Pulp Equivalents...

[Jarl]

I was thinking of this the other day. We all know the Shadow and Batman are basically the same dude with a different costume and from a different age of Comics (Pulp and Golden respectively). Now, does this apply to other heroes?
Consider Doctor Clark Savage Jr., AKA the Man of Bronze. Compare to Clark Kent, Superman, the Man of Steel. Just something that occured to me.
Of course, it's not flawless, what with the Shadow having super powers, and Savage not. But I wonder if it occurs with other heroes.
Kay, here's one, a bit of a stretch. Spiderman... Springheeled Jack.

-Thoughts?

[bosssmiley]

I was thinking of this the other day. We all know the Shadow and Batman are basically the same dude with a different costume and from a different age of Comics (Pulp and Golden respectively). Now, does this apply to other heroes?

Don't forget The Phantom. He was another of those radio serial heroes who was later revived for comics, cartoons and his own (pretty dire, although remarkably similar to "The Incredibles") live-action film.


Consider Doctor Clark Savage Jr., AKA the Man of Bronze. Compare to Clark Kent, Superman, the Man of Steel. Just something that occured to me.

Debatable. Doc Savage was more an all-American, two-fisted pulp hero in the Carter of Mars vein than Golden Age Superman. The Man of Bronze and his love interest Lana Lane predate Supes by several years, so it's possible there was an element of 'inspiration' drawn from the earlier character.


Kay, here's one, a bit of a stretch. Spiderman... Springheeled Jack.

Nice one. Springheel Jack started out as (IIRC) a fire-breathing, alley-lurking becloaked Victorian bogeyman rather than a friendly neighbourhood spiderguy, so he might be more Batmanish.

Archetypes and their successive interrations in pop-culture. Gotta love it. :smallcool:

[TheThan]

I always thought the Batman resembled the Phantom more than the Shadow. Think about it, purple outfit (well if you go by the campy TV show), rich alter ego, secret hideout built into a cave, personal servant who is entrusted with his secret identity.

Even though the phantom doesn’t have the fear effect and mystery that the Shadow does. So its possible that the Batman was inspired a little by both.

[Jarl]

Well, the Shadow is (depending on the interpretation) a rich guy who travelled the far east to learn martial arts and other powers, studied hard to learn chemistry and other sciences, then returned to New York (which is just Gotham with less crime) and ran around in a black cloak with his face obscured, stopping criminals.

-And the Springheeled Jack thing was largely based on his (in the penny dreadfuls at least) technology-based "superpowers" and acrobatic fighting style. I worked it into my Springheel PrC, as you can see, as that's how I've kinda come to see him.