The American superhero, mighty as he is, has just been reduced to something one can summon at the touch of a button.
Marvel Comics are well ensconced in cyberspace.
They have been remastered to meet a new medium: each frame presented for perusal. Tap the screen, the next frame appears.
I like having it all at my fingertips: a great reference work of modern mythology. But I miss the Marvel vista, the great sweep of action as all the frames work together to tell the story. Even after all this time each page of the comics seems a masterpiece in its own right.
The superhero is no new invention of a great Western empire. Those action figures go way back: to the stories of Ancient Greece, and beyond.
Gathering groups of supers – it’s an aeons-old business.King Aeson,s son Jason, later married to a powerful sorceress, was perfectly qualified for the role of super-summoner, way back in 10 BC.
His quest for the Golden Fleece required the creme de la creme: the Boreads – sons of the North Wind, who could fly; divine hero Heracles; unsurpassed archer Philoctetes; Peleus, hero and later father of Achilles, Orpheus, Castor and Pollux. The list goes on, each character a celebrity superhero in his own right.
Even his super-powered friends could not help him, though, as his quest for that elusive Golden Fleece drew to a close. To gain the Golden Fleece, its current owner, King Aeetes, commanded the young hero to sow dragons’ teeth into a field.
Surely, this was the end? The teeth were just the seeds of an army which would emerge from the fertile brown earth to slaughter the young man before he could reach the fleece.
But the king’s savvy enchantress daughter Medea, in love with Jason, had briefed the object of her affections well. Throw a stone into the middle of the army, she said. They may be the sons of dragon’s teeth, but they’re not the brightest pearly-whites in the set.
Sure enough, the stone turned the creatures on themselves. They killed each other. End of second challenge.
Dragon’s teeth: such a potent symbol. Not just a reminder of that ancient old lizard we have conjured up in our stories, while gazing fearfully from our caves at bones older than man; but also a reference to the tooth.
Perhaps we may not like to admit that teeth signify power to us all: but look at what happens in their absence.
Those without teeth can so often be perceived as those without power. Look at Macbeth, in desperation gathering intelligence about his enemies from sympathetic nobles. Ringleader, Banquo, is murdered; his compatriot, Fleance, has fled. In time he will become a threat once more but Macbeth muses feverishly:
“….the worm that’s fled
Hath nature that in time will venom breed,
No teeth for the present.”
Those of us unfortunate enough to have suffered toothless dreams will attest to a universal feeling of powerlessness which fuels them. It is a mankind-wide, this preoccupation with the power of the tooth.
Felix and I have returned to an old favourite set of stories of late: those wonderful, mischievous reworkings of the Norse Myths by Cressida Cowell, the How To Train Your Dragon series.
We have desperate to get to our favourite character: the hero’s familiar, Toothless the Dragon.
Cowell is an unsung genius ignored by the impossibly broad brush of a film industry which cannot perceive subtle nuance and ironic, impish humour.
Her books overflow with beautiful storytelling.
Into the swarthy muscular world of the Vikings, where might is right and the biggest, most frightening and impressive dragon is the most sought after, Cowell accords her hero an impossibly small, unruly dragon who possesses only gums.
The little dragon rarely does what he is told: he is a small, naughty, relentless child in flying lizard’s clothing.
But Cowell ensures that Toothless is far from powerless. The tiny creature has other gifts, a fierce loyalty, an unusual intelligence and a subversive compulsion to question.
Now there’s a dragon for the 21st century.
It is fascinating to note that the creators of Dreamwork’s adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon found it impossible to tolerate a dragon who appeared tiny and powerless.
The 2010 film is breahtaking, but rides roughshod over the tiny scaled metaphor. Surely the future chief of a great Viking tribe, they reasoned, should have a suitably beautiful and powerful steed.
Cowell’s work shouts it from the rooftops: those with real talent and skills of leadership might come from the most unlikely places.
It is a shame that our film makers, the storytellers of our time, are unable, still, to see that looking the part is very far from being the whole story.
Some of our greatest superheroes travel incognito.
http://howtotrainyourdragon.wikia.com/index.php?title=Toothless&image=Tribe_toothless-jpg
Image source here
Kate Shrewsday 
Ahh my little friend Toothless, buddy of Hiccup.
I have never seen the books, so the movie was my introduction and point of falling in love. So much so I bought the DVD.
He is fairly small, but if he is to have people on his back he can’t be much smaller without them failing to do so.
But what a wonderful story, friendships of the oddest people, being different from everyone else.
Sidey, you must read the books! Far superior, even,to this beautiful film! In fact they do not even bear comparison. Cowell’s stunning storytelling was ignored and her characters plundered for something in more primary colours.
Ho hum.
You raise a critical point, Kate. This evening I listened to an interview with Chris Hedges who authored: Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy and the Triumph of Spectacle.
The sad note that rang was how we are not encouraging our youth or ourselves to have the courage of our convictions to speak up and out when a situation lacks virtue or integrity. Various factions of society dictate ‘presentation’ at the expense of substance and we sit silent and hidden.
And here you are! I’m relieved… Thank you!
Any, how lovely to hear such a philosophy. I’m a great fan of Daniel Goleman and his ‘blind spot’ theories. We block out fearsome or inconvenient things.We actually choose not to see them. So much of the media, controlled by corporations, paints a picture which is just a sea of damaging blind spots. A canvas of denial.
I suspect you and I both share the conviction that sleeping beneath all this sound and orchestrated fury, there is a reality very different from all the smoke and mirrors. It waits for us to choose to see it.
