Superheroes too have their moments of being not so super. Artist Ian Pool has captured these priceless moments through unique photographic and imaging techniques, which result in a rather humorous depiction of the way humans view the ‘superhero’.
A superhero is always expected to be invincible, not vulnerable to anything that could cause him or her embarrassment and are expected to live up to those images of perfection. However, Ian Pool has expressed through art how heroism and superheroes has been exaggerated in popular culture, and how alternative explanations and possibilities could exist, that would question the very basis of the idea of a ‘superhero’. If one observes the photographs of the superheroes in their most embarrassing and ‘caught off guard’ moments, one can safely say that even if they existed in real, they wouldn’t be very different from ‘normal people’.
For instance, if Octagon existed, he sure would have used all his 8 hands to multi-task which could include using the telephone, flipping pages through the magazine, and even cradling a baby! On the other hand, batman might feel pangs of hunger just like any of us would do, and might walk into a cafe to munch on bagels.
Of course, when we are talking about biological needs of hunger, we may also assume that even a superhero like Spiderman would feel the need to relieve himself against a wall, in discrete when the world is sleeping. The best of the lot has to be the BDSM moment of Wonder Woman, in which she is ready to whip her bunny to moans and squeals of ecstasy.
Basic needs of hunger, thirst, elimination and sex would continue to haunt superheroes even if they are ‘above us all’. This perhaps is what the artist is trying to say, and that even in real life people who are expected to be perfect can’t really be so. Idealized images of heroes and superheroes have been the norm of popular culture, while reality screams back at our faces that such idealism can only exist in our fantasy.
If heroes and superheroes do exist, they would be people like us who have the same needs and presses. They would be just as vulnerable to embarrassing moments as we are. The next time you think a superhero can be invincible, do think about artists like Ian Pool who subtly and humorously remind you that in real life superheroes and heroes are just like each one of us. Maybe Mr. Pool is taking a dig at the way people venerate and worship celebrity icons, and when they do things that are not expected of them, they are easily dismissed by the same fans who once worshipped them. You could also take a look at Aging Superheroes and 11 Hot fantasy Heroines, which we had written about sometime back.
