super hero story essay

How To Write a Superhero Story (Ultimate Guide + Examples)

Years spent weaving tales of heroes and villains in the shadows of my imagination have taught me one thing – crafting a superhero story is an art.

Here is a flyover summary of how to write a superhero story:

Write a superhero story by starting with a unique hero’s origin, crafting a compelling villain, building a supportive cast, and setting in a dynamic world. Balance action and character growth, and weave in real-world themes for depth.

There is still much more to know to get each detail of superhero story right. Let’s go!

What Is a Superhero Story?

Table of Contents

A superhero story transcends the mere depiction of characters with extraordinary powers.

It’s a saga that interweaves the struggles and triumphs of beings who, despite their superhuman capabilities, grapple with very human emotions and dilemmas.

These narratives often reflect our deepest desires for justice, bravery, and the triumph of good over evil.

At the heart of every superhero story is the timeless battle between good and evil.

It’s a timeless motif that has captivated humanity since the dawn of storytelling.

Yet, what sets these tales apart is their ability to inspire and uplift, showcasing how individuals can rise above adversity through courage, selflessness, and the strength of their convictions.

Types of Superhero Stories

Superhero stories can be as diverse as the universe they inhabit, each offering a unique lens through which to explore the human condition and the concept of heroism.

Here are a few types that stand out:

• Origin Tales: These stories delve into the genesis of the hero’s powers and their initial steps into heroism. They’re about transformation and the acceptance of a new identity.
• Epic Battles: Centered around monumental confrontations with villains or cataclysmic events, these stories test the hero’s limits and often have high stakes for the world or universe.
• Personal Journeys: Focusing on the inner struggles and growth of the hero, these narratives explore themes of identity, morality, and the burden of power.
• Team-Ups: Stories where heroes join forces to tackle threats no single hero could face alone, emphasizing themes of friendship, sacrifice, and unity.

Each type offers a different pathway to explore the essence of heroism, providing a rich tapestry of narratives that can captivate and engage audiences in myriad ways.

7 Key Elements of a Superhero Story

Crafting a superhero story involves more than just giving characters powers.

Rather, it’s about building a world and a narrative that’s compelling and emotionally resonant.

Here are seven critical elements to include:

1. The Hero

At the core of every superhero story is the hero—someone who, despite facing adversities, stands up for what’s right. Their character development is crucial, transforming from mere mortals into symbols of hope. For instance, Peter Parker’s transformation into Spider-Man emphasizes the weight of responsibility that comes with power.

2. The Villain

No hero can exist without a villain to challenge them. A well-crafted villain isn’t just an obstacle; they’re characters with motivations and backgrounds that explain their descent into darkness. Think of Magneto from X-Men, whose tragic past and complex motives blur the lines between hero and villain.

3. The Supporting Cast

Heroes rarely operate in a vacuum. A supporting cast of friends, mentors, or even rivals adds depth to the story, providing emotional support or additional challenges for the hero. Alfred Pennyworth’s role as Bruce Wayne’s confidant in Batman is a prime example.

4. The Setting

Whether it’s a bustling metropolis like Metropolis or a fictional universe, the setting plays a pivotal role in shaping the story. It’s not just a backdrop but an integral part of the narrative that influences the plot and the characters’ actions.

5. The Powers

Superpowers are a hallmark of superhero stories, but it’s the limitations and costs associated with these powers that make the narrative interesting. Superman’s vulnerability to Kryptonite adds a layer of suspense and vulnerability to his character.

6. The Conflict

Conflict is the engine of any story, driving the plot forward and forcing characters to grow. In superhero stories, this often takes the form of physical battles, moral dilemmas, or personal struggles, such as Tony Stark’s battle with his own demons in Iron Man.

7. The Theme

Themes in superhero stories often delve into larger societal issues, ethics, and the nature of power and responsibility. They encourage readers to reflect on their own moral compass and the impact of their actions on the world around them.

By weaving these elements together, you can create a superhero story that’s not only thrilling but also deeply meaningful and reflective of larger human truths.

Superhero Story Template

Creating a superhero story can be daunting, so here’s a basic template to help structure your narrative:

• Introduction: Establish the setting, introduce the protagonist in their ordinary world, and hint at their potential or upcoming change.
• Inciting Incident: Present the event that changes the protagonist’s world, thrusting them into a new reality or revealing their powers.
• Rising Action: Detail the hero’s first encounters with the villain, initial challenges, and the building of their team or acquiring of mentors.
• Climax: The hero faces off against the main antagonist in a battle that tests their limits and resolves the central conflict.
• Falling Action: Show the aftermath of the climax, how the hero and the world have changed, and tie up loose ends.
• Conclusion: Offer a glimpse into the hero’s new life, how they’ve grown, and set up potential future adventures.

You can consider this your Superhero Saga Scaffold, the foundation from which to erect your literary super-masterpiece.

13 Steps to Writing a Superhero Story that Readers Love

Now let’s break down the superhero story template (see above) into 13 specific and practical steps.

1. Genesis Spark

Before our hero can soar, they need a beginning—this is the Genesis Spark

It’s where we set the stage, introducing the world and the ordinary life of our protagonist. Here, the reader gets a glimpse of the status quo before everything changes.

This stage is crucial for establishing empathy and relatability.

Think of it as the calm before the storm, a snapshot of normalcy that’s about to be upended.

Whether it’s a bullied student, a disenchanted worker, or a restless noble, their current life sets the foundation for the transformative journey ahead.

2. Catalyst Comet

The Catalyst Comet is the moment that irrevocably changes the protagonist’s life, launching them onto their path of heroism.

It could be a freak accident, a hidden legacy revealed, or a deliberate choice in the face of crisis.

This step is about the inciting incident that endows them with powers, or makes the hero take up the mantle for justice.

It’s a dramatic, often unexpected event that thrusts the protagonist into a new, unfamiliar world.

The Catalyst Comet should be compelling and unique, leaving both the hero and the reader no choice but to plunge headfirst into the adventure.

3. Awakening Arc

In the Awakening Arc, our hero begins to understand and explore their new abilities or role.

This is a phase of trial and error, self-discovery, and often, secrecy.

It’s not just about mastering their powers but also about grappling with what it means to be a hero. This step is characterized by a mix of exhilaration and fear, as the protagonist navigates their dual life.

The Awakening Arc lays the foundation for the hero’s journey, highlighting their initial successes and failures.

It’s a personal journey that often involves mentorship, where the hero learns the limits and possibilities of their new existence.

4. Shadow’s Descent

Every hero needs a nemesis, and in the Shadow’s Descent, we introduce the antagonist in full force.

This villain isn’t just an obstacle; they’re a reflection of the hero’s darkest fears and a challenge to their ideals.

This step explores the villain’s motivations, origins, and plans, often mirroring the hero’s journey but with a twist towards darkness.

This is where the battle lines are drawn, setting up a personal and ideological conflict that will test the hero’s resolve, morality, and commitment to their cause.

5. Alliance Assembly

No hero stands alone, and in the Alliance Assembly, the protagonist begins to build their team.

This can include mentors, sidekicks, and allies, each bringing their own skills, wisdom, and sometimes, comic relief.

This step is about finding trust and camaraderie in others, learning to work as part of a team.

The formation of this alliance is crucial for the hero’s development, offering them support, advice, and additional resources in their fight against evil.

6. Trial by Fire

Trial by Fire is the hero’s first major test, a confrontation or challenge that pushes them to their limits.

This isn’t just about physical battles; it’s a test of character, revealing the hero’s resilience, ingenuity, and spirit.

This step often culminates in a temporary setback or loss, forcing the hero to confront their vulnerabilities and doubts.

It’s a pivotal moment that starkly highlights the gap between the hero’s current abilities and what they need to achieve to overcome their adversary.

7. Heart of Darkness

In the Heart of Darkness, the hero faces their lowest point.

This is a moment of profound doubt, loss, or failure, where all seems lost, and the hero’s mission feels futile

It’s a critical juncture that tests the hero’s will, making them question their path, their allies, and even their own worth.

This dark night of the soul is crucial for adding depth to the narrative, allowing for significant character development.

It’s here that the hero must confront their inner demons, often leading to a breakthrough or revelation that reignites their resolve.

8. Phoenix’s Rise

After the harrowing journey through the Heart of Darkness, the Phoenix’s Rise marks the hero’s resurgence from defeat with newfound strength, wisdom, and determination.

This step symbolizes the hero’s rebirth; they emerge from their trials with a clearer sense of purpose and a stronger will to fight.

It’s a powerful affirmation of resilience and the indomitable spirit of heroism.

The Phoenix’s Rise is often accompanied by a pivotal moment or realization that changes the course of the battle against evil.

9. Gathering Storm

With the hero reborn and their resolve strengthened, the Gathering Storm sets the stage for the final confrontation.

Tensions escalate as the villain’s plans reach fruition, threatening the world’s safety or the hero’s loved ones.

This step involves rallying allies, strategizing, and preparing for the inevitable clash. It’s a time of anticipation, where each move and decision carries weight, and the stakes are at their highest.

10. Epic Showdown

The Epic Showdown is the climactic battle between the hero and the villain, where all the narrative threads converge in a dramatic and decisive confrontation.

This is where the hero’s skills, allies, and inner strength are put to the ultimate test.

The showdown is not just a physical battle but a clash of ideals, showcasing the hero’s growth and their commitment to their cause.

It’s a moment filled with tension, action, and high stakes, designed to keep readers on the edge of their seats.

The outcome of the Epic Showdown defines the future of the story’s world and marks a significant transformation in the hero’s journey.

11. Aftershock

Following the Epic Showdown, the Aftershock deals with the aftermath of the confrontation.

This step explores the consequences of the battle, the losses endured, and the victories achieved.

It’s a time for reflection, healing, and rebuilding, both for the hero and the world they’ve fought to protect.

The Aftershock is crucial for showcasing the impact of the hero’s journey, allowing characters to process their experiences and the reader to see the lasting changes in the story’s universe.

It provides closure to the conflict while opening avenues for future stories, highlighting the ongoing nature of the fight against evil.

12. New Equilibrium

The New Equilibrium establishes the hero’s life after their victory, showcasing how the journey has changed them and their world.

This step is about resolution and moving forward, as the hero adapts to their new role and the changes around them.

It’s an opportunity to tie up loose ends, celebrate successes, and acknowledge the sacrifices made.

The New Equilibrium reflects the hero’s evolution, their acceptance of their identity, and their readiness to face future challenges.

13. Legacy’s Echo

Finally, Legacy’s Echo looks to the future, hinting at the lasting impact of the hero’s actions and the enduring legacy they’ve created.

This step plants seeds for potential sequels or spin-offs, suggesting new adventures and challenges on the horizon.

It’s a nod to the hero’s influence on others, inspiring a new generation of heroes or foreshadowing future conflicts.

Legacy’s Echo ensures the story concludes with a sense of continuity and the promise that while one chapter ends, the saga of heroism is eternal.

How to Write a Good Superhero Story

Writing a good superhero story goes beyond the initial setup — it involves sustaining interest, developing characters, and delivering a satisfying narrative arc.

Consider these strategies when leveling up your superhero story:

Hero’s Heartbeat Method

Ensure that your hero and supporting cast undergo significant growth throughout the story. Their victories should come with personal cost and introspection, leading to a deeper understanding of themselves and their role as a hero.

Emotion-Action Balance Beam

While action scenes are vital, they should be balanced with moments of emotional depth and character interaction. These quieter moments allow for character development and thematic exploration, making the action sequences more impactful.

Mirror of Reality Technique

Grounding your story in real-world themes can add layers of complexity and relatability. Whether it’s tackling social justice issues, exploring the concept of identity, or examining the effects of power, these themes can elevate your story beyond the typical good vs. evil narrative.

Subvert Expectations

Don’t be afraid to take risks by subverting traditional superhero tropes. This could involve unconventional powers, morally gray characters, or unexpected plot twists. Keeping readers guessing can add excitement and freshness to your story.

Villain’s Virtue Blueprint

A great superhero story needs an equally great villain. Develop a villain with clear motivations, compelling backstory, and personal stakes in conflict with the hero. This creates a more engaging and dynamic narrative.

Here is a video about how to write a superhero story:

How to Start a Superhero Story

Starting a superhero story is about capturing the reader’s interest from the get-go, setting the tone for the adventure that lies ahead.

Here are some tips and examples:

Action Ignition Sequence

Begin with a scene that showcases the hero’s powers or hints at the central conflict. This immediate action grabs the reader’s attention and sets the stage for the narrative. For instance, imagine a story that opens with the hero saving a city from an impending disaster. This not only highlights their abilities but also establishes the stakes early on.

Origin Odyssey Opening

Another compelling way to start is by delving into the hero’s origin story. This approach allows readers to connect with the character on a personal level, understanding the circumstances that led them to become a superhero. A classic example is the tale of Bruce Wayne witnessing his parents’ murder, which lays the foundational motivation for becoming Batman.

Slice of Life Lens

Sometimes, starting with a slice of life moment before the hero discovers their powers or faces their first major challenge can create a relatable connection. It showcases their normal world before the extraordinary enters. For example, Peter Parker’s life as a high school student before being bitten by a radioactive spider gives readers a baseline for his character’s growth.

Villain’s Prelude Peek

Introducing the villain or hinting at their existence can create anticipation and tension from the beginning. A story could open with a mysterious figure orchestrating events from the shadows, setting the hero’s journey in motion.

How to Write a Superhero Story for Kids

Writing a superhero story for kids involves a few unique considerations to ensure it’s engaging, understandable, and appropriate for the audience.

Here is a short Superhero Kid Story Workshop:

• Simplify the Plot: While the story can still have depth, ensure the plot is straightforward and easy for children to follow.
• Relatable Characters: Create characters that kids can see themselves in, dealing with issues like friendship, self-confidence, and facing fears.
• Educational Elements: Incorporate lessons or moral dilemmas that teach values such as kindness, perseverance, and the importance of teamwork.
• Humor and Fun: Kids appreciate humor and fun in their stories. Including light-hearted moments or funny side characters can make the story more enjoyable.
• Vibrant Illustrations: For younger readers, including vibrant, engaging illustrations can help bring the story to life and aid in their understanding of the narrative.

Final Thoughts: How to Write a Superhero Story

Every superhero story needs a compelling and unforgettable superhero main character.

Learn what makes a great character-driven story about a mysterious and even god-like being in the articles below. I think you’ll really enjoy them.

