Line #109 Main/Capepunk


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[Film/{{Chronicle}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Chronicle_Film_Poster_700.jpg]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:With great power comes great destruction...]]
6
7	->''"I grew up in Westchester, and have never traveled anywhere else without this stupid domino mask on my face! Am I the only one who's scared that people are looking to me for answers because I can lift a car over my head? This is crazy!"''
8	-->-- '''Alison Green''', ''Webcomic/StrongFemaleProtagonist''
9
10	"Capepunk" refers to the subgenre of superhero fiction which deals with superheroism in a "realistic" manner. This sort of storytelling often comes with the greater freedom to allow creators to deconstruct traditional superhero tropes. To be Capepunk, your story can't just be about superheroes. It has to be about why they put on the cape and whether or not putting it on is worthwhile.
11
12	Capepunk stories tend to be either {{Deconstruct\|ion}}ive or {{Reconstruct\|ion}}ive (or [[DeconReconSwitch both]]) in nature, analyzing what makes these characters tick as well as how they relate to the setting as a whole. Much effort will be put into justifying why people have [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividuals a variety of powers]], are allowed by law enforcement to run willy-nilly, or [[ReedRichardsIsUseless don't change the world overnight]]. By and large, these kinds of works tend to be very satirical in nature, showing why superheroic tropes either won't work in a real life setting or require many AcceptableBreaksFromReality in order to be justified as existing. While many Capepunk stories are cynical, there are just as many stories which cast heroes as standing against the mundanity of the world and leading humanity into the light (or at least trying to). Rarely, they fall to the positive extreme, showcasing why [[TheLopsidedArmOftheLaw the law is useless]] or why a superhero is absolutely necessary in the setting. No mundane forces are going to stop a PlanetEater, for example.
13
14	One common feature in these stories is that superpowers are terrifying to normal people. People with the powers of MindControl, being [[{{Flight}} able to fly]], or [[EyeBeams heat vision]] are dangers to normal {{Muggles}} with even those who protect them being so far removed from normal life they often are enemies. Other times, regular HumansAreTheRealMonsters with the people trying to use their abilities to help others being deliberately targeted by those who hate and envy them.
15
16	Stories in this genre are just as likely (if not more) to star original characters as opposed to being part of established superhero franchises. This is for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the writers of popular "mainstream" superhero characters don't want to let them be used in such a way, especially if it means they will be portrayed in a negative light. Another reason is that Capepunk stories are often written by independent comic writers without access to the most popular characters in the genre, leaving them no choice but to use [[{{Expy}} Expies.]] They also may not even be comic books at all, but completely original novels and films. Alternately the LongRunner "mainstream" franchises may rely on StatusQuoIsGod or JokerImmunity, and need to use these characters for more stories in the future.
17
18	A subtrope of GenreDeconstruction; MagicalGirlGenreDeconstruction is a very similar concept, applied to the Japanese MagicalGirl genre. See also SuperheroHorror, which are superhero stories with elements of the horror genre and often overlap with Capepunk.
19
20	!!Common tropes to be found in Capepunk stories are:
21
22	[[index]]
23	* AntiHero: A hero who lacks the proper traits of The Hero.
24	* BeingGoodSucks: ''Being'' good doesn't always ''feel'' good.
25	* BewareTheSuperman: The existence of superpowers has an almost, if not entirely, negative effect on the world.
26	* BlessedWithSuck: Desired quality proves problematic.
27	* BlackAndGrayMorality: Evil villain, flawed hero.
28	* BrokenAce: TheAce has issues.
29	* BystanderActionHorrorDissonance: An action sequence shifts to a much darker tone when we see how it's affecting those who aren't part of the fight.
30	* CapeBusters: Normal humans purposed with fighting superhumans.
31	* CrapsackWorld: A horrible setting where the [[TheCynic jaded]] notion of how anything that can go wrong will go horribly, ''[[FinaglesLaw horribly]]'' wrong almost always applies.
32	* CrapsaccharineWorld: A CrapsackWorld disguised as a SugarBowl.
33	* FantasticRacism: Racism involving fictional or non-human races or species.
34	* HeroicFatigue: A hero suffering the breaking point of being a hero.
35	* HeroWithBadPublicity: A heroic character is hated by the public.
36	* HumansAreTheRealMonsters: Humans in Capepunk stories are often not very nice to nonhumans or supers. The villains often tend to be humans too.
37	* ILetGwenStacyDie: When a hero feels responsible for a loved one's death, which tends to happen a ''lot'' in these stories.
38	* TheLopsidedArmOfTheLaw: For whatever InUniverse justification, law enforcement prefers to go all out to stop people with superpowers (and much more often, [[ArrestedForHeroism lawful]] or even [[MiscarriageOfJustice completely innocent]] people with superpowers) than dealing with actual crime.
39	* {{Masquerade}}: The existence of super-powered beings can be a closely guarded secret within the story's universe.
40	* MugglePower: [[{{Muggles}} Random, ordinary people]] taking a stance on [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual superpowered individuals]].
41	* MutantDraftBoard: A bureaucratic government institution created to control a large population of super-powered individuals.
42	* NominalHero: A character who advances a heroic cause but doesn't have any heroic motivations.
43	* NotWearingTights: Superheroes without theatrics.
44	* SmugSuper: They know they're powerful, and [[{{Pride}} they have the ego to show it]].
45	* SuperDickery: [[CoversAlwaysLie A cover or promo]] depicts the hero acting like a grade-A {{Jerkass}} in a scene [[ItMakesSenseInContext taken out of context]].
46	* SuperhumanTrafficking: Enslaving and/or exploiting [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual powered people]].
47	* SuperpowerDisability: The drawbacks of being superhuman are for all intents and purposes a disability all unto themselves.
48	* SuperRegistrationAct: The government singling out [[DifferentlyPoweredIndividual people with superpowers]] through legislation.
49	* SuperSoldier: Special elite military units, usually augmented beyond normal human potential.
50	* SuperheroParadox: Do superheroes cause as many disasters as they prevent?
51	* SuperSupremacist: A supervillain who believes that superpowers make them superior to everyone else.
52	* TallPoppySyndrome: Society is hostile and envious towards individuals who are special.
53	* TranshumanTreachery: A human transformed into a monster chooses to be a monster.
54	* TrueArtIsAngsty: Real art needs to be [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynical]].
