Vincent Piombino

Professor Suzanne Thomas

UWRT-1103
15 February 2016
Creating the Cowl
Comic books were the inception of my moral fiber due to the lack of role models within
my family, they were the first books I read with my own eyes. Growing up my parental figures
were not of a noble disposition, in fact my siblings, parents (depending on sobriety for one), and
extended family all lacked some of the most expected virtues of civilized persons. My parents
didnt relay to me a lot of the admirable character traits that are often praised, such as patience,
humility, honesty, and integrity. Comics are modern mythology. They are cautionary fables,
tragedies, and legends. Captain America taught me the value of liberty, patriotism, and the
American dream. Green Lantern gave me a lesson on the power of will, imagination, and
creativity. Spiderman lectured me on responsibility. Batman proved that humans have
immeasurable potential, and that careful planning and strong convictions can overcome anything.
These heroes showed me what a person should aspire to be, that people can be good or (with
hard work) great. Through the darkest times of my life, the colorful characters on these vibrant
pages lit the path towards redemption for me. They gave me hope for a better tomorrow and,
more relevant to this essay, a better me.
Comic books are written with the cross purposes to educate and inspire. They
form magical characters and daunting conflicts that these heroes must face. Comic book heroes
began as beings of the highest esteem that were used as idols to which people could look towards

as a goal, as an example. Stan Lee took this idea and altered it completely and forever when he
introduced Spiderman and the concept of a heroic character that has to face every day human
problems (in this case Spiderman is a teenager who faces all the struggles that come with the
age). By making these characters more relatable Stan Lee gave me a guide to existence, an
instruction manual to the problems that I would face growing up. At the same time as providing
examples of fictional characters going through the same battles with life as I was, these heroes
also were the greatest and most influential role models and advisors on how I should conduct
myself.
Steve Rogers was a skinny boy who was too weak to be enlisted into the armed forces
during WWII. He never gave up, he tried and tried to no avail. Steve Rogers wanted to serve his
country more than anything, to defend the innocent. Steve was bullied for his weak body and
small stature, but never quit nor backed down from a fight that needed to be fought. One day he
was selected on the merit of his heart, for an experiment to create a super soldier for the United
States Army. The experiment was a success (though the murder of the scientist who created the
experiment made Steve one of a kind) and Captain America was born. Captain America fought
on the front lines, protecting the allied troops, saving the innocent, and preserving the ideas of
liberty and justice. Captain America was a symbol, clad in his star spangled uniform and his
indestructible shield, Cap was embodiment of American virtues.
I was five foot and seven inches tall and weighed ninety eight pounds in high school, and
was even smaller in middle school. I was bullied, ridiculed, and out casted because of my
appearance and size. People told me I looked like a Jew from Auschwitz, that a needle could go
right through me, even joked that I looked like Steve rogers before he got the super serum. The
Bigger kids tried to assault me, but I never backed down. Just like Captain America I wasnt

going to let some bully push me around just because he was bigger than me. I felt a strong
connection to Captain America, I was born on the fourth of July and I was as patriotic as my
birthdate. I believe in the American way, and I believe that regardless of our circumstances we
can make something great of ourselves. Just like Steve Rogers, I was going to be a hero, no
matter what anyone else said. I originally wanted to be a Navy Seal growing up, determined to
serve my country despite my frail body. No one believed in me, and often I was laughed at for
even mentioning this dream. I believed though, if I had the heart and will of Steve Rogers I could
do it. I started working out vigorously, like a man obsessed. I went from ninety eight pounds to a
hundred and sixty naturally in my first year of lifting. I was going to prove them wrong, I was
going to be a hero. I was going to be the guy they looked up to, I was going to inspire some small
kid who was going through a rough time, I was going to prove the American way of life and the
dream were still alive. Captain America proved that anyone can be a hero, it just takes a moral
heart, strong convictions, and a dream to accomplish.
Hal Jordan was the man without fear, a test pilot who always pushed the envelope and
leaped without looking. After an Alien vessel crashed landed and a powerful cosmic weapon in
the form of a ring chose Hal Jordan as its wielder, the daring pilot became a member of the
intergalactic policing force of the Guardians, known as the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Jordan
became the first ever Green Lantern of Earth and its sector. The ring is powered by the users will
and only limited by the wielders imagination. Hal Jordan became the greatest Green Lantern to
ever live, his will and fearlessness could overcome any obstacle. His creativity giving him the
advantage in every fight.
I was fascinated by the fact that the Green Lantern ring ran on willpower. That will alone
could be utilized as a weapon, could forge these constructs of light in any shape or manor that the

Green Lantern desired. I enjoyed the symbolism behind Green Lantern, how his weakness was
the yellow light of fear, fear being the ultimate rival of will. I learned from the Green Lantern
comics that true power is overcoming fear, and that in order to make my dreams a reality I must
conquer fear and will those ideas into being. That I alone controlled my fate, with the simply
complex weapons of imagination and the will to achieve.
Peter Parker was a nerdy teenager who couldnt seem to get his life together. Bullied at
school, never quite fitting in, always dreaming about the girl he could never get. The only thing
Peter had going for him was his brilliance. One day a radioactive spider bit peter, and he became
the Amazing Spiderman! Peters Uncle Ben and aunt May had raised him after the disappearance
of his parents at an early age, and Uncle Ben always lectured Peter on the importance of
responsibility, saying that With great power comes great responsibility. Uncle Ben soon died in
a mugging and Peter was left with those profound words ringing in his head. Soon he was
juggling the problems of being Peter Parker and the responsibilities of Spiderman all at once. Yet
Peter found a way to be the man his Uncle always wanted him to be.
Spiderman was the first comic book to ever introduce real world problems such as girl
trouble, growing up, responsibility, school, and money into the fictional comic universe. Peter
Parker was relatable, a guy who nothing ever seemed to work out for. Peter was given an
astounding gift that at times seemed a curse to him. Peter shared many of the pains of school and
social ineptitude that I went through during my middle school and early high school years.
Nothing ever seemed to go right for me, and though I wanted to turn my back on the world and
everyone who treated me less than what a living creature deserves, I always remembered how
Pete Parker never abandoned the ideas of good. How Spiderman stood up for everyone, even
when the city hated him because of the libel from the press. Spiderman was the better man,

and he didnt hold spite or grudges, even ones that would be justified. No, Spiderman rose above
all the strife and did what was right because it was his responsibility, because he had the power
to make a difference. I learned that we all have that power, and that its our responsibility as
citizens of the world, to stand up for what is right.
Bruce Wayne was just a boy when his parents were gunned down before his very eyes in
crime alley. Bruce inherited the Wayne family fortune, and grew up with something burning in
his heart. Bruce used his money to travel the world learning everything he could from
criminology to martial arts. He returned to his crime ridden home in Gotham city and swore on
the graves of his parents that he would bring justice to Gotham. Criminals are a cowardly and
superstitious lot, so Bruce Wayne took his fear of bats and created something terrifying. A myth,
a legend, a symbol, he became the Batman fighting the criminal underworld plaguing his city.
Batman is a human, who uses his resources, technology, training, and unmatched mind to defeat
even the most deadly supervillains.
Batman is potentially the only major comic book character that could actually exist in
reality. Batman is a human with no super powers at all. He uses the most strategic mind in the
world and the full human potential to overcome all enemies. The greatest super hero doesnt
need super powers because we as humans have all the power we need within us. Batman proves
that fact. You dont need super powers to change the world, you need only the will and
determination to do it. That Batman does all of this while refusing to kill, and upholding that one
rule no matter what provided further inspiration for me. He always finds another way, because
there is always another way. I decided not to join the military because Batman taught me that all
life is precious, and that not killing is what separates us from the worst kind of criminal. That one
man, with enough drive can become something greater than himself. That A hero can be

anyone. Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young
boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended.(Batman The Dark Knight Rises).
Anyone can be a hero, even me. It takes everything you have to give but it is possible. I know I
have it in me, just as we all have it in us. I believe we all have the greatest good in us, and we
can be the heroes of this world.
I grew up knowing the difference between right and wrong because my heroes showed
me. They taught me what I could be, proved that I can make the world I lived in a better place. It
doesnt matter what the circumstances of your past are, what matters is our actions, they speak
for our intentions, our character, and our future. Our actions define us. These heroes took action,
they changed the world by changing themselves. So I will do the same, Ill be a man of action
and I will show the world that heroes do exist beyond the page. That is my responsibility. That is
my message. You will give the people of Earth an ideal to strive towards. They will race behind
you, they will stumble, they will fall. But in time, they will join you in the sun. In time, you will
help them accomplish wonders. (Jor EL Man of Steel)