New!
Author resources • Lorehaven Guild
Podcast sponsors • Subscribe for free
Crew manifest Faith statement FAQs
All author resources Lorehaven Guild Subscribe for free

Into the Darkness
Reviews, Feb 3, 2023

The Chosen Succeeds Where ‘Woke’ Stories Fail
Jenneth Dyck in Articles, Feb 2, 2023

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, Feb 1, 2023

Library

Find fantastical Christian novels

fantasy · sci-fi · and beyond
middle grade · young adult · grown-ups
All novels Search Add a novel
Silver Bounty, Victoria McCombs
A Sword for the Immerland King, F. W. Faller
Calor, J. J. Fisher
Once Upon A Ren Faire, A. C. Castillo
The Genesis 6 Project, Michael Ferguson
Exile, Loren G. Warnemuende
Aberration, Cathy McCrumb
The Truth Beyond the Lies, Kathleen Bird
Frost, Winter's Lonely Guardian, E. E. Rawls
Dream of Kings, Sharon Hinck
The Change, Bradley Caffee
Quest of Fire: Desperation, Brett Armstrong
Wishtress, Nadine Brandes
Flight, Kristen Young
Podcast

Get the Fantastical Truth podcast

Podcast sponsors | Subscribe links
Archives Feedback

147. Why Can Christians Celebrate Stories about Merlin and King Arthur? | with Robert Treskillard
Fantastical Truth, Jan 31, 2023

146. How Did Animators Adapt The Wingfeather Saga For Streaming TV? | with Keith Lango
Fantastical Truth, Jan 24, 2023

145. How Did Edmund Spenser’s ‘The Faerie Queene’ Shape Christian Fantasy? | with Rebecca K. Reynolds
Fantastical Truth, Jan 17, 2023

144. Which Top Six Fantasy Franchises Gave Fans Grief in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 10, 2023

143. Which Top Ten Lorehaven Stories Proved Most Popular in 2022?
Fantastical Truth, Jan 6, 2023

142. What Christmas Gift ‘Tools, Not Toys’ Helped You Grow As a Person?
Fantastical Truth, Dec 20, 2022

Quests

Join our monthly digital book quests.

Lorehaven Guild Faith statement FAQs

Rose Petals and Snowflakes
Book Quests, February 2023

Prince Caspian
Book Quests, January 2023

Dream of Kings
Book Quests, December 2022

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness
Book Quests, November 2022

Reviews

Find fantastical Christian reviews

All reviews Request review

Into the Darkness
“Charles Hack’s Into the Darkness summons a close-range science fiction story, focusing on the personal challenges of space warfare among alien cultures with a steady pace and serious tone.”
—Lorehaven on Feb 3, 2023

A Crown of Chains
“A Crown of Chains creatively retells a biblical tale to explore themes of providence, racism, faith, and fidelity.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 27, 2023

Lander’s Legacy
“Lander’s Legacy stacks modern thrills and complex characters on a foundation of biblical what-ifs.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 20, 2023

Prince Caspian
“Pacing starts slow but creature lore grows in C. S. Lewis’s sequel, introducing practical tyrants and talking-beast politics into a Narnian resistance.”
—Lorehaven on Jan 13, 2023

Gifts

Find new gifts for Christian fans

Archives

The original SpecFaith: est. 2006

Speculative Faith | archives

Lorehaven issues (2018–2020)

Order back issues online!
New
Library
Podcast
Quests
Reviews
Gifts
Archives
Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Subscribe free to Lorehaven
/ SpecFaith /

Where Are All The Superheroes?

From the halls of Odin to the exploits of Beowulf, the graphic-art mythos of Superman, the school day victories of colorful Power Rangers—why are superheros so super?
Yvonne Anderson on Feb 20, 2013
No comments

339px-OdinWe can debate the reasons at length—the innate longing for a redeemer, to see good triumph over evil, or to be freed from our feelings of impotence; a belief there must be more to this life than our humdrum existence—but no one can argue that superheroes have long captured the human imagination.

From the halls of Odin to the exploits of Beowulf, the graphic-art mythos of Superman, the school day victories of colorful Power Rangers—even the near-magical brilliance of Sherlock’s intelligence and the brave new world of scientific discovery—superheros are super!

It’s straight-up fun with no collateral damage. The only ones getting clubbed by Thor’s hammer or Ka-POWed by Batman’s fist are the most villainous of villains, most hideous of mutants, most craven of the fallen. The good and the innocent, the folks with honest faces like ours, are defended. And, of course, the prettiest are gallantly rescued, because beauty is its own reward.

Some years back, a co-worker related the time she asked her four-year-old grandson what he wanted to be when he grew up. “A Ninja Turtle,” he declared. Granted, he may have interpreted the question in terms of Halloween costumes. But still… How many boys aspire to be a real hero—say, an Elijah, or the Apostle Paul? We’re more likely to see girls emulate Jezebel than Hannah. And who on earth daydreams about the glories of living in Hebrews 11?

The qualities that earn hero status—determination, wealth, pride, sexual powers—are, to one degree or another, attainable goals to anyone who tries hard enough. Superheroes are Ego’s mirror. The mild-mannered Clark Kent embodies Everyman’s potential given the right combination of luck and asteroids.