Read This Next:

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If I Were a Superhero Essay for Children and Students

May 18, 2020 by Study Mentor 4 Comments

Table of Contents

If I Were a Superhero – ESSAY 1

Introduction.

If I were a superhero, I will be a time stop person. I need this skill because I have to do everyday tasks, complete my assignment and homework, play, and spend time with my friends, so I do not get enough time, and I need that skill. My greatest motivation is to the Lord. I want my roots to come from the heavens. I like the power to heal men. I just do not want to be invisible or flyable. Instead, I would like the powers to physically and psychologically cure others. This is a mindset which I believe to be useful to the world and which will lead to beneficial changes.

The goal of a superhero generally is to do good works and help others. There are various ways a person with special powers could achieve this feat. Though I believe it would suit me better to have the ability to heal people. Having power does not allow me to wear any extravagant outfits or costumes. Rather, I guess I had to dress like anyone else so as not to differentiate myself from others. It can be harmful to show our abilities off to the world because it will give you a big ego. If I have ever acquired this talent, I hope I can use it to the best of my ability.

I recognize why we all want to get greedy for more because people have tremendous forces and can exploit it. This straightforward and minimal skill would be easy to carry out. It could be done easily and would remain who I was but would most likely protect my gift cautiously from others’ prying curiosities.

My Dad- my superhero

My father is a lifelong friend of mine. I love my Dad a lot. There was not even a single day on which he did not care about me. My father takes special care to make sure I am healthy and helpful. If I am ill, he stumbles and continues to worry until I become all right again. Only in those moments did I know the deep love that he has for me. Just a handful of people in our lives help us to lead a happier life. But one father is the only one working hard for the family’s goodness. If in this universe there can be a SuperHero, it is my Dad, and there is no one who can replace him.

My father is a special personality who can inspire others with ease. I love the attitude of my father. From my Dad, I learned a positive attitude. He’s concerned about our learning about our wellbeing and happiness. He continues to work without breaks every day; all I know is that he continues to do so is that he can earn more so that we will all be satisfied.

My father taught me to see flaws as the road to success. I haven’t even seen him depressed in a single day. He’s my role model, and I enjoy living by his values.

Spiderman My Superhero

We all hear about Spiderman, the great Hero. So many fans are there for the Superhero Spiderman. My friends and I am the huge fan and admirer of Spiderman. We love Spiderman because he is a Super Hero with original powers and saves lives. Spiderman still protects the city and people in it, with all his abilities. Spiderman defeats all evildoers and wicked people, and they very much fear Spiderman. Spiderman ‘s strength is remarkable and inspiring. While Spiderman is, in fact, a nerdy young man, he has gained fame for his Super Power and the good deeds he has done to the people with his great strength. I adore Spiderman a lot. He is a Superhero of mine.

Spiderman is a fast-paced superhero. He can travel from one spot to another so rapidly using his Web-slinging ability, which no other normal human can do. When wicked people are threatening people at the right moment, Spiderman rescues them. While the villains may be powerful, Spiderman has never stopped doing the right thing. Spiderman risked all his might and strength to stand alongside good people.

That’s enough to let us impress. His powers and actions are so interesting that he still encourages me to support others, to do good to others, and to stand up to evildoers.

What will I do if I will be a superhero?

Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Thor, Hal Jordan, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Wally West, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Wolverine, Iron Man, Super Lady, Hercules and several more prevail in the universe. The infant, teenager or adult will still think of the powers they see in the films and have these perceptions like-

If I were a Superhero, I would hire the spider man’s powers and own the spot. I would be busy taking photos of the city from distinct viewpoints to get an amazing experience with no restraints.

If I were a Super Hero, I would have recruited a clown of me, who would play with me, go to school on my side, do my homework, and blame himself for my mistakes.

If I were a Super Hero, I would be a wizard, turn the entire universe into a Harry Potter show, and celebrate every magic universe movement.

The lessons that superheroes can teach us are not limited to telling stories and drawings but are limited to moral decisions and right and wrong, good vs. evil. I want them to know that an evil deed never goes unpunished, and one person can make a difference. I want them to know that superheroes are just as strong as the people who make them, and maybe there is a superhero in us all. To let us all find the real hidden power within ourselves and generate a superhero within us. Superheroes are not born by birth; they are made by immense labor and hard work. So focus on hard work one day you will become the superhero of others. Are you looking for original essays on similar topics? You are not alone, SmartWritingService and its essay writers for hire will help with your papers on different superhero topics.

If I Were a Superhero – ESSAY 2

There are many super heroes prevailing in the world like Superman, Batman, Spider Man, Thor, Hal Jorden, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Wally West, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Wolverine, Iron Man, Super Girl, Hercules and many more. The child, teenager or adult would always think of powers like they see in the movies and have perceptions like:

• If I was a SuperHero, I would hire the powers of spider man and would own that place. I would be busy in taking photographs of the city from different angles to get incredible experience without any restrictions.
• If I was a Super Hero, I would hire the powers of Goku from dragon Ball Z, keeping two fingers on the forehead, thinking about the place I want to explore and would have been there in few seconds.
• If I was a Super Hero, I would hire have made a clown of me, who would play with me, go to school on behalf of me, do my homework, take my mistakes blame on himself.
• If I was a Super Hero, I would regenerate the planet earth and eliminate the earth from global warming and convert the saline water into fresh water so that we can use as much as we can.
• If I was a Super Hero, I would be a magician and change the whole world into a Harry Potter series and enjoyed every movement of magic world.
• If I was a Super Hero, I would be having the power to change the season and have fun to enjoy every weather in any season.

If I was a Super Hero, I would have powers of flying and be around people to help them and be saving to everyone and look alike. I would be having no specific uniform or if there is than it would be as simple as school uniform. I would have gone to the Island to spend time alone-away from everyone in peace.

Some people only focus to help others and if they were superhero, they would have the ability to heal the illness of the world with the help of music and rescue people from death.

They would also cure the diseases like Aids, cancer, tumor and many other harmful diseases and not to pay the millions of rupees to the hospitals, especially for the poor families.

If I were having super powers I would turn myself into a super hero. I would not be a super villain whose only purpose is to hurt people and take over the world. I do not want the responsibility to rule people like a King but want to prevail democracy in the world because it’s not my cup of tea. If I were a Super Hero, I would have eliminated the Dharma and the varieties of castes prevailing in the world.

If I was a Super Hero, I would have changed the constitution of India to a better one and the major focus will be on the rapist. He would be given direct death and no imprisonment for life. The super hero will be having ability to fight crime and rescue all the criminals around the world to bring peace and harmony in the whole world.

I would also choose super speed faster than the bullet so that no one can shoot me and I would reach the places not in minutes but in seconds. These powers would help me to fight many people at a time and to fight in various angles to gain victory.

Last but not the least, I would purely want to be a child again who would never grow up and enjoy the childhood till end of the life…

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• Aug 31, 2021

The Superhero Exercise: A College Essay Exercise

Updated: Mar 22, 2023

You might not think it, but superheroes would be great college applicants. Why, you ask? Well, each of them have an origin story where they are the star. They also clearly show their values and how each value was forged by overcoming, enduring, and growing from obstacles. They realize that, while they are heroes, they stand for something more. Their names, costumes, and symbolism express who they are, how they think, what they value, and their role in the community. So, I challenge students to explore their own superhero origin story to gain insight on who they are, what they stand for, and what problems they want to solve in the world.

[Skip To The Exercise]

There are few things that cause panic in a student like mentioning the words, "college essay." It's understandable; our educational culture has shed an unflattering light on the word "essay." After all, in popular culture, what are "bad" students forced to do? Write. They are forced to write on the chalkboard, write an apology note, or write a reflection essay. When students are asked to write in class, they are usually forced to conform their vision to a set of rules or standards such as word counts, page minimums, page maximums, specific citation styles, or an inflexible essay structure that acts like more of a recipe than an expression of a student's thoughts and ideas.

College essays are different from any essay most students will ever write in their English class, and that's why I love them. I've spoken at length about how the college search is so much more than just an acceptance letter. The college search offers an incredibly valuable opportunity for students to turn their gaze inward and begin an important journey of self-reflection and growth. If a student approaches the college search with an open mind, they will find themselves analyzing who they are, how they became themselves, and what they hope to be in the future. That introspection provides the resources for crafting compelling and unique essays that show both authenticity and vulnerability.

Some college essays have very specific prompts that can be skillfully dissected and deciphered to discover what sort of response the college is searching for. Students tend to have an easier time with prompts, but in my experience, real growth comes from the moments where a student must choose their own topic. It saddens me to say it, but many students go through their entire K-12 education without ever writing an essay on a topic of their choosing with no restrictions on style or formatting. Because most students learn writing while confined within a cage of rules, very few know where they should even begin to compose something that is uniquely theirs. I've seen this scenario countless times with students, so today I'm going to breakdown a simple, but effective, exercise to help brainstorm ideas, topics, and themes for a college essay.

The Superhero Exercise

We created the nifty infographic above for students and families, but this blog post will delve a little deeper into explaining this exercise.

Why a Superhero?

Who doesn't like a superhero? They come from all over the world (and galaxy) and represent different ideals, creeds, backgrounds, and obstacles that many people can relate to. Superheroes have been with humanity for a very long time. We could even make the argument that ancient religions, mythology, and folklore were the basic building blocks of our modern superheroes. More recently, we tend to associate the modern superhero with comics, television, and movies. Once upon a time, Iron Man was a relatively unknown character and the Avengers team of superheroes was even lesser known. Nowadays, you can hardly pass a movie theater or browse a streaming service without running into a television show or movie based on the widely popular Marvel or DC Comics universes.

Most commonly, children use their imaginations to pretend to be a hero or have a superpower. Even if you weren't a kid who played pretend with superpowers, chances are you have at least been asked the question: "If you had a superpower, what would it be?" This common question is partly based around the idea of having fun imagining a world in which you could do something exceptional with ease. More importantly, this question allows others to make assessments on a person's values, beliefs, and character. A quick example:

Person A : If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Person B : I would want mind control!

Person C : I would want the ability to heal!

Now, if I asked you to judge Person B and Person C , what would you say? Most people don't like the idea of their mind being controlled, so you can bet there's going to be some pushback and judgement toward Person B . At the same time, most people would see Person C 's answer as selfless, noble, and magnanimous, perhaps even associating the choice with being a medical professional helping others. But, what if Person C had the ability to heal, but chose to only use the power to heal themselves or secure eternal life? What if Person C wants to use mind control as a form of therapy to help people confront their traumas or fears? All of a sudden, Person C is looking a lot less charitable than Person B . It's important to realize that it's the person's intention with the power, not the power itself, about which we want to gain insight.

What is the Superhero Exercise?

When asking students to participate in the Superhero Exercise, I'm looking to help them discover details about themselves. In particular, I'm looking for three pieces of insight:

How has your past helped shape you in the present and the potential future? Who were you? Who are you? And who do you want to be?

What do you care about? What are your values, ideals, and beliefs? How do these ideas influence your decisions, and how do you express these ideas?

How do you think? Are you creative, thinking outside of the box? Are you logical, thinking in systematic and clearly defined bounds? How much have you really explored your life and personality?

While working on this exercise, it is important to keep in mind that the questions about superpowers and superheroes are only surface-level. The real insight we're hoping to gain comes from analyzing responses to those questions. When a student is digging deep to uncover answers or insight, the single most beneficial question that can help them is: why? Why that superpower? Why a purple costume? Why the name Bubble Person?

How to Use the Superhero Exercise?

One drawback to the Superhero Exercise (as opposed to the Animal or Prism Exercises) is that participants need to know at least a little about the fundamental nature of superheroes and their stories. If you are a superhero neophyte, then I'm going to give you a breakdown of a typical superhero story:

The Origin Story : Every hero has an origin story. These stories can vary widely in starting point, length, subject matter, emotional responses, etc. Likewise, every person has an origin story. We're not looking for a biography. Rather, we are looking for a theme that ties the past to the present, or we are looking for a specific moment that caused a significant change in a person's life. Here are three classic examples :

Superman 's origin story typically begins as a child fleeing from a dying alien planet. When he arrives on Earth, he is only an infant, but already has superpowers. He is raised by Johnathon and Martha Kent, who help establish the moral compass that Superman is so well-known for. Unlike many superheroes, Superman's journey is not about growing in strength, but rather learning to control and conceal his strength. His origin story is about learning to accept his differences, developing the restraint to not use his powers, and grappling with being a Kryptonian (Superman's people) raised by Earthlings.

On the other side, we have Peter Parker (AKA Spider-Man ). Peter begins life as a normal person raised in Queens, New York by his loving Aunt May and Uncle Ben. Peter is your typical high schooler without any notable athletic or social aptitude, although he does have some innate talent in science. Peter is bitten by an experimental radioactive spider, which gives him the superpowers we traditionally associate with Spider-Man: superhuman strength, speed, sticking to surfaces, generating webbing, and the famous heightened Spidey Sense. While the spider bite might turn him into a superhuman, it is not the event that makes him a superhero. It is only after Peter intentionally lets a criminal escape, and that same criminal murders Uncle Ben, that the superhero core of Spider-Man is formed: "With great power comes great responsibility."

Lastly, we reach Bruce Wayne (AKA Batman ). Unlike the other examples, Batman isn't born with a superpower and never acquires one. Batman is born to a wealthy family and raised by his two loving parents, Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne (no relation to Martha Kent). As a boy, his parents are murdered by a criminal and thus begins his journey to becoming a superhero with no superpowers. Batman could have spent the rest of his life burying his sorrows via his trust fund, but instead he chooses to hone his physical, mental, and technological prowess in the pursuit of justice. While he might not be lifting trains or swinging from webs, rest assured that Batman is one of the most capable superheroes to ever grace comics.

The Superpower : An important part of the origin story is the discovery of a superpower. There is an abundance of superpowers in fictional worlds, but I often encourage people to create new ones from scratch. Here are some superpower questions to consider :

What superpower would you want?

What would be your weakness?

How would you use your superpower?

Would you want complete control from the beginning, or have to practice to get stronger?

How would this superpower reflect your origin story, values, beliefs, character, or personality?

The Costume : You'll be hard-pressed to find a superhero without any semblance of a costume. The costumes may change or adapt over time, but they are a core part of a superhero's identity and recognizability. Here are some costume questions to consider :

What colors would your costume be? Why those colors? How do you think others will interpret your costume's color?

