A Little Late

I know I missed the deadline on this particular post but I wanted to still talk about it whether I get credit or not. I remember the days we spent discussing V for Vendetta and Sandman. A lot of interesting conversational topics were brought up. One thing I find very hard is speaking up and putting my two cents in because as a class we don't stay on one thread for very long. I do want to use this blog to say what I wanted to say in class but didn't have the opportunity to.

There were talks on why V and Sandman are considered superhero when they are conventionally not who we would turn to to be saved.

I present the following question and answer:

Why are the title characters (V and Sandman) considered superheroes?

They are both considered superheroes for different reasons. V has a lot of the same traits as the superheroes we all know and love. He has a secret identity. He wear a mask and costume to hide this identity. He has a dark past which was the main catalyst in becoming who he is now just like Batman. He doesn't have super powers per say but he is highly skilled in hand to hand combat. He's very intelligent and uses his intelligence to fashion together bombs and gadgets like that. Where he differs from Superman, Spiderman, and Batman is he "saves the day" through acts of terrorism by blowing up government buildings. He isn't set on a straight and arrow path. He believes that totalitarian government set up in England is wrong and chaos and anarchy is the way to break free. He teeters back and forth debating on his beliefs on how justice and freedom can be achieved. He believes in both like all of our favorite superheroes but he goes about them the wrong way. Sandman differs in a lot of ways. He has superhero-like powers by being the dream god. Sandman is his alter-ego with his real name being Morpheus. He too sets out for vengeance on his captors and to rebuild his kingdom. The gas mask acts his disguise.

What is the significance of the fact that DC/Vertigo comics consider V and Sandman superheroes?

I believe that they do is because it's something different to read. It's written for a much darker crowd. A demographic that is doesn't like the goodie goods of the superhero world like the ones we are used to reading about. They show us that you can still be a super hero even without powers. They show us that justice can be achieved in other ways. It's okay to be a little bad to get good as an outcome.


Also I do want to add as a side note that Chaos is not an agent of anarchy. Anarchy by definition suggests no formal government. Chaos is doing something just because. It's done without a reason. So I believe that chaos can't be used to inspire anarchy or anything for that matter. Chaos is a state of confusion or complete disorder. If creating chaos in order to achieve something then its not chaos.

JONATHON GOODRO