While some see the Great Depression and World War II as some of the lowest points in American history, others see it as the Golden Age since it was the era when the first superhero comics were created. We were introduced to the iconic characters we know today such as Superman, Batman and Captain America.

These characters were created to inspire hope for the future and they’re made to serve as role models, as they show us moral lessons. They show these moral lessons through the battle of good and evil.

Good and evil are a two way street; depending on your choice, they can lead us down different paths and sometimes the destinations aren’t always what we expect.

Many superheroes have to deal with the same decision, each of them start out their lives with a tragedy, either the death of a loved one or the loss of one’s race, but it’s how they choose to let this define them and the rest of their life.

Batman is an example of how a tragedy in our lives can set us on a path of justice while at the same time a path of darkness and isolation. Most people see Batman as a dark crusader, a man of vengeance, but Batman is to be seen as a symbol for the unbreakable will of humans. Batman has been through things that would drive a normal person insane, and he faces impossible odds, but every time his back is against the wall he always keeps a level head even during the most dire situations.

Superman on the other hand is almost a polar opposite of what Batman represents, Batman is dark and aggressive while Superman is kind and hopeful. This is the source of his character, Superman inspires hope to people, the hope to never back down even when things look their darkest, knowing that he’ll always be there to help us. This why when these two either come to blows with one another or work together it’s seeing both sides of justice, light and dark, coming together as one to fight for what’s right as an unstoppable force, this is why they are called “The World’s Finest.”

But there are times when those who suffer a tragedy sway to a much darker than others, The Joker is a perfect example of how a tragedy in a person’s life can lead down a dark road, for the Joker. It only took one bad day to turn a man into a psychopath. Even though The Joker chose to let that one moment defines the rest of his life choices, that doesn’t mean the heroes are the gleaming image of purity.

While superheroes may stand for truth and justice, they each have different outlooks and methods of how to attain said justice. Batman is yet again an example, people see Batman a vigilante and a threat to society, seeing as he delivers most criminals to prison with missing teeth and broken arms. Batman has methods that most people would call into question, along with his mental stability, especially since he’s known for recruiting 12 year old sidekicks, even his own son.

The same can be said about Superman, people see him as the symbol of hope and peace, but while he maybe be an alien, he is just as human as the rest of us, and he can be broken. The idea of whether he will one day he will become evil has been the worry of everyone, especially Batman. A prime example of this was the death of his wife Lois Lane and unborn child which lead him to becoming a crazed and brutal dictator killing anyone who stood in his way, while still believing HE was the good guy in all of it.