Showsplosion

It seems like you can hardly go a single day without logging onto facebook or receiving a twitter alert from your favorite geek site that another comicbook based TV show is being made. From the outset, this would seem like a good thing- anyone from the Saturday Morning Cartoon era or the animated heyday of Kids WB and Cartoon Network can easily recall only DREAMING of seeing our favorite heroes brought to life. So much so, that we never truly thought it would happen. Seriously, come on. All the euphoria, all the splendor, all the world transcending greatness of animation brought to unfathomable life via REAL life.

What could be better?

I mean, sure we had our teases with such great runs by landmark shows like Smallville, Supernatural, and Heroes- but those were still anomalies of their times. Anachronistic prophecies hinting at what could truly be.

And now we're here.

Arrow. Flash. Legends of Tomorrow. Agents of Shield. Legion. Supergirl. Daredevil. Luke Cage. Jessica Jones. 

Heck, even X-Files got a rebooted taste of the good life.

So, what's the problem?

About ten years ago, I was driving through a city that had a church on nearly every bock. No exaggeration. Every three at least. However, I was very familiar with the inner workings and the struggles of that city and every time I passed a church building I could only shake my head. It had nothing to do with apostate musings or a flagrant sense of disregard for the spiritual institution; no, my qualm was that- for what church is supposed to be- the city didn't reflect that.

There was no evidence of the high volume of churches in that region.
Which is CRAZY to me!

A city with over a hundred churches should be overflowing with spiritually healthy people, abundant and effective inner city programs, clear war against political corruption, and so forth. Just like when you light ten torches in a cave, most of the darkness should be repelled. But it wasn't. And it raised my eyebrow.

And I can't help but feel the same with the shattered floodgates of these superhero shows. As a kid, the good stories were there, the morals were there, the spiritual sensibilities were there, the inspiration was there, entertainment value was there... it was all there! From the old heads in comics, I hear (and read as I make my way back through the classics) how the original stories carried mighty themes and were cutting edge in numerous ways. Both of these forces were so undeniably powerful that an entire industry was able to take flight from the runway of its sturdy back.

Superheroes used to change people.
Used to change society.
And not even the money grubbers, naysayers, and exploitative politicians could prevent it.

And now, in what is perhaps the most legendary time of all for superheroes and television- I look around... and I don't see evidence of it.

I know there are a ton of superhero shows with high ratings, but I can't tell that there are.

Some may argue that geeks are outnumbered and that there's never really been a "Revival" based on comicbooks and superheroes. Maybe. But that's not the point. The point is that this precious genre always visibly brought good in some way or another.

And I can't see it anymore.

The stories are getting lamer.
The morals are getting murkier.
The agendas are getting more heavy handed.

Everyone seems confused. They're part of a daunting warrior race who fought many decades for the keys to the kingdom... and now that they have them, they don't know what to do with it. They've lost so much soul and creativity along the way that they no longer know how to be Immortals. They no longer know how to be gods. They keep churning out STUFF, because they feel that they must- but they have no anchor.

This is the sordid way of the mortal man; of the human who lives and dies by the day with no thought to who he really is and why he even exists.

We are the lottery winners with the poverty mindset; blowing our fortune on wild living, simply because we can. Afterall- we don't know anything about money. Not really.

Please hear me.

I LOVE my genre. I love comics, and superheroes, and fantasy, and mythological tropes, and the inescapable draw of the hero's journey embedded in all of us. I love this. I live this. I debate this. I promote this. I write this. I critique this. I evangelize this. I'm not some hater slinging flaming mortar from the outside. I am a citizen, raising my cry from within the walls. The church member tugging on the pastor's robe, reminding that the Bible isn't the point- the point is who the Bible points to.

Right now, we are in a dangerous time where the shows are only pointing to themselves... which can't last. Self aggrandizement races at the speed of entertainment; max velocity is quickly reached and then it feverishly indulges multitudinous charades to distract from noticing that it is no longer impressive. No longer a sprinting streaking paving new ground, tossing color from the nirvana where stories flow from into the eyes and ears of humanity.

We have here a marvelous opportunity.
Not just to make money.
But to make things better.

And that means all of us- but the power players particularly- are going to have to take risks. Going to have to engage in a brand new type of education. Going to have to find people keyed into this greater consciousness, folks umbilically connected to this zeitgeist of purpose and meaning. Because that's how vision works you know; you either sharpen your sight and adjust accordingly...

Or you go blind and the world disappears from you forever.

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Joshua Evans is a prolific writer and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiast who believes story is central to everything and that mythology can change the world. He currently hosts two youtube shows- The Truth About Superheroes and Comic of the Week, as well as runs a short story blogsite on medium as The Story Junkie. If you would like to further be a part of his cosmic psyche, you can join him on Twitter and Instagram or simply subscribe to this blog… and remember- sharing is caring! Cheers!