Pablo Greene's Readers Share their Definition of Superhero Fetish
Earlier, this month I shared with you my definition of superhero fetish. I also asked fans, readers and subscribers of my Muscle & Spandex newsletter, to share their own definitions of superhero fetish. Today I am proud to publish three of the best ones we received. Enjoy. — Pablo Greene
Adonisnick
For those of us who are into bondage, Superhero Fetish is essentially the modern version of [the game] cowboys and indians.
The ideal superhero fetish [scene] should encompass the gamut that includes the capture and torments of the heroes, culminating with the ultimate fate of the arch-villain and his/her henchmen getting captured. Tops can be either the villain or the hero. Bottoms can also be either. Superhero fetish should encompass a complete story arc, that means both the a cliffhanger and a climax as necessary to the ultimate experience.
Spandexandy
I will turn 50 this year, so my influence was TV and comic books, which were expensive imports from the USA. I occasionally got a hold of these from my cousins in Minnesota. So the first time I noticed [ther erotic aspect of superheroes] would have been the Adam West and Burt Ward in the Batman TV series. At the time I was about 10 years old. What caught me eye in childhood is something not sure about, but as I got older, it was the costumes that Batman, Robin, the Riddler and other villains wore. As I entered my 20’s, the scenarios of superheroes being caught and tied up certainly got my attention.
The arrival Tim Burton's Batman film in 1989 revived my interest in the genre. Yes the films in the series got silly later on, but the costumes kept me interested, as I discovered rubber/latex/neoprene. I was drawn to the costumes/fabrics as fetish, and yes the materials, feel of it against the skin and how it looks and moves over the skin had, and still have a huge appeal for me. As I grew older and less afraid I did more exploring, I discovered BDSM and erotic books, and as a result I became more aware of the power play, dominance, control aspects of the stories. However the arrival of a Kindle was an opening of my mind. I discovered Pablo Green’s four How to Kill a Superhero novels. As I read and enjoyed them, more books and authors came into view. I discovered a world of people who had similar likes. Yes, this sounds slow compared to lot of young people but I was on dial up internet until my 20's and broadband only be came an option in late 20's.
Superhero fetish for me combines fetish of costume, materials, masks, hidden identities, being able to stand up and do things you would never be able to do as you. There is the power play the victim who eventually gets the upper hand and reverses the roles. I don't like to use the term good versus bad, but when right eventually wins, it gives us hope. The darker bondage/pain fantasies from novels go to levels beyond anything i have experienced or want to experience. To me, there is a difference between fantasy and reality. Superhero Fetish is something I enjoy. It is both escapist and fantastical, but also erotic and forbidden. It can be dark but rewarding.
Superhero fetish is part of me and always has been. My life would be much worse off without it.
Johnny Gayzmonic
Superhero fetish for me is about exploring both the trappings and tropes of what makes and breaks a superhero. It's not just the skin-tight spandex or the muscles. It's not just the headstrong confidence or love of danger. Although most of that is enough. It's about how to bring the hero down. How to show he's vulnerable and human. I often joke that I know I'm kinky because I only like Superman when he's in peril. There's a thrill to seeing the most extraordinary individuals brought down a level, to have power over the most powerful. But it's in that vulnerability that we also find power, because to admit you have a weakness is itself a form of strength. We want to be the hero, but we do that by dominating the hero and exploiting his weakness. Because if a superhero is as vulnerable as the rest of us, that means we can all be superheroes.