SupermanHawaii.com

Courtesy: All Hands On Deck Productions, Inc.

by Scott Shinsato

You know, when I first heard about the new show “Who Wants to Be a Superhero?” about a year or so ago I thought it sounded like a great idea. I mean, those who know me know that in another life, another dimension perhaps, that is what I’d probably be…a Superhero! When I downloaded the application form and read it through, I was a little disappointed. It seemed that whether or not I got on the show, the concept of my character would be taken and put in the vault of Stan Lee, perhaps for future use. What a silly reason for abandoning the idea to try to get on the show right? Maybe, but in the big picture of things, I couldn’t justify giving what little creative endeavors I may have over to Stan.

Jaded, I began seeing the commercials and spots for the new show to be shown on the Sci-fi Channel. By jaded, I mean that as I saw the commercials it seemed that it was meant to be a joke…the essence of the Superhero was being “dumbed” down to what most of the world probably sees it as…grown adults in silly costumes and gimmicks. Some of the contestants seemed to not take this idea or show seriously and to be honest; it is a hard concept to take seriously. It is probably easier to mock it than to stand by it and what it stands for. But I digress…

The show debuted July 27, 2006 on the Sci-Fi Channel. It started off with the typical (well, as typical as it can be for its format) reality show auditions and showed a few of the hopefuls and those rejected. Initially this felt almost like a slap in the face to a fan of comics and Superheroes as some of the contestants seemed silly or to be making fun of the genre than anything else. I guess with any audition for a show like this, this is the type of public response you would expect. Generally though, it seemed that the participants chosen were those who dreamed of being a role model or perhaps a character rather than a Superhero as the show stated. Like I said, at this point of the show I am still a bit jaded.

So the limo pulls up and the “Heroes” step out and enter the mansion introducing themselves to each other and the audience at home. Some of the Hero hopefuls seemed a bit silly and a maybe a bit dubious to not only wear the costume of a Hero but to be proclaimed as one. The initial meeting of the Heroes culminates in a ‘dance party’ that Stan quickly puts a stop to proclaiming “This isn’t how Superheroes act!” Stan seems almost as if he wanted to laugh as he attempts to keep a straight face at this point. The Heroes are then taken to a “secret” lair where they will spend the next 6 weeks trying to prove their worth to Stan and make us believe they are Superheroes.

At this point I was wondering how they were going to attempt to prove this…I mean, I don’t think any of the contestants were faster than a speeding bullet or could leap over tall buildings in a single bound. I doubt that an alien had come to Earth and had given them a magic ring which empowered them with out-worldly powers and I highly doubt that some radioactive spider just happened to bite them giving them arachnid like powers (though it’s not like I haven’t tried that myself in the past). How, how Mr. Lee would you prove to us that these contestants that you have chosen are worthy of the title Superhero. This is where Stan proves me wrong…it is something that I have always believed about the beloved heroes I read about every week. It is something that I will always argue that Superman, Batman, Spider-man and so many other heroes show us each week in the titles of our favorite comics. It is about the heart.

It was ingenious…tell the heroes that the first “elimination” type contest included discreetly changing into your costume and racing off to a certain destination. Don’t tell them however about the crying little girl seeking help and see which ones stop and go out of their way to help this little girl. The moment I figured out what this particular elimination contest was about was the moment that I was willing to give this show a chance. Stan proved me wrong, he is not testing for just strength or speed, courage or wit but the most important thing for any hero, “Super” or not…Heart! Sadly, only 4 of the 10 potential heroes actually stopped to help the little girl but if nothing else, I think it hammered home the idea that this show/contest is more than just being fast and strong. The heart and instinct to not only do what is right but act on it as well is what I hope the contestants strive for in the remainder of the contest.

After all is said and done, I applaud Stan for the first episode. I hope the rest continue to show the true spirit of a Hero, the heart and the sacrifice that our comicbook heroes show to us each week. I admit that I have gone from being skeptical about this show to being intrigued by it. I am willing to give the show a chance. So if you get a chance, check your local listings for Sci-Fi channels new show “Who Wants To Be a Superhero”. Until next month gang, take care and best wishes!

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