Superhero Manifesto

The Superhero Manifesto was created by Ron St. Germain for Quinn McAlester when it became clear the responsibilities of being a superhero were overwhelming to the sixteen year old. The document is set in a navy-blue binder that contains five sections:

1. With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

“The chapter one title; you know where that line comes from, right?” Ron asked.
“I remember it from the first Toby McGuire Spider-Man movie. Uncle Ben said it to him just before he died," Quinn replied.
“Right, except it’s actually attributed to Voltaire. Anyway, that section is focused on the ethics of superhero-ness, if you will; why a superhero exists and what he or she is supposed to do for the greater good. That leads directly into chapter two.”

2. Sacrifice

“Superheroes are often lonely, Quinn, because once the bad guys figure out who’s important to you and who you love, they know how to emotionally manipulate and compromise you," Ron said.
“Like the bad guys did with Mary Jane and Aunt Mae in Spider-Man?”
“Exactly. You will have the added weight of being mindful for your dads’, Keegan’s, and your friends’ safety because Blake knows all your weaknesses; I’m willing to bet Victor does, too.”
“Blake would never do that!” Quinn protested.
“He turned on you, didn’t he?”
Quinn sighed. “Yeah.”

3. Don’t be a Jerk

"Chapter three: Don’t be a Jerk. Quinn, don’t ever forget your roots and where you came from, the struggles you’ve endured, or the failures you’ve learned from. Don’t be afraid to make more mistakes, so long as you learn something from there. Never think you’re better than anyone else just because you have super powers.”
“I think I can handle that," Quinn replied with a smile.
“Quinn, if it was easy, I would not have included it in the Manifesto.”
“Fair enough.”

4. Victory isn’t the Point

"You should not confuse victory with glory and fame because it is intrinsically linked to chapter two, Sacrifice. Most of the time, your victories over crime and bad people will be small, thankless, and utterly annoying moments you need to accomplish simply because you can when no one else can. Given how the police have responded to your presence, you should already be acquainted with this," Ron said.
“But once Chief Applegate trusts me, I might be able to convince her The Order is bad news. I’ve already won over some of the lower ranking police officers. Maybe the more good I do, the more she’ll likely…”
Mr. St. Germain raised his hand and interrupted him. “Quinn, Chief Applegate may never trust you. You have to prepare yourself for that reality.”
Quinn sat back and frowned.

5. Be Yourself

“The last chapter is self-explanatory. Your name is Quinton McAlester. You’re a good kid with a good family. When you’re not Blue Spekter, be who you were meant to be. Have fun and enjoy life responsibly.”
Quinn closed the binder and smiled at his mentor. “I can do that.”

Purpose

The purpose of the Superhero Manifesto is to provide ethical and moral guidance to Quinn as Blue Spekter.

Type

Manual, Professional Skills

Medium

Paper

Authors

• Ron St. Germain

Signatories (Characters)

• Quinn McAlester

Signatories (Organizations)

• Guardians
• Superhuman Task Force