Superheroes.
This word inspires a variety of responses from those who read it, the two most common being “OMG YES SUPERHEROOOOEESSS!!” and “Oh my god when is this trend going to die?”
I am a proud member of the former category, so I apologize to any who might belong in the latter. I understand why you might be frustrated, but I also don’t empathize, so take that as you will.
Spider-Man: Homecoming recently released in theaters, and I loved it. It did not blow my mind or change the world, but it was a wonderful, quirky, adventure full of heart, in spite of it’s many (tiny) flaws. The humor was on point, the camera direction was good (for a superhero film), the villain was a breath of fresh air, and watching the fledgling hero fumble through his new responsibilities provided a different take from everything else present in the MCU. I appreciated the film for all of these things.
But most of all, just because it was Spider-Man.
Spider-Man has always been and continues to be my favorite superhero. He is easy to relate to, deeply flawed, possesses a curious dichotomy between his two personas, is wildly creative with his powers, and most of all, best personifies an accurate representation of what a raw superhero should be, without all the political junk weighing them down.
Also prominent in the superhero arena right now is the ongoing manga/anime My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia). This is a franchise of rapidly growing intrigue, a distinguished character cast, and simplicity done right. The music is amazing, the animation is spectacular, and the storytelling is superior (see what I did there?) Though if we’re being honest, its largest appeal is probably just that it has a neatly observable beginning and trajectory, without a billion timelines and spin-offs to convolute the universe.
And surprise, surprise, the author has been cited on his deep love of the Spider-Man comics from a young age.
Needless to say, I have had a recent surge of inspiration from both of these resources. They’ve each encouraged me in turn to continue pursuing my goals, and have done so with their own specialized contributions. I might not be a hero like them, but someday I hope to be a hero, too. So until then I will immerse myself in their inspiration and passion.
If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll absorb some of their mentality and do something worthy with it.
Dark Blue Owls 