Hero Spotlight: Batman and Captain America

Welcome to the hero spotlight! Today we’re looking at two of the most popular and enduring super heroes (one from DC and one from Marvel, just to be fair). Batman and Captain America.

Two very different characters with different obstacles to overcome, but both burdened with responsibility and principals that are difficult to keep when faced with certain villains.

Let’s start with Batman. When he was a kid, his parents were shot in front of him. This spurred him on a journey of self-discovery which eventually led to him dressing up as a bat to fight crime. Because… well, he’s not entirely emotionally stable. He fights his battles with state of the art gadgets and has a strict, no-kill policy, no matter how bad the person.

The villains he faces are, consequently, nuts. Split personalities, hallucinogenic happy weirdos and… This…

These are often villains with no principals, and no problem with killing. Some of them go specifically after Batman, trying to get him to fall from grace. Through all of it, Batman must stay strong in his own beliefs and keep these crazies from destroying Gotham.

He’s a memorable character and the definition of a hero whose identity comes from his conflict. Batman is known for facing amazing villains and each villain brings out a new, important side of him as a hero. We like to see him tested and we like even more to see him overcome.

Then there’s Captain America. The precious cinnamon roll, too good for this world, too pure. Steve Rodgers begins as a shrimpy kid with a big heart. He soon receives equally big muscles as he is turned into a super soldier.

A beautiful super soldier

This kind of technology could obviously be used for evil, but Steve Rodgers, chosen for the project because of his huge heart, wants nothing more than to help others. But since he is firmly entrenched in the military his obstacle is often irresponsible governments. And Nazis.

He fights corruption, especially when he is frozen in ice for several decades before being thawed out. He’s the old soul in a world that has started crumbling to pieces. He must stick to his principals no matter who he is faced with, whether new corrupt governments or his own allies, like Tony Stark in the Avengers.

We love Captain America because he stands for an ideal of freedom and helping others. He would usually prefer the diplomatic route, though he is a super soldier. He treats his powers responsibly.

And he’s adorable.

That’s it for today’s spotlight. Next week we’ll be looking at the CHOSEN ONE and their struggle against the weight of the world. Until then!