55	* TwilightOfTheSupers: A quick way to shake the status quo and force society to question superheroics? Exterminate the status quo and have people fight over the ashes.
56	* UngratefulBastard: A character who doesn't show appropriate gratitude.
57	* WellIntentionedExtremist: A character who commits horrid acts for good causes.
58	* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: Power makes you crazy.
59	* VillainProtagonist: A main character who is unambiguously evil.
60	* VillainWithGoodPublicity: A villain who's popular with the general public.
61	[[/index]]
62
63	----
64	!!Examples subpage:
65
66	[[index]]
67	* Capepunk/ComicBooks
68	[[/index]]
69
70	!!Other examples:
71	[[foldercontrol]]
72
73	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
74	* ''Anime/{{Akira}}'' combines this with cyberpunk motifs as we see Tetsuo as a trope-codifier for WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. It destroys all of his relationships, innumerable innocent bystanders, and eventually makes him believe AGodAmI. One of the messages is human morality is incompatible with being superhuman.
75	* ''Anime/ConcreteRevolutioChoujinGensou'' takes a cast of "superhumans" [[CaptainErsatz based on]] popular fictional characters from TheSixties... and drops them into the complex socio-political climate of the actual 60s, where they [[HistoricalFantasy frequently interact with real-world events]]. A recurring theme in the series is whether a {{Superhero}} can truly exist.
76	* ''Manga/MagicalGirlSpecOpsAsuka'' is MagicalGirlWarrior-punk. Magical girls make contracts with spirits to defend the Earth from invaders... so the military takes over and treats them like special forces, and less than half survive to see the end of the war. And after it's over, the ShellShockedVeteran magical girls have to try to reintegrate into ordinary life, terrorist groups start trafficking in magical powers, and the world governments start frantically trying to develop human-usable countermeasures.
77	* ''Manga/MyHeroAcademia'' takes place in a world where [[EveryoneIsASuper 80% of the global population has superpowers]] and explores the way society has been reorganized by the universal presence of superpowers, which are called "Quirks". People suffer discrimination for having the "wrong" Quirks or being in the rare segment of the population that has [[UnSorcerer no Quirks at all]]. Quirk usage is heavily restricted in all parts of society, with the usage of Quirks in public outright banned and only allowed in certain professions, but under heavy restrictions and requiring large amounts of certification, licensing, and training. A good example are Superheroes, who are referred to InUniverse as Pro Heroes. Heroes in this setting are a government-regulated occupation that consists of both emergency services and criminal policing. The key difference is that regular police and emergency workers are not allowed to use their Quirks, while heroes are allowed to after going through extensive training at designated [[HeroAcademy Hero Schools]] and gaining official licenses. The extreme restriction of powers has led to the emergence of extremist groups seeking to legalize the free natural use of Quirks such as the Meta Liberation Army. It's shown that the initial appearance of Quirks threw the world into such chaos that it reversed societal and scientific progress, with some even going so far as to say that if superpowers never emerged, humanity would be taking interstellar vacations by now. The show is less gritty than the usual Capepunk fare and leans more towards {{Reconstruction}} than {{Deconstruction}}, often finding ways to integrate traditional superhero themes and tropes into a more realistic setting.
78	* The mecha anime equivalent of this was ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', which told the story of a fourteen-year-old [[TheChosenOne Chosen One]] who agrees to save the world in [[AmbiguousRobots a giant robot]], not out of righteousness or charity, but to impress [[WellDoneSonGuy his abusive father]]. When it doesn't work at all, Shinji becomes severely torn about whether the world is still worth saving if it's never made him happy, and [[CerebusSyndrome the main conflict shifts]] from whether he's ''able'' to save all mankind to whether he's ''[[RefusalOfTheCall willing]]''. [[spoiler:In the end, [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt he's not]].]]
79	* ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' takes place in a setting where superheroes are commercial commodities that work both as professional crime fighters and corporate mascots, their outfits adorned with brand logos not unlike UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} race cars. The pressure to succeed, particularly in a popular reality TV show based around their heroic exploits, leads some to enter into the superhero business for largely self-serving reasons. At the same time, however, the show is a {{Reconstruction}} of superheroes more than a {{Deconstruction}}, as the heroes are presented as overall good-natured and well-meaning people.
80	[[/folder]]
81
82	[[folder:Fan Fiction]]
83	* ''Fanfic/ChildOfTheStorm'' takes a lot of influence from the ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' and despite the fundamentally optimistic outlook and LemonyNarrator, has absolutely no problem running through more or less every single one of these tropes - the age of the superhero and the return of the supernatural is treated with awe, but even early on the SuperheroParadox is discussed, there is no [[StatusQuoIsGod Status Quo]], major super-battles are depicted as apocalyptic in scale and capable of reshaping the world with long-lasting after-effects, and while there is an emphasis on MugglePower, conventional security services stand zero chance against hostile superhumans or supernaturals unless they are properly organised and heavily armed. There's more than a few [[BystanderActionHorrorDissonance bystander reactions]] to show that while to people who know them the main cast are basically people - often dorky, normal people - to a lot of other people, they are something out of myth and nightmare, and some of the villains are out of a CosmicHorrorStory. While it may be LovecraftLite in that they haven't won, what they ''succeed'' in doing can be pretty horrifying. Oh, and because HumansAreBastards, there are a ''lot'' of unethical SuperSoldier programs that are or have been going on. Even still, though, there ''are'' a lot of people fighting to do the right thing.
84	* The ElsewhereFic ''Fanfic/MiraculousThePhoenixRises'' takes the original, heavily sanitized cartoon and gives it a [[BlackComedy darkly comedic]] run through virtually ''every'' capepunk trope you can think of in a post Creator/AlanMoore / Creator/GarthEnnis era. Sure we have a band of (anti)heroes, but they're trapped smack dab in a CrapsackWorld where HumansAreMorons and [[HumansAreBastards bastards]], AdultsAreUseless, PoliceAreUseless, all the while taking the series several astronomical units to the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynicism side of the scale]].
