Superheroes And Villains With PTSD

[hodge]

I saw Tim Burton's Batman Returns recently, and I was so struck by how the Penguin and Catwoman could both be interpreted as having ptsd, in a sense. (And speaking of Tim Burton, how about Edward Scissorhands?) These characters have experiences that are truly outside the realm of ordinary experience. In Penguin's case, being born so grotesquely deformed and abandoned to be raised with penguins; in Catwoman's case, to be thrown out a highrise window by her boss, then revived to life by a bunch of alleycats. It really does makes one think about the creators of these characters.

Actually, a book could be written on the subject of comic strip characters, their creators and interpreters (i.e. film directors), and PTSD.

Amazon search for books on the topic that may have already written, anyone? Evie?

 

[Linda]

There is one though that's quite good, it's called "My Family", it's about a hispanic family in East L.A. The one character witnesses the murder of his older brother while he's still a child. The movie then shows him growing up, being an alcoholic, isolating himself from everyone and basically having all sorts of troubles. He meets and marries a woman from El Salvador who is also traumatized. Anyways it's very good. He definitely has PTSD although it's not mentioned.

Evie, I'm not a fan of movies of this sort, but two PTSD affected people in one family - it is just too much! :cool:

 

[Jim]

My boyhood favourite was Conan the Barbarian. Used to inspire me with his attitude towards his trauma and suffering. "What does not kill you, makes you stronger". Considering my age, it's obvious Conan was a comic book long before Arnold S. played him in the movies. ;-)

Jim.

 

[becvan]

... but two PTSD affected people in one family - it is just too much! :cool:

*says dryly* gee, thanks! :biggrin:

All kidding aside, I just read a book with the lead character having PTSD. The author did a piss poor job of portraying it. Started out with an explanation of it and the characters symptoms and then no mention nor portrayl of it again. Pretty sad. I will have to find the title of it again. It was a good read otherwise.

bec

 

[reallydown]

Speaking of PTSD in books...something off the top of my head...Septimus Warren Smith in Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway ...though it is combat related ("shell shock" from WWI)

 

[GR-ass]

It doesn't matter the media, the darkness that you portray has to have root some where in it.

On another note, in Serenity/ Firefly, River Tam.

Her usual crazies aside (erm, the psychic thing) she has 'flashbacks' panic attacks etc as a result of the 'experiments' used on her.

I like looking at other media, painting etc and wondering what was in the artists mind when they drew/ painted them.

One for example is Edvard Munch's The Scream

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scream

This is a quote from Munch
The original German title given to the work by Munch was Der Schrei der Natur (The Scream of Nature).
In a note in his diary - the page headed Nice 22.01.1892, Munch described his inspiration for the image thus:
“I was walking along a path with two friends—the sun was setting—suddenly the sky turned blood red—I paused, feeling exhausted, and leaned on the fence—there was blood and tongues of fire above the blue-black fjord and the city—my friends walked on, and I stood there trembling with anxiety—and I sensed an infinite scream passing through nature.„ Edvard Munch

 

[batgirl]

Thanks for those good examples Marlene. I love The Bride/Kill Bill... it's one of my favourites. And you're right, most comic book characters do tend to hide from the world in some way.

Hodge, have you seen Batman Begins, the latest movie in the series? It's very good. Not sure about a book like that existing currently, I rather think not, as I'm really into comics and I likely would have heard of it. I believe I read a thesis online once though, about comic book characters and mental illness. I'll see if I can find it again.

