baker played by Ewan McGregor

Another DC new title here and another male, Animal Man has been one of the best received comics of the relaunch and if there was ever a time to capitalise on this with a movie its now. Ive chosen a Welshman for Witchdoctor, an Englishman for Aquaman and now a Scotsman for Animal Man, step forward Ewan McGregor, not only an amazing actor but a Jedi too how could this possibly fail.

Suicide Squad – Harley Quinn played by Zooey Deschanel

Ok lastly is another DC title and to be perfectly honest ive chosen suicide squad with Zooey Deschanel just because I would love to see her in the new Harley Quinn outfit, I am a red blooded straight male what can I say. I do though, firmly believe that she would great in the role, she has a real cheekiness about her and is not a waif like so many actresses that I could totally see her in the sexy uniform swinging a big hammer about.

So it started back in August, the 31st to be precise,
Some people were so hot for it and others cold as ice,
Some people saying that DC had destroyed and sold its soul,
For me comics is my music and DC my new rock and roll,

How can it be a bad thing with so many titles sold out?
The buzz it’s created for comics in the whole wide world throughout,
I don’t think that all are amazing but I still wouldn’t call them a waste,
I put it down to different people, who all have a different taste,

Ive stayed with all my favourites and have added new as well,
Would I call it a massive success? I suppose really only time can tell,
The Batman family comics in my pull list come to nine,
Of my 21 DC comic’s I call these lot here my spine,

All four Superman titles I am reading, so please add these to my list,
Green Lantern’s there, all of them too, because I couldn’t just resist,
I could go on but you get the gist about what this all means to me,
Quality writing and fantastic art on most you can guarantee,

Reservations, there were loads but I really shouldn’t have had a worry,
Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Barry Allan still rock and even now Arthur Curry,
To top that off, hot chicks there’s loads most showing lots of skin,
Ill admit I am getting suicide squad, but only to see Harley Quinn,

Two months in now I still feel the same and I am even getting two mini series,
The mystery woman who the hell is she? Ive now read so many theories,
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed as its time for me to conclude,
But one last thing I want to say FFS CATWOMAN WAS NOT TOO RUDE.

Alex Muldwych Giles

In the last few months with everything that has been happening in the comic book world I have noticed something, I have noticed that as in life so many people are negative and love to put down a comic, a character or a story line much more than they will praise it or even just say it was ok.

I've come to believe that the majority of comic book fans (not me or the people I talk comics with) are looking for something to be negative with, in fact there are a few who rip into everything from Marvel and DC yet praise all from Image or Dark horse which is clearly just because they don’t see them as mainstream so must be “cool”.

These comic book fans annoy me and I don’t mind telling you that at all, they are as bad as the music Nazi’s we all know, who love an underground band until they sign a major record deal and are then suddenly sell outs and crap, even though the first album is the same songs they were singing happily along too when no one knew who they were.

Read more »

Secret Identity:

“A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona (usually adopting a pseudonym), while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise (ranging from makeup or a mask, to a complete costume). A character may have several types of secret identities simultaneously (such as adopted names, pen names, undercover identities, and crime fighting codenames).”

Now one of my BIGGEST gripes when I was younger was about superheroes identities and why no one noticed that the likes of Clark Kent was Superman and that Bruce Wayne was Batman.

Now that I have thought about it a bit more for this article I now accept it and feel I can understand why they get away with it.

Obviously, first and foremost, it comes down to suspension of belief and if you are reading a comic or watching a superhero film then you like to escape to a fantasy realm and believe that for instance some humans can defy the rules of gravity and nature or that aliens can come down to earth to help protect it by using superpowers.

Read more »

Why is it that the majority of comic book fans feel the need to choose sides between DC and Marvel?

Ive pondered this question for a while now and it’s something I wondered as a kid of 14/15 too. There were 2 of us in team DC and another 4 of my friends were team Marvel. I never labelled myself as team DC but as I didn’t get any Marvel comics but did get 3 DC I just kind of became it.

It’s strange because as a kid and being in team DC I grew up with a little dislike for Marvel, I know now how stupid that was/is but I was only young and that’s what it feels like sometimes in comics, you have to choose sides. Even if I go to my favourite comic book forum it’s separated into sections of DC, Marvel, Independent and a few others (note there is no general section if you want to speak about both in same thread which is a tad annoying).

Every day on the forum there is a question in at least one of the sections that goes like “DC convert here, over from Marvel” or “I am swapping to Marvel because of the 52 reboot”, I mean; CONVERT? SWAPPING? why choose one side?

Read more »

Before I start this article I would like to say that these views are me Alex ‘Muldwych’ Giles and not those of the Sidekick Website.

I am not a religious person anymore but growing up I did go to church and was a member of the Boys Brigade as well as attending Sunday School more times than I care to remember, even winning a leather clad bible with my initials engraved on it for ‘biblical knowledge’ and I have no problem telling you all as an adult I did some soul searching into why we are here and the bigger questions in life before after my 2 year voyage of discovery realising that it was a load of nonsense and becoming a ‘Humanist Atheist’.

So when it comes to believing and worshiping a higher power I think I know a little bit about it, so when I read an article on the blog The Kobayashi Maru(e) about how Superman is easily the most misunderstood fictional figure in modern popular culture and how he would like to be more like Superman as he grows up, it struck a nerve with me.

Read more »

So with all new releases coming out and with me getting back into reading/collecting comics I have been spending a lot of time looking at titles which are out or coming out, along with revisiting the ones I used to collect to see if they still did it for me and I noticed something:

From the age of 12 (1990) until I was 23 (2001) and for the last 3 months, I have never collected a comic based around a female character, not one.

Read more »