When I first read Promethea, the most interesting aspect of her I found was the fact that there were multiple versions of her. Promethea is not one single super heroine and cannot be defined with one single image. Rather, "Promethea" is more like a spiritual heroine than a physical one, and each person that "hosts" her adds something special to Promethea's overall image. Each Promethea is shaped by her own story, her own ideals and her own society. The newest Promethea, Sophie, is trained by former Prometheas, who all still have a presence in Immateria. Sophie is brought to life because the world currently needs a new Promethea that knows its ideals and habits. Its almost as though societal changes and needs are what creates these "Prometheas," who then go on to protect "their" own specific world. I thought this concept was extremely intriguing, as just as society changes, so does the need for a new and better version of a super heroine who can understand our world as a real-world
participant, not simply as a supernatural
onlooker.
So true. My mind was basically blown when Sophie became Promethea, since I expected the identity of Promethea to be set in stone, like how superheroes generally work. It's so much more exciting when the role of superheroine in the story has been taken on by multiple individuals, and thus is composed of knowledge and experience reaching centuries back. I think the importance of being a "real-world participant" also supports the whole alter ego/secret identity concept that's so popular in the superhero world. After all, Superman wouldn't be half as super if Clark Kent didn't exist, and Batman would be missing a whole lot of knowledge and connections if Bruce Wayne wasn't behind him.
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ReplyDelete(I accidentally posted my comment before I actually finished writing it...)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great point. While reading your post, I was actually reminded of Homer & Langley a little bit. Langley's theory of "replacements" kind of fits with the many Prometheas. As the times change, so do the people, but each similar one takes the place of a previous one. I think Promethea does a great job of illustrating that superheroes absolutely can be "real-world participants," which could be a much better role model to readers. While reading Promethea, maybe people will be realize that since they are capable of being "real-world participants" too and can actually make a difference.
Promethea has definitely been my favorite comic that we've read so far, and I think a large part of that can be attributed to Promethea's multiple personalities. Not only does it keep the action exciting, but I think it makes it a lot easier to project one's self onto the characters in the book. It makes Promethea an easier character to idolize. I think that the many versions of her, being so different, also make the character much more real. She may kick-ass, but she, for once, seems like a real person.
ReplyDeleteThough I agree that Promethea is much more of a participant character, but I also think that the other superheroes change and transform as well. When a superhero like Wonder Woman gets a new author or storyline, she changes and evolves, just like Promethea does when she gets a new host.
ReplyDeletePromethea is my favorite comic so far for this very reason. We get to see/meet so many different versions of this super heroine and relate each one to a different type of person we might have in our own lives. I think it is important that the different versions of Promethea range not only in personality, but in age. I agree with the previous comments, it is like a timeline and journey in which we get to see Promethea change and evolve via new hosts.
ReplyDeleteI like that this Comic book story has a variety that we haven't seen in the other comics that we have read. What was said in the beginning of the comic - about Promethea being a story and not just a person - makes sense. Her story doesn't end. She keeps "reincarnating" in different people, which adds a special twist. Promethea can now get older instead of being stuck in her mid 20s like most other superheroines and superheroes.
ReplyDeleteI only read 2 books of Alan Moore but I really liked them both: Promethea and Watchmen. I think he has a great imagination. He creates a world and he pulls the reader into it. The reader gladly accepts to be pulled in because his world is dark and serious. It's like the Harry Potter world in which you can lose yourself. I think that Promethea is an example of what the human imagination is capable of creating.
ReplyDeleteI think the concept of a personal and imagined Promethea makes the story relatable to anyone because there are no concrete limitations on her being. For example one can never say that they can't relate to Promethea because she isn't of their race, weight category, or socio-economic background because the next incarnation may well be all of those things.
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