Should super heroes still care about protecting the people who hate them?

[passenger]

I am sure all here agree that superheroing is mostly a thankless job.But since the Civil War it became quite worse for any metahuman who chose to use his/her powers to protect the public,regardless their stance towards the SHRA.

We had the Stamford tragedy,where everyone jumped on the "crucify Speedball" bandwagon,while virtually no mention was given to the actual mass murderer,Nitro.We also had Human Torch beaten to a coma by the same people he was protecting for years.And now,in the wake of SI,we have the public cheering at a known psychotic criminal and his "Avengers".

During the Civil War and the aftermath,we had the pro-reg side,the anti-reg side and those who decided it wasn't worth it to be superheroes anymore and they retired (Firestar) or left the country (Sepulchre and the Thing,although Ben would not stay away from his family for long).

With the Dark Reign era beginning,it seems more and more pointless for many heroes to continue risking their lives for a society that finds excuses to hunt them down.I can see the heroes unite to oppose Osborn until he eventually implodes,but what happens afterwards?

What the public seems to happily ignore in the MU,is that superheroes are NOT obliged to use their abilities to protect anyone,and that all they have to do is hang their colourful tights and move on with their lives,unless they suffer by the dreaded Peter Parker Syndrome.And while the public is right to want to be able to trust superheroes,they should realise that said trust is a two-way street.

Firestar's reaction in CW Frontline made perfect sense to me.And in light of recent events,why should ,for example,Luke Cage,risk his life and his family's life to protect people who will jail them all at 1st chance?At least the American Eagle is shown to have his community's support,as does Daredevil (or so I've gathered about DD).Many other superheroes do not seem to have any.

The first answer to the above that I can think of is "Because that is what heroes do" and in the old days that would be enough.But in the current,more realistic MU,the answer cannot be that simple anymore.I,for one,would like to see some of the heroes take a step back and ask themselves why they still do what they do (kind of like when Nightcrawler nearly quit the X-Men,back in Uncanny X-Men#188).

[Stantheman23]

I always would have liked it if a superhero didn't do there job, so the world would appreciate them more.

[Exo]

And if Spiderman turned his back on a guy being mugged (or worse), people would hate him for that too.

[passenger]

And if Spiderman turned his back on a guy being mugged (or worse), people would hate him for that too.

Leaving aside the fact that people will hate him no matter what he does,why should anyone blame Spiderman for a crime being commited while he is nearby in his civilian identity (pre unmasking) and chooses not to interfere?If Peter Parker goes out of his way and stops a running thief (as seen in a past issue)no one is going to arrest him for it.But if the Shocker robs a bank,Peter Parker is not obliged to switch to his Spidey alter ego to stop him...and end up being hunted by the police while Shocker runs away with the money cackling.

[Ex_]

I am sure all here agree that superheroing is mostly a thankless job.But since the Civil War it became quite worse for any metahuman who chose to use his/her powers to protect the public,regardless their stance towards the SHRA.

We had the Stamford tragedy,where everyone jumped on the "crucify Speedball" bandwagon,while virtually no mention was given to the actual mass murderer,Nitro.We also had Human Torch beaten to a coma by the same people he was protecting for years.And now,in the wake of SI,we have the public cheering at a known psychotic criminal and his "Avengers".

During the Civil War and the aftermath,we had the pro-reg side,the anti-reg side and those who decided it wasn't worth it to be superheroes anymore and they retired (Firestar) or left the country (Sepulchre and the Thing,although Ben would not stay away from his family for long).

With the Dark Reign era beginning,it seems more and more pointless for many heroes to continue risking their lives for a society that finds excuses to hunt them down.I can see the heroes unite to oppose Osborn until he eventually implodes,but what happens afterwards?

What the public seems to happily ignore in the MU,is that superheroes are NOT obliged to use their abilities to protect anyone,and that all they have to do is hang their colourful tights and move on with their lives,unless they suffer by the dreaded Peter Parker Syndrome.And while the public is right to want to be able to trust superheroes,they should realise that said trust is a two-way street.

Firestar's reaction in CW Frontline made perfect sense to me.And in light of recent events,why should ,for example,Luke Cage,risk his life and his family's life to protect people who will jail them all at 1st chance?At least the American Eagle is shown to have his community's support,as does Daredevil (or so I've gathered about DD).Many other superheroes do not seem to have any.

The first answer to the above that I can think of is "Because that is what heroes do" and in the old days that would be enough.But in the current,more realistic MU,the answer cannot be that simple anymore.I,for one,would like to see some of the heroes take a step back and ask themselves why they still do what they do (kind of like when Nightcrawler nearly quit the X-Men,back in Uncanny X-Men#188).

If they stop caring, then they won't be heroes. For the most part, no heroes are actually getting out there and heroing to be loved--they're doing it because they have the power, because they have the training, they can help--so they want to help. If they stopped because the people didn't care about them, that would make them less of a hero, in my opinion.

(Unless they had to stop for the good of their family or something, if Luke Cage made that decision)

It all goes back to the fact that they're NOT doing it to be loved. They're doing it to save lives. We'll see what heroes can stomach the public discontent that the Dark Reign will surely bring to them.

[passenger]

If they stop caring, then they won't be heroes. For the most part, no heroes are actually getting out there and heroing to be loved--they're doing it because they have the power, because they have the training, they can help--so they want to help. If they stopped because the people didn't care about them, that would make them less of a hero, in my opinion.

(Unless they had to stop for the good of their family or something, if Luke Cage made that decision)

It all goes back to the fact that they're NOT doing it to be loved. They're doing it to save lives. We'll see what heroes can stomach the public discontent that the Dark Reign will surely bring to them.

True,they are not superheroes because they want public adoration,but they probably do not want to be hunted down by those they try to help either.And that's exactly what Dark Reign will bring on them.Right now,the public is becoming the superheroes'worst enemy.And in many cases,the heroes' families WILL become targets,like they were in Civil War.It will be interesting to see how much pressure of this kind can the superheroes take,and now much they should take.

[passenger]

And yes,if they stop caring,they will no longer be heroes,but then again they were never obliged to be heroes in the 1st place.They followed the dictates of their conscience,and currently are largely reviled for it.

[Zacharius]

What they should do is to switch to villain side - all of them.

What happens will be Days of Future Past but this time superhumans will be in charge and ordinary humans will be enslaved forever.

[Ex_]

What they should do is to switch to villain side - all of them.

What happens will be Days of Future Past but this time superhumans will be in charge and ordinary humans will be enslaved forever.

An ideal solution, that would be.

[Calybos]

I think it's too simple to say "They're doing it to save lives." If that were true, they'd be in the Middle East, stopping wars, or Africa, feeding the hungry.

What they're doing is serving their society by upholding justice and saving innocents.

With heroism now outlawed, I could see plenty of principles heroes deciding that the society they once served no longer deserves their service, and hanging it up. I can also see others continue to fight crime and save lives, even while recognizing that there is no greater social good any more, simply because their own personal principles drive them to do so.

Either one is a reasonable position for a Marvel superhero to take, and I'd respect that.

[Calybos]

Grrr.... double post again.

[RolandJP]

I think it adds a bit of realism to comics. Cops are often hated, even the good ones.

Protecting the masses is a thankless job.

ad hoc criticism is the new black.