Deviancy in Comics: Why we Love Vigilantes
Fans love a good vigilante. They’re attracted to the confidence and conviction held by people who decide the law isn’t doing their job. Some of the most popular superheroes started out as vigilantes and some still are. Characters such as Spider-Man and Batman have had to deal with the harsh truth of life and have seen death firsthand. That is what drives them to fight for justice–since the law wouldn’t do anything for them, they take it into their own hands.
Peter Parker decided to become Spider-Man after receiving powers from a radioactive spider bite. He’s a smart kid and hacks into the police lines to get information on crimes being committed. Being the teenager that he is, he dons the Spider-Man suit and swings around town for the fun of it. He’s a selfish and shows his powers off because they’re cool. Peter changes his act after the tragic death of his uncle. He could have stopped it with his abilities but he didn’t. From then on Peter takes his uncle’s now famous words to heart: with great power comes great responsibility. Peter runs to the rescue whenever he can, disrupting the law and order of Manhattan. He’s seen by the police and the media as a menace to society and is constantly evading the cops after a job.
Peter is deemed a vigilante because he does his work on his own. Yes, he ties up the bad guys for the police, but he doesn’t work with them. With his powers he is able to save people on a larger scale than the police can; he can stop cars from crashing and catch people falling from buildings. He is animated and peppy and that makes his fans love him. He is controlled by his emotions at times and only follows the law when it suits him. It is very clear to any fan that Peter Parker is still very much a boy. He’s a hero limited by his age, which speaks to many of the younger fans. While the subject matter of Spider-Man storylines can be serious, Peter’s attitude and youth bring a light to situations and gives young fans someone to identify with. He becomes a role model because he’s not an adult yet and as he grows, fans can grow with them, seeing themselves in the marvelous young hero.
vigilante: a member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, typically because the legal agencies are thought to be inadequate.