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‘TRUE HEROISM IS REMARKABLY SOBER, VERY UNDRAMATIC. IT IS NOT THE URGE TO SURPASS ALL OTHERS AT WHATEVER COST, BUT THE URGE TO SERVE OTHERS AT WHATEVER COST.’ ARTHUR ASHE

TRACKING: POW! WOW! BAZINGA! In this project you will: discuss what makes a (super)hero; read about everyday heroes and superheroes in comic books; discover what the hero’s journey is all about and link the pattern to your favourite book or film; watch some scenes from the film Kick-Ass; create your own comic book page.

CONTENTS 1

From average Joe to true hero

1.1

A hero is someone who ...

1.2

The incredible Adam Spark

The hero’s journey

2.1

The journey is a cycle

2.2

The story’s characters

What makes a superhero?

3.1

Everyday superhero

3.2

Superhero versus supervillain

3.3

Obsessed with superheroes

Let’s go on a (web)quest!

Superheroes and comic books

5.1

Order, please!

5.2

What is happening?

A new superhero and supervillain have risen!

Tracking tools

Sources

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3 ⁄ WHAT MAKES A SUPERHERO? 3.1 ⁄ EVERYDAY SUPERHERO 1 Look at the pictures and title from the article ‘Everyday superhero’. What will it be about? Answer the 4 wh-questions. a Who?

b What?

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c Where? d When?

2 Now read the article in full. Answer the questions.

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a Why does the do-gooder put on a Spiderman costume before handing out sandwiches on the streets? b Which adjectives are used to describe the 20-year-old? c Where does he get the money to buy all those sandwiches he hands out at night?

EVERYDAY SUPER HERO: ANONYMOUS SPIDERMAN FEEDS HOMELESS AT NIGHT Anonymous Spider-Man feeds homeless… but who is the ‘Birmingham Spider-Man?’ You don’t have to be born with the ability to fly in order to be a superhero. Birmingham, UK has their very own superhero running the streets at night fighting for the good of all mankind.

While the man behind the magic prefers to remain anonymous, the 20-year-old works as a bartender during the day before changing into his Spiderman costume and feeding the homeless at night. Wearing a blue and red Spiderman suit, the anonymous do-gooder delivers meals to people in need. Besides his age and occupation, little else is known about the man behind the Spider-Man costume. The anonymous Spider-Man has been feeding the homeless in costume for a couple months, but he has been involved with volunteer work for many years. He found that wearing a superhero costume actually draws far more attention to his cause, prompting others to do more good.

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In a message to the Huffington Post the inspirational superhero said, ‘Before, when I was handing out food, no one would take a second look. But when they see Spider-Man handing out the food they come over and ask what I’m doing and are really interested. Most importantly [they] become inspired to get involved themselves.’ The man starts his night around 9 p.m. when he goes to the grocery store and purchases sandwiches with his own money. The real life superhero then finds a desolate alley to change into his Spider-Man suit before taking off into the night to deliver food to the homeless. His actions and awesome costume have earned him a lot of attention in the last month, but this superhero isn’t looking for donations or personal attention. Instead, he simply urges people to go out and get involved themselves, helping those in need any way you can. This activist is out doing real superhero things… like taking care of people that are largely ignored and forgotten. Seriously, what is more heroic than dedicating your personal time and money to helping others? Spider-Man doesn’t just feed the homeless, he is kind to everyone he encounters and treats everyone with the respect they deserve.

As he goes about his night, countless pedestrians, who are surprised to see SpiderMan out on the streets, stop him. Many make comments and ask for photos. Spider-Man isn’t too cool to oblige; in fact, this warm-hearted man is generous and kind to everyone he encounters, homeless or not. He just asks that anyone who posts his picture to social media use the hashtag: #feedthehomeless. The need for super heroes is great, especially in Birmingham where there is the greatest number of homeless people in all of England. This man’s mission has led him to meet all types of awesome people, but he doesn’t care about the fame, he just wants to raise awareness for his cause of helping the homeless. He has even had help from other local superheroes, like Batman and Robin.

