What Defines A Superhero

In Chapter 3, Coogan defines what it is to be a superhero. The three primary conventions that define a superhero are: their mission to benefit humanity, superpowers, and an identity consisting of a codename and costume. The other conventions of the superhero genre include: supervillains, superhero physics, limited/ helpful authorities, superteams, sidekicks, etc.

One of the figures that we have studied this year that obviously pertains to the role of a superhero is Superman. Stated in the very first comic, his mission is to aid humanity. He has superhuman abilities, like jumping huge distances, really good hearing, and super strength. He also has a dual identity, transforming himself from the average citizen Clark Kent to Superman- a hero with a costume that indicates his identity with the chevron and uses bold primary colors.

The Black Condor’s mission is to protect the American public- which he does when he attempts to save Senator Wright and later when he finds out the President has been kidnapped. His dual identity is gained through his association with the Senator. The Black Condor is so named because he was found and raised by Condors as a baby. He was later found and taught English before he moved to America and assumed Senator Wright’s identity after he failed to save him. His costume does not appear to state anything about his origins or identity as typical of the superhero genre- it is simply a cape and tight shorts. His super ability is that he can fly. Unlike Superman, his ability is not innate, but gained from his interaction with the Condors. This is reminiscent of the Adventure comics with Tarzan where the white man is abandoned among the natives in an exotic location and picks up their skills/traits before returning to civilization. Unless the character of the Black Condor evolves, it seems as though he could be discounted as a superhero of the superhero genre and simply considered a hero.