Although it may not seem like it, the journey of Spider-Man and Watchmen has led to a contrast that has redefined the concept of heroism in the span of 30 years
If you ask most comic book fans what Spider-Man has to do with it Guardians, you will probably get the answer: “nothing”. But that’s not quite the case: their antagonistic trajectory has everything to do with redefining the concept of heroism over the course of 30 years – and I can prove it.
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We won’t go into an in-depth discussion of what heroism is throughout the ages; the cut here is from John Romita Sr.’s Spider-Man, which became a reference for the “good guys” concept of wonder Comics between the 70s and 80s In short, naivety The golden age of comicsif the wild motivations and explanations of Silver Age gave way to the simplicity and altruism of an incorruptible protector.
If you look closely at Spider-Man’s enemies, you’ll notice that they all have a tragic backstory and accidental mutation. The big difference is that all the bad guys got corrupted, while the lessons of Uncle Ben and Aunt May kept their heads straight. Peter Parker in the place. No matter how much the Climber has to pay, the preservation of life will always be his main mission.
John Romita Sr.’s Spider-Man redefined heroism leaves aside courage, defeating villains, or a moral lesson. The message that Peter Parker conveys to this day is that only an unshakable character, extreme resilience and a richness of spirit can allow empathy up to the level of altruism. No one can take so many blows from the world and keep fighting like Amigão da Vizinhança.
Peter Parker proved that a hero can be fallible and worldly; and he can “lose” in the eyes of those who transform fear into violence. But as long as your belief is unshakable and your character is incorruptible, anyone who pursues these values can be a superhero.
And this is still true today. There was a time when Marvel insisted on making the story, behaviors and motivations of its heroes something unique, rare. But, look, today we have a Spider-Verse: anyone who carries out the mission of carrying the responsibilities of their powers on their shoulders, without becoming corrupted, can be a Spider-Man.
But… here comes Alan Moore Guardians.
Watchmen’s antagonism towards Spider-Man
You see, John Romita Sr.’s Spider-Man was published between 1977 and 1982. And in the very year that Climbing the Wall redefined heroism in Marvel Comics, DC Comics hired a promising young British writer to recast some properties acquired with the acquisition of Charlton Comics.
DC gave Alan Moore carte blanche to recreate Charlton’s characters, but they never imagined that the writer would bring such a cynical and dark perspective to the concept of heroism. For the writer, the idea of saving the world using powers that silence any prerogative of an “ordinary” human being is nothing more than a justification for the command of superbeings, or the heroism that Moore established in Guardians destroys Spider-Man’s altruistic concept.
For Moore, someone with extraordinary powers like Marvel’s super beings would never save kittens from trees or take so much away from the world. Guardians shows that the powers that superheroes have corrupt them, make them narcissistic, pretentious and too selfish.
The writer proved it if you were part of the group Guardians, I wouldn’t take so much from the world. Instead, he would rape his own teammates, unleash evil, and kill anyone who did not agree with the altruistic ideas of heroism established by Spider-Man.
In Guardians, if you gained powers, you would not save the world; instead, he robbed banks and beat up anyone who disagreed with Rorschach’s conspiracy theories. The work of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon brought a complex contrast to the definition of heroism, four years after Romita Sr. hung up his boots.
And what does this have to do with the connection between Spider-Man and Watchmen?
When Spiderman received an adaptation in 2002, featuring basic elements from the comics, Marvel reframed its concept of what heroism would be in theaters. You see, Sam Raimi’s Peter Parker maintained the characterization of John Romita Sr., as the tragic, loner character who is defeated but never corrupted.
And what happened right around the time Spider-Man updated the concept of heroism in the era of comic book adaptations for film? Yes, just two years later Spider-Man 3, Zack Snyder followed Alan Moore’s concept in his adaptation of Guardiansand deconstructed what the “good guy” Peter Parker represented, showing a group of heroes who without the slightest shame practice murder, torture, incest, rape and deliberate evil.
There is no evidence that the antagonism of Guardians against Spider-Man was planned. But it cannot be denied that the coincidence has prolonged a “struggle” that establishes conflicts over the redefinition of the concept of hero.
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Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
