I think this notion has appealed to me so much because of the idea that so few people could catch onto this. When the Matrix trilogy was wrapping up, a lot of Canadian and US news departments were reiterating the Martix press release which pointed out the Neo is a Christ-like character that people today could follow. It pleased me that few people (parents and adults) realized that comics and similar spinoffs (magic cards, D&D characters for example) were laying a foundation for future ideas of greatness. Spawn: a black superhero from hell, for example.
It then got me thinking about what I was subjected to as a child in this realm. Not only were there the plethora of comic movies like Superman and such, but there were also the competing comics of DC, marvel and offshoots like the Valiant series, with various textured ideas and stereotypes to stimulate and mystify me. Like the XO Mano war first issue and sexism and murder and shock. Starbrand's notion of self. Foolkiller and the notions of self-training and discipline through pain that I've based a lot of my personal training upon. And a spell watching a cartoon network show called Invader Zim hit another thing home for me. What are the ramifications these formula shows will have in the future. I remember watching Looney Tunes at a later date and noticing the blatant racism of some of the cartoons including Marvin the Martian's Japanese occupation flag.
Watching Rocky and Bullwinckle at 4am when I was 16 and trying to pull an all nighter sealed it. A lot of the stuff I was watching as a kid was just outright fucked up. Crazy messages and humour on two levels that could be sensed by the kids and the adults. And what are the effects on my view of the hero? How did all the Disney hits like Chip and Dales rescue rangers, Darkwing Duck, Duck Tales, Tale Spin, Goof Troop, etc. How did they effect me. I still remember the nature of Anamaniacs and can recite the theme song for both that and Tiny Tunes off by heart to this day.
How will it shape me? Will Saved by the Bell's Screech character have any effect? And what will shape the kids to come? Will we be forever basing our visions of greatness and moral fibre on these hero's always clothed in light-blue making these wacky assed comments that only our fathers laugh at? Will we ever get clued in? Will I be forced to sit and endure a power rangers 2030 knock off instead?
Who will our hero's come to be?