Why does a hero need a mask?
Having returned recently from an academic Euro trip which was everything but academic (no wonder), I was inclined, almost compelled, to revamp the interiors of my dorm lodgings to suit my refined tastes. (This is what others think. Honestly, I was pretty jobless and the neighbours were quite vocal in what they thought of my guitar strumming.) Either which way, I ended up staring at superhero posters for what I now realise was a little too long. And this is what ensued... Q. What is common between Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine and Phantom? (Sounds deep, I know!) A. Among other things, the immaculate guarding of their identity bordering on obsession. Superheroes, as the comics and movies might suggest, have day jobs that are essentially their defences against the prying eye and the eavesdropping ear. But the explanation that I believe does most justice is from Batman: 'Gotham doesn't need a saviour; It needs a hero.' A close second is from Superman: &#