Is James Bond a superhero?

[jehlers]

What is the definition of a super hero?

James Bond is a pretty cool dude. He fights crime and usually wins. Has a secret identity. And has lots of technologically advanced gadgets to help him along the way.

Batman could be described similarly, but is normally considered a real super hero because he saves a fictional world/city from destruction on a regular basis. He also usually fights people who might not be considered human.

Where does Tom Cruise's character from Mission Impossible fit in? What is the line between "super hero" and really awesome humans?

[khandelwal]

The first James Bond movie was in 1962. The latest one in 2012. James does not age. If that's not evidence of super hero qualities, I don't know what is.

[ascott1]

Batman is generally classified as a superhero, though he lacks any superhero abilities. He does wear a cape and mask. Additionally, as @jehlers pointed out to me, he stems from comic books whereas the character of James Bond comes from novels.

So, if James Bond is not a superhero (though @khandelwal is implying that he is above), what would be the basis of this? His outfit or his literary origins?

[jpyuda]

While James Bond does not often wear a mask or cape, I'd argue he is generally costumed. He goes so far as to have a tuxedo on underneath a drysuit a couple of times.

[jehlers]

Is Ethan Hunt a super hero then?

Both Ethan Hunt and James Bond are very well trained men. But they operate in the "real" world. By that, I mean although their stories are fictional, their environments are based on real world countries and economic systems. Even the agencies they work for are meant to be part of real country governments.

Batman fights in Gotham... completely fictional city and world (based on NYC, yes, but explicitly not). Other super heros also function the same way. Living in other galaxies or worlds. Or if they do live in the "real" world environment, then they have explicit super-natural powers.

[khandelwal]

James Bond often fights in completely fictional locations: I do not think volcano lairs exist.

[jpyuda]

Also Atlantis

[stephanieosan]

I think the real question is—Is Jen Ehlers a super hero?

Has other-worldly positivity and supernatural chocolate-eating powers, fights the crime of ugliness one pixel at a time, works in a fictional world called 18F?

[ascott1]

Has other-worldly positivity and supernatural chocolate-eating powers, fights the crime of ugliness one pixel at a time, works in a fictional world called 18F?

I'll add that she can spot a margin that's off by 1 pixel from at least 30 inches away.

[gboone]

On the topic of James Bond: I would agree he is likely a super hero. It's only a matter of time before there's a James Bond graphic novel written by Alan Moore.

To add more evidence: Most superheroes conceal their real names from the public. It's unclear if "James Bond" is his real identity. Hard to imagine MI-6 would be okay with their secret agents going around telling everyone their real identities all the time, particularly when they are able to sustain a certain age and look for the better part of a century. Dude was created in 1953 and still looks like a middle aged Englishman.

Maybe they're more OK with spies blowing their cover in the UK but I suspect otherwise. His real name is probably something more aristocratic like Geoffrey Rothschild or Lionel Tyrwhitt. Or maybe he's actually Ed Balls.

[OriHoffer]

I would argue that unlike Batman/Bruce Wayne - James Bond doesn't have a secret identity. How many times does he sit at the baccarat table across from the villain and introduces himself...by name...twice! ("Bond, James Bond").

And to @gboone's point, see "Skyfall" where we go visit the ancestral Bond home. That would be some serious cover story going on there.

[OriHoffer]

@khandelwal Here are "Real-Life Lairs A Supervillain Could Love" http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/06/22/real-life-lairs-a-supervillain-could-love/

[gboone]

That is a really good point, @OriHoffer. I'd forgotten about "Skyfall."

[jameshupp]

I subscribe to the idea that James Bond is a code name associated with his identification number, 007, that corresponds to a particular position in MI6. Over the past 60 years, the position has been occupied by several different men. Much in the manner of Jason Bourne—a person at least as deserving of the super hero designation as Bond, surely, on the basis of near-perfect coordination between physical needs and mental processing—he has to subsume the entirety of his true identity into this covert one. My assumption is he totally abandoned all past associations on taking the position. He no longer has a non-covert identity.

Like the papacy, then, the role of Bond can only be left by means other than death in extreme circumstances. Because there is no way that a human doing the things Bond does has been able to avoid unnatural death at a 100 percent rate, even if by some mutation he were immune from natural death. I guess what I am saying is either Bond is not a human—in which case, he is presumably a superhero—or he is many humans in succession.

[khandelwal]

Is Elon Musk a super hero much like Batman or Iron Man? Iron Man's identity isn't secret.

[jameshupp]

Does Elon Musk have a nuclear reactor for a heart?

[jpyuda]

The problem with James Bond as code name and/or being multiple people is that Skyfall really blew a hole in that. The continuity just doesn't line up anymore.

Regarding Elon Musk: I think there's at least a 25% chance that he in fact has a nuclear reactor for a heart. He also bought the underwater car from The Spy Who Loved Me. And he plans to build a real one. Also, that picture in the last link just screams "Bond villain".

"It's not like we'd sell it, because I think the market for submarine cars is quite small."

[stephanieosan]

WHO CARES IF THESE WHITE DUDES ARE SUPER HEROS?! They are not my heros.

[khandelwal]

I am I your hero @stephanieosan?

[stephanieosan]

Obviously.