Hollywood's first super-sized superhero, Faith Herbert, has arrived

Study Breaks reports that Hollywood audiences will soon be introduced to the first plus-sized superhero. Her name is Faith Herbert, and she has been a character in Valiant Comics since 1992. Now, Sony Entertainment will make a film about her, though a release date has not yet been announced. Nevertheless, the introduction of plus-sized Faith Herbert to movie-goers will mark a turning point for the Hollywood take on comic book superstars.

Super-sized superhero Faith Herbert is on the way

Audiences are used to muscle-bound superheroes with extraordinary strength.

They are handsome icons of manhood and womanhood imagined within the bounds of American stereotypes of perfection that hearken back to the 1950s. But there is a new trend at work, one which is opening up the silver screen to superheroes that do not meet the traditional criteria established by such figures as Batman, Superman. Wonder Woman, and other similar characters seen in such staple superhero groups as the Justice League. Perhaps America is now ready for its first obese superhero. Hollywood seems to think so. I know I loved it when Superman appeared in the "Justice League" trailer, but this is a good direction for Hollywood to head.

Hollywood superheroes are changing in character

"Black Panther" may have been the landmark film to expand the Hollywood superhero character from almost entirely Caucasian to nearly entirely African American.

Now we will have Faith, pushing the generic superhero beyond the slender and muscular. Sony Entertainment has retained Maria Melnik, a writer for "American Gods," to bring the story of Faith Herbert to paper. Study Breaks has reported that Faith (also known as Zephyr) is not at all perturbed by her weight. She is a bubbly, happy, science fiction geek who also happens to be a superhero.

According to The Pioneer, the emergence of Faith Herbert on the list of Hollywood superheroes is part and parcel of a 2015 deal Sony Entertainment made with Valiant to bring its comic book superheroes to life on the screen. With the arrival of Faith Herbert to the screen, and with the great success of "Black Panther," we may have arrived at a time in entertainment history when greater numbers of non-stereotypical superheroes will join the traditional Hollywood line-up to bring greater diversity to the world of comic book cinema.

Comic books themselves have a history of portraying diversity in their superheroes, with characters of many races and orientations. Hollywood has somewhat lagged in portraying those characters that do not meet traditional standards like the lean and muscled Batman. Maybe the 2019 "Batman" reboot solo film will address that. That said, Sony Entertainment is changing the face of the Hollywood superhero to embrace a greater number of types of persons, and in so doing is receiving perhaps unexpected benefits: praise and profit.