85	* ''Fanfic/SuperwomenOfEva'': Trying to be a superhero in the universe of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' does not an easy road make -- many of the titular characters don't start down the road 100% out of the goodness of their hearts, but [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt because]] [[AssimilationPlot the "Scenario"]] of the BigBadEnsemble that is NERV and SEELE is [[GodzillaThreshold an option too horrible to allow completion]], {{Realpolitik}} is an obstacle to navigate when seeking alliances, and for some people HopeIsScary. Ironically, even when some stories dive individually into the DarkerAndEdgier pool, collectively the series is a whole lot LighterAndSofter than the canon show ''because'' the superwomen try their damnedest to improve the world and the lives of their friends and themselves and succeed.
86	[[/folder]]
87
88	[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
89	* ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' touches on this, as once-active superheroes were forced to retire due to lawsuits over damages caused by their fights. It also takes a look at the thought that would have to go into superhero costumes to ensure they're effective. (''[[CapeSnag "No capes!"]]'') The movie as a whole deals with what it means to be "special", both in terms of superpowers and in the mundane sense.
90	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Megamind}}'' takes many superhero cliches and the Superman mythos and turns them on their head. Metroman is a SmugSuper [[spoiler:who turns out to be a BrokenAce who is miserable because he sees saving the day as [[PunchClockHero a job]] instead of a calling or something that makes him happy]], Megamind is an incompetent villain who is less fighting Metroman and more playing a game [[spoiler:and can't think of what to do when Metroman fakes his death, having a crisis.]] The greatest example would have to be [[spoiler:Hal Stewart A.K.A Tighten/Titan]] who shows what happens when [[FromNobodyToNightmare a random unremarkable person]] gets superpowers, especially one who was secretly jealous of Metroman's "Relationship" with Roxanne. [[spoiler:He becomes an even worse villain than Megamind could ever hope to be (but not a ''super'' one).]]
91	* ''The Prodigies'', a 2011 French-British computer-animated science fiction film features group of five super-powered teens who after being being violently assaulted starting plotting their revenge against the world, and a sixth superpowered teen must gather and stop them.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]
95	* ''Film/TheBatman2022'' takes a page out of ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'', presenting the titular character in a more grounded way. It manages to be even grittier than the aforementioned trilogy, taking a lot of influence from FilmNoir. A younger, less experienced Batman's crusade against crime is well-intentioned, but he clearly has a lot of psychological/emotional issues around crime-fighting and his parents' deaths, to the point that it completely consumes him. His fixation on dishing out violent revenge is implied to be a way for him to [[SecretlySelfish vent out his own rage and grief]], and even people he helps are [[TheDreaded terrified of him]]. The main villain, Riddler, is presented more as a disturbed serial killer and domestic terrorist, lashing out at the corrupt system that hurt him. Gotham City is corrupt to the core, [[spoiler:with Batman discovering that even his father was involved in some dodgy stuff that may have contributed to the Wayne murders]]. Batman comes to realize his crime-fighting methods may be [[NiceJobBreakingItHero doing more harm than good]], [[spoiler:as he actually inspired [[LoonyFan the Riddler and his followers]] to commit violent acts]], [[DeconReconSwitch although]] it also ends with him deciding to try and become not just a figure of terror for criminals but a source of hope for Gotham.
96	* ''Film/{{Brightburn}}'' is a retelling of the ComicBook/{{Superman}} origin story, except with its SupermanSubstitute Brandon Breyer brought up being told he's destined to do "great things" but left vague about what they are (or possibly filtering the concept through thought processes [[BlueAndOrangeMorality that are more alien]] than they seem at first glance). The result is a superhero SlasherMovie as Brandon starts to [[AGodAmI see himself as a god]], complete with a costume that resembles a parody of Superman's as designed by a backwoods SerialKiller. [[spoiler:TheStinger also reveals the existence of {{Corrupted Character Cop\|y}}ies of ComicBook/WonderWoman, ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, and ComicBook/TheFlash, as well as a heroic version of Lex Luthor who vows to fight them (and, in an [[WhatCouldHaveBeen unused ending]], the film's pissed-off version of Lana Lang also becoming an ArchEnemy of Brandon after what [[BreakTheCutie he put her through]]).]]
97	* ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'' asks what would happen if a group of ordinary teenage boys got superpowers. They initially use their newfound powers of [[MindOverMatter telekinesis]] and [[FlyingBrick flight]] for an assortment of silly (and [[PowerPerversionPotential horny]]) hijinks until they [[AccidentalMurder accidentally get someone killed]], [[spoiler:at which point Andrew, the troubled one of the group, goes JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope and becomes the superpowered equivalent of a [[SpreeKiller mass shooter]]]].
98	* ''Film/Daredevil2003'' deconstructs a lot of elements found in comic book adaptions. Due to his vigilante lifestyle, Matt is in extreme pain from fighting, nurses multiple broken bones and nasty scars on his body, munches down painkillers regularly, and is frequently absent from work. His super senses mean that he needs a sensory deprivation tank to sleep, his refusal to handle guilty or dishonest clients means that his law firm is constantly struggling, and he is dealing with a wreck of a personal life. Which is to say nothing of the fact that the poor guy is so miserable and downbeaten by life he can barely muster the energy to keep going.
99	* ''Film/TheDarkKnightTrilogy'' grounds Batman into someone who might conceivably exist in the real world, spending large amounts of time justifying how Batman relates to both Bruce Wayne's psychology and Gotham City as a whole.
100	* Creator/ZackSnyder seemed to be very fond of this trope in his ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'' films. ''Film/ManOfSteel'' shows just how terrifying the sheer power of [[FlyingBrick a Kryptonian]] can be with the climactic battle between Superman and General Zod bringing about destruction upon Metropolis. Its followup, ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'', shows that humanity is divided over Superman's general existence between the traumatizing experience of the Kryptonian invasion and the revelation of aliens existing, and Superman's attempt to inspire other heroes is initially less than successful as we find most of them living in isolation or deeply troubled. The trope was toned down in ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' in favor of more emphasis on the sci-fi/fantasy elements.
101	* ''Film/TheFlyingMan'' deconstructs multiple elements of superhero fiction, showing just how horrifying a [[SupermanSubstitute Superman-esque]] VigilanteMan would be, particularly if he had no aversion to killing and no respect for the law. The result is an inscrutable HumanoidAbomination whose brutal executions of criminals terrify the public, who are helpless to do anything about it.
