Reason Writers Around Town: Peter Suderman on Superhero Movies in an Age of Human Enhancement in The Washington Times

In today's Washington Times, Associate Editor Peter Suderman takes a look at how superhero films reflect our transhumanist moment:

When "X-Men: First Class," a prequel to the popular series of comic-book adaptations, hits theaters this weekend, moviegoers will find themselves immersed in yet another superhero origin story, the fourth opening this summer, along with "Thor," "Green Lantern," and "Captain America: The First Avenger."

Superhero stories have come to rule in Hollywood since the late '90s, when the first "X-Men" film drew high praise and box office. Since then, big-screen visions of classic comic-book heroes Spider-Man, Batmanand Iron Man and their sequels have all racked up big bucks at the box office. The current wave, expected to dominate this summer's box office, represents the biggest hero glut yet.

Our deepening fascination with the genre occurs as we're witnessing the beginnings of real world superhero emergence—growing numbers of technologically and biologically modified humans who have become stronger, smarter, and more powerful thanks to consumer technology and widely accessible scientific advances.

You might even say we are all part superhero now.

Whole thing, including fresh quotes from transhumanist R.U. Sirius, here.