In a world gone mad for fame, success and designer goods, we need more good people like this to remind mankind what is really important: helping your fellow neighbor in need. Bartenders don’t bring home 6-figure salaries; this young man works hard and uses his own hard-earned money for good, making personal sacrifices in order to do so. As the anonymous Spider-Man told the Huffington Post, ‘I’ve learned that everyone is the same, we’re all part of the human experience and I … believe that we need to look at everyone as humans and help each other the same as we would a close friend.’

Source: www.earthporm.com

desolate: isolated, deserted pedestrian: person on foot

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3 Go through the text again and decide whether these statements are true or false. Correct the false ones. Statement

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True False

1 The 20-year-old owns a bar.

2 The Spider-Man do-gooder doesn’t mind posing for a picture on the streets.

3 T he Birmingham Spider-Man uses the hashtag #Iamspiderman when posting pictures on social media.

4 The man changes into his costume at the bar where he works.

5 The man in the Spider-Man costume doesn’t want his identity to be revealed.

3.2 ⁄ SUPERHERO VERSUS SUPERVILLAIN 1 Who is your favourite supervillain? Why? In what film, series, cartoon or comic book does he/she appear? Explain in a few sentences before reporting to the class.

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2 What is the difference between a superhero and a supervillain? And in what way are they alike? Read the text and complete the graphic organiser below.

≠

How are they different? Superheroes: -

Supervillains: -

How are they alike?

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Superheroes vs. Supervillains Difference between Superhero and Supervillain

Superheroes and supervillains embody the classic struggle between good and evil in a way that few cultural icons can. They clearly stand at opposite sides of the moral spectrum, and while there have been overlaps with regard to morally ambiguous characters, you can pretty much peg superheroes as the good guys, and supervillains as the bad guys. Let’s take a look at their main characteristics and their relationships. Definition Superheroes are characters that usually possess extraordinary and/or superhuman powers, although this is not always the case. Most superheroes generally devote their powers, skills and efforts to protecting the public from various threats. Supervillains are the opposite of superheroes, in that they are dedicated to causing harm to person or property, either in the pursuit of personal goals such as revenge, or to gain power, wealth or control. Supervillains are common features in comic books, action movies and science fiction. The Superhero Profile As hinted at previously, superheroes do not necessarily have to possess superhuman powers. Notable examples are Batman and Green Arrow, both of whom do not have extraordinary powers per se, although they do have considerable physical strength and skills. During the Golden Age of Comic Books, which lasted from the late 1930s to the 1940s, these ‘superheroes’ were commonly referred to as ‘mystery men’, in order to distinguish them from characters that possessed super-powers. Many superheroes routinely use their powers in order to deter crime, or to deal with threats against mankind. Many superheroes have one or two supervillains that serve as their archenemies, although many have more than one archenemy to deal with. Superheroes may also be called upon to deal with threats from aliens and supernatural or mythological creatures. In comic books and movies, supervillains routinely serve as the foil to superheroes and other heroes. Most supervillains therefore have powers and/or skills that are equal to the abilities of superheroes, and in fact may even surpass them. In addition, many supervillains may also possess considerable intellectual abilities coupled with vast financial resources, which ensures the superheroes of formidable foes. It is also interesting to note that many supervillains seem to mirror the characteristics of actual dictators, criminals, and terrorists. For many such characters, the goal is more often than not world domination or control of the world.

The Supervillain Profile

to deter: to discourage, to prevent to peg: to pin, to fix (also figuratively used)

The Main Difference In most cases, superheroes and supervillains are virtually equal with regard to powers, drive and ambition, with the only goal being how they use their powers and the goals that drive them. While superheroes use their powers to help others, supervillains use their powers for destructive goals or for their own purposes. Source: recomparison.com

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SPOKEN INTERACTION

3 Play a game of superhero quartet. a Form groups. b Try to collect all 4 members of their group affiliation as quickly as possible.

