The Super Connection
Human history is riddled with heroes of all ages, sizes and backgrounds. We look to the heroes of the past and present to show us that anything is possible. They highlight the greatest aspects of the human condition. The most recent adaption of the Marvel most popular superteam is entitled The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The cultural fascination with the "super" is looking up to heroes that are leagues beyond our own abilities. They are the mightiest. Mind you, this is all fiction, but when has that stopped a culture from obsessing over an idea? To some, it is a large part of their life and identity; to others, simply a pastime. The Marvel/DC characters exist in fictional alternate universes which many readers covet.
There are multiple origin stories, powers, birthplaces, temperaments, identifiable colors and costumes unique to each hero. Marvel alone holds a library of approximately 7,000 characters (and growing) and this only includes the identifiable heroes/villains (omitting the "extras.") So what makes a hero "super?" The true deciding factor is whether or not they are somehow stronger than the average person or possess something we do not (i.e. intelligence, increased physical strength, flight, indestructibility, etc.) The average person will look up to a hero like this as superior.
Now, we deal with the root question: why insects? Insects pack a big punch relative to their size. A small spider can immobilize or even kill a large animal with nothing more than a pinch, bite, or sting. Most bugs are met with fear for this exact reason. When we examine them closely, we find things unique to their class: exoskeletons for one. The human race has an endoskeleton. Endo is the Greek word for internal and Exo for external. Our internal skeleton leaves our skin and muscles susceptible to damage, while protecting our organs from fatal damage. The exoskeleton is very common in the insect world and is viewed as a natural form of armor. Insects have a hard shell-like outer layer that protects all of their systems from damage. This is a popular jumping-off point for many fiction writers at marvel. Many other systems unique to specific insects are seen as powerful when applied to our race. Each of these are discussed in depth with their heroes.
The other important feature that we borrow from the insect world is fear. The super villains that are described here highlight the most deadly and feared insectoid traits. The Brood are one of the most ruthless and deadly species in the marvel universe. If they were to be adapted for the big screen, Marvel would certainly be making a foothold in the horror and R-rated niche.
The worldwide cultural fascination with superheroes is not something abnormal. The human race has always obsessed over what we do not have (i.e. magic, powers, abilities.) That is precisely why the fiction genre of literature is so immensely popular. Insects have traits we do not that make them powerful by nature. You may be able to squash one beneath your boot, but the right insect could take your life with much less effort.
Human history is riddled with heroes of all ages, sizes and backgrounds. We look to the heroes of the past and present to show us that anything is possible. They highlight the greatest aspects of the human condition. The most recent adaption of the Marvel most popular superteam is entitled The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes. The cultural fascination with the "super" is looking up to heroes that are leagues beyond our own abilities. They are the mightiest. Mind you, this is all fiction, but when has that stopped a culture from obsessing over an idea? To some, it is a large part of their life and identity; to others, simply a pastime. The Marvel/DC characters exist in fictional alternate universes which many readers covet.
There are multiple origin stories, powers, birthplaces, temperaments, identifiable colors and costumes unique to each hero. Marvel alone holds a library of approximately 7,000 characters (and growing) and this only includes the identifiable heroes/villains (omitting the "extras.") So what makes a hero "super?" The true deciding factor is whether or not they are somehow stronger than the average person or possess something we do not (i.e. intelligence, increased physical strength, flight, indestructibility, etc.) The average person will look up to a hero like this as superior.
Now, we deal with the root question: why insects? Insects pack a big punch relative to their size. A small spider can immobilize or even kill a large animal with nothing more than a pinch, bite, or sting. Most bugs are met with fear for this exact reason. When we examine them closely, we find things unique to their class: exoskeletons for one. The human race has an endoskeleton. Endo is the Greek word for internal and Exo for external. Our internal skeleton leaves our skin and muscles susceptible to damage, while protecting our organs from fatal damage. The exoskeleton is very common in the insect world and is viewed as a natural form of armor. Insects have a hard shell-like outer layer that protects all of their systems from damage. This is a popular jumping-off point for many fiction writers at marvel. Many other systems unique to specific insects are seen as powerful when applied to our race. Each of these are discussed in depth with their heroes.
The other important feature that we borrow from the insect world is fear. The super villains that are described here highlight the most deadly and feared insectoid traits. The Brood are one of the most ruthless and deadly species in the marvel universe. If they were to be adapted for the big screen, Marvel would certainly be making a foothold in the horror and R-rated niche.
The worldwide cultural fascination with superheroes is not something abnormal. The human race has always obsessed over what we do not have (i.e. magic, powers, abilities.) That is precisely why the fiction genre of literature is so immensely popular. Insects have traits we do not that make them powerful by nature. You may be able to squash one beneath your boot, but the right insect could take your life with much less effort.