Spiderman: What makes a superhero succeed?

	Story by Jack Foley

CYNICS may suggest that superheroes such as Spiderman, Batman and Superman are really all the same - a man struggling to come to terms with some great tragedy who uses his super powers to right the world’s wrongs.

Batman and Spiderman, for instance, both share the loss of parents as a motivating factor (even though they originate from rival comics), while for Superman, it is the loss of his home planet which plays an important part of his life.

All three share alter-egos - be it Peter Parker, Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne - while there is almost always a love interest; someone who falls in love with the superhero while paying very little attention to the man/geek behind the mask.

So what’s the allure? Why do superheroes generally continue to provide the catalyst for great box office? And why is there so much room in the market place for a set of heroes who share so much in common?

For Avi Arad, affectionately labelled ‘Mr Marvel Comics’ and co-producer of the latest Spiderman movie, there are a number of factors which help to make the likes of Spiderman, in particular, the success that it is - the movie has already smashed box office records in America, becoming the fifth highest grossing film of all time; and counting!

Avi believes that Marvel’s characters work so well because as much time is spent on the human drama involved as the supe