I switched my laptop on and started collecting thoughts. The first thing that came to my head is to replace my Facebook's cover photo to showcase my friends... uhrm, yes that what I call them... my superfriends. I downloaded individual pictures of them and piled them up in one 850x315 photo and uploaded to my Facebook wall right away. I liked the result.
Memories of my childhood suddenly came rushing to my head. I remember the DC and Marvel comics that I collected when I was a kid. I buy the ones I only liked - Aquaman, Batgirl, Batman, Captain America, Catwoman, Daredevil, Elektra, Flash Gordon, the Flash, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, Hawkeye, Hulk, Invisible Woman of Fantastic Four, Ironman, Robin, Spiderman, Storm, Superman, Thor, Wolverine and Wonder Woman. The problem is, I don't read them. I mentioned "collection," not reading materials. Once I have these newly-bought comics in my hand, wrapped securely in their plastic covers, I put them in a box I called my "sanctuary." I just look at the covers, letting myself drowned in awe on the strength and powers of each superhero, dreaming to be one of them... or one like them.
Since I got attached to superheroes, Superman's letter "S" got branded in my chest 'til I grew old. I am him. He is me. Of all the superheroes created, his powers are the most invincible and indestructible. On the other hand, I wanted me, a superhero, who was born and raised on earth. Not elsewhere. My personal favorite then was Robin. He was, to me, the most good-looking of all superheroes. My opinion is that the world's crime-buster shouldn't be just powerful and highly-skilled, he should also be handsome. But Robin is just a Boy Wonder in the comics, that's it. A sidekick, a second-rate hero, just Batman's shadow. I then preferred Green Lantern. Among my comics collection, his covers are always glowing. Along with Arrow, their covers are stand-out because of the shiny, neon green that emanates from the glossy paper enhanced by the light that strikes within the plastic covers that wrapped it. But my comics confuse me. I think Green Lantern has multiple personalities. In one of the covers he was Alan Scott, but he was Hal Jordan in another and he was Kyle Rayner in one of my newest copies. I started to dislike him. I went back to being a Superman and this time, I thought it would be so lonely to become a superhero without a girlfriend. I chose Wonder Woman as my partner in life, but I find it weird that she wouldn't want to fly with me because she has an invisible jet. This damned flying thing of hers should be given to Invisible Woman of Fantastic Four. It matches her better than Wonder Woman. But nothing in my comics has this story. So I had to live up with it...
I have to see my comics once again. I opened sanctuary in my mind and started browsing to my collections once again...
And my comics became movies...
My cousins used to have a video rental shop where I chance upon seeing a free movie after school and during weekends if my playmates are not available to play with or if the weather doesn't allow us to play outdoors. And yes, these videos being rented are not VHS tapes but, uhrm... Betamax tapes. Being a Superman fan, I saw all four movies of Clark Kent's, from Superman (1978), to Superman II (1980), to Superman III (1983), up to Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Although I preferred the handsome Robin, I was also a follower of the Batman movies, from Michael Keaton's Batman (1989), to Batman Returns (1992) up to Val Kilmer's Batman Forever (1995). Matt Salinger as Captain America (1990) wasn't a big hit in the movie houses and in my cousin's video rental shop, so it was shelved in my memory and I honestly don't remember any significant scenes to that movie. Flash Gordon was also a movie in 1980 which I remember seeing with my cousins but it wasn't as striking as the other superhero movies created to amuse children. John Wesley Shipp was the only The Flash I remember seeing in the screen in 1990. Ironically, it wasn't Flash who I remember most in the movie but Mark Hamill who played The Trickster. I hated him in this movie because I only wanted him to be just Luke Skywalker in the movies, and nothing else.
Back in the 80s, the TV programs were infested with superhero series which I always look forward to after a long wait watching the most famous newscaster Harry Gasser from RPN 9 during those times. Although there was no Wonder Woman ever made to hit the movies, I remember seeing Lynda Carter's TV series to be one of the most-sought TV programs when I was a kid alongside Lou Ferrigno's Incredible Hulk, which I remember it to be more of a horror program not to be seen by kids. I also remember watching the reruns of Captain America in the afternoons, usually after Flying House and Superbook, as played by Reb Brown. Though I didn't like Captain America personally when I was a kid, he was one of the superheroes I liked to draw because his costume was like the star-spangled banner wrapped in the man's skins and its colors are very vibrant.
More and more superhero movies sprouted in the big screen in the 90s and 2000s. Brandon Routh took over the red cape of Superman. George Clooney and Christian Bale both wore the rubber suits in the batcave. Alicia Silverstone and Chris O'Donnell popularized Batgirl and Robin, respectively, during their times. All X-Men movies were big hit, with perfect casting that stars Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden and Anna Paquin, among others, who have all immortalized the characters. Newer Avengers evolved who gave justice to their characterizations of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as played by Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America, Robert Downey, Jr. as Iron Man, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Scarlet Johansson as Black Widow, and Mark Ruffalo as Hulk who was acclaimed to be the better portrayal compared to Eric Bana and Edward Norton who played the character earlier. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield both wore the webbed unitard costume of Spider-Man. Ryan Reynolds seemed to be the most-liked superhero by the movie producers appearing as in multiple characterizations of superheroes like Green Lantern, Hannibal King, Deadpool of the X-Men and was also rumored to be remaking the newest The Flash. Catwoman was played by three beautiful models who had the best catwalks in their catsuits - Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry and Anne Hathaway. Daredevil and Elektra were played by Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, respectively.
And of course, from the long list of superheroes, Superman will again be revived and the red cape will once again be worn by Henry Cavill.
Behold... the superheroes of the world...