Will you hide your identity? Why or why not? How will you hide it? Will you use a mask, makeup, helmet, etc.?

If you hide your identity, what will your superhero name/persona be?

Will you have a cape? Why or why not?

Will you have an image or symbol associated with you as a superhero on your costume?

Will your costume only be for show or will it help you use your superpower?

What is your real life superpower? What makes you unique amongst others?

What do you stand for? You can have superpowers and not be a superhero. What do you stand for? What do you believe in? Who, what, or where would you focus your energies? Here are some examples of what superheroes stand for :

Superman defends both Earth and the city Metropolis because both are his home (despite his alien origins) and his adoptive Earth parents helped established a strong moral code to protect the innocent.

Because Spider-Man tends to be more localized, he is commonly referred to as the "friendly neighborhood Spider-Man." Spider-Man is looking out for the "little guy" and historically fights criminals on the city or regional level, as opposed to a global threat.

Batman fights crime and corruption in Gotham City because a criminal murdered his parents. He chooses to protect those who can't protect themselves, and pursues those who are outside the reach of the law.

Who is the antagonist of your superhero story? Most superheroes have an arch-nemesis, villain, or societal-level problem against whom they are fighting. The answer to this question often mirrors what a superhero might stand for. For example, if Captain Planet is fighting for the planet, then he is fighting against things like reckless industrialism, pollution, and possible man-made natural disasters. Here are some antagonist-based questions to consider :

What is your antagonist? Is it a person? Is it an idea? Is it a part of yourself that you are looking to improve on?

How does your antagonist hinder your progress?

Have you beaten your antagonist or is the antagonist still an obstacle you face?

While an antagonist might hinder your journey, it also has the potential to help you grow. In what ways has your antagonist helped you grow?

Two of our core principles at Virtual College Counselors are authenticity and transparency. We believe that the college journey requires some vulnerability on the student's part. How can we ask students to demonstrate vulnerability if we don't do the same in return? So, as an example, I have created my own Superhero Exercise to give students an idea of what the final product might look like:

Some of the answers are very revealing of my values, personality, and ways of thinking, while others might not seem to provide too much information. If an answer feels surface-level, hollow, or inauthentic, that is when it is most important to dig deeper and ask "why." Look at your answers that have no explanation and explain your thought process and reasoning. Think of some hypotheticals that might occur for a superhero to see how you think and react to certain scenarios. Lastly, look for common themes or elaborate on formative events in your past. After the exercise, you should have a better idea about how your values tie into the past, present, and future, while also uncovering personal anecdotes to help support your beliefs.

The goal of this post is to give students, parents, and college counselors another tool in their toolbox to help craft an authentic application that promotes self-reflection and growth for a student. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out or schedule a free consultation through the link below. As always, I wish you the best of luck with your journey, wherever it might take you.

With all my support,

Sawyer Earwood

Independent College Counselor

Co-Founder of Virtual College Counselors

[email protected]

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Essays About Heroes: 5 Examples And Topic Ideas

Here, we’ll look at examples of essays about heroes and questions that can be used as topics for essays about an imagined or real hero.

A few different images likely come to mind when you hear the word hero. You may imagine Superman flying above the world with his superpower of flight. You may imagine a personal hero, a real person who has made a significant impact on your life for the better. You might think of a true hero as someone who has shown heroic qualities in the public eye, working to help ordinary people through difficult situations.

When writing an essay about your life hero, it’s important to consider the qualities of that person that make them stand out to you. Whether you choose to write an essay about how your mom got you through tough times and became your role model or about a political figure who made a difference in the lives of people in history, it’s key to not just focus on the person’s actions—you’ll also want to focus on the qualities that allowed them to act heroically.

Here, we’ll explore examples of hero essays and potential topics to consider when writing about a hero.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers

Examples Of Essays About Heroes

• 1. These Are The Heroes Of The Coronavirus Pandemic By Ruth Marcus
• 2. Why Teachers Are My Heroes By Joshua Muskin
• 3. Martin Luther King Jr.—Civil Rights Activist & Hero By Kathy Weiser-Alexander

4. Steve Prefontaine: The Track Of A Hero By Bill O’Brian

5. forget hamilton, burr is the real hero by carey wallace, topic ideas for essays about heroes, 1. what makes a hero, 2. what are the most important characteristics of heroes in literature, 3. what constitutes a heroic act, 4. is selflessness required for heroism, 1.  these are the heroes of the coronavirus pandemic  by ruth marcus.

“Is this what they signed up for? There is some danger inherent in the ordinary practice of medicine, but not this much. I confess: I do not know that I would do the same in their circumstances; I am not sure I am so generous or so brave. If my child were graduating from medical school, how would I deal with her being sent, inadequately protected, into an emergency room? If my husband were a physician, would I send him off to the hospital — or let him back into the house in the interim?” Ruth Marcus

Healthcare workers have had no choice but to go above and beyond in recent years. In this essay, Marcus discusses the heroism of those in the healthcare field. He delves into the traits (including selflessness and courage) that make doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers heroes.

2.  Why Teachers Are My Heroes   By Joshua Muskin

“Teachers are my heroes because they accept this responsibility and try extremely hard to do this well even when the conditions in which they work are far from ideal; at least most do. Our jobs as society, education systems, and parents is to do our best to be strong allies to teachers, since their success is essential to ours.” Joshua Muskin

In this essay, Dr. Muskin discusses the many challenges teachers face and what parents, administrators, and education researchers can do to help teachers support students. Muskin explains that most teachers go above and beyond the call of duty to serve their classrooms.

3.  Martin Luther King Jr.—Civil Rights Activist & Hero   By Kathy Weiser-Alexander

“During this nonviolent protest, activists used boycotts, sit-ins, and marches to protest segregation and unfair hiring practices that caught the attention of the entire world. However, his tactics were put to the test when police brutality was used against the marchers, and King was arrested. But, his voice was not silenced, as he wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” to refute his critics.” Kathy Weiser-Alexander

In this essay, Weiser-Alexander details both the traits and the actions of Dr. King before and during the civil rights movement. The author touches on King’s commitment to justice, persistence, and willingness to stand for his beliefs despite difficult circumstances.

“I remember this so vividly because Prefontaine was a hero to me, a hero in a way that no one was before, or really has been since. A British commentator once called him “an athletic Beatle.” If so, his persona was much more Lennon than McCartney. Actually, I thought of him more as Mick Jagger — or ultimately James Dean.” Bill O’Brian

A hero to many in the running world, Prefontaine’s confidence, unique style, and unmatched athletic ability have been heralded for decades. In this essay, O’Brian shares how he, as a distance runner during the era of Pre, related to his struggles and ambition.

“Burr fought against an ugly tide of anti-immigrant sentiment in the young republic, led by Hamilton’s Federalist party, which suggested that anyone without English heritage was a second-class citizen, and even challenged the rights of non-Anglos to hold office. In response, Burr insisted that anyone who contributed to society deserved all the rights of any other citizen, no matter their background.” Carey Wallace

In this essay, Wallace explains why Aaron Burr, the lifelong nemesis of founding father Alexander Hamilton, should be considered a historical hero. This essay exposes someone seen as a villain but much of society with a different take on their history. 

It can be interesting to think about your definition of a hero. When describing what the term hero means to you, you may want to choose a person (or a few people) you look up to as a hero to solidify your point. You might want to include fictional characters (such as those in the Marvel universe) and real-life brave souls, such as police officers and firefighters.

A word of caution: stay away from the cliche opening of describing how the dictionary defines a hero. Instead, lead-in with a personal story about a hero who has affected your life. While talking about a public figure as a hero is acceptable, you may find it easier to write about someone close to you who you feel has displayed heroic qualities. Writing about a family member or friend who has shown up as a heroic main character in your life can be just as exciting as writing about a real or imagined superhero.

From Beowulf to Marvel comics, heroes in literature take on many different traits. When writing an essay on what trait makes a hero come alive in a short story, novel, or comic, choose a few of your favorite heroes and find common themes that they share.

Perhaps your favorite heroes are selfless and are willing to put themselves last in the name of sacrifice for others. Perhaps they’re able to dig deep into the truth, being honest even when it’s hard, for the greater good. There’s no need to list endless heroes to make your point—choosing three or four heroes from literature can be a great way to support your argument about what characteristics define heroism in literature.

When someone is named a hero in real life, we often picture them saving people from a burning building or performing a difficult surgical operation. It can be difficult to pin down exactly what constitutes a heroic act. When writing about what constitutes a heroic act, think about people who go above and beyond, performing feats of courage, honesty, and bravery to support themselves or others. When writing about what constitutes a heroic act, discuss real-life or literary examples of heroes at work.

To many people, being a hero means giving back to others. While giving something away or trading in one’s well-being for others can certainly be seen as a heroic act, many people wonder if selflessness is required for heroism or if a hero can serve the greater good in a way that also supports their happiness. When writing about whether selflessness is required for heroism, choose examples from literature and real-life to support your point.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

If you’re still stuck, check out our available resource of essay writing topics .

Amanda has an M.S.Ed degree from the University of Pennsylvania in School and Mental Health Counseling and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer. She has experience writing magazine articles, newspaper articles, SEO-friendly web copy, and blog posts.

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Superhero Essay Writing Tips For Your Inspiration

Table of Contents

Superheroes nowadays occupy a huge place in the media industry and are popular in most countries of the world. It is in comics, films, cartoons, books and TV series that you can immerse yourself in a huge world of characters endowed with superpowers and supernatural powers. Every child or teenager, of course, came across them and admired the intricate, vivid and rich stories.

Most likely, you have any superhero who shocked and inspired you. Therefore, writing an essay about a superhero will be an easy, fun and educational task for you. Also, in this article, you can find out how the superhero essay writing service can help you not only choose the best topic for you but also complete the task for you!

Which Superhero Are You?

Have a look at how to write a which are you superhero essay?

Probably, every person who at least once read a comic strip, or saw a movie about a superhero, in his heart dreams of being like him. Some want to be like Superman, and the first half want it because Superman is powerful, and the other half want to be as kind as he is, although they understand that he is ideal, and an ideal person does not exist. Others want to be Batman, and everyone just knows that he achieved this on his own, but when it comes to whether you are capable of losing all loved ones and any possible family, everyone immediately goes into real life.

When imagining themselves as a superhero, most people think primarily of the excellent side of such a diverse life. It would be very cool for me to have an apartment in the Avengers Tower or an LSA satellite, incredible superpowers, gratitude of the saved people, opponents scattering in different directions. But the life of a superhero is not only about this. I believe that being a full-fledged superhero means always being ready to risk your life and sometimes sacrifice it and sacrifice family, work, and much more. If I were like that, I would not be ultimately myself. And yet, I would probably like to be better, more honest and more patient than I am.

Of course, I have many positive traits that superheroes have. I am noble, charismatic, hardy, have the fastest run in school, and I am always ready to help. I believe that no one will just become a superhero, but when you have already lost everything, then obligations will force you to be either an avenger who will kill all offenders or, like Frank Castle, will fight crime forever. But there is another option, that you realize that you can make this world a better place, and you will. Although there are very few such people today.

If the fate of the hero falls to me, and if the life of my loved ones depends on it, when the bandit puts a gun to their head, then you can be sure that I will thrust a knife between his eyes. But this is a common instinct to protect loved ones and your own home. People are afraid to be heroes, it’s just that greed flourishes in every person, and people are too greedy to lose something, especially so dear to them.

On us.grademiners.com, essay writing services could be purchased for this topic. Let us know, and our experts will help you out.

What Superpowers Would I Have?

Have a look at how to write what superpowers I would have in a superhero essay?

I am not a connoisseur of superhero comics, but I loved films from DC vs Marvel films as a child. Going to the cinema was a real treat, and then I spent a week or two daydreaming about what superpowers I would like to have and how I would use them. Therefore, when we were asked a boring task in high school, I turned to the paper writing service , gave this task to specialists, and discussed with my friends what superpowers I would like to have.

For example, I would use the superpower to fly and move very quickly in space for a tourist purpose and satisfy my curiosity! It’s so exciting and incredible. First of all, I will fly around the Earth, descending in Japan, New Zealand and Norway! And also, I would fly over the jungle, the pyramids of Cheops, and look down at Niagara Falls. I would like to get tremendous pleasure from the very process of the flight! It is like a mechanism for changing physical form and gravity by the power of thought. But for now, I can only fly in my sleep.

I would also very much like to travel in time! Look into the future and the past and find answers to many questions that humanity has been asking over the years. Many historians would like to see the decline of ancient civilizations and other historically significant periods. But we had to wait a long time before the invention of the time machine. With this ability, I could sense future danger and be the saviour of the whole earth, fighting dragons, sea monsters and other villains.

At an older age, I wanted to get the ability to telepathy and psychometry. I would leave in my head the knowledge of all languages, physics, psychotherapy and other sciences that can significantly improve a person’s life. Well, in the last 30 minutes, I would turn into the Hulk and walk in an amusement park, delighting kids and teenagers!

Top 10 Super Powers for Writing a Superhero Essay

Many modern films, games and TV series about superheroes and superhuman abilities open up huge scope for imagination. Each of us at least once in our life thought that it would be great to know what the other person is thinking. Or that it would be cool to fly to work. Some people dream of turning back time. Admit it, and such thoughts entered your head!

Ability to Imitate

No matter what many fans of comics and superhero movies have said, the ability to imitate is the most useful of superpowers. After all, with this, you can swim as fast as Michael Phelps, make films as fabulous as Steven Spielberg, and be as bright as Einstein.

Invisibility

With this ability, you could do anything and anywhere – no boundaries would hinder you. Most likely, every child dreamed of being invisible and doing interesting tasks. Everyone’s favourite Harry Potter is an example of such an opportunity. And yes, he can also be considered a superhero from the world of fantasy because his superpowers helped him overcome many difficulties, battles and obstacles. And invisibility is just one superpower.

Superhuman Strength

With superpowers, you could easily open banks, get cars out of the way, and even help people in floods, building collapses, and other disasters. Yes, you would be a real hero! Think of the Hulk and many other superheroes who had such superpowers and what they were capable of. Such a superpower endows its wearer with great potential and, in any case, helps him.

Gift to Heal

With this gift, you could deal with more than cuts and headaches. Diseases like cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer’s would disappear and never ruin the lives of many people. If you need to write an essay about this superpower, you can always contact the essay writer service .

