Should The Incredibles, Avengers be held accountable for collateral damage caused by their adventures?

Should The Incredibles, Avengers be held accountable for collateral damage caused by their adventures?

"Stop the bad guy; save the world."

This simple enough plot/motivation forms the basis of all superhero comics and movies. But in their efforts to prevent the bad guy from taking over the world or destroying it, the superheroes themselves inexorably leave behind a trail of destruction. Think about the catastrophic collateral damage to civilisation in the wake of Superman and Batman's "epic" battles in Metropolis and Gotham City, the Avengers in Sokovia or the Incredibles in Municiberg.

The extraordinary powers of superheroes like The Incredibles often result in massive collateral damage. © Disney

But, for an ordinary mortal living in the comic book world, there's no city more uninhabitable and life-threatening than New York. The backdrop, home and battleground for both DC and Marvel's greatest superheroes and their mwahaha-ing arch-enemies, the city has seen buildings, blocks and whole burroughs being levelled during their unbridled, ultraviolent clashes.

At what cost does defeating the bad guy become an objectionable number?

Shouldn't they be held accountable for this devastating collateral damage? But can governments regulate these careless crusaders to operate within the confines of a justice system? Or should they be exempt from professional liabilities?

The Parrs adopt civilian identities and retreat to the suburbs in The Incredibles films. © Disney

In The Incredibles, a government decree (Super Relocation Act) — fuelled by the public's anti-superhero sentiment — forces Mr Incredible, Elastigirl, Dynaguy and Frozone to put away their costumes and enter a relocation program. And it all begins with a rather frivolous lawsuit: when a man tries to kill himself by jumping off a building, Mr Incredible saves him against his will. So, the man's anything but grateful as he sues the superhero for foiling his suicide attempt. Soon, further — more justifiable — lawsuits follow accusing the superheroes of causing property damage and public endangerment. The mass litigation and media-fuelled public backlash lead to the sanction of an anonymous relocation program for the superheroes.

Similarly, in 2016, both DC and Marvel tried to hold their superheroes accountable for their destructive actions. The events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice take place in the aftermath of Superman’s big fight with Kryptonian usurper General Zod in Man of Steel while Captain America: Civil War reflects on the destruction of Sokovia at the end of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is set in the aftermath of Superman’s big fight with General Zod in Man of Steel. © Warner Bros

In Dawn of Justice, a handcuffed Superman is summoned before Congress to discuss government oversight, accountability, and control so that it gives them some semblance of control over his undertakings. But sadly, Zack Snyder's penchant for "BOOOM!" and "POW!" over actual powwow deprives us of a clear resolution to the matter.

Fearing Superman's nigh-invulnerability and power to wipe out the entire human race, Batman takes it upon himself to stop Kal-El from causing any more damage. Superman, meanwhile, believes Bruce Wayne is nothing more than a street thug practising vigilantism. Snyder again robs us of a potentially interesting ideological dialogue favouring slow motion shots of face pummelling until the dreaded "You're letting him kill Martha!" moment.

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