102	* ''Film/Freaks2018'' is a Canadian sci-fi/horror film [[spoiler:following a superpowered girl hiding from a future society that hunts and kills anyone suspected of having superpowers. Superpowers are widely viewed as nothing but a threat to the system and the general public.]] The government runs oppressive and pervasive security state complete with secret death camps and very unethical experimental labs. Even members of the public who seem opposed to the extermination policy still view superpowers with fear and disgust.
103	* ''Film/{{Hancock}}'' is about a super-powered individual (calling him "hero" would be a stretch) who's a total jerk because no one can force him to face any consequences. A big portion of the movie involves reforming him into more of a classic superhero, even to the point of him voluntarily serving jail time. He also meets up with another super in hiding who explains more about their background, including how there used to be more of their kind but most of them chose mortality over superpowers.
104	* The ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' also puts some work into making superheroes work in a "real-world" context:
105	** The ''Film/IronManFilms'' use real-life science to justify many of the figure's traditional gadgets. Likewise, the films serve as deconstructions of many UsefulNotes/TheWarOnTerror tropes as well as the kind of attention such a figure would garner. ''Film/IronMan3'' also portrays Tony Stark [[ShellShockedVeteran dealing with PTSD]] from the literally world-changing events of ''Film/TheAvengers2012''.
106	** The Captain America Films start off idealistic but start deconstructing what it means to be a superhero in ''[[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Winter Soldier]]'', showing that Steve has ''no life'' outside of being Captain America. He has few friends, the love of his life Peggy Carter is now in her 90s and close to death, he has basically no hobbies beyond physical exercise, and he is a SuperSoldier who defines himself by the battles he's fighting. He is sad, and lonely, and even the people that he calls friends are actually work colleagues he doesn't trust fully (though this changes as the franchise progresses). [[spoiler:No wonder, then, that at the end of ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', he walks away from it all in order to have a normal life with a younger Peggy Carter, one of the only people he ever truly loved, in an AlternateTimeline.]]
107	** Most superhuman origins can be traced back to some kind of SuperSoldier project that was deliberately attempting to create a better kind of defender (in the case of the heroes) or enforcer (when the bad guys were making one).
108	** As more supervillains crop up, the SuperheroParadox becomes more prevalent. ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' (a rough adaptation of [[ComicBook/CivilWar2006 the comic of the same name]]) tackles it head-on, as the heroes' conflicts have caused inevitable bystander fatalities, which leads to calls [[SuperRegistrationAct for government regulation]] and the heroes themselves are divided on whether this is a good idea or not (and subsequent stories [[HeadInTheSandManagement make clear]] that, [[ObstructiveBureaucrat mostly because bureaucrats are bureaucrats]], [[MugglePower it wasn't]]).
109	** Although it shows up more in the TV spinoffs than the films themselves, some people have begun to respond to the emergence of superhumans with FantasticRacism.
110	* ''Film/MysteryMen'' follows the eponymous team, composed of D-List heroes who suffer from WhatKindOfLamePowerIsHeartAnyway, while [[TheAce the more successful hero]] Captain Amazing is a corporate sponsored SmugSuper and ends up doing so well of a job that JokerImmunity does not exist, so he intentionally releases one of the few supervillains that remain. [[spoiler:This leads to a series of events that leads to Captain Amazing's death and the Mystery Men taking over as the premiere heroes of Champion City.]]
111	* ''Film/SkyHigh2005'' takes superheroes, and puts them in a problematic FantasticCasteSystem based on their powers. If you have an unique power that isn't seen as useful, you'll get labeled a {{Sidekick}} that is fully expected to just hand things to the heroes. Meanwhile, the heroes with more impressive powers have been shown to be [[FantasticRacism looking down on the sidekicks]], and even bullying them. Needless to say, none of the sidekicks actually enjoy this, including [[spoiler:Sue[=/=]Gwen, the BigBad of the film; since her technopathy wasn't seen as useful in TheSeventies (compared to today's times), she got labeled as a {{Sidekick}}, and became a vengeful supervillain due to her mistreatment.]] However, it becomes a DeconReconSwitch at the end of the film, as the sidekicks manage to save the day, and [[HeartIsAnAwesomePower prove their seemingly-unimpressive superpowers can be quite useful]].
112	* ''Film/{{Super}}'' is yet another answer to the question, "What would a superhero be like in real life?" The answer is "someone along the lines of [[Film/TaxiDriver Travis Bickle]]", as the film shows what kind of troubled mind it takes to start attacking criminals while wearing a silly costume. It also shows how finding crime to fight would probably amount to just waiting around sketchy areas, bored out of your mind.
113	* ''Film/{{Unbreakable}}'' is a superhero film [[GenreBusting by way of a]] PsychologicalThriller, showing a very dark view of a 'real-world superhero'. Mr. Glass in particular [[ConversationalTroping provides a lot of commentary on the genre's tropes]], being the owner of a comic book art gallery [[ComicBooksAreReal obsessed with his comics]].
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Literature]]
117	* ''Literature/AllThoseExplosionsWereSomeoneElsesFault'' coaches its battle in the Darkness (beings from a universe closer to where YourMindMakesItReal who make deals with the rich and powerful for eternal life in the forms of vampires, werewolves, demons, and ghosts) versus the Light (which comes from about the middle of the spectrum between hard and soft reality, and thus much coach what abilities it gives under a lampshade of pseudoscience, and runs on RuleOfDrama). It then promptly shows a Light-aligned super villain and a number of sympathetic Dark characters, muddying the waters immensely.
118	* The ''Literature/{{Blackjack}}'' series is about a supervillain who deals with the ups and downs of being a former supervillain in a setting where EasilyForgiven is not the case. Furthermore, how lethal the powers of superheroes might actually be when used against other people. It also reflects how GrayAndGrayMorality is how the world really is but not how the public perceives it.
119	* Jim Bernheimer's ''Literature/ConfessionsOfADListSupervillain'' follows the adventures of the titular third-stringer, Mechani-Cal, who becomes a hero through sheer necessity. It shows its heroes to have feet made of clay while its villains run the gamut from downright horrible people to "just" irresponsible or misguided.
120	* Peter Clines's ''Literature/ExHeroes'' is about how the world has been [[ZombieApocalypse overrun by zombies]] but a small band of superheroes protects UsefulNotes/LosAngeles' survivors in a place called the Mount. Much attention is given to how the superheroes are selfless people, but this can be alienating to normal humans.
