Living in the Grey: Defining the Anti-Hero Chapter 1: Introduction
In most forms of literature there is a common character - the protagonist, also known as the hero of the story. Classically, heroes are "The individuals who have a top seat in the social hierarchy watch over those below, protecting them from evils against which they do not have the strength to defend themselves" (Lieb). In essence, the hero did good for his people because it was his duty. They drive the story, in that they are the character around whom the action of the story revolves.

Over time the concept of the hero became distorted and skewed somewhat into what is known as the "antihero." Often darker, and somewhat more realistic than the common hero, the antihero has become a very popular concept in modern literature. Taking a look at Shakespeare's Hamlet, we can see the depth that goes into this darker hero. The Danish Prince is torn, not knowing what to do: murder his uncle to avenge his father? do nothing, and essentially let God sort it out? All the while questioning his own sanity. Hamlet is a hero who has personal reasons behind his actions, making him an early example of the popular modern anti-hero.

Perhaps the term has become too popular. The term is now given to any character who does not fit the specific mould of the hero. The problem with this being that very few modern characters fall into that classic definition of the hero, and are thus improperly labelled �the anti-hero� - in many cases there is no black or white, and many characters can be found in the grey. In many cases, this grey became more interesting. It placed the characters more in the real world. It gave the characters depth and motivation. However, any style of hero has motivation behind their actions, therefore is there any real significance to the separation of heroes in that sense? Is there any way to give greater specification to the definition of what the anti-hero really is so that the separation will become more clear?

Perhaps the best place to look for such answers is in an unlikely literary source: comic books. Comics have for decades been the most literal, extreme example of what a hero is - no longer just the protagonist, but rather superheroes, the doer of amazing heroic deeds. The original superhero, Superman (from whom the very term �superhero� comes) fits the definition of the classic hero. However, trends in the modern history of comics show the change from the classic hero to the antihero in a number of ways. One way is the concept of what I call the �Dark Hero.� The Dark Hero is a character who was once purely heroic, but over time has become darker to stay with the times, as it were. Another way is what I call, �the Noble Villain.� The Noble Villain is the classic villain, who is now glorified and given reasons to be nearly heroes in their own ways. An example of the Dark Hero would be DC Comics� Batman, and an example of the Noble Villain could be found in Marvel Comics� Doctor Doom.

Both Batman and Doctor Doom have undergone great changes over their own respective stories. They can prove that the change into the concept of the darker hero has been happening, and they both have modern results in their current forms. But, how have they affected writers outside of their stories? Do Batman and Doctor Doom have any �children� in the comic world - results of what they have done to the genre?

Enter Todd McFarlane�s 1992 creation, Spawn. It is interesting to note that when Spawn debuted, �it sold 1.7 million copies, making it the best-selling independent comic book to date.� (Spawn.com) What can be attributed to the phenomenal success of the independent series? How much does Spawn take from comic characters as Batman and Doctor Doom?

It can be seen in these three very different examples of character types that the term �antihero� is far too broad and generic. It is possible that the other titles (dark hero, noble villain, etc) could be created. It is also possible that these figures could simply be put into the category of �hero.� If that change we to occur (which one could say has already happened or at least begun simply based on the fact that such books as those mentioned above do exist), one final important question remains: was it the darkening society that created the dark hero, or was the hero so dark that society became cynical?

We couldn�t accept a goody-goody coming down and doing things just because they were good. We could accept somebody who felt some twisted emotional need to fight evil and we could accept it with violence, and we could accept it with irony (Wright).

By looking at such examples of Batman, Doctor Doom, and Spawn in relation not only to the comic and literary world, but also the world of (their time�s) current events, I hope to more solidly define what it is to be the antihero.

Chapter 2: The Dark Hero

Chapter 3: The Noble Villain

Chapter 4: The Best/Worst of Both Worlds

Chapter 5: Conclusions