Superheroes and supervillains unite: How fandom builds community
Bumper cars and capes collided at WhirlyBall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The event, which welcomed heroes and villains alike, felt like a scene straight out of a comic book. These characters — and the people behind them — came together to support the local community. Discover how fandom, creativity, and connection turned into a playful showdown between good and evil.
By Anna Vogt
For the past two months, I have been on a journey to discover why superheroes are so beloved by mass audiences. What makes a superhero special?
Is it the fantastical superpowers? Or is it the action-packed scenes?
To answer this question, I visited comic stores and attended art exhibits themed around superheroes and other pop culture franchises. While on this wild goose hunt for answers, I stumbled upon an event held at WhirlyBall in Colorado Springs, Colorado, called “Vendor Takeover: Superheroes VS Supervillains.”
Now, if you are like me, you are probably thinking something along the lines of:“What is WhirlyBall?”
This is a great first question to address!
According to its official website, WhirlyBall is a combination of “…basketball, lacrosse, and hockey, and bumper cars in a game of skill coupled with a touch of chance.”Sound fun? It is. However, witnessing superheroes and villains, draped in capes and fully suited, engaging in this sport was even more enjoyable — dare I say epic?
But let’s rewind.
As I stepped out of my car on Sept. 20, I was incredibly nervous. This event was my last opportunity to answer my big question.
Why do people love superheroes?
The pressure was on.
Before I even entered the building, I was immediately greeted by the sight of vendors dressed in costume. The first villain I encountered was Poison Ivy.
Heather Skinner, owner of Wild Craft, sells a variety of care products, including hand soaps, teas and lip balm. Visit Wild Craft’s official website to browse inventory. Skinner explained that she chose to dress up as the famous DC character, Poison Ivy, because it aligns with her Earth-based business. Photo by Anna Vogt.
And inside WhirlyBall, there was even more to take in.
From stuffed animals, LEGOs, tumblers, and trinkets, there was no lack of variety for guests to browse.
Bricks and Minifigs is a business in Colorado Springs, Colorado, specializing in all LEGO-related things. Want to swing by? Visit their official website for more information. Photo by Anna Vogt.
This was my first view of the venue. You can see one vendor, dressed as Cruella de Vil, standing by her stall. Photo by Anna Vogt.
I wandered through the establishment, particularly drawn to a crochet goods stand, until I saw the superheroes of the evening.
Christina Parsons, owner of Smerph's Creations, pointed me to this scene. I nearly missed it! Parsons’s crochet plushies were too cute! You can view her crafts on her official website. You can see Superman and Batman pose for Brian Lynch. Photo by Anna Vogt.
There they were: Superman and Batman.
Brian Lynch explained that technically, this is not Superman. Instead, pictured to the left is Super Rob, a comic character created solely for this event. To the right is Batman. Both individuals were incredibly kind and happy to interact with guests! Photo by Anna Vogt.
Both vendors and guests were excited to see these heroes join the scene, and eventually, I was able to speak with Rob Thompson — also known as Super Rob, not to be confused with the fan-favorite Superman.
From this encounter, I had an epiphany.
Our favorite characters are often a reflection of ourselves — our values and principles. Our favorite characters possess traits we wish to emulate — such as compassion or courage.
And don’t count the villains out either!
Fans resonate with some villainous characters because they represent specific, true-to-life situations such as struggle, betrayal and alienation.
And while superheroes can be representative of community, they can also unite communities and support local businesses.
But that wasn’t all the evening had in store. There were many exciting and engaging events — such as a LEGO building competition, a vendor pitch battle, and a best dressed contest — that guests could participate in.
Later, I encountered the face behind this immersive event: Brian Lynch, otherwise known as CB TheCreative.
“We actually did a comic in inspiration for this event,” Lynch said.
Lynch is in this comic — and what is his superpower?
According to Lynch, it is most comparable to magnetism.
“Think about Magneto,” Lynch explained. “Except with everything, and not just metal.”
Are you curious about “The Springs: Superheroes VS Supervillains” comic? You can find out more information on its official Facebook page..
Then, it was finally time for the ultimate showdown between good and evil. People of all ages watched as superheroes and villains faced off in a bid for the WhirlyBall title. Who do you think won?
Vote for your favorite team below.
If you voted for Team Superhero, you are in luck!
Our defenders of good defeated the villains of the day in this WhirlyBall match.
But did you think that the story would end here?
No, we are just getting started.
Seeing these individuals come together to support their community inspired me to dig further into the world of superheroes — but not just any superheroes: The X-Men.
Join me while I do a deep dive into Marvel’s X-Men and learn from the geniuses behind my favorite franchise, “X-Men: Evolution.”
And where else to start other than where it all began?
Comics.