Super-heroes are not harmful to your health

Everyone knows that cigarettes are harmful to your health ... but comic books?

Will there soon be a warning on the cover of certain comics warning parents that the content may hurt teen's perceptions of themselves?

This month, I tackle a subject broached by the American Psychological Association on whether today's super-heroes are harmful to adolescent boys' health.

Here is an excerpt reprinted from the APA article:

"Watching super-heroes beat up villains may not be the best image for boys to see if society wants to promote kinder, less stereotypical male behaviors, according to psychologists who spoke (at) the 118th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association.

"There is a big difference in the movie superhero of today and the comic book superhero of yesterday," said psychologist Sharon Lamb, PhD, distinguished professor of mental health at University of Massachusetts-Boston.

"Today's superhero is too much like an action hero who participates in nonstop violence; he's aggressive, sarcastic and rarely speaks to the virtue of doing good for humanity. When not in superhero costume, these men, like Iron Man, exploit women, flaunt bling and convey their manhood with high-powered guns."

The comic book heroes of the past did fight criminals, she said, But these were heroes boys could look up to and learn from because outside of their costumes, they were real people with real problems and many vulnerabilities," she said."

The full article can be found at www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2010/08/macho-stereotype-unhealthy.aspx

Now far be it from me to argue with the Washington, D.C.-based American Psychological Association, which - according to its website - is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world's largest association of psychologists.

I don't have a master's degree in psychology. Nor do I pretend to be an expert of the teen psyche.

But I do have one credential: 45 years of reading comics books.

And, based on that knowledge, I have a response to the distinguished APA: "Nonsense."

Heroes for a new age

Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and the rest may have become edgier since the good old days of the 1960s and '70s, but they still embody the core values of super-heroes.

They have real-life problems, just as the older versions did. And they still must deal with those problems in a way that doesn't compromise their integrity.

And I am not sure what the psychologist means about heroes flaunting bling.

Yes, Tony Stark is a millionaire industrialist. But it costs a lot of money to produce those high-tech armor suits. He doesn't blow it on wine, women and song.

When I was a boy, comics were more innocent and the line between good and evil was clear-cut.

Today's heroes are seeing the lined blurred and the path to gaining victory over their foes not as straight as the old days, but in the end, good always triumphs over evil.

I believe today's boys and girls are receiving positive role models to help them navigate through life. There is more heroism and honor on display in today's comics than many of the so-called TV entertainment shows that feature men and women trying to one-up their fellows in an attempt to win a prize.

Shows like "Survivor" show humankind at its lowest, basest level.

Comic books show heroes and heroines who still carry that time-honored flame of respect for humanity.

Oh, they may be a bit jaded, given the complexities of the society they are now living in. But in the end, they rise above the lowest common denominator and present the best in men and women.

Now, as Stan Lee used to say, I will get off my soapbox.

Two Spring Hill fans

are 'Wonder Winners'

Before I go, a quick shout-out to two readers who correctly answered my three Wonder Woman-related questions of the month in July.

Way to go Patrick Erbe and Tina Reuter, both of Spring Hill, who knew that Wonder Woman was born on Paradise Island, adopted the secret identity of Diana Prince and who uses her golden lasso as a lie-detector.

Hope both of you are reading and enjoying the "new" Wonder Woman storyline where our heroine is thrown into an alternate reality with a new costume and new origin.

Here is this month's question.

"Plastic Man" is a rather unusual hero. What exactly is his super power?

In next month's column, I will print the names of any reader who scores a hit on this question.

And keep your e-mails coming to the Comic Guy at mbates@hernandotoday.com.

Until next month, in the words of Stan Lee, "Excelsior!"