Super Endurance

This superpower allows a person to do something for a long time without feeling tired. Imagine that you could easily run a marathon, clean the house, and do challenging physical activities all day.

Superintelligence

Superman, like Batman, has incredible mental powers. The first learn languages in a couple of hours, reads books in a second, solves math problems faster than a computer and remembers everything. The second also has an impeccable memory. His IQ reaches 192. He studies the exact sciences and owns spy tricks. He is subject to sabotage, the technique of hacking security systems and deductive thinking. Today memory and intelligence are the main advantages of a successful person.

Invincibility

Invulnerability is determined by resistance to a specific physical, mental or spiritual influence from the outside. If you had this ability, you would never be beaten by bullies. You would not suffer from depression or a broken heart. Let’s remember Tony Stark and his armour, which protected him from physical impact for a very long time. But his charismatic and selfish character also gave him the strength to withstand many moral difficulties. You, too, can learn from such people emotional resilience, and this power will come in handy!

Time Travel Ability

It is theoretically possible to travel forward in time using Einstein’s paradox when you move in a spaceship at speed close to the speed of light. Scientists have not yet come to a consensus about travel to the past as far as it is fundamentally possible. But, imagine if your streaming filler breaks again, and the TARDIS refuses to start? This would not be a problem if you could travel in time. Where would you go first?

Would you meet Dickens or meet yourself from the future? At first, it would have been difficult for people to make up their minds from such amazing opportunities. But not Marty and Doc from the hugely popular Back to the Future movie. I think a lot of people would like to be in their place.

Ability to Breathe Underwater

In many superhero essay from schoolchildren, you can find such a superpower. You could go diving without fear of suffocation, and underwater a fantastic world like Aquaman would be waiting for you! You would be able to independently cover long distances on land and in water without ships and submarines. And also, humanity could fully explore every ocean.

Teleportation.

A well-deserved special place is occupied by the dream of instantaneous movement from one point in space to another. She became famous for describing this idea in the Star Trek series. Science is currently dealing with this issue closely, and some results have already been achieved. Also, a striking example is the charismatic Doctor Strange and his ability to teleport. You can make good use of this character when writing a superhero essay.

Who Is Your Favorite Superhero and Why? Writing Superhero Essay

Have a look at how to write a who is your favourite superhero and why essay?

When my friends ask me who my favourite superhero is, I find it difficult to answer, since now there are many superheroes. All of them are very interesting, and films about them have remained in my memory for a long time. But from the very first glance, Batman became my favourite superhero. Of course, you can also remember this fantastic character and his bat logo.

After watching the movie, I was amazed by this character. Unlike other famous superheroes, he does not have superpowers, but he is very well physically prepared and possesses a strong intellect. He can also be considered a true detective. This superhero participates in high-profile political affairs and protects ordinary people from the elements, criminals and arbitrariness.

Why did he become like this? Unfortunately, his parents were killed by criminals as a child. But fortunately, this did not break him as a person. Since then, he decided to fight the bad guys, but despite such a severe trauma in childhood, he does not kill his sworn enemies but catches them and gives them over to the police.

I like Batman for his strength, nobility, quick wit and sense of justice. Batman is fluent in the techniques of various martial arts, which makes him invulnerable among mortals. This charming guy loves to demonstrate his strength in public, making villains tremble, and girls sigh with delight. I would like to be like him because our world lacks such people.

Who was the first superhero?

Superman became the first superhero in the comic book world, and even today, he is popular and beloved by the public.

Who is the most powerful superhero?

It is believed that Superman is the most powerful superhero, but also the Hulk can be on the same level of physical strength.

Who is the fastest superhero?

Of course, you can remember Flash and his incredibly high speed of movement.

Who was the first black superhero?

In the comics, the first to become a black superhero is Black Panther.

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Ignite Your Superhero Storyline with 80+ Writing Prompts

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Writing Prompts

  Whether you’re a teacher looking to inject some fun and excitement into your writing curriculum, or an English Language Learners (ELL) instructor aiming to provide a relatable context for your students, superhero writing prompts can be a dynamic educational tool. The familiar and exciting themes offer a platform where students can freely express their ideas while improving their language skills.   Dive into this collection of handpicked superhero writing prompts, carefully curated to cater to various age groups and writing stages. So grab your pens, put on your creative capes, and discover the engaging narratives waiting to unfold, one prompt at a time.

How to use our superhero writing prompts for your students

Superhero writing prompts for primary school students

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Karty Pracy dla Dzieci

Saturday 30th of March 2024

You have a gift for writing engaging and informative content. This post was a pleasure to read.

Edukacyjne Karty Pracy

Tuesday 26th of March 2024

Your post was a delightful read. I appreciate the mix of solid data and personal insights.

17 Superhero Writing Prompts

Capturing the attention of a writers creativity, so that a story starts to weave its way into existence is a wonderful thing.

Consider a superhero, whether with fantastic powers beyond human ability, or simply an extraordinary character with a driving force to their actions.

Yes, the superhero is a concept enough to grab the attention of even the most reluctant writers!

How should you use story starters like these?

Writing can be inspired through all sorts of ways.

One very effective method is through the use of writing prompts, to throw ideas up in the air, and see which your creativity grabs and runs with.

• Pick a number at random between 1 and 17, write a short story right now using the corresponding writing prompt below!
• Naturally you could also just use the entire list as a flood of ideas to see which your imagination runs with.
• Why not try allocating one to each day of a week that you’re aiming for writing output to be consistent?

Why use writing prompts?

It all comes back to inspiration, and practice.

Like any skill, practice makes perfect – and if you enjoy the process, you’re much more likely to put the time in and keep getting better!

And write often.

However you (or your students) find your inspiration to want to write a story, do that.

And through this, the writing ability (and all the good things that come along with it) will just be a matter of time.

17 Superhero Writing Prompts:

• And without warning, she appeared to shimmer briefly, before disappearing entirely…
• As the plane continued on its journey, I glanced out the window to look at the night sky, and saw to my amazement a man sitting on the wing, looking back at me…
• The truck was teetering on the edge of the cliff, and suddenly the stranger started pulling the giant vehicle back from the edge, as the crowd looked on amazed…
• She stood in front of the building looking in at us for a moment, making eye contact, before crouching and then suddenly leaping up out of sight with such force that it knocked over a nearby trashcan…
• The high speed train was taking us quickly to the next city. I looked at the blurred countryside passing by outside, and then to my amazement saw a man running up alongside the train keeping pace with us! He was gesturing wildly at me, was he trying to warn us of something?
• The scientists sank even deeper into the ocean depths. Suddenly there was a jarring clang, and the submarine juddered and stopped moving. Scrambling to look out the port holes they were astonished to see a person looking back at them, who seemed to be breathing underwater…
• The courier driver waited as I signed for the parcel in the street outside my apartment building, then suddenly seemed to hear something with a starled look on their face. Before I could react they tackled me backwards into the building, as an airconditioner unit smashed into the pavement where I had been standing… how had they heard it coming?!
• The cruiseship was out of control and could not stop in time, as the onlookers watched in shock. It was headed right for the restaurants on the pier! An unusual figure stepped out from the growing crowd, until he was right in front of the oncoming runaway ship… he held out his open hand at arms length as if trying to stop the ship in its tracks…
• The search and rescue team had been hunting for the lost skier all over the snow covered mountain for hours, and light was fading. Things didn’t look good, but they could find no trace of them. One of the searchers felt someone push past them on the dimly lit mountainside, and they seemed to be looking out into the darkness across the surrounding mountains. They suddenly stopped scanning, pointed to a mountain crag, and said one gruff word… “There.”…
• The gang of thugs surrounded the elderly man, and demanded his money. A few passers by scurred away, knowing there was nothing they could do to help him against such a large group. Then, a shadowy figure emerged from a nearby alleyway, grabbing the gang leader, who seemed unable to move despite his size. He was thrown back, and the gang scattered into the night. The old man looked up to thank the mysterious figure who had saved him… but the street was empty…
• Joey had gone to visit his dad at work, and they were over 100 floors up in the skyscraper office building where he worked. Waiting in his dad’s office, he turned to look out the window and down at the city, but what he saw made no sense! There was a man outside the window, climbing with bare hands and feet somehow sticking to the glass…
• The group of kids were playing on the jungle gym, laughing in the sunshine, as others in the park relaxed on the grass. Suddenly one of the kids slipped, and fell backwards from the highest bar, as his friends cried out! But before he struck the ground, time suddenly seemed to slow, and the entire scene was frozen, the falling kid suspended above the ground with a surprised look on his face…
• The hikers were lost in the woods, many days travel from civilization. The rain set in as they formed a ragged group huddling for warmth as night fell, but without a fire how would they cope with this they wondered? A quiet member of the group leant forward, gathering some sticks and dry moss into a pile. He clicked his fingers and sparks leapt from his finger tips and ignited the small campfire as the others wondered at what they were witnessing!
• From this day forth, she decided, she would watch over the good people of the world, protecting them from those who were not as good.
• A new song came pouring out of her whenever she opened her mouth. Her superpower could stun anyone nearby with songs of such beauty it would leave them powerless…
• “It’s going to be ok…”, the words formed in my mind – but they were not my own. I looked up sharply, and made eye contact with a strange hunched figure, as they moved to protect me…
• The dry town was choking in dust. The stranger stepped forward, gestured to the sky, and clouds quickly formed over us. One more wild gesture downward, and the rain hit us with torrential force…

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I hope you find plenty of inspiration from these story starters, and get that creative writing flowing.

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How to Write About Superheroes

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Stephanie Burt, How to Write About Superheroes, American Literary History , Volume 32, Issue 3, Fall 2020, Pages 598–608, https://doi.org/10.1093/alh/ajaa018

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Eighty years after the first Superman comic, scholars are catching up to the importance, and to the popularity, of superheroes in comics and in other media. Recent monographs and edited collections examine racial politics, disabilities, other identities, and reception history across a range of decades and of superhero characters. Most of these worthy works remain within the limits of critique, judging the comics on how well they handle one or another theme; the result is a picture of superhero comics that cannot do justice to the genre. To them and to their like, the academic critics of the future might add—what vernacular comics critics already contribute—additional attention to what one or another character does best, to the transformative potential of even minor superhero work, and to how commercially produced superhero comics at their best handle narrative form.

One superhero symbol can work many ways, as Neal Curtis’s examination of Truth and other Captain America stories shows: Cap has repeatedly fought off right-wing doubles, alternatively costumed versions of himself who aspired to make America white again.

Superheroes are likely more popular now than at any time in the past 60 years. The Marvel Cinematic Universe rules the box office (or did, back when there were box offices). Comic books about superheroes lack the popularity they had in the 1940s, or even the 1980s, but they have picked up critical cachet. A trickle of academic studies—starting with Richard Reynolds’s Super Heroes (1992)—has become a lake, if not a flood. Attention to comics as a medium has encouraged attention to superhero stories, even as the comics experts with the greatest influence have largely attended to other genres. 1

There’s now a clear line of must-read books for people who study the superhero. Some come with scholarly apparatus. 2 Some do not. 3 These books are serious, well-researched, and rarely tendentious; they demonstrate not just familiarity with but, often, admiration for their subject. Yet those produced within academia are too often stuck in the mode of critique. They evaluate superhero comics thematically, by how well they handle one or another issue: they complain that the comics fall short of a specific social goal or castigate them for embodying their time. We can—and at their best, critics already do—see those comics in other ways. We can also ask what fans see in them and why.

What are superheroes? Peter Coogan defined them by their “selfless, pro-social mission,” unusual powers, and “dual” (not necessarily secret) identity (30). Superman, Spider-Man, and Storm of the X-Men make good examples; Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. (not powered, not dual) and the Hulk (not necessarily pro-social) less so. You can tell any kind of story about superheroes—a low-stakes love triangle, for example, or a door-slamming farce—but in mainstream comics, such stories almost always end up intertwined with Coogan’s core elements: the selfless or self-sacrificial mission; the use of powers; and the conflict between one identity and another. Comics, the medium, need not contain superheroes, the genre. Non-anglophone comics—Franco-Belgian bandes-dessinées ; Japanese manga—have never depended on them. Yet the affordances of comics books lent themselves uniquely to superheroes. Before modern digital postproduction effects, the only credible way to show somebody flying through a nebula, or becoming a ball of flame, involved combining words with hand-drawn pictures. And, as Douglas Wolk writes, “[s]uperhero cartoonists can present narratives whose imagines and incidents are unlike our own sensory experience of the world (and totally cool-looking) but can still be understood as a metaphorical representation… . That’s very easy to do in comics and very hard to do in any other medium” (92–93).

Because they have been going on for so long, with such rich backstories provided by multiple writers, superhero comics would seem to provide an idea space for theories of narrative and genre. To some extent, they have. Coogan’s Superhero (2006) and Geoff Klock’s How to Read Superhero Comics and Why (2002) model superhero stories as genres. Both Coogan and Chris Gavaler ( On the Origin of Superheroes [2015]) trace out the prehistory of the kind, from Gilgamesh through 1920s pulp heroes. Though all three cover moral and political dilemmas, none zeroes in on a particular real-life social or ethical problem nor attempts to judge how well superhero stories, in general, so far address it.

Most of these new books focus on such attempts. All contain discoveries, though none rise to the gold standard of Ramzi Fawaz’s The New Mutants (2016). All demonstrate, without overcoming, what Rita Felski has labeled as The Limits of Critique (2015), in their evaluating of a series of fictional works according to how well they (the works, not the characters) represent and how well they subvert or resist injustice.

Often they don’t push back hard enough. Allan Austin and Patrick Hamilton’s All New, All Different (2019) traces the 80-year history of race in mainstream US superhero comics, from the so-called Golden Age (beginning with Superman in 1938) to the present day. Till recently, Austin and Hamilton find that history is a nearly constant failure: failure to recognize and to contest stereotypes like the Yellow Peril villain and the hypermasculine black man; failure to center heroes of color or to develop them adequately; and failure to diagnose white supremacy as systemic, instead blaming “individual racists and discrete acts” (91). Marvel’s Luke Cage (initially called Power Man, as in Black Power) duplicates the weaknesses of the 1970s blaxploitation film. Storm of the X-Men displays a “stereotypical affinity with nature,” while the celebrated X-Men spinoff New Mutants “continue[s] an unsuccessful commitment to diversity,” since its Brazilian hero is hotheaded, its Cheyenne team leader Dani Moonstar sometimes unclothed (138, 203).

