Notes on the man without fear.
This piece contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: No Way Home and Hawkeye, episode 6.
Insomniac Gamesexcels at bringing Marvel superheroes to life.
The team distils the essence of what makes a superhero and perfectly translates that power fantasy into reality.
They’re not alone, either.
Hailey was thankfully played by the actor Natasha Ofili who is also deaf.
The depths of the disability narrative needs to be mined to provide gamers with a fresh experience.
Developers just need to work with accessibility specialists to dodge the trap of tired disability tropes.
The perfect superhero for the role of protagonist like this would be Daredevil (Matthew Murdock).
Daredevil is blind and is also known as The Man Without Fear.
Whilst recovering he discovered his senses were amplified to superhuman levels.
“This costume makes me a bit more willing to believe other people can also have special abilities.”
Daredevil has the power to change the disabled narrative in gaming forever.
The interactive nature of gaming makes representation like this even more powerful.
It’s the ultimate superhero power fantasy, but with the added depth of inclusivity.
Allow me to get carried away with this idea.
The Man Without Fear defends Hell’s Kitchen.
Hanging out in New York City means Daredevil has great links with Insomniac’s Spider-Man.
Usually, a disabled character would not be portrayed as successful or academically inclined in this kind of media.
Often disabled characters either only want a cure or require saving.
Objections, your Honour!
“As Daredevil, I get to save the world.
As a lawyer, maybe I can fix it.
I need them both.
The warrior and the lawyer.
It doesn’t work if I only have one.”
Daredevil is a superhero defined by his tenacity and fearlessness.
I envision certain missions beginning in the law firm Nelson and Murdock.
Daredevil is an acrobatic and martial arts expert so he will require buttons dedicated to punches and kicks.
Hopefully, Insomniac is going to be the developer without fear.
