The Deaf Spider-Man
Worthy of your attention is the short story rendition of the classic American superhero,
Spiderman as depicted in ASL by Jordan Ramser. Some of the most enthralling and highly intricate
imagery examples are expressed in ASL in the story. One describes the setting for New York City and
the other details the sequence of actions when Spiderman is chasing a speeding car and capturing
two bad guys. Admittedly, the story may be short and simple as Spiderman hands the bad guys to
police at the end, but it is the descriptive power of the setting and the events that must be appreciated
in ASL as a language. Jordan also relied on visual effects to enhance his ASL performance, which
includes shaking the camera, a close-up of Spiderman's hand as it spewed web, and the police car's
flashing lights in the background. These examples are visual enhancement features and are not part
of ASL, yet are helpful in boosting the entertainment value of Jordan's work. It is interesting that
Spiderman is supposed to be Deaf according to the story's title: The Deaf Spiderman. Yet the story
does not include anything explicit about the hero being Deaf. Jordan's work holds potential for a full
literary delivery with a more complex and longer storyline. The inclusion of various characters, a
conflict, and other literary elements and devices will help propel the ASL rendition of the Spiderman to
new heights.
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The Power of ASL
15
Summer 2019 – Issue 14