About Isaac Magaña
Location: Corvallis, OR
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It’s amazing how three outsiders can be the biggest heroes in one universe. What makes these three so special that makes other heroes want to be like them or follow in their footsteps?
The DC Universe is very special. It’s special because the DC Universe has three heroes who guide it. These three, known as the trinity, include Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. They are the heroes that other heroes look up to in the DC Universe. What makes them so special? Why aren’t Green Lantern, Black Canary, or Green Arrow a part of this group?
When I look at these three heroes, I see a common element, they are all outsiders. Superman is an alien, Wonder Woman grew up away separated from the rest of humanity, and Batman grew up alone with a lot on his mind. They each have an outsider’s perspective not shared by others. The three heroes, Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Green Arrow had normal lives when compared to the trinity heroes.
It’s true that Green Lantern, Black Canary, and Green Arrow had unique circumstances and obstacles in their lives but it is not of the same caliber as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The trinity heroes were isolated by choice and by circumstances not of their choosing. Batman was isolated from others because of his desire to make himself the perfect crime fighter after a criminal took his parents. Superman was an alien and didn’t know who he was or where he came from making him truly aware that he was different from others around him. Wonder Woman lived on an island untouched by a man, which had shaped the world around her island. All these situations caused the trinity heroes to live on the fringes of humanity. I believe this is what makes them great.
As an outsider you exist on the margins, or fringes, of society. This gives you a view on society that can’t be easily seen by those living in the center of it. Batman lost his parents due to crime, he lost his innocence. He is no longer like others because of that crime and he wants to ensure no one else has to suffer like he did. Wonder Woman grew up in a society of peace, cooperation, and compassion. She wants to bring some of those values to a world that has them in short supply. Superman has the values that were taught to him by human parents. Those are values that he sees as important worth carrying out to their fullest extent.
As you can see, being an outsider has benefited Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman. But it is not the sole reason other heroes are not of the same caliber. While I cannot point out a definite reason this one does shine some light on how these three heroes are unique and can not be easily replicated. Maybe some day other heroes will join them and the trinity will be broken, but I have no idea how that will happen.
Their popularity in the universe is due largely to their popularity in the real world I think. Nerds / readers of comics are generally outsiders and so we probably empathize with those characters more.
I would agree.
I read Wonder Woman over Batman and Superman and most recently she’s examining what it means to be human, bringing to the front that she’s an outsider. Is that true in of the current stories running through Batman and Superman?
Honestly I don’t know. I’m relegated to trades lately and I haven’t followed either character for some time except for a few issues of Action I picked up during the recent Legion w/ Superman run, but even there Supes was an outsider, except a powerless outsider.