Where have all the Superheroes gone?????

We have a new guy that just started work at the store. He's a really nice young guy but when I first saw him he reminded me of Luke Skywalker...I mean, he could be the twin brother of Luke if Luke didn't have a sister or a twisted family. This guy as I say is a really nice guy so I very much doubt he has any "daddy" issues or psychopathic Darkside tendencies. Every time I looked at him today all I could hear was "Da da da da da da da, da da da da da, da da da da" (for anyone uneducated in the Da language that would be the Star Wars Theme tune).

It got me to thinking about my staple diet of movies as a kid and made me ask the question "Where have all the Superheroes gone?". I was brought up on Superman, Indiana Jones, Batman, The Goonies (truffle shuffle - hell yeah), Star Wars and as such have come to wonder why they don't create heroes like that anymore. They have had a few goodies of late don't get me wrong. Captain Jack Sparrow for one. A baddie we love to love but still.

The Superhero epitomises everything we hold true and dear in our communities and societies and even deeper within ourselves. So when they make a truly wonderful movie we come out feeling totally uplifted by it.

Maybe the problem of the superhero is that it just wouldn't work out in real life. Think of Peter Parker's "spidersense" tingling. How long would it really take him to get to an emergency these days??? I mean come on, can you really see the batmobile hurtling down Highway 1 in friday afternoon traffic?? Or Clark Kent even trying to find a telephone booth to change into Superman in this the day and age of media on the go...Even then the RCMP would get him for indecent exposure (I'm sure he's "Super" in many ways).

What is it about the Superhero or just plain heroes of old we really like? Is it the antithesis of good vs evil because let's face it, we all root for a happy ending. Or is it the superpowers? X-Ray vision, mind control, fire starting, invisibility?? Or the gadgets...

If I was allowed my pick of the bunch I'd have the following on my pick list: -

* Jedi mind control - very useful. Example

Angry customer "blah blah blah insult Australia blah"

Nat " You want to talk to me more politely, you want to hit yourself in the face, and you want to give me that winning lotto ticket...these aren't the droids you're looking for..move along".

* Pimped out catwoman suit. A girls gotta look good and the whip can come in useful if you know what I mean ladies.

* Invisibilitites - mmmm, think of the possibilities. Walking into a bank vault for a bit of extra spending money for the weekend, listening to others without them knowing you're there, visiting Johnny Depp whilst he was sleeping.

* Ability to fly - anywhere in the world. "Hey guy's guess what, I'm off to Hawaii for the weekend". Of course, you'd need a lightweight backpack to take necessities - change of clothes, undies, swimwear.

I'd stay working at the grocery store. You have everything you'd need anyway so why not do a bit for the community. Of course I'd help people. What couldn't you do with those powers????

I think my point is that actually, heroes have evolved. Or maybe we have. Heroes can come in all shapes and forms and I truly think that our conception of heroes has changed. We seem to point less to the over-the-top spandex and incredibly gay weaponry and more to the subtle everyman. An ordinary person who despite all odds still manages to be super or extraordinary in some facet.

Whether it's opening a door for an elderly lady, or giving someone that extra penny when they don't have it or maybe just that smile or "how's it going today?" it's the small things like this that make you a hero to somebody. So in my store, I personally see many many superheroes...McJosh, Justin Timberlake, we have 2 Dan's who are both "The Man", Evan Almighty, Scooby Dooby Daphne, Kelly - Mwah, Lee Lee, Ray Ray (both people so cool I say their names twice), Deborah (too cool for school) and not to forget the obvious, Luke Skywalker. There are so many Superheroes in that place I feel a bit mediocre but still I'm Bridget and I'm a superhero too.

So don't go to the darkside...join us in the fight against evil, We give you a nametag and everything. On one side it says your name and on the flip side a secret superhero symbol. You've just got to have a midichlorian count of thousands (Not a Star Wars fan?...then you won't get the joke, don't try) and the ability to use a light saber whilst packing groceries...now that would be cool.....