Would Superman be a different character if his spaceship had landed on a farm in Ceredigion, rather than on the plains of Kansas? Would Peredur Pari from Caernarfon be a better Spider-man than Peter Parker from New York? Who would be the arch-enemy of Captain Wales? And by answering these questions, what can we learn about Wales and Welshness?

A new project devised by experts at Bangor University helped Welsh speaking boys from disadvantaged backgrounds in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Anglesey explore their perceptions of their own identity through the creation of superhero characters.

In partnership with professional artists and designers, the project asked specific groups of boys to imagine how a Welsh superhero would look if he was brought up in the same community as them. How would he be dressed? What would his special powers be? Who would his enemies be? The boys worked to answer these questions, giving the professional artists instructions on how to turn their ideas into a series of new characters.

The finished stories will be published as a series of web-comics, providing an opportunity for boys from different parts of Wales to compare their experiences and thoughts. The website will enable other children in Wales to contribute to a national discussion on language and identity.

The leader of the Project, Mr Dyfrig Jones is a lecturer at Bangor University. He is currently working on a PhD project researching the connections between superheroes and a range of political ideas and institutions. He said:

‘The purpose of this project was to use the creative process to look in detail at how young boys from disadvantaged, Welsh-speaking backgrounds see themselves.

‘I believe that superheroes provide a context which allow boys to communicate more easily. By using the creative process, it is possible to free people to discuss their own identity more openly and honestly.’

The website will be a place where other Welsh young people can go to read and give their opinions on the comics. Also, the website will act as a place for public discussion about Welsh identity. These comments will in turn strengthen the researcher's analysis, as well as giving the public an idea of how academic research works.

Interesting Links

Learn more about the progress of Creu Arwyr through this interactive presentation