Superheroes Assemble! Carlsbad Public Library celebrates National Superhero Day

Do you have a favorite superhero? Mine has always been Batman. Maybe it’s because I’m from Carlsbad and I’ve always found bats to be one of the coolest animals. On April 28, 1995, Marvel employees created National Superhero Day. It was created to celebrate everyone’s favorite superhero. This day is only for superheroes; according to Marvel, villains aren’t deserving of their own day. Could this possibly be the cause of their villainhood? Regardless, the idea behind the day is to honor those who serve and protect while fighting evil. What perfect timing? We just held our third annual Touch a Truck event to honor our real-life superheroes in our community. So, today, no matter who your favorite hero is, honoring the real or fictional people that inspire us is a worthwhile cause.

Caped crusaders, masked vigilantes, mutants, guardians, and immortal gods are all celebrated on National Superhero Day. Every year since its birth, people come together annually on this day to celebrate their favorite heroes. Marvel Comics include superheroes such as Spiderman, Thor, Ironman, Captain America, Black Widow and many others. You probably grew up loving them and might even still do today. DC Comics brought you Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

In 1936, Phantom was the first superhero ever created. It began with his own comic strip in a U.S. newspaper. Today, there are hundreds of well-known heroes that everyone loves. They can be found on our shelves today. We have three graphic novel collections. We have books and superheroes for all ages. We have them in many different formats as well. Stopping by and looking at our superhero collection is one great way to celebrate this holiday.

There are many real-life superheroes, and this day can also be used to recognize people who help and make our communities better every day. No matter if they wear scrubs, uniforms, or a tie, everyone has someone they think of as a superhero. Over the years, this celebration has grown into celebrating everyone’s role models to give them a well-deserved thank you or shout-out for the hard work they do. So, who is your favorite superhero? While Batman was my favorite fictional superhero, my real-life superhero is my dad.

My dad was born early and with complications that left him without hearing. When he was growing up, there were few options and technology available as they are today. Some teachers thought he would never live a successful life. He learned to read lips, ask questions, and work hard. He graduated from Iowa State with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and, after my sister and I were born, went to NMSU for a master’s degree in business management. He taught me to work hard, that education is important, and no matter what happens in life you cannot stop fighting for what you believe in.

There are many ways and people you can celebrate National Superhero Day. You can stop by and discover new fictional characters on our shelves to read and enjoy or even stop by and use our computers to write a thank you to a real-life hero in your life. Maybe even do both. Superheroes are all around us and they would be happy to know they are yours!

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: National Superhero Day celebrated at Carlsbad Public Library