How Long Should Super Heroes Mourn?

Death is an important motivator in comics, and in fact, in all literature. It can also be a powerful motivator in real life. But in life, unlike the comics, there comes a point where people get over their grief. We (or at least most of us) learn to deal with the loss of our loved ones and proceed with the act of living. But it seems super heroes are simply incapable of doing so. The five stages of grief never get past anger and they strive to avenge their fallen loved ones.

The most notorious super hero mourner is Batman. Batman is driven by the pain he feels over his parents’ deaths. Now according to the comics, Bruce Wayne is supposed to be in his early to mid thirties. His parents are supposed to have died when he was around eight. So more than twenty years have passed since his parents died and yet he still feels the need to atone for their deaths. As seen in my previous entries (see here and here ), Batman has amassed a huge arsenal of gadgets to fight crime. He has trained in multiple martial arts. He has recruited allies all around the world to help him fight crime.

Bruce Wayne, in the guise of Batman, has turned his entire life into a shrine to the death of his parents. This one tragic event continues to motivate him and everything he does. There was a brilliant storyline in JLA where the entire Justice League is separated from their alter-egos. Essentially Superman and Clark Kent become two individual people. As does Bruce Wayne and Batman. However in the story it is revealed that without the tragic memory of Bruce Wayne’s childhood motivating him, Batman is not a very effective hero.

It seems Bruce Wayne suffers from the world’s worst case of survivor’s guilt. But it is unfair for him to feel any guilt at all. He was a child when his parents were killed. There was nothing he could have done to stop them from being murdered. If Bruce Wayne existed in the real world, he would have received proper psychiatric treatment, gotten himself some prescription anti-depressants, and gotten on with his life, perhaps putting his intelligence and fortune to endeavors that would benefit mankind far greater than just a one man war on crime.

Another hero who is also motivated by the death of a loved one, however, does not have the same option as Bruce Wayne. Peter Parker (Spider-Man) through his own inability to act directly led to the death of his Uncle Ben. When Peter Parker first got bitten by a radioactive spider and developed super powers, he didn’t immediately decide to be a super hero. His first thought was how can he use his abilities to make money. Essentially he thought what I would think if I developed super powers.

In the comics, Spider-Man makes a few television appearances, showing off his awesome powers. He has money and fame and quite the inflated ego. Prior to gaining super powers, Peter Parker was a nerd. He was picked on and socially awkward, essentially everything comic book fans tend to be. So of course when people start cheering and praising Peter, in the guise of Spider-Man, he lets the praise go to his head. After his big debut a crook being chased by a police officer runs by him and he just lets the guy go by. He doesn’t think such a thing should concern him.

Because of this moment of inaction, that criminal would later go on to shoot Peter’s Uncle Ben. This one moment from the comics gave birth to the most famous phrase in comics, and one I quote everyday in my life. “With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility.” This becomes the mantra of Spider-Man, and really of all super heroes. If you have the power to act and stop a crime then you should act. Using the persona he originally intended to use to make money, Peter Parker fights crime and makes sure no one else dies due to his inaction.

Whereas Batman’s guilt is misplaced, Spider-Man’s guilt is truly earned. However, Spider-Man never seems to be as tortured by the death of his uncle as Batman is over the death of his parents. Despite the guilt, Peter Parker enjoys being Spider-Man. He treats it almost as therapeutic. But to Bruce Wayne, being Batman is a sacred duty. He treats the mantle of the Bat almost like a medieval knight’s vows of fealty. Gotham City is the kingdom he serves and protects. He even makes Robin(s) swear an oath in a bizarre ritual in the bat cave.

Grief is an odd thing. Everyone has a different way of dealing with it. In truth, death is a part of life and we all must deal with it at some point. What would it take to motivate a normal individual to put on a mask and fight crime? It certainly wouldn’t be my first option to deal with the death of a loved one. But then again, I’m not a billionaire and have never been bitten by a radioactive spider.