Things begin to look up during the 1990s, when a black villain-turned-hero like the Marvel Comics cyborg Deathlok could “assert[] his control over his destiny” (244) and the black-owned Milestone Comics (supported and distributed by DC Comics) published high-quality comics about black superheroes (one property, Static Shock , made it to television). Truth: Red, White & Black (2003) merged Captain America’s origin story with a black would-be captain, Isaiah Bradley, and both with the real history of the Tuskegee Experiment: Truth became one of the first popular comics to consider the tenacity of white supremacy. Finally, during the 2010s, new heroes—most of all Marvel’s Kamala Khan—could bring readers of color the representation they have long deserved.

Austin and Hamilton’s thick survey will be required reading for future scholars, though those scholars might skim the first half of the volume, wherein flat characters replicate—without saying much more about—the egregious failures of a larger society. While DC Comics’s business model remains harder to study, Austin and Hamilton might have taken advantage of Sean Howe’s terrific Marvel Comics: The Untold Story (2012) to say more about who was making the comics and how. It’s no accident that Dwayne McDuffie, one of the founders of Milestone, created that praiseworthy Deathlok plot, nor that Robert Morales and Kyle Baker—later the creator of a stunning graphic novel about Nat Turner—wrote and drew Truth . Dani Moonstar—whose Native representation other critics (among them the Métis writer James Leask) debate—has never been scripted by a Native writer; no wonder her well-meaning, often moving stories leave aspects of her identity out. 4

Austin and Hamilton take on a wide range of comics but judge them on a narrow, linear scale: open bigotry at one end, Kamala Khan at the other. That scale leaves out a lot. Can Storm be at once an aspirational figure and a too-perfect, unattainable model, a charismatic original made partly out of pseudo-African clichés? She could be and she was—and she changed and grew, shedding her flowing white hair and her ease in midair for a leather vest, a tall white Mohawk, “multiple embodiments over time,” and a determination not to be pigeonholed (carrington 96).

Superhero stories normally take place in a contemporary society that looks somewhat like our own. (Where the setting is something else—say the techno-utopian thirtieth century for DC’s Legion of Super-Heroes or the late Victorian moment of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen—we understand the book as a hybrid genre: superhero space opera; superhero steampunk.) Because US society has long been shot through with the logic of white supremacy, superhero stories take place in a world organized by white supremacy too; because superheroes are by definition more powerful than most real humans, they may seem especially complicit wherever they fail to challenge white supremacy directly. Frederick Luis Aldama’s foreword to Unstable Masks : Whiteness and American Superhero Comics (2020) proposes simply that “today’s creators can do better” (xvi); Noah Berlatsky argues instead that “superheroes can’t exist without… . the logic of whiteness,” because it’s whiteness that lifts some people above the rest (263). (So much for the Talented Tenth.)

There’s a cleaner version of this argument, and Osvaldo Oyola, in the same volume, makes it about black versions of Captain America. Because superheroes can’t transform society wholesale without becoming supervillains, and because our own society embodies, alas, white supremacy, an antiracist superhero in any halfway realistic America can’t win for losing. The structural transformations required to combat systemic oppression would destroy the shape of the tale. Oyola calls it “the impossibility of black liberation within the context of the superhero project” (28); a black Cap “is set up for failure” (31) or else (like President Barack Obama) for a frustrating series of incremental, reversible wins. Yet Captain America: Sam Wilson (2015–17; the best-known black Cap) is not, for Oyola, an aesthetic or intellectual failure, but “a profound work of Afro-pessimist critique” (34): the limits of Sam’s powers are also the limits of our world. Other superhero stories can escape this trap by taking place outside America: in the Wakanda where Black Panther rules or on the X-Men’s island ethnostate of Krakoa.

Oyola is one of several contributors to Unstable Masks who really seem to appreciate the comics they critique, to show why these comics might be worth rereading, not just as symptomatic but as artistic achievements. Jeremy Carnes explains how the 1980s vintage New Mutants (1983–1991)—the first superteam in mainstream comics with a majority–minority cast—shows “the push and pull between decolonial rhetorics and the colonial structures we are continually working” to take apart (70). Yet other contributions have the aspect of shooting fish in a barrel. The Cloak and Dagger comics of the 1980s, teaming a white rich girl who incarnates light with a young black man who represents darkness, cannot escape racist clichés (the recent television show is a different matter). Martial arts comics of the 1970s incorporated “certain stereotypes of Asian peoples and cultures” along with “faux Chinese” names and language (Pustz 219, 218). The synthetic android superhero Vision, one of the saddest figures in mainstream comics, tries and fails to perform white middle-class masculinity, marrying and raising artificial or imaginary children: his “search for white domesticity,” as Esther De Dauw writes, never works out (139). And the often goofy, over-the-top X-Men comics of the 1960s, as Martin Lund says, “followed a liberal assimilationist line rather than a radical one” (145).

More complicated stories get a raw deal. Superpowers usually create what Andrew Solomon calls “horizontal identities” (most superheroes have nonsuper parents), and they are physically meaningful even outside society (you can fly even if nobody else thinks you can) (2). Race, in contrast, is normally inherited (most black kids have a black parent), and it arises from social conventions. Powers thus make bad metaphors for race: if you want to use superheroes to tell a story about blackness, or South Asian identity, you need to create a hero who is literally black or South Asian. Yet for Neil Shyminsky in Unstable Masks , “mutancy is more often than not a metaphor for racialized Otherness” and one that fails to recognize oppression (161). A 2010 X-Men villain named Kaga “makes a point that the X-Men are loathe to concede, namely that these mansion-dwelling and physically attractive heroes have more privilege than other and Otherized”—physically unattractive or impoverished—mutants (162). But multiple stories by multiple authors have multiple X-Men conceding exactly this point. See any 1980s plot involving the sewer-dwelling, self-exiled Morlocks, or X-Men Unlimited #22 (1999), written by Bryan Vaughan, about the grotesque, bone-encrusted mutant Marrow.

Superheroes do much better as metaphors for disability: from the 1960s on they became, as Fawaz put it, the only popular genre that “visually celebrated bodies whose physical instability deviated from social and cultural norms” (4). Fawaz in The New Mutants and José Alaniz in Death, Disability, and the Superhero (2014) explored the work done by those fictional bodies. The writers of Uncanny Bodies (2019) continue that project, attending not only to physical disability but to neurodiversity, in Jonathan Lethem’s and Steve Gerber’s “characters whose psyches confound notions of the ‘normal’” (Alaniz 50), and to psychological atypicality, as when the Marvel hero Moon Knight, who has multiple personalities (or dissociative identity), chooses not to eliminate his alters (75).

Some essays amount to straightforward, edifying appreciations for single characters. Barbara Gordon (Operator or Oracle), from the Batman comics, who uses a wheelchair, gets two; Clint Barton (Hawkeye) of Marvel’s Avengers, often represented as deaf or hard of hearing, gets three: “Barton defines himself as a ‘defective’ superhero, one lacking genuine superpowers”; both “disability” and lack of ability become “component[s] of Barton’s own sense of identity” (Pinti 130). A wordless issue of the Hawkeye comic by Matt Fraction and David Aja welcomes d/Deaf—and intentionally alienates hearing—readers: Naja Later writes that its “empty [speech] bubbles draw our attention to how seamlessly the language of comic books had been accessible until now” (150). Later and Sarah Gibbons stand out for the way they describe comics form, at once visual, narrative, and characterological.

Though he steers into a more complex argument involving Carl Schmitt and Giorgio Agamben, Jason Bainbridge’s piece of superhero theory also shows why the metaphor can speak to real-life civic need. Any superhero who is not a government agent allegorizes the need for civil society, volunteer efforts, and local replacements in cases where the “state … has failed to intervene” (71). The COVID-19 crisis in the US, with its hapless, self-dealing federal government, makes an all-too-obvious example, but smaller scale real-life problems abound. Some even require the threat of force. In the independent comic Strong Female Protagonist (2012–18), superheroes organize a network to protect survivors of domestic violence from their perpetrators: where restraining orders do not work, perhaps superspeed will. The closer villains get to real-life evils, the more a superhero story reveals the limits of real-life law. The manipulative Killgrave in the comic Alias (2001–04) and the television show Jessica Jones (2015–19) became hard to distinguish from Harvey Weinstein, and equally hard for state power to contain.

If you want to know what effect superhero stories, or any stories, can have on hypothetical, perfectly alert readers, you can use literary analysis like Bainbridge’s (or Oyola’s or Later’s). If you want to know what effects they have had on real readers, you might want to interview those readers. And if they dress up as their favorite characters, or imitate those characters by patrolling the streets, you might ask them how and why. Claire Langsford takes that approach with people who dress up as Batman: some (often cisgender white men) display or seek “epic feat[s]” of virtuosity in crafting a costume and shaping their fit bodies, while others (whose Batman may be black or a woman) pursue a symbolic “quest for justice” (183). As for members of “the real-life superhero (RLSH) movement” (189), according to Vladislav Iouchkov and John McGuire, far from dispensing vigilante justice, many of these costumed would-be heroes seek a “prosocial mission … beyond the limitations of the state,” inspiring neighborhood cleanups and food drives or playing with kids (193). The missions are literal, the violence figurative.

Comic book superheroes make meaning at many levels, some common to many genres and media and some unique to the domain: visual components (such as coloring or lettering), drawn panels, single pages, issues or physical books, story arcs, long-running company-owned characters, shared universes, transmedia franchises, audience, community. Ideally, scholars should ask—as Fawaz did in examining 1970s comics’ letter columns—how fans would read or rewrite a situation, not just how a comic presents it. We can and should ask—to quote Felski’s recent work—what modes of attachment, attunement, and identification a given panel, arc, character, universe offers, and how, and to whom; we might ask what’s beautiful and strange in its visual world, as well as what’s politically advantageous (or progressive), and for whom ( Hooked ).

And the more interest we take in comics’ political effects (rather than, say, their aesthetic innovation), the more we might want to see how they were actually read. Austin and Hamilton, and Shyminsky, denounce the infamous “M-word” speech from Uncanny Avengers #5 (2013) in which the mutant Havok rejects the label mutant : writer Rick Remender’s dialogue embodies the dubious argument that real-world people should try not to notice race. But these industrious scholars do not seem to have noticed another mutant’s de facto reply, identified by many fans as such: Kitty Pryde’s speech against passing, and for visibility, in All-New X-Men #13 (2013), penned by Brian Michael Bendis. “I am Jewish,” she says. “I am a mutant. And I want people to know who and what I am.” Adding insult to injury, Shyminsky portrays recent versions of Havok’s brother, the X-Man Cyclops, who really did try to start a revolution, “as a mutant terrorist and villain” (168). That is—to put it mildly—not how fans saw him. 5

The wealth of informal, nonacademic comics criticism makes the head spin, and it’s hard to collate, in a way that (say) Mark Twain scholarship has not been. Much of it shows up a thousand words at a time, on websites that may not exist next year. These characters already mean a great deal to people, especially to people who do not feel seen or recognized or understood by other popular media. “[T]he superhero’s very ubiquity and recognizability,” as Alaniz says in Unstable Masks , “has also made it available to ethnic minorities and other marginalized groups” (104). And they mean a great deal not just through what they represent but through the ways that they do so: through tone, style, artistry, and command of comics both as a verbal and as a visual medium.

The very first writers on superhero comics—say, Jules Feiffer in his introduction to The Great Comic Book Heroes (1965)—had to contend not only with the large number of mid-twentieth-century titles but with their relative sameness: they were suited mostly for examinations by historians, as well as being objects of nostalgia. 6 But we now have a vast set of superhero comics worth teaching and examining at length, not just for their historical importance or their symptomatic nature but for their ability to solicit sustained attachment and attunement, their craft, psychological insight, narrative intricacy, or even their spectacle. As with classic Hollywood film, also popular before it gained respect, there’s a canon belatedly coalescing, and it’s exciting (it includes, for example, the Fraction/Aja Hawkeye ), but it’s limited. 7 The most frequently taught and praised superhero book may still be Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’s Watchmen (1986–87), a bleak and expertly executed, heroism-free tour de force, perfectly suited to a hermeneutics of suspicion.

Fans whose imaginative lives take place within the superhero genre—who are, like the readers Felski chronicles, reading for identification, for spectacle, and for insight into how real people behave—have formed their own canons, sometimes in conscious opposition to the “dark” prestige comics of the late 1980s, Watchmen among them. Many support the lovely and influential series Marvels (1994), by Kurt Busiek and Alex Ross, retelling early adventures of Spider-Man, Iron Man, and the like from the point of view of a nonsuperpowered photographer; Busiek and Brent Anderson used Marvels as a springboard to the thoughtful, and very teachable, Astro City (1995–present), with its small-scale, slice-of-life, non-combat-oriented stories about superheroes and the people who live among them. Marjorie Liu’s Astonishing X-Men and X-23 (2010–13) are latter-day standouts among mutant comics, elaborate and focused on trauma recovery or on queer and nonwhite characters. Comedic depictions and deconstructions of superheroes, complex enough to teach, include McDuffie’s own Damage Control (1988–91) and the more recent Hellcat (2015–17), She-Hulk (2014), and Gwenpool Strikes Back (2019–20).

And for nonironic, nondeconstructed pinnacles of the genre, critics and teachers could do far worse than the Dark Phoenix Saga, Uncanny X-Men #128–137 (1980), by Chris Claremont, John Byrne, and collaborators. Its iconic final cover shows Cyclops and Phoenix side by side, making an X-shape, their bodies—both, in a sense, disabled—supporting each other against all enemies, systemic and individual. Both the plots and the panels include compositional stunners, points of view varied both visually and emotionally, sympathetic figures and tragic choices, and metaphors for neurodiversity and for emotional and physical disability. They show a young white character confronting her own implicit biases, a black one excelling (though in a supporting role), and nostalgia for an older, whiter order as a literal tool of evil mind control. They also (as Fawaz has shown) pursue a deeply conflicted view of female sexuality, which “patriarchal economic forces” imagine—with good reason—might overturn their world (222). But those arcs are only suggestions. Future studies of superheroes have plenty of other places to start. They have come far since Reynolds, not to mention since Action Comics #1 (1938) and the debut of Superman. But they still have places to go.

Her most recent books are After Callimachus (Princeton UP, 2020); Don't Read Poetry: A Book About How to Read Poems (Basic, 2019); and Advice from the Lights , an NEA Big Read selection (Graywolf, 2017).

