Quixiotic Heros

A few days ago, I happened to hear the old standard "To Dream the Impossible Dream". For some reason, I decided to order the "Man of La Mancha" cd (original Broadway cast), and boy am I glad I did. While driving today, I listened to it no less than three times. Even better than the music is the story that's lurking in there.

Now, I'd seen the play many years ago, when a traveling troupe played it one night at my college. I'll be honest, I wasn't deeply impressed at the time. However, after listening closely to the music, and reading the story summary in the notes, I'm enthralled with it.

What struck me as I was driving home though was the way that some of the themes in the music are echoed in my favorite comic book heros. No, not that my favorite heros are all loons (though some might say that). It's that so many (not all, but many) of my heros are "Quixiotic" in a sense.

In the notes, it talked about the Don's way of "seeing the world as it should be, not as it is." That really resonated. I love heros who are deep seated idealists, who will not lose their ideals no matter how dark and ugly the world may get.

Heros like Captain Marvel.

Couldn't you see the big lug singing "Impossible Dream", especially the phrase "To fight for the right, without question or pause, to be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause"

You can have your Punishers, Wolverines and Lobos, I want a hero that's more than a bit Quixiotic