Am I really a superhero?

What defines a superhero really? Is it the perfect physique and rediculous clothing? No, not all superheroes wear tights and capes, or have chisled abs and bulging muscles; just look at Professor X. Is it the abnormal powers? No, not all superheroes have special powers, just look at Batman.

We all know that there is nobody flying around, lifting buildings off survivors, and beating up evil aliens. However, superheroes are just as real to Americans as Hercules was to the Greeks, or Romulus and Remus were to the Romans. They are the new American myths, the legends, the tall tales.

So why are they here? Why do Americans love them so? Could it be because of the intriguing plot lines of comic books? Even writing that makes me laugh. I don't think I have ever read a comic book with a truly interesting plot. Could it be that we enjoy looking at men and women squeezed into bright costumes of spandex that we couldn't fit our pets into? Probably not, though I'm sure that's it for some. I think that we love superheroes so much because we see ourselves in a perfected form in the glossy pages of a comic book. All of us, like Bruce Banner or Logan, have a Hulk or a Wolverine inside, waiting for its chance to smash and slash things. All of us, Like the X-men, have felt shunned because we were different, knowing that if people would just look past what they could see, they would treat us with more respect, even admiration. All of us, like Spiderman, have dealt with the issues of trying to balance a busy teenage life, filled with school, bodily changes, work, and friends.

So, what sets us apart from them? Like I said in my intro, it's not the clothes, the powers, or the muscles. It's the Choice. The Choice to do what we know is right, just because it's right. The Choice to help others even when it's not convenient. If we make this Choice, we can be superheroes too.