121	* Phillip Wylie's ''Literature/{{Gladiator}}'' could count as an UrExample -- centered on a man who was experimented on by his father before he was born and given SuperStrength and NighInvulnerability as a result, he struggles to hide his powers and find ways of trying to use them for a good purpose. And he [[spoiler:dies by what is [[BoltOfDivineRetribution implied to be a ticked-off God]] when he is [[MaddenIntoMisanthropy maddened into misanthropy]].]]
122	* ''{{Literature/Hench}}'': Applies the StandardOfficeSetting to supervillain organizations and follows a "hench" whose specialty is data analysis that gains notoriety when she blogs about the CollateralDamage [[SuperheroParadox that superheroes cause]]. [[spoiler: The world's greatest superhero is a WellIntendedExtremist, the setting's MutantDraftBoard that's responsible for churning out superheroes is corrupt to the roots and one of their darkest secrets is they along with the before-mentioned superhero are responsible for Leviathan, the most feared supervillain on the planet.]]
123	* ''Literature/{{Hero}}'' is about Thom Creed, the son of a retired BadassNormal superhero who hates superpowered individuals. Unfortunately, Thom has HealingHands. His father is also an extreme homophobe, which is a problem becausse Thom is also gay. In addition to Thom's problems, the book also deals with the consequences of certain superpowers, such as one character who gets powers from radiation only to also be diagnosed with cancer from said radiation.
124	* ''Literature/TheInfected'' tells the story of a fat gamer cursed with the power to replace people who are in deadly danger. Unfortunately for him, he lives in a world where superheroes are outlawed, they're all agents in a federal bureau. And Congress is still debating the merits of concentration camps to "deal with the Infected problem" since it's worked out so well abroad.
125	* ''Literature/TheNewHumans'' veers this way. Supers are distrusted for their highhanded actions, and extensive research is being done into powers.
126	* Creator/BrianClevinger's ''Literature/NuklearAge'' doesn't appear to be this at first. It later becomes a novel showing how so much of the wackiness and craziness around its protagonist [[spoiler:is the result of his status as a god]].
127	* ''Literature/OmegaSuperhero'' by Darius Brasher has an idealistic young man named Theodore Conley become a superhero only to find out the resident Justice League {{Expy}} is a SmugSuper group hiding deep corruption. It's played even more straight in its sister-series, ''Superhero Detective'', where the protagonist is a PI who deals with superhuman dirty laundry.
128	* ''Literature/ThePantheonSaga'' by C.C. Ekeke is a series that depicts superheroes as entitled celebrities that are constantly caught between trying to maintain their squeaky-clean images and dealing with their foibles as human beings. Unlike, say, ''ComicBook/TheBoys'', the heroes are mostly good people, but when they break down then they break down hard. It also emphasizes the incredible temptations of power.
129	* The ''Literature/PleaseDontTellMyParentsImASupervillain'' series are LighterAndSofter examples of this trope. Both novels attempt to show how supervillains and superheroes are able to handle their feuds and rivalries. Both prefer to follow rules for each other's protection than going all out. Those supervillains who cross the line are killed by the superheroes' [[PlausibleDeniability deniable executioner]], keeping things reasonably civil. There is a prequel story, ''Literature/IDidNOTGiveThatSpiderSuperhumanIntelligence'', which shows how this system came about in the first place.
130	* ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'' goes the route of DeconReconSwitch. WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity is in play, and every Epic we see is AlwaysChaoticEvil. The more powerful ones have carved out their own fiefdoms, such as Newcago or Babylon Restored (Chicago and New York, respectively). However, the Reckoners are genuinely heroic [[spoiler:and lead by an Epic who refuses to use his powers]] and ultimately David is able to provoke a HeelFaceTurn on another [[spoiler:by helping her overcome her fear, and thus undoing her brainwashing]].
131	* ''Literature/{{Renegades}}'' by Marissa Meyer features capes as the de facto government after the "Age of Anarchy", the old government having been wiped away by the Anarchists. Notably, the remaining Anarchists, including the book's protagonist, see the Renegade government as holding back society from truly recovering, because their presence has driven regular humans into apathy.
132	* Thom Brannan's ''Sad Wings of Destiny'' is a ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}''-like DeconstructorFleet which tears down just about everything even remotely related to superheroes.
133	* Creator/JohnRidley's ''Literature/SoledadORoarke'' books ''Those Who Walk in Darkness'' and ''What Fire Cannot Burn'' have an atypical CrapsackWorld take on superheroes. Specifically, they postulate humanity will turn on them with FantasticRacism and ruthless brutality the first time they fail big.
134	* ''Literature/SoonIWillBeInvincible'' by Austin Grossman gets into the heads of an EvilGenius and the people who oppose him. Much attention is made of how superheroism and villainy is the result or cause of intense alienation from normal humanity.
135	* Creator/StephenKing wrote two novels, ''Literature/{{Carrie}}'' and ''Literature/{{Firestarter}}'', that could both be interpreted as superhero deconstructions in hindsight. Notably, Max Landis, writer of the aforementioned film ''Film/{{Chronicle}}'', brought this point up whenever ''Chronicle'' was described as a superhero movie (a description that he disagreed with), arguing that these two books could just as easily be considered superhero stories by the same token.
136	** ''Carrie'', about an outcast teenage girl who discovers that she has [[MindOverMatter telekinetic powers]], can be read as a [[GenderFlip gender-flipped]] version of ComicBook/SpiderMan's origin story. But instead of Uncle Ben's speech about [[ComesGreatResponsibility power and responsibility]], she gets the {{abusive\|Parents}} [[TheFundamentalist religious lunacy]] of her mother Margaret, which only compounds the bullying she receives at school and leaves her a broken mess of a person. When she's eventually [[RageBreakingPoint driven over the edge]], it leads to a tragedy that kills hundreds of people. The book's [[Film/Carrie2002 2002 made-for-TV adaptation]] [[spoiler:also had Carrie [[SparedByTheAdaptation surviving]] and hiding in Florida under a new identity, with WordOfGod stating that [[PilotMovie this was meant to lead into a TV series]] in which she used her powers to help people and [[TheAtoner atone for her crimes]]. Given that the film was written by Creator/BryanFuller, who would go on to create the below-mentioned ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', it's not unlikely that some of the ideas he would go on to use in that show would've shown up in his ''Carrie'' TV series.]]
