Welcome to the Comic Comparisons segment where comic books have parallels. For the first jab, let’s take a look at a classic trope that Batman makes famous. The sidekicks serve a role that these people tell better than me.
But what about when that just means you’re a disposable intern?
The Ideal Sidekicks
Sidekicks, today it’s such an ugly word but it wasn’t always like that. You’ll hear the word associated with a lot of major narrative characters like Doctor Watson to Sherlock Holmes. If you wanna go even further, there’s Enkidu the ever faithful companion of Gilgamesh. Here’s the pattern, sidekicks back in those days means a complementary companion that keeps heroes down to Earth. Otherwise the heroes would just get into trouble.
The Retrospects
Sometimes the roles are reversible, such as Batman and the first Robin Dick Grayson. Batman being the brooder that he is, needs an optimist like Dick in his life. Meanwhile Batman makes sure Dick never goes down the same dark path he did and one day be a better Batman. Batman needs so much support he’s needs multiple sidekicks, more than any character in history. Of course not all of those relationships are ideal, such as with Jason Todd.
Changing Times?
Unfortunately, a number of comics outside the Big Two make sidekicks into something less desirable. Now they are unappreciated interns. For all of the importance of young heroes or getting training, these comics show a darker side of that relationship.
More Like Justifying Domestic Abuse
In almost all of these series you have celebrity heroes who are at the top of their worlds; all the while treating their sidekicks badly. Usually the sidekicks clean up the messes and do all the hard work while the heroes take all the credit. The public don’t think much about the sidekicks either. In fact almost every minor character including the sidekicks’ families are objectively mean spirited towards the sidekicks. No matter how hard they work the sidekicks never get the respect they deserve.
The sidekicks are more down-to-earth people unlike everyone else with their own everyday struggles. The heroes don’t even have day jobs and just frolic in their celebrity lifestyles. All of these are often a commentary on varying topics like workplace relationships.
It would be an interesting examination at how working for a boss who doesn’t care the slightest bit about an employee. As someone who spent a good number of years as a replaceable custodian, I can actually get behind this idea quite well. With the superhero genre as a background, it can lead to a lot of ideas.
Sidekicks’ Coping Spectrum
As for how the sidekicks handle their situations, it’s more of time and place approach.
Who’s the Real Muscle?
In Side-Kicked, the sidekicks go on strike leaving the heroes to fend for themselves. As a result, the sidekicks’ lives improve drastically while the heroes are badly beaten. The heroes even reflect on their actions and they genuinely apologize. To make up for lost time, the sidekicks’ take on the villains. Thanks to their experiences and a clever plan, they come out on top. But in an ironic twist, they now have to deal with the villain’s more competent henchmen.
Cultural Differences?
Going around to the Webtoon Sidekicks and you’ll see sidekicks doing their jobs without question. In the Far East, particularly Korea and Japan, collectivism and conformity are a crucial part of the work culture. Senior members and elders hold more respect while underlings are expected to act according to their wishes, even if the supervisor is morally corrupt. Going on strike is almost unheard of and is not seen in media because of this work culture belief.
That Doesn’t Justify This!
This extends to the Humankind Security Committee, a bureaucratic organization of super-humans who serve as the law enforcement of superheroes and villains. Unfortunately, the committee is far from perfect if not corrupt, judging any superhuman not under their thumb as villains. To this end, they draft any power user into their ranks as part of their army. Essentially, this makes all superhumans a serf class of citizens. Sidekicks and superheroes meanwhile have more benefits (often with literal red carpets) than the grunts who serve the committee for the rest of their lives.
They Didn’t Even Fix Anything!
The villains of the series recruit super-humans who disagree and have even suffered as a result of the committee. But their leader Metheos only wants power through a series of MacGuffins. He’s just a mogul who’s exploiting oppressed people for his own gain. The newer head of the committee General Lightning isn’t any better. He has the same goals as the big bad but under the delusion of doing it for the greater good. In reality, he really just wants to monopolize superpowers for his own ends.
By the end of the second season, both villains are dead. But no real changes occur to prevent the same event from happening. The cast merely rebuilds the old system like nothing happened. The only change is a committee not lead by senile jerks. But real world history shows that replacing a bad dictator with a more benevolent one can only delay the inevitable.
Don’t Take It!
To be honest, anyone with the title of sidekick got off lucky in those above series. Despite the bad treatment, at least the sidekicks’ mentors care enough to have them do actual work. In Sidekick, Super Freaks, and Brat Pack completely irresponsible heroes take kids as sidekicks and later vanish from the public. The sidekicks are left to clean up the heroes’ messes. But without any good or formal training they are sorely unprepared to go against the threats. The source of all their sorrow eventually turns out to be a conspiracy. The titular character in Sidekick even becomes a super-villain in an act of vengeance against his mentor.
Sidekicks, Set Some Boundaries!
I’ll be the first to note, these stories are a poor reflection on real work place relationships. Having anyone like these “heroes” look after minors is a grave offense that is best left to social services. Not to mention they’re pure Edgelord fantasies like that one episode of Powerpuff Girls episode “Town and Out”. You know something so badly written and exists only to torture the characters. In fact, supporters for the heroes are even worse. The crowds treat the sidekicks almost like subhumans.
Compare those titles to this one.
Same basic premise as the above series, but without the angst. In Grant Morrison’s immortal quote:
Only a bitter little adolescent boy could confuse “realism” with “pessimism”.
The Hoaxer from Flex Mentallo
I think one of the reasons sidekicks have become redefined is because of that confusion. Some more “mature” writers might consider sidekicks to be child endangerment or pedophilia. Probably thanks to Seduction of the Innocent‘s influence.
Even times when sidekicks aren’t even youngsters; like this.
While the ideal Batman/Robin dynamic is a hard mold to fit, it is the best partnership that anyone can attain. Because they help add layers to a hero, including recent ones like the All-New Wolverine and Scout.
Thanks for coming to the end, and always remember to look between the panels.