See Scott McCloud, Understanding Comics (1992) and Hillary Chute, Why Comics? (2019).

See Scott Bukatman, Matters of Gravity (2003); Peter Coogan, Superhero (2006); Ramzi Fawaz, The New Mutants (2016); Geoff Klock, How to Read Superhero Comics and Why (2002); and Bradford W. Wright, Comic Book Nation (2003).

See Douglas Wolk, Reading Comics (2007).

See James Leask, “‘Those Are White Man’s Totems’: The Complex Identity of Dani Moonstar,” Jay & Miles X-Plain the X-Men , 18 June 2015, web.

See Daniel Amrhein, “Rick Remender, the Mutant Oppression Metaphor, and the ‘M-Word,’” Journey into Awesome , 10 Apr. 2013, web and “Kitty Pryde Responds to Havok’s ‘M-Word’ Speech,” Journey into Awesome , 9 July 2013, web; Chan, “Why Cyclops Was Right,” ComicNewbies , 28 May 2015, web; Sean Ian Mills, “Cyclops Was Right Yet Again, Let Me Count the Ways,” Henchman-4-Hire , 2 Dec. 2016, web.

See Wright.

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Alaniz José. . “Whiteness and Superheroes in the Comix/Codices of Enrique Chagoya.” Guynes and Lund, pp. 103 – 25 .

Aldama Frederick Luis. “Unmasking Whiteness: Re-Spacing the Speculative in Superhero Comics.” Guynes and Lund, pp. xi – xvi .

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Pinti Daniel. “‘Okay … This Looks Bad’: Disability, Masculinity, and Ambivalence in Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye .” Smith and Alaniz, pp. 125 – 40 .

Pustz Matthew. “‘A True Son of K’un-Lun’: The Awkward Racial Politics of White Martial Arts Superheroes in the 1970s.” Guynes and Lund, pp. 212 – 25 .

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Shyminsky Neil. “Mutation, Racialization, Decimation: The X-Men as White Men.” Guynes and Lund, pp. 158 – 73 .

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Writing Superhero Conclusions with the Phantom Endings Exercise

Students are taught that a closing paragraph should accomplish three things:

• Restate an essay's thesis
• Summarize main points
• Provide a finished feel

In response to this information, young writers often exhibit confusion. "Aren't I repeating myself if I copy the same content from the first paragraph? And what's a finished feel?"

Although well intended, essay writing practice is often unfocused, instead of a targeted way of addressing problems with conclusions. And while instructors commonly suggest that novice authors read more mentor texts, this is not a direct route to improving writing , much less constructing conclusions. So what's a more time- and energy-efficient way to give students confidence about writing conclusions?

Goals and Models

Phantom endings, an assignment I developed for high school authors, is an efficient 15-20 minute exercise that helps students compose stronger endings. Learners read an essay with the last paragraph temporarily removed, write their own ending for the essay, and then compare their conclusion to the essay's original. Before trying this technique, complete two steps with your students.

Step 1: Teach Your Students the Goals of a Conclusion

There are two options here. Provide students with a very clear description of a conclusion with Purdue Online Writing Lab's (OWL) Writing a Developed and Detailed Conclusion (OWL describes three goals of conclusion writing that were mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog post). In addition, Time4Writing's Writing a Good Conclusion Paragraph suggests that a closing paragraph demonstrate to the reader that the writer accomplished what he or she set out to do.

To provide your students with less structured, more creative options, check out Lila Chalpin's On Ending with a Bang Not a Whimper (NCTE login required). Chalpin offers six compelling conclusions that will leave the reader with a strong impression, such as "end with the meaning that the theme of a literary work has to contemporary man" and "end with a by-product or after-effect of an issue which has just been analyzed." She also provides an example of each type of ending.

Also check out pages 90-103 of Steve Peha's The Writing Teacher's Strategy Guide , which provides over 15 strategies for what he calls "happy endings." He also includes examples of unsuccessful essay conclusions.

Step 2: Focus on Conclusion Models

Give students examples of the types of conclusions you want them to learn to write: novels, short stories, expository essays, etc. But don't overwhelm them by assigning too many long essays to study. It's only necessary to have them analyze a few whole works so they can see how final paragraphs draw on earlier sections of an essay.

Linda Aragoni suggests teaching conclusions via "how do" rather than "how to," explaining that students learn better by actually seeing closing paragraphs at work and analyzing how authors have used them, rather than by taking notes on how conclusions should be written.

Now You're Ready for Phantom Endings

This activity requires copies of sample essays that are short and categorized by reading levels -- we want the students to focus on the conclusions, not deciphering the text. You can find sample essays at Monroe College's Examples of Five-Paragraph Essays and at Sample Student Essays . Print out some essays that you would like to use and cut off their closing paragraphs. Make sure to save these endings. You'll need them later.

Next, have students read the essays (with conclusions excluded) and write their own final paragraphs for the texts. They should use the strategies and techniques you went over in Step 2.

After they complete their own conclusions, hand out the original final paragraphs and allow students time to compare and contrast. They should focus on what things the author included in his conclusion and why, and how the original final paragraph does or does not work better than the one they wrote. Here is some models completed by my 11th grade students .

Benefits of the Phantom Endings Activity

Since endings are " one of the most difficult parts of papers to write " (according to UNC's Writing Center), students need methodical, focused assistance in order to craft compelling conclusions. For those reasons, the phantom endings exercise is a good place to start. Additionally, the activity:

• Takes minimal time for students to complete and teachers to evaluate
• Works with multiple genres
• Involves learners in identifying similarities and differences -- a high-yield instructional strategy
• Is one that students find enjoyable

Give it a try. If you have a different approach to teaching endings, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section.

Essay on My Favourite Superhero

Students are often asked to write an essay on My Favourite Superhero in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on My Favourite Superhero

Introduction.

My favourite superhero is Spider-Man. He is a popular character in the Marvel Universe, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko.

Why Spider-Man?

Spider-Man, also known as Peter Parker, is a high school student who gained superpowers after being bitten by a radioactive spider. I admire him because he is not only strong and agile but also intelligent and kind-hearted.

Spider-Man’s Powers

Spider-Man can stick to walls, has a sixth sense for danger, and possesses incredible strength and agility. His intelligence helps him invent gadgets like web-shooters.

Spider-Man teaches us that with great power comes great responsibility. He is my favourite superhero because he uses his powers to help others and make the world a safer place.

250 Words Essay on My Favourite Superhero

Every child grows up idolizing superheroes, but some of us never really outgrow that fascination. My favourite superhero is Batman, a character that embodies resilience, intelligence, and the human spirit’s indomitable will.

The Appeal of Batman

What sets Batman apart from other superheroes is his lack of superhuman abilities. Instead, he relies on his intellect, physical prowess, detective skills, and technological advancements. This makes him relatable and aspirational. He’s a testament to the potential of human capability, which is a compelling concept, especially for a young mind.

The Dark Knight’s Resilience

Batman’s resilience is another trait that draws me to him. Despite facing numerous adversities, he never succumbs to despair. Instead, he uses his pain as motivation to fight crime and injustice. This resilience is an essential attribute that I try to emulate in my personal and academic life.

Symbol of Justice

Batman is also a symbol of justice. He operates in a city plagued by corruption and crime, yet he never compromises his principles. This unwavering commitment to justice is inspiring and serves as a reminder of the importance of standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult.

In conclusion, Batman’s appeal lies in his relatability, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice. These qualities make him more than just a superhero; they make him a symbol of the potential within us all. It is these traits that make Batman my favourite superhero and a source of inspiration in my life.

500 Words Essay on My Favourite Superhero

Superheroes have always been a source of fascination for many, offering an escape into a world where good triumphs over evil. Among the myriad of superheroes, my favourite is Batman, a character who embodies the human spirit’s resilience and determination.

The Enigma of Batman

Unlike other superheroes, Batman, also known as Bruce Wayne, doesn’t possess any superhuman abilities. He is a man shaped by personal tragedy, using his wealth and resources to transform himself into a symbol of fear for the criminal underworld. Batman’s lack of superpowers makes him more relatable and realistic, highlighting the potential within every individual to become a hero.

Humanity and Vulnerability

Batman’s humanity is one of his most appealing characteristics. He is a superhero who battles not only the villains of Gotham City but also his inner demons. His vulnerability, seen through his constant struggle with his past and moral dilemmas, makes him a complex character. This complexity adds depth to his character, making him more than just a crime-fighting superhero.

Batman is a symbol of justice, a vigilante who operates in the shadows to maintain balance in Gotham City. He adheres to a strict moral code, refusing to kill, which sets him apart from his adversaries. This unwavering commitment to justice, even in the face of adversity, makes Batman a beacon of hope for Gotham’s citizens.

Intellect and Physical Prowess

Batman’s intellect is as impressive as his physical prowess. He is a detective, a strategist, a scientist, and a martial artist. His intelligence and physical capabilities are a testament to his dedication and discipline. These attributes underline the importance of continuous learning and self-improvement, making Batman an inspirational figure.

The Dark Knight’s Influence

Batman’s influence extends beyond the comic book pages and the silver screen. He has become a cultural icon, inspiring countless adaptations and interpretations. His enduring popularity underscores the timeless appeal of his character – a man who rises above his personal tragedy to fight for justice.

Batman, my favourite superhero, represents the triumph of human will and intellect over adversity. He is a symbol of resilience, justice, and hope. His complexity, humanity, and determination make him a compelling character, resonating with audiences worldwide. Batman’s influence and the lessons he imparts – about justice, morality, resilience, and self-improvement – continue to inspire and captivate, making him a superhero for all times.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on My Favourite National Hero
• Essay on Origin of English Language
• Essay on My Favourite Language

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

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Use our free Readability checker

If you are writing a hero essay, you have to describe a particular person who did something great. This can be a story about brave heroes of the World War II that were fighting with an enemy to save other people. You may write about a smart scientist who invented something significant to simplify our life. Maybe you even have your own hero? Your main task here is to write about personal qualities to explain to your readers why this certain person is a great hero. It's important to find strong words to describe this particular man or woman, there are a lot of things to write about. This type of paper requires good skills in writing and a lot of time. We have created this detailed instruction to help people in writing a strong hero essay. Read all pages of our article, it will help to figure out how to make a successful story that will attract many readers. Follow our simple hints, don't forget to plan your time beforehand! In case you lack time or ideas, remember that StudyCrumb can help you with any academic essay. Just say " Write my essay cheap " and our professionals will create a wonderful paper on any topic. 

4 Steps of Creating a Brilliant Story About Your Hero

These are the main steps that will help people to make a good essay.

• Brainstorm your ideas to choose your hero. You are free to write about anyone: from a heroic person that saves people and their lives to a fictional character from a cartoon for children. The most important thing is to mention the qualities of the chosen person to show your readers their power and strength. Find a character analysis example to base on.
• Make a clear outline for your future work. You may think it's not necessary to do it at all, but creating an outline is an important step in writing; if you are traveling in the unknown place, you definitely have a map, don't you? The same is with creating your paper. An outline is your map to guide you through the process of writing, that's why you shouldn't neglect this step.
• Write a draft of your essay. Here everything is simple: just follow your outline, don't try to pay attention to grammar and punctuation. You will have a chance to fix all errors later. Try to be concentrated on your writing.
• Revise your hero essay to correct all mistakes and misprints. We suggest taking some time for rest after you have finished your paper and then start editing your work. It's more effective to check the paper with refreshed eyes. We suggest using various online programs to run online spell check and correct grammar mistakes.

How to Make a Good Outline for My Hero Essay?

As we already mentioned, an essay outline is an important part of writing your story about heroes; here is how you should build it:

• Introduction Here it's important to introduce your hero to readers: explain why this person is very important to you. Don't forget to provide your audience with a short background.
• The main part Here you should describe all qualities and characteristics of your hero to people. Provide heroic acts in details, don't forget about examples to support your argument. For instance, don't just write that a person was very brave. Provide a story that will prove it: tell your readers how your courage and character saved someone's life or did something significant for others.
• Conclusion This is a part of your paper where you have to rephrase the main idea of your writing to finish your essay logically. Don't make it too big, never try to put anything new here. A good ending should be a short accord in your work.

Ideas for Writing an Interesting Paper About a Hero

If you feel stuck with your writing, we have a bunch of interesting ideas you can choose from:

• Make a story about a real hero from books or newspapers. This can be an essay about a brave soldier who fought in the war, this may be a work about a fireman with courage who saved a lot of people and children from fire.
• Write about a fictional hero. Many people read a lot of stories about Superman or Batman - they are big heroes. It's possible to create a bright and interesting paper about such characters. Keep in mind you should describe their feats and achievement and explain to your readers why they have to admire them.
• Famous people : actors, politicians, scientists, etc. can be your heroes easily. You can make an exciting story about a movie star; it's possible to write about a great scientist you admire a lot. Maybe you even have figured out your future profession thanks to these people? This is a great idea to create your hero story about!
• Sometimes even ordinary people can become heroes. Maybe your best friend saved a little puppy fighting with a couple of angry dogs? Your uncle seems to be a brave hero because he is a zoologist who fights with poachers to make this world better? Feel free to write about such heroes too. They are very important for all us.

5 Tips to Create a Perfect and Bright Work About a Hero

Follow these effective hints to write an exciting hero paper and get a high grade:

• Write about someone your audience doesn't expect to hear. When people hear a word "hero", they have brave knights with courage in their mind. Try to catch people attention with a story about a homeless man who saved a kitten from cars or about a neighbor's son who helps the old people of your district (buys food for them every day).
• Usually, people expect reading from hero essays about such qualities as bravery, fame, and courage. It's possible to make an exciting story about a character who is very kind or extremely optimistic even in a bad situation. Surprise your readers with something they don't expect! This is a very effective thing when you're making a hero essay.
• Think out of the box - feel free to write about anything that comes to your mind. Keep in mind that you should support your argument with examples. Describe actions, not just how the chosen person looks! A huge smile plus nice face cannot convince readers you are writing about a kind character. If you will mention that a young man helped old woman to cross the street, then it proves this is an act of kindness.
• Whether you're making a story about a real person or write about a hero from cartoons, movies, or comics, write about the facts you are familiar with. There is no reason to use your fantasy, trying to provide readers with a fairy tale.
• Make a bright introduction to grab the attention of your readers. People won't read a boring story, your main task here is to motivate them to read the entire work. There are several ways of creating an interesting beginning. Try to start your essay with a quote, put a question, or provide the audience with an anecdote. Just try to be non-ordinary to write a creative essay !

