10 Revelations That Will Make You See Iconic Screen Superheroes Very Differently

Writers have a tough gig. Sometimes they have to come up with inventive ways to get some everyday guy named Lenny the best powers of a weasel, because comic book fans love animals, and there just aren't that many left that haven't yet been personified as superheroes. Finally the decision might be made to have Lenny bitten by a radioactive ferret, transforming him into Ferret Man, fast, agile, and able to worm his way into uncomfortable spaces, because that's what every crime fighter really needs. But then the awful realisation kicks in that maybe someone should done some more research on ferrets, which have been known to attack children, the little devils - not exactly the best foundation to build a superhero. At that stage Lenny The Ferret Man would no doubt be scrapped entirely and the writers would go back to the drawing board. Or so you'd think anyway. The point is, sometimes that awesome animal name you just chose for your superhero comes with the unfortunate caveat of something that has to do with mauling children or urine (which seems to come into play a lot in the animal kingdom) - basically the characteristics that spoil the mythology of your hero before it even gets started. But in an odd quirk, it doesn't seem to have stopped Hollywood or the major comic book writers, who gleefully thrust animal-themed superheroes on us back in the Golden and Silver Ages, without so much as a cursory glance at some of the unfortunate behaviours those animals they thought were cute, or scary enough, also exhibit. Even the most famous and infamous of heroes based on animals come ready made with a host of embarrassing habits that are far different from the traits that make them famous. To celebrate their perverse success (despite their more unsavoury implications) - we've put together a list of 12 screen superheroes who come with unfortunate or embarrassing factoids that should change the way you see them forever...