And on a slightly less elevated note, are you familiar with the Cressida Cowell audiobooks, narrated by David Tennant? If you fell asleep to that gorgeous voice, I suspect you might have a rather different kind of dream….
They are how we met Cressida Cowell in the first place, Jan! Great stuff. Is there nothing that endlessly personable man cannot do?
The first time I saw that skeleton scene as a child, I was absolutely terrified. Seen the film many times since but I still get a jolt, even from the picture.
The animation must have been big budget stuff at the time. I have never forgotten it either.
I didn’t realize that movie was based on a series. And tying a toothless dragon from children’s lit to the dragon’s teeth of Greek legend. . . ten points.
Thanks, Cameron 🙂 It’s all storytelling, just three thousand years apart…
An issue that irritates me is the tendency of filmmakers to take an excellent written story and emasculate it, or at least convert it to something totally different. Why not, then, simply write their own and do their darnedest in mediocrity with that? HP and LOTR were, I think, exceptions, and many of the Austen filimings have been faithful and brilliant.
How apt that dragons teeth thing is for many situations! With carbon emissions, we are sowing like mad without the benefit of a solution from an enchantress girlfriend.
Now there’s a line of enquiry, Col! What dragons’ teeth we sow today. Gives a whole new meaning to the saying: “You reap what you sow…”
“They may be the sons of dragon’s teeth, but they’re not the brightest pearly-whites in the set.” Love that line. I wonder how many people have their teeth redone to run for public office………
Quite. The public perception demands it, as Nixon found to his cost…
(Insert witty, self-affirming comment here…)
Masterful in form and function, Kate…
Thanks Brett 🙂
Dear Kate,
Thank you for sharing this book with us. I hadn’t seen the movie, but I’ll find the book at the library and read it. I’m a great fan of Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling. Her dragons flame fire and are fierce haters of humankind, but the one in Book 7 made me cry. He’d been so inhumanely treated.
Peace.
These are much simpler and shorter than Rowling’s stuff, but beautiful pieces of storytelling nonetheless, with nods to the bawdy tastes of young boys. Felix adores them. And so, in case you hadn’t guessed, do I 🙂
Must look up Cressida Cowell and read about saucy little Toothless! Sounds fantastic! Once again, a masterful sweep from ancient myth to modern tale. Hats off, Kate!
Thanks, Elizabeth. I am one of Cowell’s most confirmed fans 🙂
i heard about Cowell’s work but never looked into it. you motivate me! great post!
Hi Eva, thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed it – and Cowell is so worth another look 🙂
Dragons + Super Heroes = Perfect Together. Thanks, Kate!
Hi, Nancy.Thanks! Have you seen the film? For all it’s not like the book, it’s a breathtaking ride. Strikes me if you haven’t, you’d enjoy it.
Kate, here is a new series of books for me to read sometime. Thank you. I’m not sure I want to see the film, or, at least not see it before I read. Hm. Wherever will I find the time. ha!
Maybe the audiobooks, read as Jan (above) says, by David tennant, might be a possibility? They’d make the miles between Yours and Kezzie’s just fly by.
It astounds me that Dreamworks would do that – it’s smacks of dumbing down to an audience that they clearly underestimate.
I wonder if the toothless tiger is the Asian version of the Norse dragon?
There’s a thought. A powerful creature without its most vital weapon: sounds familiar, doesn’t it, BB?
Well, it’s excellent storytelling on all counts, Kate. I have to say I think it sad that many people will never bother to read the book on which a particular film was spawned – there is only so much a film can do, while a reading opens up a world as vast as the reader’s imagination allows. As for Toothless, I have neither read, heard, nor seen him (how did that happen!), but will attempt to change all that anon. 🙂
Fantastic post. What is wrong with these film-makers – arrgh – ‘we can do subtle’ we shouted, but their ears were made of cloth 😦 I used to have the recurring dream of teeth falling out (one of my worst nightmares actually – mainly when I was young)
Great blog, Kate. It’s nice to be reading something besides my own scratchings for a change. I loved the movie How to Train Your Dragon, I’m going to have to check out the books now. I’m hoping my grandkids will want me to read them.
I have a Felix, too!
And we are just now, this fall that he turned four, opening up chapter books. I am trying not to rush headlong into every story I ever loved and every story I hear about and want to read to him, lest I frighten him off with my enthusiasm.
You’re not helping.
Nows there’s an article after my own heart – after all aren’t MY characters small insignificant hamsters? Small is beautiful!
Indeed. Within every one of your pint-size characters is a plotline with enough punch to fell a giraffe.
I have long had an affection for small dragons
http://www.rubovia.org/av_clips.htm
No doubt you are all too young to remember the delights of Pongo
I have never heard of him before- thanks for the heads-up!
I love that film, Kate. The dragon has exactly the same mannerisms as my brother’s cat, and as such, I was hooked! And your last line really spoke to me… some heroes do things not for the glory. Great post! 😀
Thanks, Tom: try the books. Toothless is just perfect…
I missed you during our power outage, Kate! I just knew you were creating great posts, and I’m glad to have at them now! I take notes on the books and stories you share. My granddaughters are still a little younger than Felix, but you are raising such inquisitive and bright children I’ll take note for great books to share when the time is right. I really loved reading this. And may I just say that it makes me feel even more solidly in line with you that we seem to share the same dreams about being toothless! And in truth, I do believe we women have a lot of power…is it concern with giving some of it up? I do think that as I’m aging I dream less about losing my teeth…and now I worry about my REAL teeth! Fabulous post once again! Debra
Thanks debra, so glad that power is back with you and life is beginning to return to normal. There you go: we just come to terms with our place in the world and reality catches up. Sheesh.