Here there be Spoilers, so many, many spoilers.

As the title of this essay would suggest I am fascinated by the philosophy that backs certain superheroes. Many heroes come to exemplify the Ubermenschi ‘of Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathursta.ii A seemingly obvious example would be Superman ( He even shares the same name) but this would actually be a misunderstanding of what Nietzsche had in mind. The Ubermensch is called for in direct retaliation to the rise of organised religion globally. As Nietzsche saw it, religion was the means by which those who were weak could rise above their stronger counterparts and enslave them with ideology dedicated to a higher power. The concept is helpfully illustrated by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey in their series Action Philosophersiii (An irreverent summation of philosophical thought from the very beginning in comic form):

It is enslavement through equality, generally reinforced by mantras like”all men are created equal”, as seen in the American Constitution. This is something Nietzsche refused to believe, again best summed up by the creators of Action Philosophers

”Equality is a human created concept, bogus and ultimately corrupting”

If equality is in fact a corrupting influence on society i.e. it allows those who are unworthy to rise to power and stay there, then superheroes or indeed any super powered individual may be seen as a beacon of hope in Nietzsche philosophy. They are inherently better than their fellow man and so above the pitfalls of equality. Religion is struck a blow by their very existence. This is focused on in DC’s Kingdom Comeiv:

We can see from Normans McKay’s (the narrator) words that the average man is left baffled by the powerhouses and superhumans around them. The strong have survived in the purest Darwinian sense. Using the above definiton it would be easy to twist the Ubermensch concept as a justification for fascism. This has been done before as much of Nietzsche’s workr was misappropriated as a basis for Hitler’s Aryan race.v What those taking this view fail to acknowledge is that Nietzsche sees the potential to be an Ubermensch in every human being, there are no chosen, only those strong enough with ”the will to power”; Human drive and ambition giving strength and power. In order to control their desire man must gain mastery of itself. This is an individuals duty in the face of existential uncertainty:

”I teach you the Uberman. Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him? … The time has come for man to set himself a goal. The time has come to plant the seed to his highest hope.”vi

Those that strive towards their potential become the Ubermensch through mastery of their desires, they can stare into the face of existence without having to worry about a higher power to guard them. The superhero is a paragon of this less fascist interpretation.

The world of Comics is filled with heroes that have no power and yet through strength of will and determination manage to become some of the strongest men of their respective universes. Bruce Wayne/ Batman and Tony Stark/ Iron Man are two near perfect examples of this. Bruce Wayne may be Nietzsche’s ideal Ubermensch. He is a man who through constant learning, practice and focus conquers even the mightiest of foes. No matter how many times he comes up against a Goliath, his planning and near impossible preparation allow him to prevail. He generally relies on nothing but his own mind and body. He is the Ubermensch personified. These non powered individuals are often greater examples of Nietzsche’s concept as they have no advantages to begin with, they are self made men and women. So far it would seem that superheroes embody a rather positive Nietzschean ideal.

Whilst it is wonderful to think of a world filled with those capable of seizing potential thus mastering themselves, transcending base morality and other such shackles in the process, even Nietzsche realised that not everyone can become the Ubermensch. It is the difficulty in achieving absolute certainty that makes the Ubermensch a worthy pursuit. The task is not for everyone, as noted by it’s philosopher:

”He who cannot command himself should obey. And many can command themselves, but much is still lacking before they can obey themselves.”vii

Which is a fancy way of saying if you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen. But what happens to those that ‘cannot command‘ themselves? Those would be the average man and woman. So what is left for the average in a world without limits? Lets assume for a moment that you are an average man.viii

How does your day go by? Lets take a quick run through:

You wake up.

You eat breakfast.

You commute to work.

You have lunch with Tom and Frank from the office.

You take menial crap from your boss.

You clock out.

You make a deposit at the bank.

You greet your significant other.

You go to bed and look forward to Friday.

Average, boring but secure, right? The description above is tedious to the point of painful, not to mention a remarkably biased definition of an average working day. It fails to factor in the weekend or the true diversity of the global workforce. It does however provide a reasonably accurate schedule of the modern western workday.

Now I’d like you to add superheroes to the equation. That word, Superheroes, in this context is an umbrella term for significantly large and diverse number of unpredictable factions; Meta-humans, mutants, super-genii, sorcerers, genetically enhanced soldiers and insane nemesis. Within this microcosm there is as much evil as good. This is merely the terrestrial list. There is another host of Aliens, demigods and celestial influences.

With these new variables in mind I’d like you to run through your “average day” again:

You wake up. Only this you have to check the news to make sure it’s safe to travel to work.

You eat breakfast, wondering if some powerhouse will come crashing through your office block.

You commute to work. Or you would have if a section of the rail line hadn’t been damaged in another superhuman skirmish.

You have lunch with Tom and Frank from the office. Except all you can talk about is whether or not the particular company you work for is ethically sound (Waynetech/Stark Industries) or the exact opposite (Lexcorp/ Oscorp)

You take menial crap from your boss, actually its not menial as he is trying to make sense of an economy that is in a constant state of flux, caused largely by the constant industrial espionage and villainous plots that make stability a pipe dream, as well as a city that is constantly being rebuilt.

