Quote:
|
Originally Posted by !@#$%!
el chapulín colorado
|
El Chapulin Colorado was my favorite show when I still lived in Puerto Rico (1973-1980). I used to watch it religiously, and y favorite toys were the springy antenna and a plastic replica of his hammer that I would bop on my lil brother's head.
I used to watch it from the eye of a child though, and to me he was very much a superhero, but one that was comedic. It was not until I got much older and re-watched the show that it struck me how odd it is that the most popular Mexican superhero character is one that actually sux as a hero. To me that seems to expose the massive inferiority complex that Mexico and Mexicans seem to have in regards to us assholes in amerikkka.
In a land where the "self-made person" is the epitome of greatness (USA), a person who has great powers and uses them for good is a superhero. someone who has great powers and uses them for evil is a supercriminal. It is about the internal moral choice, and of course those powers must be used to affect the greatest number of people.
In latinoamerica, with it's deeply inbred mentality of class structure and what essentially is an uncommunicated caste system depending on your wealth and light skin, the idea of a normal human becoming a great superhero seems ridiculous, because to them, it IS ridiculous. I think that is why the ideaof superheros whose whole existence is devoted to the betterment and protection of humanity could only come from the USA as it existed in the early 20th century. Eternal optimism, eternal reinvention, eternal justice and morality....
Chapulin Colorado's USA equivalent is the Greatest American Hero, a bumbler who can barely control his powers, but who manages to right wrongs regardless. Cahpulin only fights crime in poor neighborhoods (because the poor do not deserve a true hero? hmmm or because a poor, low-caste crimefighter would undoubtedly be a bumbling idiot?). he also is not provided a dichotomy in an arch-enemy. Superman (all-good, all powerful) has Lex Luthor (all-bad, no powers, only his evil genius). Batman (rigorous and methodical crime fighter) has The Joker (irrational and wholly insane criminal for crime's sake).
I always wanted to believe tjat Chapulin's alter ego is El Chavo del Ocho.
You know what is sad? Chavo does not have a real name, and no one seems to give a fuck that he sleeps in a fucking rain-water barrell. No one in that fucking condado ever asks him to sleep indoors, or takes him in and raises him, or in any other form really care for him. That's latinoamerica to a T!