Heaven forbid heroism be too unattainable. Be holy, for God is holy? Walk by faith not by sight? Move mountains through prayer? Don’t be ridiculous; I live in the real world.

Maybe the real world isn’t what we’d like to think. And maybe, neither is redemption. Could it be that the real Redeemer will tear off our honest-faced masks and force us to see the evil within? Please, no—that’s a little too real.

Nadab and Abihu mistook Jehovah God for a genie in a bottle. They performed the spell they’d seen work before, chanting what they thought were the magic words. But the fire they summoned from heaven wasn’t what they had in mind. The missing ingredient for them—and for us—was the dreaded humble obedience.

We can’t do God’s thing our way and expect to come out a hero. Rather, when we obey God with slave-like submission (ouch! did Paul really mean that?), God will accept that offering. He’ll use it as a tool, to do His thing His way. Sometimes the result’s flashy and sometimes it’s not. But whatever it looks like, it’s superpowered.

What if we really believed what God says with the kind of faith that brings fundamental change to our lives? What if we honestly believed these lives to be no longer our own, but the exclusive property of the Sovereign God? What if we consciously, deliberately, and actually put aside our old fleshly attitudes and habits and put on the humility of Christ?Superman-1942

We’d be superheroes.

Bulging biceps aren’t required. Neither are Wonderwoman legs. The only prerequisite for super heroism is what God has already given us. Just that… but all of that. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

Imagine what a church might be like with superheroes in the pews. A home, if mom and dad were superheroes. A community, with a few superhero citizens.

Imagine what fiction might look like if superheroes were writing it.

Yvonne Anderson
Yvonne Anderson writes fiction that takes you out of this world. Her first novel, The Story in the Stars, debuted in June 2011 and is an ACFW Carol Award finalist in the Speculative Fiction category. Her second, Words in the Wind, released August 1, 2012. Two additional titles will complete this Gateway to Gannah series. She is contest administrator for Novel Rocket's Launch Pad Contest for unpublished novelists. You may follow her wise words on the blog YsWords, or find her on Facebook or Twitter.
Website ·
  1. A. D. Smith says:
    February 20, 2013 at 1:18 am

    Great Post!  I guess deep down inside, I’ve always wanted to be a superhero!  To know there’s a power waiting to rise up from your inner-most being.  Well…I believe we do have something like that.  The Holy Spirit!!!  I also just released my first book entitled, ‘The Assigned’.  Imagine X-Men meets the Bible.  Three young adults are given extraordinary powers from God after each of their lives is shaken by tragedy. Right now, it’s #1 in Christian Fantasy (Ebooks) on Amazon. To God be the Glory! 
    I had trailer made from the same creative mind behind Karen Kingsbury and John Grisham trailers. I have to say they made it AWESOME! You can check it out here.


    But I believe God is raising up ‘superheroes’ in our churches, our lives, and even our stories!  The Power of God will again be, ‘Mainstream’!  God Bless!

    Reply
    • Janeen Ippolito says:
      February 20, 2013 at 8:44 pm

      I just have to say: what an EPIC trailer! 

      Reply
      • A. D. Smith says:
        February 21, 2013 at 4:32 pm

        Thanks!  God Bless!

        Reply
  2. Galadriel says:
    February 20, 2013 at 6:11 pm

    Beyond Superman and a few Marvel films, I don’t have much experience with superhero films, but I think “superheros” are a different class than “heros”

    Reply
  3. Kessie/NetRaptor says:
    February 20, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    Galadriel: The Doctor would be considered a superhero. He’s an alien with a magical science-box, and a magic wand/sonic screwdriver that can do anything. And he tries to save people and solve problems. All he’s missing is the spandex.

    Reply
    • Galadriel says:
      February 22, 2013 at 2:55 pm

      See, I have a narrower definition  Superheros tend to win with powers–super strength, an iron suit, a serum, etc… and rarely does that involve guile or cleverness, at least in my very limited experience.
       

      Reply
  4. Yvonne Anderson says:
    February 21, 2013 at 9:30 am

    I’m not sure of the official definition for “superhero,” but I think of it as one who does heroic things with supernatural power. If you’re into fantasy, that encompasses a wide variety of fictional characters. In the realm of spiritual reality, it describes people who give their all to Christ and are empowered by His Spirit to accomplish God’s purposes in ways they could never manage in their own strength.

    Reply

What do you think? Cancel reply

Lorehaven magazine, spring 2020

Wear the wonder:
Get exclusive shirts and beyond

Listen to Lorehaven’s podcast

Authors and publishers:
Reach new fans with Lorehaven

Lorehaven helps Christian fans explore fantastical stories for Christ’s glory: fantasy, science fiction, and beyond. Articles, the library, reviews, podcasts, gifts, and the Lorehaven Guild community help fans discern and enjoy the best Christian-made fantastical stories, applying their meanings to the real world Jesus Christ calls us to serve. Subscribe free to get any updates you choose and to access the Lorehaven Guild.
Website · Facebook · Instagram · Twitter