You clock out, thinking how lucky you are that some powerhouse didn’t come crashing through your office block.

You make a deposit at the bank, unfortunately it gets held up by a team of super powered goons.

You greet your significant other, who is distraught as one of her relatives has died in some superhero event as collateral damage in some neighbouring city.

You go to bed and look forward to Friday (if you make it that far).

When superheroes are added to the equation your regular life becomes the stuff of nightmare. Your existence would be filled with constant, fear and dread. The standard psychological definition of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is:

”Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur following the experience or witnessing of life-threatening events such as military combat, natural disasters, terrorist incidents, serious accidents, or violent personal assaults like rape. People who suffer from PTSD often relive the experience through nightmares and flashbacks, have difficulty sleeping, and feel detached or estranged, and these symptoms can be severe enough and last long enough to significantly impair the person’s daily life.”ix

This is significant within comics, it means that a large amount of people living within urban area’s (the most common battleground for superheroes) would suffer from PTSD and therefore cease to function successfully as productive human beings in their respective societies.

It is easy to dismiss the above theory as unrealistic and facetious simply due to the fact that comic books and their related media call for a suspension of disbelief. They are modern myths created more for our entertainment than anything else. This being said the functions of myth and story are to teach lessons and raise questions. It is no different with modern ones. Superheroes and comics can be used as case studies and testing grounds for certain theories and thought experiments. In other words they suit analysis and comparison very well. There are a multitude of psychological complexes that come with being identified as a God of sorts. Certain comics have investigated with the ramifications of unchecked hero culture.

Garth Ennis’ The Boysx takes a facetious look at what a world teeming with superheroes would be like. It’s a world filled with PR teams, sinister corporations, superhero orgies and an utter disregard by those with power for those without it. The Boys themselves are a CIA sanctioned team that is brought in when the narcissistic, psychotic heroes outlined above step out of line. Much of the comic is humorous. What is serious are the violence and propaganda of the world that Ennis has created. The celebrity heroes are worshiped like new gods, allowed to do whatever to whomever they please, unless the corporation that controls them, Vought-American, steps in. The main protagonist Wee Hughie is brought into the Boys when his girlfriend Robin is crushed by a flung super villain.

There is structure to this world but it is corrupt, the government is constantly infiltrated by the valiant corporation and made to the run the U.S. as a kind of corporate paradise. All the while the average human is utterly clueless.

As I said the world of The Boys has levity and ultra-violence but is very much a parody with a point. For a more in depth look at such scenarios aforementioned comic by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, Kingdom Come, would be better. The comic itself is set in the the DC Universe, albeit an alternate one. A cataclysm has taken place and Superman has left society in self-imposed exile after the death of Lois Lane at the hands of the Joker and his own failure to execute him. In his absence the hero culture of his world has rapidly out of control with a younger generation, one without role models and therefore guidance, coming to the fore. Batman has turned Gotham into a police state, using swift and brutal automatons to dispense justice. The strange thing is that Gotham is a haven compared to the rest of America. Batman’s sudden adoption of totalitarian tactics falls further in line with Nietzschean thinking. He has forgone morality in favour of the greater good. The Flash of this comic undergoes a similar transcendence, forgoing any kind of relaxation or time off in favour of constantly patrolling his city for his lifespan as a living blur. Again the greater good comes first. Superman’s failure to transcend morality i.e. not killing the joker, could be viewed as the source of his problems.

The skirmishes that plague the cities are a near daily occurrence. There is even a Superhero prison in operation. These new heroes still pick sides of good and evil but do so with utter disregard for anyone without powers. The smiles on their faces in the midst of the screaming civilians is evidence of this:

Eventually superman returns to bring order but is opposed by Batman, in a pre- Civil Warxi of sorts.

There are many examples of heroes gone wrong narratives emerging in recent years, Incorruptible, Daredevil: Shadowland, Invincible, Ultimatum, Identity Crisis, Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis. You get the picture I’m sure. Each one leaves a trail of destruction in it’s wake. Cities are torn apart and body counts rise to staggering numbers. This is run of the mill for comics themselves but their cinematic counterparts take it to a whole new level.

2013’s Man of Steel is one such example in which General Zod and Superman’s final battle erases most of Metropolis from the map. This was a point made very clear by fan boys and redditors, but it is a fair point none the less. The devastation left in the pairs wake really does topple the majority of the city.

Of course they would just rebuild surely? That’s the problem there’s nothing left to rebuild, by the time the rescue effort was completed at considerable cost there would be nothing left to build upon. The city would literally have to start again, which is completely impossible.

This scenario, in which the Ubermensch actions cost the average man everything is one we see repeatedly, most recently in Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. The Hulk (perhaps the greatest example of the average man mastering his potential) is provoked in South Africa and naturally begins to decimate Johannesburg. The police and armed forces of Johannesburg attempt to tackle the issue, but as they are only average men they fail. Another Ubermensch in the form of Tony Stark and his Hulkbuster suit must go head to head with the Hulk.

