WK7 Material culture: The Hollywood Sign

 Living in the harsh reality of the modern era, we all need some kind of hope, which can be found in superhero stories that comfort us by providing an example of an individual who faces terrible enemies and various difficulties but still manages to win in the end, thus encouraging us to face the problems of our lives with faith - both in ourselves and positive outcome.

However, the hero of the story needs to fulfill certain requirements in order for us to be able to relate to him. Traditional, perfect, mainstream superheroes like Superman, that are sinless and do not act immorally in any situation, seem to have lost their former glory. Nowadays, the audience tends to adore heroes similar to Batman that have many flaws, make a great number of errors, and do not stick to some general moral code.

Numerous examples of edgy heroes can be found in popular culture, but Deadpool and Venom are two characters from the Marvel universe whose popularity is particularly interesting. Deadpool, for instance, is pretty appealing in spite of his unethical behavior. The reasons behind this phenomenon are simple to comprehend because he is imperfect like all human beings are, he suffers like the rest of us and deals with his terrible destiny with curse words, depression, and sarcasm as millions of people around the world do. Thereby, it is much easier to identify with a man who has experienced a serious disease and the loss of a loved one than with flawless superheroes for whom everything goes extraordinary well. Unlike Deadpool, Venom is not an ordinary man with a bad life, but a creature from another planet. Nevertheless, he is still more likable than previously mentioned impeccable heroes due to his relatable background story. Being an outcast where he comes from and a sort of a loser, this flesh-eating monster with a great sense of humor managed to gain the audience's trust and make them understand him. 

All in all, it is not virtue that sells the superhero stories anymore, but peccability that mirrors common people.