Why Is It Important to Read Hero Essay Examples?

Needless to say, it's quite useful to read hero essay examples to create your own interesting story. Reading helps to refine writing skills, we suggest searching for essay samples, no matter what kind of paper you're working on. Here we want to share our successful sample of an interesting hero essay that may be helpful to read:  

My dad is a great hero to me. Even if he doesn't do anything special in his everyday job, I admire him a lot. He is a lawyer who helps to make equitable justice. My dad taught me that it's quite important to be an honest person. My dad is a great hero to me. Even if he doesn't do anything special in his everyday job, I admire him a lot. He is a lawyer who helps to make equitable justice. My dad taught me that it's quite important to be an honest person. At the start, that cruel man tried to defame my father's client - he wanted to make him guilty in everything; my dad already had evidence against the man so he suggested him staying quiet. It didn't work, the next day someone offered my father a bribe. I can't write the sum here - this money would be enough for all us to live without working anymore. In addition, my mother was fighting cancer, we needed a lot of money. My father didn't accept that: he rejected the deal and he found a man who offered a bribe. Nowadays, that man with his sly partner are in jail. The father's client was acquitted in the court from a criminal charge. I already have chosen my future profession - I want to be a lawyer like my dad. I admire this person because he is a strong hero for me because he is the most honest man I know.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

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Summaries, Analysis & Lists

Superhero Short Story Examples: Short Stories About Superheroes (& Supervillains)

Regular short stories starring famous super heroes are hard to come by. The ones available seem to be written for children. If you’re looking for this kind, here are a few volumes to check out (Amazon):

• 5-Minute Spider-Man Stories  
• 5-Minute Batman Stories
• 5-Minute DC Super Friends Stories
• 5-Minute Avengers Stories
• 5-Minute Marvel Stories
• Marvel Storybook Collection
• DC Big Book of Super Hero Stories

Superhero Short Stories

The following short stories feature other heroes. These ones are written for teens or adults.

“Cookie Cutter Superhero” by Tansy Rayner Roberts

Joey has a newfound celebrity status at school. She’s reminded of her first day when everyone was interested in her left arm. It’s her last day for at least six months. She’ll be going to live at Sky Tower with the team. Her friends speculate about who she’ll become and who she’ll be replacing. There’s a lot of uncertainty and excitement about Joey’s new path.

This story appears in the anthology  Kaleidoscope: Diverse YA Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories .  It can be read in the Amazon preview.

“Boom” by Andrew Gladman

The narrator wakes up with a nurse looking at him. His senses are heightened. He doesn’t know what’s wrong. He was working for a man named Hunt in a lab. He’s going to be sent back.

“Boom” can be read in the preview of  Superhumanity: Superhero Short Stories .

“Geek Gurl Rising” by Chris Pourteau

Carrie sits by herself for lunch in the cafeteria. She gets harassed regularly by four popular students, and starts to view it as an experiment. She plans different ways of responding to them to see how they’ll react. Carrie is a big fan of superheroes. She heads to the library to get away from everyone. The librarian, Mr. Johns, has a surprise.

This story can be read in the preview of  It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane!: A Superhero Anthology.

“Villainous Origins” by Jessica West

A woman is making her nightly walk home through the woods. A man attacks her, but she defends herself. He’s undeterred. She thinks about the time she met someone she called Justice. It was in the woods about twenty years earlier, when she was attacked by her stepdad.

This story can be read in the preview of  World Domination: A Supervillain Anthology .

“Lovesick: Chasing the Storm” by Agustin Guerrero

The narrator recounts some meetings between himself and another superpowered person. There were sparks at the first meeting. They fought and lived to fight another day. He relates the progression in their encounters.

This story can be read in the preview of  Powerless Against You .

“Flying Fast, Falling Hard” by Kim Strattford

Tom Sullivan was a pilot in the Air Force; now he doesn’t need a plane to fly. He meets with Marta, the head of the Superhero Alliance. Tom has been accepted for membership. There’s a condition, though: he has to improve his fighting ability. His training is to start immediately.

This story can be read in the preview of  Under the Cape: An Anthology of Superhero Romance.

“Bedtime Story” by Scott Bachmann

Liza tells her kids a Paragon adventure, a story from her old life. They’re classified, but she can omit certain details. It’s about the Serpent Lord, a man who could control minds. It started when a man named Rodney Gilliam robbed a secret lab and some other sites. The Defense Force was called in to help.

“Bedtime Story” can be read in the preview of  The Good Fight Anthology.

“The Token Superhero” by David F. Walker

Alonzo Ramey was born with the genetic anomaly that causes superpowers. Fortunately, his powers were of the Standard variety. His father warns him that white folks wouldn’t take kindly to a colored boy with superpowers. He ends up getting offered a position with Teen Justice Force.

This story can be read in the preview of  Octavia’s Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements .  (53% in)

“Pygmalion” by Seanan McGuire

At age ten, the narrator found out her mother was Galatea, the most powerful superwoman in the world. She also figured out that her father was Zenith, the most powerful superhuman. She, however, had no powers of any kind, and felt like she could never be good enough. The turning point came when her mother’s secret identity was revealed, putting her at risk.

This story can be read in the preview of  Unmasked: Tales of Risk and Revelation .  (18% in)

Find a Superhero Short Story, Cont’d

“Dream Knights” by L. A. Banks

Cassandra walks through the sleet to her morning train. As she walks down the subway steps, she sees a Watcher. She always sees one the night before one of her dreams. Aware of her vulnerability, she takes the necessary steps. When she boards the train, there are more Watchers.

Most of “Dream Knights” can be read in the preview of  The Darker Mask: Heroes From the Shadows .

“Ms. Liberty Gets a Haircut” by Cat Rambo

A group of superheroes are having pizza and beer. Ms. Liberty is a cyborg, X is a genetically constructed being, Kilroy is an alien and Dr. Arcane is a magic-user. Dr. Arcane believes the group dynamic isn’t right. They decide to interview some potential new members.

Some of this story can be read in the preview of  Behind the Mask: A Superhero Anthology .

“There’s Going to Be a Fight in the Cafeteria on Friday and You Better Not Bring Batman” by Lamar Giles

Cornell almost misses his bus stop because he’s going over his list of superheroes. He was picked for the game on Friday, where students choose superheroes to face off against each other. The problem is, you can’t repeat names, and there aren’t many options left. He looks to his brother for help.

In this story, the characters just talk about superheroes.

Some of it can be read in the preview of Black Boy Joy: 17 Stories Celebrating Black Boyhood .  (60% into preview)

The Wild Cards Series

The Wild Cards universe is populated with Aces and Jokers—people endowed with superhuman powers and those with bizarre conditions.

It’s an alternate history. After WWII, an alien virus hit the Earth, mutating those exposed to it. Some use their abilities for good, some for evil and some blur the lines.

This series is written for adults.

There are some short story anthologies in this series, such as  Wild Cards I: Expanded Edition ,  and  Wild Cards II: Aces High .

I’ll keep adding short stories about superheroes as I find more.

25 Hero’s Journey Story Ideas to Start an Epic Adventure

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

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The hero's journey is one of the most beloved and popular story frameworks in books and film. Today we have 25 prompts with hero's journey story ideas, so you can write your own epic adventure tale!

If you've watched any one of George Lucas's Star Wars films, read or watched any of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books or films then you've experienced the hero's journey. I've walked my creative writing classes through these stories numerous times, helping them identify and emulate the story principles. 

Part of what makes these stories so compelling is that they follow a character from their ordinary life into an adventure they couldn't have imagined, leading to personal transformation.

You can see David Stafford's (our resident expert on Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey Story Structure) Ultimate Guide to the Hero's Journey here if you want to see a complete breakdown of the heroic journey that creates these character arcs. 

While there are twelve stages or phases in a traditional hero's journey story, I've organized these prompts in the three essential stages: the departure, the initiation, and the return. You can combine these into a story or use them individually to fuel just one section of your larger story. 

Try one and see how it pushes your character out of their normal life and into a hero venture! 

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Departure

This opening stage is all about establishing a would-be hero's everyday life, revealing the status quo, and then disrupting it. What's expected of this character in their current state? What do they believe about themselves? 

The departure stage requires the hero to leave that mundane life, that familiar world behind to begin their adventure that will happen in a series of stages. The departure includes: the Ordinary World , the Call to Adventure and Refusal of the Call , Meet the Mentor , and the Crossing of the Threshold .

1. Create a scene where your character is frustrated or in trouble at their current workplace or home. Avoid a wake-up scene unless you can make it compelling.

2. Show your character doing their favorite activity when it gets interrupted with something inconsequential.

3. Show your character interacting with a pesky sibling, challenging family member, or sometimes friend. 

4. What problem will arise in your character's community that will necessitate them leaving home to solve it? 

5. Create a major threat to your character's favorite place or person , preferably one that could be extended to the entire community. 

6. Describe the insecurities that plague your character, focusing on ones that will inform their refusal of the call to adventure. 

7. Create a mentor (or two or three!) that will inspire your character to think beyond their current limitations and plant a seed of inspiration. What kind of person or being will best speak into your character's specific fears?

8. Write the scene where the character accepts the call and leaves home to begin the adventure. 

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Initiation Stage

The initiation stage includes Trials, Allies, and Enemies ; Approach to the Inmost Cave ; The Ordeal ; and The Reward .

This next part, the initiation, is usually the longest in a story, loosely from the inciting incident to the end of the climax (and immediate repercussions). This is a place to play—get creative with the trials, the complications, and the ultimate battle.

9. Make a list of your hero's strengths and weaknesses. Now, create a trial or an antagonist that can challenge each of those traits. 

10. Write a scene where your hero meets an unexpected ally on their journey . 

11. Create a fantastical challenge or physical obstacle in the world where your story is set. Drop your hero and one other character into the situation and force them to fight their way through it. 

12. Write a scene where the hero faces something they think will be easy, but it challenges them in an unexpected (and humbling way).

13. How will your character take on a new physical look during the initiation phase? How will their build, clothing, features change? Write the description , including an outline of how it happens. 

14. Create a creature who the hero will approach as a threat. What happens in the face-off? Will the creature remain foe? or become a friend?

15. The character archetype of the shadow (sometimes called the villain) appears during the approach to the inmost cave. The villain is the dark side of the hero. Write a scene where the hero misuses their power and prowess—then see if you can adapt it for the shadow OR use it to help the hero grow. 

16. Write a scene where the hero faces their toughest foe, the scene where they are not sure they can beat evil.

17. Consider how the fight has become even more personal for the hero. Write about what they believe they are fighting for now. Make sure the stakes are high.

Hero's Journey Story Ideas for the Return

Finally, the Return stage shows off how our hero has changed, how the internal transformation has now manifested as an external change as the hero fully embraces their new status and learning.

It includes the final stages of the journey structure: The Road Back , The Resurrection , and the Return with the Elixir . 

18. Write a scene (or a list!) where the hero recounts what they have lost on the journey. 

19. Write a scene where the hero has achieved what they hoped, but somehow it falls short of what they thought it would be to them.

20. Write out the worst thing that could happen on the hero's way back home. How will they face it?

21. Describe (or draw!) a map of the hero's way home. Will they return the same way or go a new direction? What have they learned? 

22. Write a scene where your hero makes a significant sacrifice to defeat evil, preferably on behalf of their community.

23. Write a scene where the hero encounters a setback on their way home, either physical or relational. Make sure they are using their newfound confidence to solve the problem. 

24. Make a list of possible “elixirs” or rewards your hero could bring back from their adventure. Think about what is broken or important to their community and what that physical object will mean to them. Choose one elixir and write the moment the hero presents it. 

25. Write a hero's celebration feast scene. 

Now you try! 

The hero's journey structure can push you as a writer to focus on character development in addition to its opportunities for action and world building. Try one of these prompts today in your writing time and see where it leads!

Choose one of the prompts above. Set your timer for fifteen minutes and write. When finished, post your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop here , and I hope you'll share feedback and encouragement with a few other writers. Help those heroes shine! 

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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Sesame workshop writers reach tentative deal to avert threatened strike, breaking news.

NPR Editor Resigns In Aftermath Of His Essay Criticizing Network For Bias

By Ted Johnson

Ted Johnson

Political Editor

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UPDATE: The NPR editor who penned an essay criticizing the network for what he saw as bias in its coverage of Donald Trump and a host of other issues has resigned.

Uri Berliner , who had been a senior business editor and reporter, posting his resignation letter to NPR CEO Katherine Maher on his X/Twitter account.

A spokesperson for the network declined to comment.

Berliner had been temporarily suspended from NPR after publishing on essay for The Free Press that called out the network for losing “an open minded spirit” and lacking viewpoint diversity. He cited, among other things, audience research showing a drop in the number of listeners considering themselves conservative.

While Berliner’s essay was immediately seized upon by right wing media as evidence of NPR’s bias, some of his colleagues criticized him for making mistakes in his piece in for using “sweeping statements” to make his case, in the words of NPR’s Steve Inskeep. Maher criticized the essay in a note to staffers, writing, “Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.”

But Berliner’s essay did trigger some discussion within NPR, as some voices on the right, including Trump, called for defunding the network.

PREVIOUSLY: NPR has put on temporary suspension the editor who penned an essay that criticized the network for losing the trust of listeners as it has covered the rise of Donald Trump and coverage of Covid, race and other issues.

Uri Berliner has been suspended for five days without pay, starting last Friday, according to NPR’s David Folkenflik.

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“That wouldn’t be a problem for an openly polemical news outlet serving a niche audience. But for NPR, which purports to consider all things, it’s devastating both for its journalism and its business model,” Berliner wrote. He also wrote that “race and identity became paramount in nearly every aspect of the workplace,” while claiming that the network lacked viewpoint diversity.

His essay set off a firestorm on the right, with Trump blasting the network and Fox News devoting extensive coverage to the criticism, along with calls for ending government funding for NPR.

In his essay, Berliner wrote that “defunding isn’t the answer,” but that its journalism needed to change from within. The network’s funding has been a target of conservatives numerous times in the past, but lawmakers ultimately have supported public radio.

Berliner shared his suspension notice with Folkenflik, who wrote that it was for failure to seek approval for outside work, as well as for releasing proprietary information about audience demographics.

