I admit this is sort of an odd topic to read on. It is certainly not what you might find typically discussed in a theological newsletter. But, as a dad of two young boys, I have pondered the subject on more than a few occasions, and no doubt others have as well. This being, the influence of superheroes in a Christian family. Or, to put it in the form of a question, should Christians, and their children, be introduced to the world of Marvel and DC?
I watched a lot of superhero TV shows when I was a kid. I was never a comic book guy, as that was a bit before my time, but I loved watching Spiderman and Batman on TV. Ridiculously action-packed episodes of these heroes taking out hordes of bad guys practically without breaking a sweat. It’s what all the boys at my age were into. We’d talk about them at school, pretend to be them, and I’m pretty sure all my pajamas were themed after Spiderman.
So, naturally the verdict for me as a dad would be to introduce them to my boys. I enjoyed them, why shouldn’t they? What’s the harm? They were a source of fun and entertainment for me as a child, I can only assume they’d be the same for them, right?
Now, I admit the internal conflict here as Christian father. We want our boys to be masculine in a modern and twisted age. Society tells them they should cry more and get in touch with their feminine side, and we’re looking to root out that thinking with positive examples. And superheroes (at least most of them) are pretty masculine examples. They fight evil, stand for what is good, they even rescue damsels from imminent peril.
But the big question we must consider, and especially us fathers, is are they the best examples? Well, I don’t believe they are, and here’s why.
The Illusion Problem
One of the biggest issues with the influence of superheroes in the lives of our boys is the illusion factor.
Superheroes are not real, they are fake. They are fictional tales about make-believe characters. But more than that, what they do and what they accomplish are completely unreal and outrageous. Who they are cannot be copied or reproduced. Being able to fly around the world or punch through a wall may sound pretty cool, but those are often their most desirable characteristics. Their lives and decisions may provide the odd nugget of virtue here and there, but they are still a total mirage.
Now, you might ask, “Well what about characters like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, or even the children from the Narnia series? They’re fictional, and we expose our kids to them. What’s the difference?” This is a great question, because I do believe there is a difference. Though the above characters may be engulfed by a world that is fictional and even participate in some fanciful things, they are not categorically unrepeatable as examples. The entirety of what a superhero does is outlandish make-believe, whereas characters like these are not necessarily engaged in, experiencing, or making decisions that our children would never experience. In fact, much of what they do or achieve in these stories can be similarly sought after, with a little bit of contextualization. There is a whole lot more life-long substance to be offered here than in a superhuman who dresses up to fight crime.
I’ll put it this way, when we expose our children to the world of Marvel and DC, we are giving them heroes that are wholly imaginary. You might even say outright silly. But what I think is especially significant, is that not only are we giving them imaginary examples to look up to, we are teaching them to live in a dream world. A phony reality. Instead of a hero little Johnny can properly emulate and strive to be, he is taught that it is better to just dream about being a vigilante with spider DNA who doesn’t even exist.
This is the same principle that has made video games (and even pornography) the financial empire that they are today. They’re a dream world, an alternate reality, even a very masculine alternate reality. Men waste away their lives as their pixelated alter-ego, doing the things they dream to do and being the man they dream to be. I bet you didn’t know that the average gamer today is 40 years old. It just goes to show how consuming this all can be.
This is because, like superheroes, this virtual world taps into our God-given desire to conquer and exercise dominion. Men want to fight, build, create, and advance good, most of which are the predominant themes in Call of Duty. Only, instead of truly exercising dominion, one is 36, unmarried, and living in their parents’ basement.
All that to say, I think superheroes can instill a kind of illusion mindset into our children, a mindset that we at least have to begin to discern carefully. Marvel teaches our kids not to strive for true strength and virtue in life, but to settle for the dream of them instead.
The Idolatry Problem
My second issue with the example of superheroes is the problem of idolatry. And this goes hand in hand with what I’ve just said just prior.
All of us struggle with idolatry. It was John Calvin who said, “The human heart is a factory of idols.” In sin, we are inclined to look to something or someone to worship. Instead of running to God, the only worthy party, we go to other objects that suit our fancy and we believe to be superior (Rom 2:21–23). This is mankind’s malady, and certainly the malady within the hearts of little boys. At a young age they are particularly drawn to those things that catch their attention. If something is just incredible enough to them, it’s not hard for obsession to take over without proper guidance.
Consider then, the unique allure of superheroes. For little boys who love to compete, fight, and win (properly so), guys like Superman can practically make them go berserk. He is specifically tailored to all that makes a boy a boy: a manly character who is immensely strong and widely recognized. The only difference is that this caricature is beefed up on steroids to a completely unbelievable level. What boy could resist that kind of hero?
I remember witnessing this in the life of my 2-year-old son. All it took was a couple of episodes of the old-school Superman for him to be hooked. For months it felt like the only person he wanted to be was Superman. I even made the tragic mistake of motivating him to eat his vegetables with the hope of being strong like this superhero. I’m still feeling the fallout from that at the dinner table.
Now, there’s some clarification needed here for sure. A Christian family can be exposed to superheroes and not idolize them. This is of course true. I’m not saying it’s inherently evil to watch a Marvel movie (although it’s definitely painful). However, what I am saying is that we must be mindful of the characters that we introduce to our children and the intensified personal investment that can develop with superheroes in particular.
Another clarification: it’s also not impossible for our children to idolize a good and reasonable hero. George Whitefield for example, a great man of the faith, can also be idolized without proper care. For that matter, so can anyone: a friend, a father, or a pastor. But this is often an issue that can be exacerbated, or properly managed depending on who they are exposed to. Batman is a hyperbolized masculine fantasy and Whitefield was a real man, with real sin, who preached Christ with power.
I believe the introduction of superheroes in the lives of our boys will naturally come with an increased opportunity for idolatry. If we decide to go this route, we must be aware of the pitfalls and navigate their exposure with great care and moderation. Of course, you could save yourself the hassle and avoid them altogether.
An Alternative
Let me suggest an even better option: exposing our children early to real heroes. Those men and women who accomplished great things for God, and even gave their lives for him. There is no shortage of stories we can share with our kids that provide tangible examples to look up. These will foster their desire for true heroics: the service of King Jesus, as opposed to a counterfeit.
If you haven’t watched the Torchlighters series, you can do so here. These are a compilation of episodes accurately depicting the stories of missionaries and martyrs in cartoon form. You can also check out various book series such as Christian Heroes Then and Now and The Trailblazers. These are excellent resources for family worship or even just regular story time.
And if you’re interested in fantasy, there’s always The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. They’re fictional of course, but their characters are far more relatable than superheroes and provide positive examples and principles that can be patterned.
– Alex Russell