137	** In ''Firestarter'', Andy and Victoria [=McGee=] both get PsychicPowers in a government experiment, not unlike ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's origin story... except this is the [[UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar Vietnam-era]] government that nobody trusted. The [=McGees=], and later their daughter Charlie (who inherited [[PlayingWithFire her powers]] from her parents), wind up on the run as fugitives from a government that wants to bring them back in for experiments.
138	* ''Literature/SuperPowereds'' by Drew Hayes deals with a world with three categories of people: {{Muggles}}, Supers, and Powereds. The first two are self-explanatory. Powereds are people with superpowers, except, unlike Supers, they're unable to control them. They tend to be treated as second-class citizens and seen as potential threats by both normal humans and Supers. While this is justified in some cases, it still leaves Powereds feeling bitter. Another reason why Supers look down on Powereds is that they're all aware that only an accident of birth kept them from becoming Powereds instead of Supers (3/4 of people with superpowers are Powereds). The novels are focused on a group of Powereds, who volunteer to be guinea pigs for an experimental procedure to turn them into Supers. Each of the teens have their own reason for undergoing the procedure and entering the Hero Certification Program at Lander University. [[spoiler:Later on, they find out that one potential future, foreseen by a clairvoyant, has all Powereds becoming Supers, resulting in a three-way global war between the three categories. Additionally, former Powereds are, on average, more powerful than those, who were born Supers]]. The spin-off ''Literature/{{Corpies}}'' shows a different side of this world with [[CorporateSponsoredSuperhero PEERS]], who aren't certified Heroes, but who use their powers to help with disaster recovery.
139	* ''Literature/TheSupervillainySaga'' is a book series starring a somewhat offbeat fellow, Gary Karkofsky, who finds a magic cloak and decides to become a supervillain. The book Deconstructs the NinetiesAntiHero and MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks by having Gary disgusted by heroes who kill and overly psychopathic villains. It also serves as a DeconReconSwitch because Gary, himself, is a well-written NinetiesAntiHero. The book, notably, treats LighterAndSofter superheroes significantly more sympathetically than most examples of the Capepunk genre.
140	* ''Third Class Superhero'' is a short story by Charles Yu that deals with a superhero wannabe who don't have enough power level to be classified as a real hero and eventually decides to become a supervillain instead.
141	* The ''Literature/VelveteenVs'' series by Seanan Maguire portrays traditional superheroes as self-absorbed marketing-driven corporate creatures with the concept of kid sidekicks treated as just a variation on ChildSoldiers. Velveteen, herself, wants nothing more to do with heroism but ends up having to be one just to survive.
142	* ''Literature/VillainsCode'' by Drew Hayes: The series is a {{Deconstruction}} of all the various assumptions that would need to go in to have a proper superhero world as well as how much easier it would be if most supervillains and superheroes stayed out of each other's ways. In a way, superheroes and supervillains are more like hostile nations with a ColdWar going on rather than cops and robbers. It also questions how much one side being on the law versus the other being against it is GoodVersusEvil.
143	* On the other end of the idealism scale is Marion Harmon's {{Reconstruction}} series ''Literature/WearingTheCape'' which sets out to make superheroes as realistic as possible yet still ''awesome.'' Sadly, the inclusion of supervillains still makes the world terrifying for normal people and makes muggles envious.
144	* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': Most of the stories set outside of [[SuperheroSchool Whateley Academy]] itself are in this vein, with big dollops of PostCyberPunk, MythPunk, and FantasticNoir for flavor. A big chunk of those set ''on'' campus are, too, for that matter, but it can get much, much darker elsewhere. Once you step off school grounds, you enter a world of GrayAndGrayMorality driven by {{Corrupt Corporate Executive}}s, [[AncientConspiracy Ancient Conspiracies]], [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi]] [[TheRemnant deadenders]], and [[LovecraftLite unspeakable otherworldly entities]]. A large number of {{Nominal Hero}}es are really SmugSuper {{Jerk Jock}}s at best, and [[KnightTemplar Knights Templar]] or [[VillainWithGoodPublicity Villains With Good Publicity]] at worst, and even many of the genuinely heroic ones will readily throw ThouShaltNotKill out the window when faced with an even worse alternative. The more overt villains can range from {{Punch Clock Villain}}s and {{Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain}}s; to {{Byronic Hero}}es and {{Well Intentioned Extremist}}s; to {{Blood Knight}}s, {{Super Supremacist}}s, and the AxCrazy; to [[DealWithTheDevil Infernalists]] and ''worse'', but even they often pale in comparison to the more institutionalized evils. Oh, and the international quasi-governmental agency meant to keep a lid on dangerous mutants, the Mutant Commission Office, is thoroughly corrupt, heavily infiltrated, and mostly staffed by [[FantasticRacism Fantastic Racists]] who can't wait to set up the death camps. While it is not an unrelentingly grim world, it is dangerous enough of one that the Whateley school administration has to maintain a [[TruceZone policy of armed neutrality]][[note]] WordOfGod has said that the school's security is ''primarily'' in place to protect the school and students from external threats; given how prominent they are in protecting students from ''each other'', this says a lot about those threats. Both Headmistress Carson and Security Chief Delarose are well aware that most of the security officers are on the take, but they keep them on because they already know whom they are feeding information to, and that any new officers would be the same but with more unknowns[[/note]], including an ''explicit'', written agreement by backers of both the heroic and villainous persuasions to [[EnemyMine collectively]] PayEvilUntoEvil whenever that neutrality is violated in certain ways.
145	* The ''Literature/WildCards'' shared universe series very often made its superheroes out to be anything but, and the supervillains were just as often simply people BlessedWithSuck by their wild card [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds lashing out]] against a world that [[FantasticRacism treats them like freaks]]. The authors also played quite a bit with the question of where one draws the line between BlessedWithSuck and CursedWithAwesome: for instance, Hiram Worchester, an {{Acrofatic}} GravityMaster who's chair-breaking obesity may be related to his powers.
146	* ''Who Can Save Us Now?'' is a superhero-themed anthology written by various authors that deals with several aspects of this trope.
147	* ''Literature/{{Worm}}'' digs deep into the idea of what drives people to be superheroes and supervillains. Central to the story is the internal conflict of the protagonist, Taylor, who desperately wants to do the right thing and become a hero, but who keeps ending up in circumstances that force her to act like a villain, first while trying to infiltrate a team of villains and later by more and more extreme and desperate situations that culminate in her becoming the undisputed queen of her city's superpowered underworld.