Katherine Maher, who recently became CEO of the network, published a note to staff last week that appeared to take issue with Berliner’s essay, writing that there was “a criticism of our people on the basis of who we are.”

“Asking a question about whether we’re living up to our mission should always be fair game: after all, journalism is nothing if not hard questions,” Maher wrote. “Questioning whether our people are serving our mission with integrity, based on little more than the recognition of their identity, is profoundly disrespectful, hurtful, and demeaning.”

Maher herself has become a target on the right, with some figures citing her past social media posts, including one from 2020 that referred to Trump as a “deranged racist sociopath.” At the time, she was CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. In a statement to The New York Times , Maher said that “in America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen.” “What matters is NPR’s work and my commitment as its C.E.O.: public service, editorial independence and the mission to serve all of the American public,” she said.

An NPR spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment. The network told The Times that Maher is not involved in editorial decisions.

Some of Berliner’s colleagues have been vocal in their own criticism of his essay. Eric Deggans, the network’s TV critic and media analyst, wrote that Berliner “set up staffers of color as scapegoats.” He also noted that Berliner “didn’t seek comment from NPR before publishing. Didn’t mention many things which could detract from his conclusions.”

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A new look at the original Romantic heartthrob, Lord Byron

On the 200th anniversary of his death, two new books explore the life and work of the poet who inspired the byronic hero — proud, introspective and magnetic.

On April 19, 1824, Lord Byron died at Missolonghi, where he had gone to lend his name and give financial support to the Greek war for independence from the Ottoman Empire. After being drenched by a sudden rainstorm while out riding, the poet developed a fever, from which he might well have recovered had it not been for some disastrous medical treatment, chiefly bleeding with leeches that left him weak and dehydrated. He was just 36.

Except for Napoleon, Byron could have legitimately claimed to be the most famous person of his time, partly because he’d been branded — by the infatuated (and married) Caroline Lamb — as “mad, bad, and dangerous to know.” Not only a major poet, especially in his mock epic “Don Juan,” he was also one of the half-dozen best letter writers in English. On the 200th anniversary of his death, two excellent new books reveal this Romantic heartthrob, rebel and wanderer from fresh angles: Andrew Stauffer’s “Byron: A Life in Ten Letters” and “Byron’s Travels: Poems, Letters, and Journals,” compiled by Fiona Stafford.

Stauffer, president of the Byron Society of America and a professor at the University of Virginia, has essentially produced a concise biography of the poet by reprinting, explaining and adding context to 10 of his best letters. In this way, we hear Byron’s rapid-fire conversational voice on the page as he spills out his thoughts and relates his latest misadventures to his mother, lovers or friends. To each letter, Stauffer then appends an engaging, fact-rich essay, augmented by relevant quotations from Byron’s poetry and insightful comments of his own. Further enhancing the book’s attractiveness, Cambridge University Press has produced a physically elegant volume, one you’ll enjoy holding as well as reading.

Byron was born in 1788 with a slightly deformed foot, about which he remained sensitive his whole life. His birth name was George Gordon, but following the deaths of two relatives, he suddenly inherited a title and a new name, considerable wealth, and a dilapidated medieval pile called Newstead Abbey. There, he would throw orgiastic, mildly sacrilegious parties with his classmates from Harrow and Cambridge, who would dress as monks and call their host the Abbot. For three years, Byron then toured the Mediterranean and the Near East, sampling the local wines and other delicacies — including pretty girls and, it now seems established, handsome boys. Out of these experiences emerged the first two semi-autobiographical cantos of “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.” They took London by storm in 1812. As their author later recalled, “I awoke one morning and found myself famous.”

Celebrity naturally led to invitations from the chicest London hostesses, and the charismatic Byron soon became the cynosure of many female eyes. But, as he once wrote, “Alas! the love of women.” While he sometimes initiated a seduction, just as often he was the one pursued, as in the case of Lamb, who once dressed as a pageboy to sneak into Byron’s bedroom. In looking back over his love life, the poet only half-facetiously insisted, “I have been more ravished myself than anybody since the Trojan War.”

Unfortunately, Augusta Leigh, the woman he came to love most deeply, wasn’t just married, she was also his-half sister. In the Romantic era, sisters often took on an erotic charge, being viewed as the spiritual complements or mirrors of their unhappy brothers. Besides, as Byron’s friend Shelley observed, “Incest, like many other incorrect things, is a very poetical circumstance.” In Byron’s dramatic poem, “Manfred,” the Faustian protagonist suffers from the memory of the dead sister he adored. Leigh’s daughter, Medora, was almost certainly fathered by Byron.

In an attempt to settle down, the poet married Annabella Milbanke, but their relationship, while affectionate at first, quickly deteriorated. Milbanke eventually separated from the abusive Byron but did give birth to their daughter, Ada, who would become the mathematician Ada Lovelace, a pioneer in the development of the computer or, as she and Charles Babbage called it, “the analytical engine.”

Byron’s scandalous affairs and defiant flouting of hypocritical conventions — “I was born for opposition” — soon led to his becoming a social outcast, and he left Britain for good in 1816. En route to Italy, he passed a summer on Lake Geneva at the Villa Diodati in the company of his doctor, William Polidori, and the irregular couple Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Godwin Shelley, as well as Mary’s stepsister, Claire Clairmont, already pregnant with Byron’s child. One stormy night, it was proposed that they all — Clairmont excepted — write ghost stories. The poets only scribbled fragments before giving up, but Polidori produced “The Vampyre” — a novella that reimagined a traditional folk-monster as a Byron look-alike, the suavely aristocratic Lord Ruthven — and Mary Shelley began work on the most influential of all Gothic novels, “Frankenstein.” In due course, Clairmont gave birth to the blue-eyed Allegra, who would succumb to a fever at age 5.

By then, the restless poet had moved to Italy, where after two wildly promiscuous years in Venice — the city of “vile assignations, and adulterous beds,/ Elopements, broken vows, and hearts, and heads” — he settled into relative domesticity in Ravenna and Genoa with Teresa Guiccioli, his “last attachment.” Following two relatively happy years as her as her cavalier servente, Byron decided to lend his personal and financial support to the Greek fight for independence. All too soon he would be dead, leaving behind brokenhearted friends and lovers but also a new literary archetype: the proud, moodily introspective and sexually magnetic Byronic hero, half Apollo, half Satan. Examples range from Alexandre Dumas’s dark avenger, the Count of Monte Cristo, and Emily Bronte’s tempestuous Heathcliff to the myriad bad boys and brooding heroes of modern romance novels.

Besides women, travel, wine and dogs, Byron loved books and could readily quote ancient classics, Shakespeare and 18th-century literature. He also spoke fluent Italian and a smattering of other languages, including Armenian. Most importantly, though, writing poetry allowed him to both re-experience and reflect on his multifaceted life and to critique contemporary mores. While his Weltschmerz-infused lyrics — “She walks in beauty like the night,” “So we’ll go no more a-roving,” “Maid of Athens, ere we part” — are anthology standards, he truly excels at the satirical long poem, such as “The Vision of Judgment” (it opens “Saint Peter sat by the celestial gate:/ His keys were rusty, and the lock was dull”) and the endlessly entertaining “Don Juan,” the erotic adventures of its rather hapless Spanish hero, recounted by a jaded narrator who insists, “I sketch your world exactly as it goes.”

Byron’s style here isn’t just sprightly, it’s positively rollicking and peppered with epigrammatic phrases worthy of his poetic mentor, Alexander Pope. That said, its presentation of women is cynical, to say the least. Still, there’s no denying the Stephen Sondheim-like cleverness of Byron’s rhymes: “But — oh ye lords of ladies intellectual!/ Inform us truly, have they not henpecked you all?” More reprehensible in its implications is perhaps his most famous couplet, summarizing Juan’s first seduction: “A little still she strove and much repented,/ And whispering, ‘I will ne’er consent’ — consented.”

In general, Byron’s highly personal poetry is most effective when one knows something of his life — hence the value of Stauffer’s book (and longer standard biographies by Peter Quennell, Leslie Marchand and Fiona MacCarthy). His letters bring us even closer to the man himself. Let me quote just one example that captures his very self and voice. He is writing in 1817 to the Irish poet Thomas Moore about the third canto of “Childe Harold”:

“I am glad you like it; it is a fine indistinct piece of poetical desolation, and my favorite. I was half mad during the time of its composition, between metaphysics, mountains, lakes, love unextinguishable, thoughts unutterable, and the nightmare of my own delinquencies. I should, many a good day, have blown my brains out, but for the recollection that it would have given pleasure to my mother-in-law; and, even then , if I could have been certain to haunt her …”

While collections of the poet’s work are plentiful, “Byron’s Travels: Poems, Letters and Journals,” edited by Oxford University professor Fiona Stafford, is unusual in its mosaic-like organization. Each section combines chronology and geography, tracking the itinerant poet’s life by assembling his reflections on the places that shaped him, from his hot youth in England to his early death at Missolonghi. As a result, Byron emerges as his own Boswell, telling us, for example, that he grinds his teeth at night, but also sharing such melancholy observations as this one:

“When one subtracts from life infancy (which is vegetation), — sleep, eating, and swilling — buttoning and unbuttoning — how much remains of downright existence? The summer of a dormouse.”

In England, Byron is being celebrated this year with scholarly conferences and a commemorative service at Westminster Abbey. A statue of the poet will soon be moved to a more prominent place in Hyde Park. Here in the United States, we can at least read books like Stauffer’s and Stafford’s, and perhaps raise a glass in Byron’s memory. If we happen to be drinking claret, I suspect that one glass won’t be enough.

A Life in Ten Letters

By Andrew Stauffer

Cambridge University Press. 300 pp. $29.95

Byron’s Travels

Poems, Letters, and Journals

Selected and Introduced by Fiona Stafford

Everyman’s Library. 728 pp. $35

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NPR Editor Who Accused Broadcaster of Liberal Bias Resigns

Uri Berliner, who has worked at NPR for 25 years, said in an essay last week that the nonprofit had allowed progressive bias to taint its coverage.

By Benjamin Mullin

Uri Berliner, the NPR editor who accused the broadcaster of liberal bias in an online essay last week, prompting criticism from conservatives and recrimination from many of his co-workers, has resigned from the nonprofit.

Mr. Berliner said in a social media post on Wednesday that he was resigning because of criticism from the network’s chief executive, Katherine Maher.

“I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new C.E.O. whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay,” Mr. Berliner wrote.

In his brief resignation letter, addressed to Ms. Maher, Mr. Berliner said he loved NPR, calling it a “great American institution” and adding that he respects “the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism.”

An NPR spokeswoman, Isabel Lara, said the nonprofit does not comment on personnel matters.

In an interview, Mr. Berliner said his decision to resign from NPR coalesced early this week after an email exchange with Ms. Maher. He said in the interview that he could infer from one of her emails that a memo she had sent to employees last week about workplace integrity was referring to him even though he had not been mentioned by name. In the email, which was sent to Mr. Berliner on Monday, Ms. Maher said her memo “stands for itself in reflecting my perspective on our organization.”

“Everything completely changed for me on Monday afternoon,” Mr. Berliner said.

Mr. Berliner’s essay stirred up a hornet’s nest of criticism of NPR and made Mr. Berliner something of a pariah within the network. Several employees told The New York Times that they no longer wished to work with him, and his essay was denounced by Edith Chapin, the network’s top editor.

Many journalists at NPR pushed back against the essay, including the “Morning Edition” host Steve Inskeep, who said on the newsletter platform Substack that Mr. Berliner failed to “engage anyone who had a different point of view.”

“This article needed a better editor,” Mr. Inskeep wrote. “I don’t know who, if anyone, edited Uri’s story, but they let him publish an article that discredited itself.”

Mr. Berliner’s essay found some defenders among the ranks of former NPR employees. Jeffrey A. Dvorkin, a former ombudsman, said on social media that Mr. Berliner was “not wrong.” Chuck Holmes, a former managing editor at NPR, called Mr. Berliner’s essay “brave” on Facebook.

Critics of NPR, including conservative activists, used Mr. Berliner’s essay in The Free Press to impugn the network’s journalism and its leadership. One of them, Christopher Rufo, began resurfacing social media posts from Ms. Maher that were critical of President Donald J. Trump and embraced progressive causes. Mr. Rufo has a history of pressuring media organizations to cover critical stories of well-known figures, including the plagiarism allegations against Claudine Gay, the former Harvard president.

NPR said in a statement earlier this week that Ms. Maher’s social media posts predated her term as chief executive, adding that she was not working in news at the time.

Before he resigned from NPR, Mr. Berliner was on a five-day suspension from the network for violating company policy against working for outside organizations without securing permission.

Mr. Berliner said he did not have any immediate plans after leaving NPR, adding that he was looking forward to getting more sleep and spending time with his family.

Benjamin Mullin reports on the major companies behind news and entertainment. Contact Ben securely on Signal at +1 530-961-3223 or email at [email protected] . More about Benjamin Mullin

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Hero's Journey — The Hero’s Journey: A Short Story

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NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

A senior business editor at National Public Radio has resigned after writing an essay for an online news site published last week accusing the outlet of a liberal bias in its coverage.

In a Wednesday post on X , Uri Berliner included a statement in what he said was his resignation letter to NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher.

"I am resigning from NPR, a great American institution where I have worked for 25 years," Berliner wrote in the post. "I don't support calls to defund NPR. I respect the integrity of my colleagues and wish for NPR to thrive and do important journalism. But I cannot work in a newsroom where I am disparaged by a new CEO whose divisive views confirm the very problems at NPR I cite in my Free Press essay."

On Friday, Berliner was suspended for five days without pay, NPR confirmed Tuesday , a week after his essay in the Free Press, an online news publication, where he argued the network had "lost America's trust" and allowed a "liberal bent" to influence its coverage, causing the outlet to steadily lose credibility with audiences.

Berliner's essay also angered many of his colleagues and exposed Maher, who started as NPR's CEO in March, to a string of attacks from conservatives over her past social media posts.

Dig deeper: NPR suspends senior editor Uri Berliner after essay accusing outlet of liberal bias

NPR reported that the essay reignited the criticism that many prominent conservatives have long leveled against NPR and prompted newsroom leadership to implement monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage.

Neither NPR nor Maher have not yet publicly responded to Berliner's resignation, but Maher refuted his claims in a statement Monday to NPR.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," Maher said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY.