Shades of Grey

Greetings friends.
I have been musing over characters lately and have begun to wonder about the downfall of the virtuous hero. I have watched the trend progress through the 80's when I was a boy and gain momentum as time went on. Little by little, the hero of virtue is becoming extinct.

I was a comic book fan for all of my youth into my mid-twenties. I watched as characters such as Superman or Captain America were displaced by Wolverine, Batman (slowly becoming more and more violent as time elapsed) the Punisher, Spawn, etc. Even Superman has been degraded in recent times to likely become more fitting in today's mold of heroes that appeal to the masses.

Movies are little different. The hero often has just as much violent behavior, penchant for substance abuse and immorality as the villains he fights; save that he's fighting for what's "good." Unfortunately, good becomes something of an abstract when you root for the hero as being the lesser of two evils. There have been breaths of fresh air. Watching the Lord of the Rings come to life on the big screen gave us characters such as Aragorn, while the Chronicles of Narnia bequeathed us with Peter, Caspian and the like. But recent movies such as "Pitch Black," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Hancock," etc overwhelmingly reveal the trend our culture chases after.

I have nothing against heroes that have baggage or issues. It makes such characters more dynamic, more realistic. I just wonder why we (especially Christians) don't crave good guys in our novels, movies or other mediums that reflect a godly moral character. Is it that such a character is good and desirable in real life (since that is a Christian's goal) but boring in cinema? Authors and movie screen writers give the public what they want; it is the law of supply and demand. Is this what we as an American audience are clamoring for?

I long for stories where good is commendable, and there are characters who strive to practice virtue or have qualities that don't make you feel a trifle guilty about liking them. Personal case in point for me as a Christian who likes fantasy and comic-book related movies. Iron Man was a great movie, save for one glaring problem: Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) was highly immoral. I understand that was how his character was written, but I appreciate the irony that Iron Man (and its sequel) outsold Thor or Captain America by a considerable margin. In good conscience, though I enjoyed the movies by and large, I can't purchase them.

I want my children to see that I as a father and a Christian value virtue, even in the fictional characters that merely entertain me. Truth be told, they also influence and teach us for good or for ill, especially movies which are a powerful medium that can leave a lasting impression. As the 80's song went: where have all the good men gone? I aspire in my novels to make good genuinely good, so that someone can enjoy the characters without the guilt, kind of like eating a fat free cake that actually tastes good. (If you find such a thing, please let me know.)

What do others think? I'm not out to condemn, either people or entertainment; I am merely lamenting what I believe is the end of an era: the virtuous hero. If you have comments or insights to contribute, please feel free to share them. I'd love to hear what others have to say regarding the issue. God bless!