148	** The deconstruction continues when it is revealed that [[spoiler:powers are intelligent and deliberately choose hosts who will go out and get involved in fights and conflicts with other super-powered people. Moreover, they subtly nudge people into doing so, and can actively cause problems for those who refuse to do so, with tragic results]].
149	** The sequel ''Literature/{{Ward}}'', takes a look at what happens in a cape society [[spoiler:[[AfterTheEnd after the most powerful being in the world decides to destroy it all]]. The human race has just barely survived, and the reset button has been pressed on society. What does a world look like that's shaped from the beginning by superpowered people who are all severely traumatized?]]
150	* Warren Hately's ''Zephyr'' stories follow the eponymous superhero and his struggles to reconcile his superhero lifestyle with his life as a civilian. [[spoiler:Death, divorce, drugs, and infidelity]] seem to be incredibly common among the heroes. It's {{lampshade\|Hanging}}d near the end when discussing a fallen colleague and commenting that [[DeathIsCheap it's not like the comics]].
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
154	* ''Series/{{Alphas}}'' works hard to ground the powers, the characters and the setting. The existence of superhuman Alphas is a closely guarded secret, their powers aren't flashy, and cause as many problems for the heroes as they solve.
155	* ''Series/TheBoys2019'', the TV adaptation of Creator/GarthEnnis' [[ComicBook/TheBoys comic book]], takes a lot of its superhero deconstruction and adds some more modern satire of the Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse media machine, which was an embryo at the time the comic was written but had grown into a pop culture touchstone since.
156	* ''Series/TheFortyFourHundred'', where a few thousand superhumans are suddenly and mysteriously dumped on the world, people who had vanished across fifty years of time.
157	%%* Credit where it's due, ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' definitely qualifies as this.
158	* ''Series/TheGifted2017'' has mutants living on the run and hunted constantly due to FantasticRacism. Being a mutant isn't officially illegal but any crime they commit will get them locked away for decades and bigots aren't afraid to antagonize them into doing so. Also, it's gotten worse to the point people are planning a FinalSolution. Much attention is given to how families handle the situation as well as the logistics of surviving on the run.
159	* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
160	** Creator/{{Disney}}'s broadcast network, Creator/{{ABC}}, began ''Series/AgentsOfSHIELD'' by looking at the Capepunk exploits of the {{Badass Normal}}s tasked with dealing with all the threats that the BigGood heroes (for whatever reason) don't. It has moved on into a fairly realistic take on how normals -- even Badass ones -- might react emotionally when they suddenly acquire metahuman powers.
161	** ''Series/Daredevil2015'' has our hero juggling superheroism with his professional and personal lives in a fairly realistic manner.
162	** ''Series/JessicaJones2015'' has our main character as a private investigator rather than a costumed superhero. She struggles with family problems, trauma and addiction on top of the physical threats from villains.
163	* ''Series/TheUmbrellaAcademy2019'' features protagonists who are both former [[KidHero child superheroes]] and ChildSoldiers, and the trauma they experienced as children is perhaps the biggest driving force of the plot of both seasons thus far. At the start of the series, most of them are adults trying to live normal lives, far away from their childhood experiences, and only Luther remains with their [[AbusiveParents father]]. Meanwhile, the rest of them are extremely messed up, with Diego having a hero complex, Allison swearing off her powers after years of misusing them, Klaus dealing with addiction, Five determined to prevent the apocalypse, Ben dead, and Vanya struggling to cope with being the "ordinary" member of the family.
164	[[/folder]]
165
166	[[folder:Roleplay]]
167	* ''Roleplay/DawnOfANewAgeOldportBlues'' is a roleplay that focuses on a group of children in an ordinary world who are suddenly endowed with superpowers, and follows their various trials and tribulations as they struggle to understand their powers while also dealing with regular teenage issues. They also must deal with the increasing anti-power sentiment shown by the public, as flashes to a BadFuture have shown that people with superpowers eventually become detained and exterminated by the government.
168	* The ''Roleplay/MySuperheroSagas'' didn't start out as this, [[CerebusSyndrome but grew into it as time went on]]. Things ''always'' kept getting worse, the heroes' attempts to do good either failed completely or backfired, and the majority of the cast grew increasingly cynical as time went on. By the time the original series was discontinued, the villains had claimed most of the major victories and held all the advantages. [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed One wonders why the PCs bothered, really]].
169	* ''Roleplay/PinnacleAcademy'' takes place at a multiversal superhero university. It takes a long, hard look not only at the effects superpowers have on society, but also how the biases and bigotry of society play into it, and how the various worlds are affected by interdimensional travel becoming a reality.
170	[[/folder]]
171
172	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
173	* ''TabletopGame/BaseRaiders'' takes place after the world's major superheroes and villains spontaneously disappeared, leaving their stuff behind. Now, former sidekicks publish tell-all books to pay for their PTSD treatments, mutagens and super gadgets are hot items on the black market, the dark web is full of DIY superpower formulas, and civil rights for aliens and mutants are hot-button political issues.
174	* ''TabletopGame/MutantCityBlues'' is essentially ''Series/{{Heroes}}'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Series/{{CSI}}'', with a growing population of people with superpowers world-wide meaning that super-powered crimes are on the rise and, after discovering that MagicAIsMagicA (including facts such as PowerAtAPrice, ElementalBaggage and so on) and thorough scientific analysis followed, forensic science has evolved to help solve them.
175	* The game ''TabletopGame/TrinityUniverseWhiteWolf'' was built with the idea of superpowers existing in a "realistic" world that is full of FantasticRacism CapeBusters and SmugSuper characters. It even had a period of Pulp adventure before everything completely went to hell, highlighting growing cynicism about heroes.
176	[[/folder]]
177
178	[[folder:Video Games]]
179	* ''VideoGame/Cyberpunk2077'': Phantom Liberty begins as a spy movie centered around Solomon Reed, but ends as a cape punk centered around Songbird. It depicts the pressure, paranoia, and trauma surrounding a super-powered agent, and how it drives them to villainous acts in a desperate attempt to leave that life behind. In Reed's route, BewareTheSuperman takes effect as Songbird loses herself to PowerIncontinence and the DemonicPossession fueling her powers, stripping the powers from the player character and forcing them to run and hide from a being that can rip them apart on sight. In Songbird's route, we see the depths that governments will stoop to for maintaining control of Supers and the violent resilience that said Supers will unleash to maintain their freedom and principles. [[spoiler:In the new Tower ending, the player character has to live with being {{DePower}}ed and the long-term effects of losing the spotlight, showing what happens when a Super lives past their prime.]]
