"With great power, comes great responsibility." That is a powerful message and it came right out of the comic books.

I've been a comic collector for a few decades now. I enjoy the art, the stories and the characters within. Certainly, there is an appeal to the flashy outfits and amazing superpowers. However, for me some of the major appeal has been the aspect that truly makes a superhero... well... super, the moral values that they present.

The one thing in common with all of the popular superheroes is that they spend their time just trying to "do the right thing". They may fight the bad guys, but the focus is on protecting the innocent more than beating up the villain.

They all encounter difficulties in the process. They stumble and falter but always get up again to continue doing what they have to do.

They risk loss, not only to their own life and limb, but to their personal lives when a problem threatens to expose them to the public or when they have to make a choice between two "right things" to do.

The heroes are not perfect but they do try to save the day not only by using their powers but by following a moral compass that points them in the right direction (even if they occasionally steer off course a bit).

This type of moral behavior is more than simply welcome in the world, it is sorely needed. The comic book audience still is aimed more towards children who hopefully will learn the lessons within. However, it has expanded to include grownups like myself who can always use a reminder about "doing the right thing" as we face our more mundane, everyday challenges.

Learn more about this author, Steven Laskoske.
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