June 28, 2006

The new Superman movie opens today, and although I can’t imagine anyone being able to hold a candle to Chris Reeve, I’ve heard really good things about it. Brandon Routh resembles Reeve enough that it won’t be so jarring to those of us who remember him from the 80s (and there are a few of us out here, aren’t there?).

But when it comes right down to it, I have to say…I’d take Batman over the Supe. All that dark, brooding, masked alpha male…tinged with more than a bit of angst. Yum.

Besides, Batman’s strength comes from his brains and his gadgets…not some otherworldly powers that the rest of us can’t hope to attain.

Batman is Everyman…or, could be Everyman if he had the gadgets, the mask, the mansion, and Alfred. What I mean to say is, Batman is more of a hero to me because he’s “normal” and he makes the choice to step into the role of superhero.

When there’s a choice for sacrifice–when it’s not a foregone conclusion–it means more.

And yes, in the Gardella Vampire Chronicles, I write about a woman who does have “special” powers–not unlike Buffy the Vampire Slayer; but Victoria has a real choice at the beginning of her story. She can choose to to live a normal life and not have the powers; and, in fact, have all knowledge of the world of vampires erased from her mind so she can live in ignorance. But she doesn’t.

And therein, my friends, lies the reason I’d take Batman over Superman. The Supe can fly fast enough to rotate the world backwards, turning back time; he can lift railroad tracks and bend them up; he can lift a car and catch Lois in mid-air…he doesn’t have the choice. He’s got to be a hero. He has no escape.

Batman does.

And besides…I love that mask.