STRATEGY How to play Use the present simple when asking questions. Use short answers when possible. e.g. Do you have the S.H.I.E.L.D. member that can discharge venom blasts? - Yes, I do. Here’s Spider Woman. / No, I don’t. Alternative rules of play: e.g. My superhero/supervillain is a combat expert, with a score of 87. What do you have? - My superhero’s score is 75. Here you are.

3.3 ⁄ OBSESSED WITH SUPERHEROES SPOKEN INTERACTION

1 Discuss these questions. a Do you like superhero films? And if so, who is you favourite superhero? b Do you watch every new release of these types of films? 2 First try to match the changes in the depiction of superheroes (column I) to the historical events (column II) and dates (column III). Then read the text and check your answers. Depiction of superheroes in comic books I

Dates

III

Comics are pure camp and are considered ‘uncool’.

The 9/11 attack on the WTC and Pentagon again divided the world into good and evil.

2001

Superheroes make their big comeback.

The financial crisis introduces a chaotic and uncertain period.

1930s

Superheroes are portrayed as troubled characters as well.

Troubled times in US, due to the Vietnam War and other scandals, make people more cynical.

2008

Superman fights off Nazis and avenges the Pearl Harbor attack.

The world shows early signs of the outbreak of WWII.

1960s

Historical events

III

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READING

Why Are We Obsessed With Superheroes? For decades, we have found comfort, even hope, in superheroes. Now they are the kings (and queens) of the box office. What explains their enduring appeal? Over the years, superheroes have morphed to fit our social needs of the time. Whether it’s Iron Man, the biggest superhero star at the moment, or Superman, about to renew his brand with Man of Steel, or The Dark Knight, struggling to keep it together in Gotham City, we need superheroes to tackle problems that are too tough for mere mortals to handle. ‘We look at Batman as being the ultimate policeman and Superman as the ultimate fireman,’ said Dan DiDio, the co-publisher for DC Entertainment, the comic book company that owns both franchises. ‘Superman is there to help people and save people. He is not passing judgment. He is not trying to push an agenda. When there are people in need, he is going to be there to help, no matter who they are.’ Superheroes are the Greek gods of secular modern life otherworldly figures able to tackle the problems of this human world. Like the gods of Greek mythology, they can be flawed. In fact, some argue that we need them to be flawed. Part of their appeal is that we can relate to them, despite their being superhuman.

June 6, 2013 By DAVID WRIGHT

Hans Zimmer, who scored the music for The Dark Knight trilogy and the new Superman movie, Man of Steel, said that while working on the Wagnerian theme music for Batman, the variation of a single note could signal hope, fear or vulnerability.’ ‘I’m playing some sort of musical chess,’ Zimmer said, noting that as the final installment of the Christopher Nolan trilogy began when Batman was wounded. The superheroes themselves have changed their metaphorical tunes ever so slightly over the years in response to the challenges we need them to tackle throughout history. Superman first arrived from the planet Krypton in the 1930s during the gathering storm before World War II. In the cartoons of those early days, he fought Nazis and avenged the attack on Pearl Harbor. In some ways, Superman was a Jewish superhero. Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, the two men who created Superman, were Jews, according to former DC Comics editor and comics teacher Jim Higgins, who teaches the Creating Comics class at the Los Angeles-based Meltdown Comics shop. He called Superman ‘a metaphor for the Jewish immigrant experience.’ ‘He’s a strange visitor from another place,’ Higgins said. ‘He’s a stranger in a strange land. He has to adapt to being there. He has to learn all the ways to be an American, the same way they did. You come to America, it’s the land of opportunity, so you can become anything, even Superman.’ Later, Vietnam and Watergate made us more cynical. Straight-arrow do-gooders suddenly seemed dated. That may explain why the Batman of the 1960s wouldn’t dare take this superhero stuff too seriously. The ‘60s TV show was pure camp, an ironic take on the genre.

