Whew! It’s been a busy spring! I’m still used to calling January through April “spring” because it’s the spring semester of school, and in Texas, it’s not out of the realm of reason for January through April to be spring (or summer). Anyway, it’s been busy!
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been doing lots of prep work for the classes I’ll teach this fall. In my downtown, though, I’ve been enjoying Batman. The 1960s version. I’m learning a lot about myself as I watch. 🙂
I have fond memories of watching Batman with my sister when we’d visit our grandmother. I had to have been pretty young. I remember one episode in particular where Robin was tied upside-down to the clapper of a bell that would kill him when it struck (I was so tense, but it was so exciting!), and another with a giant book in the middle of the street (turns out they were the same episode). I also remember getting really excited if Catwoman or Batgirl was in the episode.
I had previously traced my love of heroes-in-jeopardy to reading Hardy Boys mysteries in junior high, but now I’m thinking it goes even farther back to Batman. This could explain why my characters would always get trapped in near-death situations (and always escape miraculously . . .). My characters frequently in ridiculous situations, like being suspended from the ceiling over pits of lava or tanks of sharks, etc.
I’m also understanding better why my sense of fighting and injuries was so unrealistic. (I believe I’ve mentioned how my husband once said to me, “Your characters recover awfully fast” and that was after I’d worked to make battles more realistic, ha!) If I’m basing my ideas of injuries and fights on Batman and Power Rangers, that explains a lot.
But I’m also suddenly understanding my deep love for superheroes. Superheroes are just about my favorite things (I love a good quest, too). However, I’ve always felt confused by that because I often haven’t liked superhero shows or comics. In junior high, I didn’t really like to watch X-men or Spiderman because they were sad. Everybody hated the heroes. I didn’t like to watch Batman because it was so dark (and creepy). The few times I read comics, they were too serious.
Well if I was expecting biff, bam, sock, and it’s morphin time, that would explain things!
And now I really want to go write a cheesy but fun superhero story. 🙂
What sorts of things have inspired you?
Happy Writing!
A. W. Downer 
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