BFM :: When We Last Left Our Heroes

What is the superhero if not the loftiest aspirations of humanity, as expressed through a powerful and resonant medium, and made accessible to the masses? The superhero. Clever. Brave. Powerful. Never giving up. Never letting anyone down. Standing up for the weak and the disenfranchised. Fiercely loyal. The superhero is the greatness of which we all know we’re capable...

What is the superhero if not the loftiest aspirations of humanity, as expressed through a powerful and resonant medium, and made accessible to the masses? The superhero. Clever. Brave. Powerful. Never giving up. Never letting anyone down. Standing up for the weak and the disenfranchised. Fiercely loyal. The superhero is the greatness of which we all know we’re capable...

Omega the Unknown was a comic book series you’ve probably never heard of. It focussed on the daily life of James-Michael Starling, an abnormally mature 12-year-old orphan, and the deeds of Omega-Man, a mysterious mute superhero, who only intervenes to protect James-Michael when he is threatened by killer robots. It was obscure. It was inaccessible.  It was misunderstood. It was cancelled after just 10 issues...

Omega the Unknown was a comic book series you’ve probably never heard of. It focussed on the daily life of James-Michael Starling, an abnormally mature 12-year-old orphan, and the deeds of Omega-Man, a mysterious mute superhero, who only intervenes to protect James-Michael when he is threatened by killer robots. It was obscure. It was inaccessible.  It was misunderstood. It was cancelled after just 10 issues...

The pop-culture panic is a rather commonplace occurrence. Throughout history, adults have attributed undesirable changes in youth behaviour to some aspect of popular culture. Gilded age critics attacked the dime novel for its sensationalism, violence, and appeal to instant gratification. Video games will lead to deviance and delinquency. Pinball machines and gambling. Movies and violence. Music and religious apostasy. The comic book too was no stranger to controversy...

The pop-culture panic is a rather commonplace occurrence. Throughout history, adults have attributed undesirable changes in youth behaviour to some aspect of popular culture. Gilded age critics attacked the dime novel for its sensationalism, violence, and appeal to instant gratification. Video games will lead to deviance and delinquency. Pinball machines and gambling. Movies and violence. Music and religious apostasy. The comic book too was no stranger to controversy...

Over the last 8 weeks, this series has covered a range of ideas and stories, from the death of Superman to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Umapagan Ampikaipakan has spoken to Scott McCloud and Marc DiPaolo and Arnold T. Blumberg. He’s asked Jon Morris about all those superheroes long lost and forgotten. He’s told you the story of how Superman - with the help of Stetson Kennedy - defeated the Ku Klux Klan. He's waxed on about his man-crush on Alan Moore...

Over the last 8 weeks, this series has covered a range of ideas and stories, from the death of Superman to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Umapagan Ampikaipakan has spoken to Scott McCloud and Marc DiPaolo and Arnold T. Blumberg. He’s asked Jon Morris about all those superheroes long lost and forgotten. He’s told you the story of how Superman - with the help of Stetson Kennedy - defeated the Ku Klux Klan. He's waxed on about his man-crush on Alan Moore...

In the 1940s, The Adventures of Superman was a radio sensation. Kids across the country huddled around their sets as the Man of Steel leapt off the page and over the airwaves. Now the producers of the Superman radio show were never hesitant on tackling the issues of the day. The Superman radio show had provided astute social commentary subjects as diverse as juvenile delinquency, rising racial tensions, political corruption, and the treatment of war veterans...

In the 1940s, The Adventures of Superman was a radio sensation. Kids across the country huddled around their sets as the Man of Steel leapt off the page and over the airwaves. Now the producers of the Superman radio show were never hesitant on tackling the issues of the day. The Superman radio show had provided astute social commentary subjects as diverse as juvenile delinquency, rising racial tensions, political corruption, and the treatment of war veterans...