Superhero-Sunday: Eastern Abilities vs Western Powers
[Above re-colored Ultraman bootlegs by Jeffry Burhan]
"Superhero" means different things to different people. Ideaology and geographically influenced, I suppose. And while the term was rooted deeply with Western comicbooks for me - including Marvel, DCs and even 2000A.D. (I collected and read them vivaciously), for others it might be due to exposure to television programs and cartoons. I remember a childhood living in Singapore, where Ultraman and various giant robot animes were readily available on the television - but most of them had been dubbed in Malay-language and shown on TV3 - and most of them had breaks in the middle, in lieu of evening prayers on-air.
I had school in the mornings, and Saturday mornings were pre-occupied with ECAs ("Extra Curricular Activities") - so the only tv-time was later afternoons and evenings. I had zero memories of what local-Singapore channels had for folks that time period tho LOL - but shortly my studies declined rapidly, and I turned to girls and television, and embraced them ALL! Muahahahahahaha! (Sorry folks, I am a "cautionary tale". nowhere near an "inspirational" one, I'm afraid ~ heh).
"Superheroes" of the East possessed the ability to change into alternate persons, each possessing the ability to kick-ass and shoot rays out of arms in assorted formations, and that's about it, really. Yes, they could fly (heck everybody with a super-power could fly, so "flying" was not so much a fantastical concept for me lol). Ironically, the kaiju monster villains of Ultraman were able to shoot fire, breeze ice et al = basically whatever Western superheroes could do, the "enemy monsters" could (Politically-charged underpinnings, much? The "decadent enemies of the West", perhaps? ;p). Western comicbook stories also had their opposing views and virtues of slanty-eyed Eastern-villains, no?
But nothing could balance the sexist aspect of these fictional-heroes, as most of them are Male, with hardly many Female representation. Wonder Woman took some time but helmed her own comicbook title, while female superheroes in the East later manifested as fellow combatants within a group (Power Rangers et al) and even yes, as the mother of all Ultramen!
Likewise Kamen Rider and it's various incarnations (but each with a bike, man, the bikes rocked!) vibed a very "yankee" feel to their rebelliousness (yes, motorbikes had never been seen as a force of "good" outside of hero-serials on tv lol). Manga might not necessarily have figured in this early in the game, but for a slew of bootlegged translations (or they might just be "badly produced" adaptations) later on. These days, manga is a part of everyday life in the East, as much as western comicbooks are. One huge difference is that manga afforded the ability to "rent" stories, while Western comicbooks have to be "bought" instead. Libraries are the DMZ of this happenstance, I suppose.
But superhuman powers beyond enhanced mortal abilities? That was what made the difference between Eastern and Western heroes - the ability to accept the fictional-fact which was more "achievable" and what was more "fantastical". "Aspiration" led the way to enjoyment, and perhaps here in the East, most notions are different. And for folks who could accept both? The world is our fictional-oyster!
Credit: Above other shown toy collection-snaps belongs to David Tan. Thanks for contributing!
