Sherlock Holmes: The Original Superhero

Like many people this holiday season, I went to see the movie Sherlock Holmes. I have been a fan since I first read Hound of the Baskervilles when I was in the sixth grade. I loved watching the old movies as well, especially the ones with Basil Rathbone. Many Holmes purists don’t like Guy Ritchie’s (the director) or Robert Downey, Jr.’s (Holmes) take on the infamous detective. However, their movie helped me see something in Holmes that I hadn’t seen before. Sherlock Holmes is the original superhero.

I know after reading that last statement many of you are wondering how I could say Holmes is a superhero when he’s nothing like Superman, who is thought to be the first comic book superhero. I would answer: isn’t Holmes the original “superman?” After consulting several dictionaries, I found that the consensus of the definition of a superhero is a fictional character with extraordinary or superhuman powers. For the most part, these “extraordinary or superhuman powers” have been translated as physical strength and invincibility. However, adhering to the definition of superhero, Holmes definitely has “extraordinary powers” that could be seen as “superhuman” at times. Read more »