Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "resurrection"

My brother and I were having a conversation about the latest Spider-man issue. He commented that Peter Parker would be back as that in the world of superheroes, St. Peter has a revolving door.

He's not alone in this feeling. I read a comment on a website regarding this that "there are people in the Marvel Universe who can fix this." This, of course, referred to being transported into the body of a dying supervillain and then that body dying and that villain inheriting all your powers in your body. However, they talked about it like it was repairing a microwave oven.

The number of superheroes to take the big sleep only to get back up is staggering. Among them are Barry Allen (Flash), Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Batman, the Human Torch, the Thing, Captain America, and of course Superman.

There had been hints that characters had died or were going to die but somehow they wiggled out of it before.

The death of Barry Allen occurred in 1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline, but probably what started the parade of deaths was Superman.

Superman's death in October 1992 was national news and sent millions to pick up a copy of the story. The story worked with Superman's long-standing Messianic symbolism as he faced off against Doomsday. Rev. H Michael Brewer described Doomsday "is as close to the personification of pure wickedness as comic books can evoke." The story couldn't help but bring to a mind a much greater story of sacrifice as Brewer relates in, Who Needs a Superhero?: Finding Virtue, Vice, and Whats Holy in the Comics:

Superman had taken it upon himself to be humanity's champion, and the one who came from above had to finally lay down his life to fulfill his mission. No lesser effort would have halted the onslaught of evil. No smaller sacrifice would ransom those in the path of destruction...

Behind the slumped figure of the dead Superman, an upright piece of broken timber juts from the wreckage. The tattered cap of the Man of Steel flutters in the wind. In my eyes, that heaven-reaching timber casts the shadow of the Cross over the scene. Superman is no savior, but his dying to rescue Metropolis points our hearts towards the True Savior who died for the world

One would be hard-pressed to ascribe any such power, beauty, or majesty to the on-going list of Superhero deaths and resurrections. What was a gripping, and well-written story of sacrifice two decades previously is losing its power even to attract a public which has become jaded to comic book's revolving doors.


It's to the point where no one expects any superhero to ever stay dead, which really does take the bit of the story and even out of death and resurrection. It's probably past time for a two decade or more long moratorium on superhero deaths and returns.

But is there really one in store for Spider-man?

One reason that it's been suggested is because of the Amazing Spider-man II. The suggestion made was that comic writers would prefer that the current comic book hero match with the one portrayed on the screen. There's little to suggest this is a serious concern. In fact, the entire clone saga in Spider-man was introduced smack dab in the middle of the Spider-man Animated Series and there was no effect on the story line. It had ended by the time the series finale ran and was referenced in an almost joking manner.

While Barry Allen died off in 1985 in the Comic Books but the Flash TV series aired five years later featured Barry Allen as the Flash. And while Peter Parker is dead in the Ultimate Universe and Miles Morales is the new Spider-man, the new Ultimate Spider-man still features Peter Parker.

The biggest reason I think we'll see a return of Peter Parker is that Spider-man is far more indispensable as a character than as a super-powered hero. Arguably, the most successful character changes in the mainstream universe have been the Flash and Green Lantern.

The Green Lantern is in fact a position in an intergalactic law enforcement agency and when Hal Jordan departed, John Stewart had all ready been in the comic books for a decade plus, so Jordan could be replaced.

Similarly the Flash's speed is indispensable in the DC Universe. His powers themselves are very cool, so anyone possessing them will have a big edge. Plus when Barry Allen died, Wally West became the new Flash and he'd been hanging around the DC universe for 25 years as a sidekick and member of the Teen Titans.

Things are very different with Spider-man. His powers are cool, but really not enough to make anyone who possesses them indispensable. In a fictional universe with Thor, the Thing, and Mr. Fantastic, there is no great need for Spider-man. When people cheer for Spider-man, they're not cheering for the uniform, they're cheering for the man.

And that's why ultimately, despite the fact that Marvel's been trying to get rid of him for years, Peter Parker will be back.