Thanks Uncle, how could I have forgotten Conan! He's one of my favourites. And yeah cass Serenity is another good example, thanks. Thanks RD for the book too. I should be making a list!! Actually I could probably write an article and provide my own illustrations as well, being a comic book artist. I could have it as a website. That might be a good project for me when I'm bored. :)

 

[hodge]

Hey Batgirl,

I haven't seen Batman Begins. I find most films too overstimulating in the theater, so I wait till they come on cable, usually. I know there are some reference books on comics (you could google Visible Ink Press, for example), but don't know about anything else scholarly, though I would be surprised if there weren't some on this subject. I just never really thought about it until reading your posts and connecting your insights with my impressions of the Batman movie I did see recently. I would really encourage you to continue your research about what others have written on this subject, at your leisure of course, so that you are fully armed with background information about what others have said before writing your own article or book. Yeah, get a printout of that thesis you saw. You'll probably want to cite it. I bet you could do an awesome job. If you'd like any further research tips, feel free to ask (part of my job is knowing how to research for the best info). Good luck, hodge

 

[Kathy]

Hodge I completely agree, an article on this would be very interesting, and my niece Evie (batgirl) is a great writer when she wants to be. I think it would be an excellent project for her, given her knowledge and love of comics. It sounds like you have quite an interesting job as well hodge, knowing how to do research. Very interesting indeed!

Regarding citing an actual comics example, I'm afraid I am like Marlene in that I grew up in the era where superhero comics were for boys only. I read Richie Rich, Little Audrey and Archie & Jughead. Not much trauma in any of those, unless Archie getting told to bugger off by Veronica's dad counts as trauma. :rolleyes:

 

[batgirl]

Ugh another article for me to write.. why do you guys think I'm a good writer?? I never really noticed that I was. Anyways, not sure about the article yet, it sounds very interesting yes, but I think I'd rather illustrate it than write it. Currently I'm making a list of all the comic book characters with trauma... it's taking a while obviously. Once I'm finished I'll post it here as an attachment for anyone who's interested. I'm concentrating on comics from the Big Three (Marvel, DC and Image), as well as Dark Horse. Keep any suggestions coming though, if you have any. Thanks all! :)

 

[Rob T.]

Hi batgirl,

I like your post on Superheroes and Villains with PTSD. There's a DC superhero type that might have PTSD. His name is Deadshot.

**Possible Triggers in this Post.**

There is a good artile on him on wikipedia.org. Deadshot looks like a Dirty Harry/Clint Eastwood type anti-hero who "doesn't mind putting his life on the line" and "will risk dying to get the job done". :rolleyes: Probably therapists will tell me that Dirty Harry or characters like him aren't good for me to have as heroes. They aren't may heroes. don't worry.:wink:

But I remember buying the 4 part Deadshot miniseries in 1988 as a teenager. I was really impressed by how DC comics took a really grim story and a superhero guy and took a risk with it.

******[There are possible triggers in the wikipedia article.............

Such as..........In the story Deadshot's son is attacked in horrible ways + is killed]. But I liked the Deadshot miniseries, because the story took on really gripping adult problems-so the Deadshot miniseries had a plot that was more like Lethal Weapon [the movie] and not like a tame story like a 1970s "superman and aquaman coloring book". Regardless, I like Deadshot's character because he has real problems and is a BIG departure from a lot of DC's comic heroes and other comic heroes that are as innocent as Adam West's Batman.:smile:
Have A Good Day, Rob

 

[hodge]

I can recognize good writing (or potential good writing) when I see it (I am a professional editor), thus, batgirl, that means I can see that you are capable of good writing. What do I think makes you a good writer? Well, to be honest, I can't give a full answer without seeing extensive writing samples from you (which I am not asking for:-)), but I do see, from your posts that I have read, that you have a command of the language and that you are thoughful, intelligent and have insight, and that you are able to communicate your insights and feelings effectively.

That said, follow your gut. I'm sorry; I truly didn't mean to try to goad you into doing something you didn't want to do. I was just trying to encourage you if that was what you wanted to do. (Personal note: I was really encouraged by someone when I was probably your age or younger -- i.e., about 16 -- and that probably saved my life, so I guess I feel that when a similar opportunity comes into my purview, I want to do the same.) It's also that you already provided some of the outline for such an article, and I thought it would be really interesting and useful.

Anyway, batgirl, I'll be around for any advice you may want to request if you decide at some point that you would want to pursue such a project. And please keep us posted on your work (in which I have absolutely no expertise! :-)), if you like; it sounds really great.

All the best to you,

hodge