The One About Journalists As Heroes.

Comic books, specifically super hero comics have had a huge impact on my life. Many of the ideals that were contained within their pages gave me my ideals of heroism. I was recently thinking about why I have been moving ever steadily down the road towards journalism, and I think that once again comic books are the reason why.

From the time I was young enough to turn a page my favorites were the brightly colored characters of the DC Comics universe,

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 Superman, Batman, Flash, and Green Lantern to name a few. And while the heroes may have been exciting most of their alter ego's didn't really resonate with me at that young age. As I got older I understood their "day jobs" better and really they just didn't do anything to thrill me. Especially when looked at from the stand point of actually being able to take part.

Batman: Billionaire play boy? Yeah, probably not gonna happen any time soon.

Flash: Police scientist? Er, well, see me and math? Not such boon companions.

Green Lantern: Test Pilot? Yeah, the kid who's afraid of open heights. I think not.

Superman: Journalist? Hmm. Well this one has possibilities.

Even in the late seventies early eighties when the stories were much more the straight forward "Superman saves everyone without breaking a sweat. Yay!" type, there were still times when Superman was aided by some piece of knowledge that Lois, or Lana, or Perry or even Jimmy Olsen would uncover. Plus of course in his disguise as mild mannered Clark Kent, Superman would often be able to learn things that he could have learned using super powers but never would have been able to explain getting the info if he were say a drug store clerk.

But it was actually in the late eighties after revamping Superman's origin that his role as journalist became even more important.

In the revamping Lex Luthor went from revenge obsessed cartoon super villain, to a wealthy man of business and industry. A man who was as crooked as a politicians backbone, but who kept everyone in the dark. Except for the staff of the Daily Planet,

Image via Wikipedia

 who worked tirelessly to unearth his corrupt deeds to bring him to justice. Suddenly it was the mild mannered reporter who was more important in the battle for Truth, Justice, and The American Way! than was the super powered aspect.

The message sent repeatedly was that people who risk their lives and reputations to gather information and spread it, so that people know the truth are every bit as much heroes as people who run into burning buildings, or stop criminals, or leap tall buildings in a single bound.

I've always wanted to be a hero. And seeing as how I was born on this planet, don't have any desire to dress up as a flying rodent, have not been splashed with lighting struck chemicals, and am still waiting on a flying green ring to swoop down,  I figure I'll give this journalism thing a try.

Keep The Faith My Brothers And Sisters!

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