Do you know what today is? It’s National Superhero Day! Ok…I just found out last week from an article on Google that read this is an actual day. Who would have thought? Apparently, it has been an annual holiday for years. But, I’m excited because I am a huge superhero fan! Live action, comic book, animated, video games, etc. I’ve been apart of the fandom since knee high! In honor of the day I am currently at work wearing my Black Panther shirt with black Puma sneakers.
DC, Milestone, Marvel, Image, and other comic books franchises, I support them. My earliest memory of watching a superhero on TV was probably Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman that aired Sunday nights on ABC. Then, I was a FOX Kid dedicating hours of my life after school to its lineup of shows such as Batman: The Animated Series, Spiderman, X-Men (I can hear its theme song in my head as I type this), Power Rangers, The Tick, etc. I’ve read different comic books about these superheroes during their abilities to protect the innocent. I watched the Blade trilogy of the late 90s which ultimately saved Marvel and the entire live action superhero movies as a whole. And you don’t even have to ask about the Marvel Cinema Universe, I jumped on the bandwagon when it was just an online rumor.
But, what really makes the Superhero franchises so successful is not just the story, but the villain themselves bring out the best in our favor superheroes and really sell the story being told. Whether the villain is an equal match like Doomsday is to Superman, a force stronger than the mightiest heroes combined like Thanos is to The Avengers, a motivational speaker with an evil mind like The Joker is to Batman, a jealous citizen fighting to overtake the throne like M’Baku is to Black Panther, or superheroes fighting each other like Captain America versus Ironman, the villain adds an extra layer of importance that the superhero must overcome.
Even though this is National Superhero Day, and the day pertains to fictional superheroes with superhuman strength and abilities, or a man/woman who uses SciFi technological suit that enhances his/her abilities to have a fighting chance, we have everyday superheroes who are doing extraordinary things in our real world. The Covid Pandemic, supervillain, has wreaked havoc on our lives for over two years now. Businesses have been destroyed or altered to combat lower wages. Employees watched their income reduced as their jobs have tried to weather the pandemic. With little to no preparation, these same people had to find different means of income just to survive our newly adopted pandemic world. Our schools had to turn to e-learning forcing struggling parents to make tough financial decisions so their children can learn. As we battled with stay-at-home orders and rising then falling then rising again cases on the daily in addition to several variants, we have also battled with increased cases of anxiety and depression from being forced to stay home amongst ourselves. All of this does not include the people who died at the hands of Covid-19 or still has long-standing effects from contracting the virus.
Yet, a team of superheroes worked around the clock taking on a villain they had no prior preparation for. Risking their lives daily they put on their mask, gloves, face shields and uniforms fighting this disease on the frontlines because it has become their duty. Spending time away from their own families for their safety and well-being, these heroes put their superpowers to the ultimate test while suffering mentally. Sometimes successful, but also witnessing lives lost to this virus, our superheroes did whatever they could to put an end to the pandemic urging others to stay vigilant and do their part to help slow the spread. Although these heroes got help with limited resources and increased patient numbers, they wore their capes knowing they are the team this world needs. Some of our superheroes died trying to save others at the hands of the very same virus while the remaining are still working saving lives or hung their capes for good due to the anxiety developed during the fight.
If you don’t know who these superheroes are by now I am talking about the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who risked their lives everyday to cure patients of the Coronavirus. Also, the same healthcare professionals who were forced into working Covid units due to a severe shortage and high volume of patients who really needed saviors. I am talking about the fellow healthcare professionals who had to treat other illnesses and deliver newborns during the pandemic with limited resources and help. The scientist who focused on finding a cure for the coronavirus through vaccination, but kept urging the general public to practice social distancing while they worked on a cure. The teachers who were teaching in-person one week and through e-learning the next while still being subjected to lower salaries and little to no funding for a proper education. The daycare workers who put in extra hours to sanitize their rooms hoping the children they watch don’t become a superspreader. The parents who made sacrifices to their livelihood to meet the demands of parenting during a pandemic. The new parents who missed out on traditional baby showers while giving birth to a baby without the presence of family members. The janitors who worked long hours sanitizing every corner of buildings so workers can feel safe at work. The grocery store employees who encountered people everyday not knowing if they have been exposed to Covid, but kept working to ensure the citizens have food to buy. The essential workers who may not have fought the coronavirus directly, but had to show up to work everyday because work from home was not an option for them.
There are plenty of other superheroes I did not mention, but just know we have everyday superheroes who risked their lives during the pandemic to keep the world we live in going. They walk among us everyday and each have the battle scars to prove it.
Happy Superhero Day 2022
The Book of Think Pieces 