What ensues is a battle of epic proportions but one that leaves much of the city in ruin.

This incident in Avengers 2 is not the only example of the Ubermencsh causing havoc. It could be argued that the entire plot of the film is a chess match between mastered men. The film opens with the Avengers at their absolute peak, they move through a crowd of Hydra enemies with ease eliminating all in the path. The average man is useless in the fast of their advance, until Wanda and Pietro Maximoff enter the fray. They are called ‘ enhanced’ by Captain America, a direct reference to their status as better men.xii Interestingly the Hulk can be seen as a far more disciplined beast in this opening sequence following requests and taking orders, which could be looked on as a further mastery of self, his desires are no longer his base motivation, he has transcended them. Nietzsche would approve.

Ultimately the Avengers are shown to be the ultimate form of humanity, acting as a vanguard for them. There is a flaw in their Ubermensch status however, they are heroes. This means that for the most part they are governed by morality. As previously stated much existentialist philosophy has no place in it for morality, especially Nietzsche’s:

”Morality is neither rational nor absolute nor natural. World has known many moral systems, each of which advances claims universality; all moral systems are therefore particular, serving a specific purpose for their propagators or creators, and enforcing a certain regime that disciplines human beings for social life by narrowing our perspectives and limiting our horizons.”xiii

This is Nietzche’s view, and so the Avengers are merely a propagators of Americas morality. They are limited by their aversion to change. Enter Ultron stage left.

In many ways Ultron is the ultimate version of Nietzche’s Ubermensch, despite the fact that he is not even human. He is disciplined, calculated and operates with an apocalyptic goal in mind. Most importantly however he is not bound in any way by morality, he says as much in his line ”There are no strings on me”. This ”on paper” description of the character is a perfect Ubermensch. However as it is a blockbuster film, a villain is necessary and so Ultron’s evil vindictive characterisation betrays his very own ‘enforcing of a certain regime’. He is too human and aligns himself to ignoring morality in favour of cruelty.

Naturally the clash of ”enforced regimes” between Ubermensch leaves the average man in the crossfire. This is clear at the climax of the film. The entire country of Sakovia becomes acceptable collateral damage as both regimes tackle one another. The city itself vaporised and another horde of refugees is created. There can be no reconstruction of a vaporised city. Again the economic consequences are staggering.

Marvel is one of the few comic companies to deal with this. Their recent Netflix series Daredevil sees Wilson Fisk lead a cabal of criminals that have taken advantage of the events that occurred in The Avengers. Many of them greet the news of Daredevil with apprehension seeing him as a potential problem. One of their number however, Leland Owlsley, welcomes his arrival stating something along the lines of ”every time one of their kind comes along, our profit margins go up”. There are those who literally profit off the misery caused by the Ubermensch.

The world of comics are filled with heroes that embody many concepts and beliefs. The American Way, Truth and Justice, Defense of the Weak; each is valid in it’s own way. There is a flip side though and some come to embody unintentionally darker concepts; The Ubermensch, Might Makes Right, Only the Strong Survive. Those who cannot strive to meet this new benchmark set by incredible people with incredible powers are left in the dust to pick up the pieces. What is truly tragic is, in Nietzsche own words:

”You are treading the path to your greatness: no one shall follow you here! Your passage has effaced the path behind you, and above that path stands written: Impossibility. ”xiv

Meaning that in a world without limits, only those who can master themselves may prosper, whilst everyone else is left behind lost.

Comics are definitely a Nietzschean utopia, one that is built on the fact that every man and woman seize their potential, crafting themselves into something stronger. Whether that be building a suit of armour, escaping a dying planet, wielding a magic hammer or simply fighting crime with training and dedication, each person holds the key to their fate. The problem facing the average man is that this task is long, dangerous and incredibly difficult. It requires a commitment and dedication that takes it’s too. This is something that not everyone will undertake as a result. Those who choose the latter receive a world that has moved beyond them as punishment, one that means they can only every follow in the wake of the Ubermensch.

iiNietzche, Fredrich. Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Trans. R.J. Hollingdale. Penguin Publishing; London (2007)

ivWaid, Mark & Ross, Alex. Kingdom Come. DC Comics; New York (1997)

viNietzsche, Friedrich Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Prologue, §3,

viiNietzsche, Friedrich Thus Spoke Zarathustra,

viiiI feel it is important to point out that the reason I keep saying men is more a pejorative term as in Mankind or in direct reference to the Mensch in Ubermensch. It is in no way meant to detract from the women within the text

xEnnis, Garth & Robertson, Darrick. The Boys. Titan Books; Italy (2007)

xii I feel it is important to point out that the reason I keep saying man or men is more a pejorative term as in Mankind or in direct reference to the Mensch in Ubermensch. It is in no way meant to detract from the women within the text or in comics.

xiiiNietzsche, Friedrich. Beyond Good and Evil. Trans. Marion Faber. Oxford University Press; London (2008)

xivThus Spake Zarathursta, The Wanderer.