Note: This was originaly written for a 9th grade LA class, and then adapted for Tes's
We Could Be Heroes: tes's Everything2 Heroes Quest
Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Not all fit the
generic Schwarzenegger style, with a bad attitude and huge muscles. Many may not have run into
burning buildings, been
bit by mutant spiders, or battled an
ultimate evil. Pete Abrams has done none of these, but still has done deeds that qualify him as a
hero.
A hero is often associated with capes, martial arts, and underwear on the outside. Pete Abrams is just an average guy. He has a wife, a child, and a day job. He also runs an online comic strip,
Sluggy Freelance, in his spare time. Updated daily with a dose of insanity, Sluggy provides a much-needed relief from everyday life.
In
Greek mythology, a hero can be defined as 'a man or woman, often of divine ancestry, who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his or her bold exploits and favored by the Gods.' Pete did not have divine parents, but demonstrated great courage by being one of the first to go against the mainstream media and publish a comic online.
Although he does not have or need the same physical strength, Abrams reminds me of
Hercules. Hercules used his great strength to perform heroic deeds, such as slaying the Hydra and other monsters surrounding and terrorizing the kingdom of
Mycenae. Pete uses the strength of his writing to raise spirits and lift the stress that prevails in our society.
Thalia, the muse of comedy, would have favored Abrams. All the Muses appreciated epics, and Thalia especially liked comedies. Pete incorporates deep storylines into his humor, telling both a good science fiction tale and a great comedy at the same time.
The epic portions come in storylines reminiscent of conspiracy theories, and such interesting characters as a '
brainwashed assassin chick in spandex',
Oasis. While at first glance a poorly thought out sex object, Oasis gradually regains her memories and gets information about her past through her mad creator?s postmortem messages.
Many of the stories parody famous titles, such as a recent "
Harry Potter" joke. He caters to the technophile audience, as they are the most likely to read online comics, with "
Star Wars" "
Alien" and "
Dune" references intermingled. So while Thalia was
Greek comedy, Pete Abrams is
Geek comedy.
Pete Abrams does not fit the standard view of a hero. Yet, in one sense of the word, he fits quite well.