Pinoy Superheroes

Superheroes have gone through a makeover these past few years. In the past, fans wanted to see their superheroes as demigods. Hence, stories about superheroes centered on their extraordinary feats: defeating powerful villains and rescuing countless lives. Now, superheroes are still superheroes but fans have clamored for a 'humanization' of the legends-that-be: a hero who is both possessed with human characteristics and superhuman capabilities. 

Writers have taken heed of this trend by portraying superheroes with more psychological depth. Now, you have superheroes who have more complex personalities and are wrestling with all-too-human dilemmas.

I believe Pinoy superheroes shouldn't be exempt from this trend. I watch as the TV networks produce shows featuring these heroes and what they merely succeed in doing is rehashing the stories found in the comics series of long ago, albeit with new characters and new story twists. Still, there's nothing new, nothing which can excite the mind. 

If one is to do a TV show featuring a prominent Pinoy superhero, one must be prepared to flesh out that hero in a way that character has not been portrayed before. One can add strengths and weaknesses to his or her overall personality or perhaps inject some internal issues that create tension as the series progresses. I state that, far from alienating the masses who watch these shows, such a shift in programming can lead to more Filipino viewers because by then, the story itself would have grown more intelligent and more compelling that even the higher echelons of society can appreciate the distinction.