Researching superhero origin stories will frequently lead to sources much older than the first issue of any comic book franchise. Michael Uslan, executive producer of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy, said, “The ancient gods of Greece and Rome and Egypt still exist, only today they wear spandex and capes.” Here’s a look at the top 3 superheroes with ancient origins.
1. Superman:
He flies through the clouds, recognized by his red cape, and is the undisputed champion of all superheroes.
Ancient Origin: Zeus
He lives above the clouds on Mount Olympus, wears a cape (and frequently nothing else) often red, and is the champion of all immortals.
Fun Fact: Ever wonder what the symbol on Superman’s chest means? S for Superman, right? Not quite. According to contemporary Superman lore, the origin of the symbol is Kryptonian. The symbol is used by Superman’s father, Jor-El, as somewhat of a family crest. Since the Kryptonian alphabet is literally alien to our own, it would be a stretch to call it an S. In the novel Superman Returns, by Marv Wolfman, the symbol is described as a serpent coiled on a shield as a warning against the primitive ways of violence. The 1986 comic book series, The Man of Steel, also marked the symbol as a snake.
Zeus’s spirit animal was a snake. In his book, The Parthenon Code, Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. writes, “To [ancient Greeks], the serpent freed mankind from bondage to an oppressive God, and was therefore a savior and illuminator of our race” (p. 169). Ancient reliefs depict snakes giving aid to Zeus’s allies, or attacking his enemies.
2. Wonder Woman:
She's a warrior, was carved out of the earth and given life, is the daughter of Hippolyta - Queen of the Amazons.
Ancient Origin: Amazon Warrior
Her true identity is Princess Diana of Themyscira (an ancient Greek town that was home to the Amazons). Phil Cousineau, author of Once and Future Myths, says, “Wonder Woman is a perfect transition from the ancient myths. There are echoes of the Amazons in Homer’s writing that refer to a tribe of women, that lived without men, that were terrifyingly efficient soldier warriors.” The Greeks considered these warriors an important part of their history.
Fun Fact: A red-figure vase painting by Kleophrades, which is on display in the Louvre, highlights the advent of the Amazons. The bottom band of the vase frames the abduction of Thetis by the Zeus worshipper, Peleus. A serpent supports the leg of Peleus as he tackles Thetis by the waist. To their left, the Zeus-sympathizing centaur, Chiron, watches placidly. Thetis’s sisters are shown running away hysterically in both directions and entreating the help of their father, Nereus. The vase’s top band shows the sisters girding themselves in armor and preparing their horses for battle. Led by Hippolyta, these warriors would go on to attack the Akropolis and become immortalized as the dreaded Amazons, bane of the Greeks.
3. Batman:
His parents met an untimely death; he built his lair in an underground cave, and he uses stealth and fear to his advantage.
Ancient Origin: Hades
He came to power after his parents were overthrown, he rules the underworld, his Helm of Darkness gives him invisibility, and his cult capitalized on fear.
Fun Fact: Batman’s costume is modeled after the gargoyles of gothic architecture. Dennis O’Neal, writer and former editor of DC Comics, acknowledged the success of this design: “One of the reasons that Batman has been so popular for so long is his iconography is that of a demon. Look at the medieval paintings of devils in museums: the bat wings, the horns. He looks like something that’s dark and evil. And his origins are in an act of murder. And yet… he’s on your side.”