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For die-hard fans in those years, admitting you like men in tights became about as cool as attending a ‘Star Trek’ convention. ‘For a long time, comics has this air of disrespectability,’ Higgins said. That changed on Sept. 11, 2001, with the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The world was once again divided into good and evil, but was still morally complicated, flawed and vulnerable. Suddenly, superheroes came back in a big way. Captain America, a Marvel Comics character that originally debuted in the 1940s shortly after Superman, made a reemergence in the 2000s and the 2011 film, Captain America: The First Avenger, took on the 9/11 attacks. ‘To see Captain America standing at Ground Zero, sort of being, not like Batman - ‘Rah, we’ll get ‘em’ - no,’ Higgins said. “It was like he was there helping get people out of the debris and all that stuff, and then it was sort of the mourning period with Captain America, and Captain America was sort of like, ‘Let’s hold it all together.’” The 2008 economic collapse doubled down on the chaos and uncertainty so that by the time The Dark Knight Rises was released in 2012, the story told of a troubled billionaire in a bat costume battling a villain who might as well be from Occupy Wall Street. Who do you root for in that scenario? Times have changed not only in terms of the challenges the new Superman faces in Man of Steel, set to premiere on June 14, but also his day job. ‘Clark Kent is actually a blogger at this moment in time,’ DC’s DiDio said. ‘He left the Daily Planet and is really going to establish himself in a way that makes him feel like he’s in touch with the world today. He’s a digital journalist.’ Batman has moved on, too. Adam West, who starred as the classic Batman of the ‘60s, is now the voice of Mayor West on TV’s Family Guy. To most folks, however, he will always be the Caped Crusader.

‘Because I was typecast extraordinarily,’ West said. ‘It was difficult, but after five years of doing dumb films, I decided that people love Batman, so why the hell shouldn’t I love Batman? Why be an ingrate? So I became rather fascinated by it and how to keep that particular culture thing going.’ West has found that superheroes never grow old. They just change with the times.

In fact, he said he spent years trying to escape being a superhero.

Source : abcnews.go.com

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3 Summarise the article. Look at the strategy box to refresh your memory on how to summarise a text correctly. Tip: use the answers from the previous matching exercise!

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STRATEGY How to summarise a text Reading – First skim the text (think of: who-what-where-when). – Then read the text again, this time thoroughly. Take notes. Highlight the main ideas: in general and per section. Did you know that in a well-written article you often find the main idea in the topic sentence? The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of a paragraph. The rest of the paragraph is often a further explanation and/or an example. – Re-build the outline of the text: write down main ideas in your own words per section. Use quotation marks only for very important sentences you cannot reword. Writing – Clearly identify the work: • type of work / title / author / main point • use present tense – Summarise as a whole: make sure your summary reflects the overall coherence of the original text. – Use phrases such as ‘the author suggests’, ‘the article claims’, ‘the journalist mentions’ … – Be neutral (don’t give your personal opinion). – Keep your summary short. A rule of thumb is to keep your summary under one quarter of the original text. – Conclude with a final statement: reflect the significance of the text/article. Revising – – –

Check for accuracy: keep to the style/tone of the author. Let someone else read your work: • Can (s)he understand the sense of the text? • Ask for criticism. Slightly change wording and transitions: make it as easy to read as possible.

Yes ✓

Summary checklist 1

Reading • I skimmed the text to find an answer to who, what, where, when, how. • I read the text thoroughly to identify the main ideas. • I wrote down the main ideas from the entire text and per section in my own words.

Writing • I used the present tense. • I summarised the text as a whole. • I was neutral in my formulations. • I concluded with a final statement. • I kept my summary under ¼ of the original text.

Revising • I kept to the style and tone of the author. • I let somebody else read my summary and comment on it. • I slightly changed wording and transitions to make it easy to read.

No ✗

Feedback:

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