Do our comic book fans know the importance of today?  Many do not, so I want to wish everyone a Happy Superhero Day.  I am writing this article on National Superhero Day to remind us what makes a hero.

Heroes Take Risks

Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams are heroes to me because of a great risk they both took.  Their classic cover on Green Lantern #85  and gritty story contained inside was the first time many young fans were exposed to the truths on drug usage.

Spider-Man may have had the first drug story, but O'Neil and Adams made it real.  These men did not sugarcoat the problem.  Instead, they put the ugly truth of drug usage right there on the cover.  Speedy was a hero who fought many battles, but his addiction turned out to be one of his greatest enemies.

This subject matter was a great risk for the talent involved.  They did not have the ability to tell the future.  If the public looked at this story in the wrong light, those involved could have been risking their careers.  They all had to ask if that was a price they were all willing to pay to tell a socially relevant story.  Instead, they took a chance and the story became one of the most famous story arcs in comics.  More important is that we will never truly know how many lives O'Neil and Adams saved by humanizing the harms caused by using drugs.   Even if they only save one life, these men took a risk and are, in my book, heroes.

Heroes Sometimes Save People They May Never Know

Zack Snyder is a famous movie director and producer.  I watched his passion for filmmaking on the set of Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice.  He interacted with major stars and even talked to me, a lowly background actor and part of the precision drive team.  His energy was inspiring as he worked to bring this World's Finest meeting come to film.    What Zack Snyder will probably never realize is the difference he made by choosing to film in Detroit.

Detroit had seen better days before Zack Snyder and the movie crew came to Detroit. The time that he was there, though, made Detroit come alive.  People looked at the city in a different light as they visited places for the chance to catch a glimpse of the production.  He brought fresh air to a city greatly in need to catch a breath.  He could read those stories in the paper, but what he never will know is the people who the movie touched.

Eyes Everywhere

I can tell you that Zack Snyder sees everything on set.  Well, almost everything.  He will never know of the lady who told me how she was so thankful for her time on the set because it meant that she now had some money to pay her bills and buy her children some toys. Another mentioned in a casting line that she hoped to get a part so that she could get away from her abusive boyfriend.  I saw her one day while filming a big crowd scene and was glad that she had made it.

There were countless stories like those that Zack Snyder will never hear and yet he changed their lives because he came to Detroit and made a difference.  He gave jobs to people who needed them and gave a city hope again that it could be better.  Zack Snyder makes movies about heroes but he will never know how many lives he saved coming to Detroit. That is what a hero does.

Sometimes the World Needs Bruce Wayne, Not Batman

Some know her as former pro-wrestler  Leia Meow.  Others know her as  ECW valet Kimona Wanalaya. To me, she is just Kristina.  Kristina Laum is a friend of mine.  The irony is that I got to know her as Kristina before I realized she was a pro wrestler, and I am a major pro wrestling fan.  I thought I was talking to another person who loved animals and then I found out she was, in fact, a professional wrestler.  What makes her a hero to me is what she does now in her life that many people do not know.

She is a hero in my book because of what she does for fans.  Years after her pro-wrestling in-ring career ended, she still entertains her fans. Almost every day, she posts her thoughts, jokes, and her passion for anime for her fans while still fulfilling her other obligations.  She does this when she is happy or down, when she just wakes up or when she cannot sleep.  I once asked her why she did it and she replied that she likes to make people feel good and that maybe they can forget their own problems. Such is the selfless act of a hero.

There is another reason that makes her a hero to me.

I never shared this with her, but she is one of the reasons I write on this site.  I want to try to provide you insight, views, and possible analysis for a hobby that helps many of you escape your daily problems.  The truth is, I can never match how much Kristina gives of herself to people she interacts with on her site, but I always will try to come close.  She showed me that the world sometimes does not need the hero jumping from the turnbuckle into the crowd of wrestlers below, but instead it means giving your time to others who share your interests and be yourself.

My origin story is not iconic, but the truth is that I owe Kristina Laum for helping to find my passion in writing. Kristina, I wanted everyone to hear me say thank you for showing me the way to my path because they deserve to know the truth of my origin.  I was inspired by you to write to make others forget their problems.  Not Kimona Wanalaya.  Not Leia Meow.  Kristina Laum, you are my hero who inspired and reminded me of my love for writing, and for that, I thank you.

Can You Have Batman and Robin Without Alfred?

Our readers see my name under this article.  You see all the other bloggers and their work as well on this site.  One name you never read is the name Sarah Thomas.  She is the current editor for this site.  Sarah would probably get mad at

me for mentioning her and I want to stress she did not even know I was going to make her a part of this article.  She is one of the people who hardly get mentioned but is essential nonetheless.  Like Alfred, she would rather remain hidden in the shadows, but not this time!

The Team of Heroes

I want you to know that everyone who reads this article is the hero of their own story.  I want you to think about how you helped this site be better.  You share your voices on our comment boards or Regie's Youtube channel to make everyone smarter.  Knowledge is power, and you each share that knowledge with others.

More importantly, you make others on these sites realize that the hobbies that we share are not abnormal. We shouldn't stay hidden in the shadows.   The GoCollect community is people passionate about your shared interests.

You are also all heroes to your own story.  You will fall.  I know that you are heroes though, so you will all get up.  Each one of you has people who depend on you. You will face trials and battles to help those people.  You may not receive a comic book dedicated to your exploits, but you are all heroes nonetheless.  Today, on National Superhero Day, realize that the world needs you because sometimes the world only needs Clark Kent and not Superman.  Look in the mirror today and see that hero.

We want to hear about YOUR heroes! Head over to Instagram to tell us about them! Happy Superhero Day!