QUEZON City, Philippines (September 19) – “Are you willing to die as hero or live long enough to see yourself as villain?” The infamous line was spoken by one of the most iconic villain in comic book universe – The Joker.
The DC Comics character maybe insane but personally I think he can be a good philosopher – a teacher if you will – of life.
Yes, many would think that a guy like The Joker is extremely mad and insane. But the same people also miss his sensible way of thinking. Except for the fact that he kills people in Gotham and robs banks – no you must not follow that.
Yes, The Joker is a bad guy but isn’t his nemesis also a bad guy? The Batman can be classified as a vigilante after all.
Growing up as a kid, Batman served as a great hero image for me. The same goes for other well known heroes like Superman and Spiderman. In a child’s mind, a hero protects the good guys and beats up the bad guys – the villains.
But the world is not just black and white. Now, I realize that not all heroes are ‘good’ , and not all villains are ‘bad’. When I was a kid, I hated movies which shows the heroes getting beaten up but emerge as the winner towards the end no matter what.
Thus began my disenchantment. I no longer idolized these unflawed epitome of ‘perfection’.
Cliche it may be but the only constant thing in life is change. As you mature, you realize that there is no such thing as perfection embodied by the comic superheroes.
It is actually the villains like the Joker who embody the complication of living in this imperfect world.
(written by Leslie Mendoza, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Vince Alvin Villarin)
