I ended yesterday's entry with a line from the comic that claimed that the Heroville experiment had grown its own superheroes. I'm not entirely sure that's how we would describe Heroville. The definition of a superhero has been a point of contention for those who define such things for decades now. Is it the costume? Is it the mission? Is it the powers, or the mask? One way that I personally define a superhero is that it's someone who, ultimately, will choose others over themself. This works for non-super heroes as well. Virtually all of the superhero comics I read feature a character like that, one who is willing to but themself in danger in order to keep others from having to. If this is the case, are the shut-away citizens of Heroville actually superheroes? Rather, they're simply powered people. It is the choice of what to do with those powers that makes them heroes. Or villains, I suppose. Indeed, the only citizen of the town that we see take on this role is Kid Scout, after having been rescued from the Hollow Men by Superman. He volunteers for a mission into the outside world, having only known Heroville his whole life. In response to protests from the adults, he says "I can find anyone...anywhere...it's what my Mom and Dad trained me for...I'm a superhero." Kid Scout makes the choice to take on the role. So perhaps we can look at Heroville as a town full of potential superheroes - it is simply the choice, and the moment, that shift them from potential to actual.
This comic actually had a wonderful description of what one needs to be a superhero:
"How to be a Superhero: First of all, you need a secret hideout. You need various crimefighting gadgets that reflect your superhero motif. You must be pure of heart...fair in decision...you must never stray from your sense of justice...Finally, you need to be brave. You will need that bravery...to survive."
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