180	* The ''VideoGame/InFamous'' series deals with the prejudices and responsibilities which come from getting superpowers in real life. Most people react to the condition by going a little bit nuts while others try to hide their abilities. Cole attempts to help as many people as possible but has an extra-motivation for doing so [[spoiler: since everyone blames him for the destruction of Empire City]]. ''VideoGame/InfamousSecondSon'' continues this trend as we watch Delsin become a superhero primarily because he hates the establishment but also to drum up support against the DUP. As long as the public thinks he's doing good, it's harder for the DUP to label him a bio-terrorist.
181	* ''Franchise/{{Injustice}}'' deals with Superman going rogue after the death of Lois Lane at the hands of the Joker (along with all of Metropolis). Superman proceeds to go insane as a result of these actions but the scary part is the majority of the world is willing to go along with his madness... [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope at least]], [[VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs at first]]. ''VideoGame/Injustice2'', continues on this storyline by having Batman and the others trying to fix the world after Superman's regime, with complications along the way.
182	* ''VideoGame/{{Prototype}}'' follows a character equipped with all the powers of a superhero (something between ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk and a [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos shoggoth]]) who's stuck in a city under lockdown by the military. It shows a cynical view of good versus evil being a poor fit for a BlueAndOrangeMorality being that is an OutsideContextProblem for humanity.
183	[[/folder]]
184
185	[[folder:Web Comics]]
186	* Shades of this in ''Webcomic/GrrlPower'' where many a superhero trope is [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] or [[LampshadedTrope lampshaded]] as the realities of superhuman law enforcement are laid down.
187	* ''Webcomic/OnePunchMan'': Outside of being a superhero, Saitama also deals with the day-to-day struggles that normal people go through such as trying to make it to the grocery store in time before the big sale expires. He also doesn't do it for the standard reasons that we usually see in superhero works. He usually thinks of it as a hobby. We also get to see how nightmarish it actually is for a normal person in a world where a city can be completely destroyed when a hero really cuts loose with their powers and monster attacks are a daily occurrence.
188	* ''Webcomic/RayFox'' toys around with this genre in that instead of Ray being recognized as a hero, he's instead recognized as a vigilante for property destruction and has to work ''with'' the law rather than fight crime on his own terms.
189	* ''Webcomic/ToPreventWorldPeace'' deconstructs the idea of an international army of pure-hearted magical girls by painting them as unwittingly corruptible, easily duped, and ludicrously incompetent. While magical girls are generally a breath of fresh air against the Wizard Mafia and other supervillains, they are constantly misled into making horrible mistakes, usually by their own parents, and it only gets worse as their powers are exploited on an international scale to polarize the magical community through prejudice into the supervillain extremes - if they don't blow up an entire lunar colony by accident. The title comes from the AntiVillain protagonist's goal to prevent a WonTheWarLostThePeace situation that ends with BewareTheSuperman, all while hunted down by her former comrades for not being on their side.
190	* ''Webcomic/TheSpecialists'' is this set in [[WeirdHistoricalWar WWII]] with accompanying grittiness, racism, sexism, etc.
191	* ''Webcomic/StrongFemaleProtagonist'' focuses on a young woman with super-strength and invulnerability who's frustrated with her powers' inability to do anything substantive to make the world a better place. The overarching plot also involves the realization that a shadowy conspiracy has killed off all the people who developed powers that could have genuinely been world-changing (e.g., ability to provide unlimited green energy, or to communicate with viruses). It also tackles issues like the amount of collateral damage, including civilian deaths, caused by superheroes and the fact that since the superheroes were all teenagers when they started out, they're all basically ChildSoldiers and all the baggage that's come with that.
192	[[/folder]]
193
194	[[folder:Web Original]]
195	* ''[[Literature/{{Takotsubo}} Takotsubo: The story of a superhero]]'' deconstructs many elements of the superhero genre, especially its [[MonochromeCasting lack of racial diversity]]. Cord Cai is obviously a superhero thanks to suffering a tragic loss, being motivated to get justice for it, and becoming a vigilante. But Cord is a Chinese-American [[GenericEthnicCrimeGang gangster]] who'd be a stereotypical villain in much of American media, and it plays more like a DownerBeginning than a triumphant [[JumpedAtTheCall call to justice]]. He's DrivenToSuicide and [[UnwantedRescue desperately fights the paramedics]] who [[InterruptedSuicide take him to a psych ward]], he feels forced into revenge because the PoliceAreUseless (as a group, if not individually), and holds no illusions that he'll go to jail if he's caught for murder. [[WretchedHive Oakland needs a superhero for a VERY good reason.]]
196	[[/folder]]
197
198	[[folder:Web Video]]
199	* ''WebVideo/AtopTheFourthWall'' discusses this briefly in Linkara's review of ''[[Franchise/{{Hellraiser}} Pinhead]] vs. ComicBook/MarshalLaw'', explaining that he despises series like ''Law'' and ''ComicBook/TheBoys'' because they treat heroes either as naive idiots or complete monsters and are written by people who [[HateDumb clearly hate the genre]].
200	* ''WebVideo/DoctorHorriblesSingAlongBlog'' follows a VillainProtagonist as he finds love at a laundromat and competes with a HeroAntagonist who is a colossal dick.
201	[[/folder]]
202
203	[[folder:Western Animation]]
204	* The Cadmus arc of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague'' deals with the United States government trying to develop countermeasures against the Justice League going rogue.
205	* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'' takes the {{Sidekick}}s that form the main group and turns them into ChildSoldiers, the SuperTeam is often mired in bureaucracy, and the supervillain [[TheConspiracy conspiracy]] are surprisingly {{well intentioned extremist}}s. The latter two seasons, being targeted at an older audience, go even deeper into the political and legal realities of organized superheroics. This includes SuperHumanTrafficking, UN restrictions on superheroics dividing the League, and a proposed SuperRegistrationAct getting backlash.
206	%%* ''WesternAnimation/KidCosmic''
207	[[/folder]]

Context Main / Capepunk