History Literature / Gladiator

Despite this work mainly being appreciated in retrospect as perhaps being the first modern depiction of a superhero,
the evidence that it somehow influenced or inspired [[Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster Superman's writers]] (and Literature/DocSavage to a lesser extent) is [[https://www.depauw.edu/sfs/review_essays/feeley95.htm circumstantial at best]]. By the 70s, Wylie–who had become an embittered alcoholic–strongly insisted that Superman was based on his novel, but neither Jerry Siegel nor Joe Shuster ever admitted to such influence while readily citing figures such as Samson and Hercules as inspiration. Thus any similarities can largely be chalked up to coincidence.

the evidence that it somehow influenced or inspired [[Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster Superman's writers]] (and Literature/DocSavage to a lesser extent) is [[https://www.depauw.edu/sfs/review_essays/feeley95.htm circumstantial at best]]. By the 70s, Wylie–who had become an embittered alcoholic–strongly insisted that Superman was based on his novel, but neither Jerry Siegel nor Joe Shuster ever admitted to such influence while readily citing figures such as Samson and Hercules as inspiration. Thus any similarities can largely chalked up to coincidence.

This work is mainly significant because it may be the first modern depiction of a superhero, and may have been a great influence on the story of ComicBook/{{Superman}} (we don't know for sure as neither [[Creator/JerrySiegelAndJoeShuster Jerry Siegel nor Joe Shuster]] ever admitted to it), and Literature/DocSavage. It also provides part of the backstory of "Iron" Munro from ''[[ComicBook/AllStarSquadron The Young All-Stars]]''.

This work is mainly significant because it may be the first modern depiction of a superhero, and may have been a great influence on the story of Franchise/{{Superman}} (we don't know for sure as neither Jerry Siegel nor Joe Shuster ever admitted to it), and Literature/DocSavage. It also provides part of the backstory of "Iron" Munro from ''[[ComicBook/AllStarSquadron The Young All-Stars]]''.

** The deconstructive nature of the story was only heightened when it was adapted into a comic book (retitled ''Legend''), with it deliberately making callbacks to staples of the Superman mythos, to the point that Hugo even is drawn to look like Clark Kent. The closest Hugo gets to a typical superhero plot is when he goes to Washington and meets a war profiteer (who looks suspiciously like Lex Luthor), [[spoiler:and Hugo effortlessly drives him out of town. And then … nothing. The guy never shows up again. No arch-nemesis, no declaration of revenge, nothing. And why not? Hugo was an unstoppable superhuman, and the guy was just an amoral businessman. He didn't even try to see if there was any KryptoniteFactor to take advantage of. Besides, the deal that Hugo was trying to prevent? It goes through anyway, [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney because money]]]].

This work is mainly significant because it may be the first modern depiction of a superhero, and seems to have been a great influence on the story of Franchise/{{Superman}} and Literature/DocSavage. It also provides part of the backstory of "Iron" Munro from ''[[ComicBook/AllStarSquadron The Young All-Stars]]''.

* TheWorldIsNotReady: Albednego said he would have destroyed his notes if Hugo had not told him his war stories and leaves it up to him to decide if more superpowered people should exist.

** The deconstructive nature of the story was only heightened when it was adapted into a comic book (retitled ''Legend'') with it deliberately making callbacks to staples of the Superman mythos, to the point that Hugo even is drawn to look like Clark Kent. The closest Hugo gets to a typical superhero plot is when he goes to Washington and meets a war profiteer (who looks suspiciously like Lex Luthor), [[spoiler:and Hugo effortlessly drives him out of town. And then … nothing. No arch-nemesis, no declaration of revenge, nothing. And why not? Hugo was an unstoppable superhuman, and the guy was just an amoral businessman. He didn't even try to see if there was any KryptoniteFactor to make advantage of. Besides, the deal that Hugo was trying to prevent? It goes through anyway, [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney because money]]]].

* SuperSoldier: Trapped in World War I, Danner becomes a Super Soldier killing as many German soldiers as he can for the French Foreign Legion. He decides to win the war by Instant-Win Condition: hijacking a plane, infiltrating Germany and killing the German Emperor and his generals to force a DecapitatedArmy. Unfortunately, the war ends on his own accord. The truth is, modern wars (maybe since the nineteenth century) are not won nor lost by soldiers anymore, but by economic and politic reasons bigger than any human beings control.

He suffers the guilt of killing another player on the field when he plays football and drops out of college. He gets a job in a bank, but finds he has to save a man who will suffocate inside a safe by ripping the safe open, leading his employers to attempt to find out how he managed it through (ineffectual) torture and ultimately lose his job. He has another job as a manual laborer, but loses that because he's making the other workers look bad. He finds some use for his abilities in UsefulNotes/WorldWarI, and is about to attempt to end the war single-handed when it ends of its own accord. He is ultimately appalled by the whole experience. Eventually, while helping on an expedition amongst the Mayan ruins, he takes the expedition leader into his confidence. They discuss the possibility of creating more people like himself, to be used to improve the world. Deeply concerned with the possibility, he stands on a mountain in a storm and asks God to judge. [[BoltOfDivineRetribution God provides his answer]].

This work is mainly significant because it may be the first modern depiction of a superhero, and seems to have been a great influence on the story of Franchise/{{Superman}} and Franchise/DocSavage. It also provides part of the backstory of "Iron" Munro from ''[[ComicBook/AllStarSquadron The Young All-Stars]]''.

* DownerEnding: [[spoiler:After deciding what he wants to do with his life, Hugo [[spoiler:gets killed by lightning.]]

* [[spoiler: DownerEnding]]

* TheGayNineties: Extrapolating from the First World War breaking out a year after Danner quits college in his sophomore year suggests that he was born on Christmas Day, 1893.

* WithGreatPower

* LamarckWasRight: PlayedWith, in that Danner was already conceived at the time that his mother was subjected to the experiment, however, his father later states that any children of Hugo's would not inherit his SuperStrength unless they too were given the serum.

* ShootingSuperman

** Trapped in World War I, he becomes a SuperSoldier killing as many German soldiers as he can for the French Foreign Legion. He decides to become a useful SuperSoldier by InstantWinCondition: hijacking a plane, infiltrating Germany and killing the German Emperor and his generals to force a DecapitatedArmy. Unfortunately, RealityEnsues and the war ends on its own accord.

* SuperSoldier: Trapped in World War I, Danner becomes a Super Soldier killing as many German soldiers as he can for the French Foreign Legion. He decides to win the war by Instant-Win Condition: hijacking a plane, infiltrating Germany and killing the German Emperor and his generals to force a DecapitatedArmy. Unfortunately, RealityEnsues and the war ends on his own accord. The truth is, modern wars (maybe since the nineteenth century) are not won nor lost by soldiers anymore, but by economic and politic reasons bigger than any human beings control.

* MundaneUtility: Deconstructed because Hugo Danner attempts to find a use for his [[NighInvulnerability Invulnerability]] and SuperStrength doomed his life:

* ProtoSuperhero