Iron Man. Captain America. Black Panther. Thor. Spider-Man… You’ve met the Masters of the Universe, you’ve sat glued to their movies, you’ve scoured the comics, you’ve learnt their back story and looked for clues as to what really motivates them. You may even have dressed like them from time to time.

Now it’s time to meet the latest superhero:

OK, enough of this. Let’s cut to the chase. Guarantor is not the next Avenger. It’s the name financial institutions give to people who guarantee the repayment of another person’s loan. I know… why would anyone do that, right? You take on all the risk for no financial gain. But that’s the very nature of a Guarantor: selfless, generous, trusting.

So you need a few grand to get you out of a hole. You go to the bank and they tell you your credit rating ain’t up to scratch. You can’t have the money unless you can get somebody more financially reliable to back you up. That way, if you default on the loan, your Guarantor will cough up and everything will be settled. Get it?

OK, so who’s your Guarantor going to be? Most people turn to their parents, or maybe a wealthy aunt or uncle, or a family friend who’s done rather well in the underwear business. But anyone can be a Guarantor: a friend, a work colleague, a Master of the Universe. As long as they’re over 18 and have a good credit score, they could be your saviour.

The only question is, do they trust you?

Will the real Guarantor please stand up?

So you’ve decided to aim high and asked a comic book superhero to be your guarantor. Who would you choose? Why would you choose them?

• Who's most likely to pass the credit test?
• Who’s got the right character?
• Who’s most likely to want to help you out?

Superheroes as Guarantors

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Iron Man was the first movie from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and one of the first superheroes to be recruited by Nick Fury into The Avengers. Outside of the armoured suit, he is Tony Stark, a deeply complex genius who has made a fortune from his own technology company.

Stark is trained in hand-to-hand combat but it’s his suit – designed by himself to enable him to escape and survive after he was kidnapped – that gives him his superpowers. These include super strength, the ability to fly, durability and a number of weapons, most notably the rays that shoot from the palms of his gauntlets. 

Vote for Iron Man

CHARACTER WITNESS – Bob Layton

Credit Rating

“Tony Stark is one of the world’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. I’m sure his credit rating is off the charts!” says Layton.

Hmm, fair point. So he’s got the loot. What about the responsibility?

Score: 10/10

Handling Responsibility

“I always thought of Tony Stark as a modern-day King Arthur,” says Layton. “Iron Man/Tony Stark is a representation of those Arthurian ideals, which have thrived in literature for centuries. He is the king of his own empire, he wields power judiciously, he has a Round Table of brave knights (The Avengers), punishes those who seek to destroy what he has built and defends all who are under his protection.”

OK, it’s a good analogy. But Arthur and his knights could be pretty judgemental when it came to deciding who they stood up for. What are the chances of Iron Man putting his mouth where his money is and doing someone a favour?

Score: 9/10

Helping Others

This is where things get complicated.

“As an inventor,” says Layton, “Stark is constantly creating new technologies that have universal applications and, eventually, benefit all of civilisation. But Tony doesn't play the superhero role as other comic book heroes do. I believe he uses the Iron Man persona for two reasons: to protect his various business interests globally and to ground himself to the 'real world’.”

Ground himself in the real world? Why would anyone need to do that, let alone a superhero?

“Keep in mind, as Tony Stark he lives in an ivory tower, surrounded by people who tell him what they THINK he wants to hear. He has a celebrity status equal to a movie or rock star. This guy does NOT live in the 'real world’.”

But you’re telling us he wants to?

“In many ways, his being Iron Man is like 'The Prince and the Pauper'. Strangely enough, as Iron Man, he becomes a hands-on guy, interacting one-on-one with people and using that identity to maintain perspective of how he (Tony Stark) is perceived by the world at large.”

So he cares what people think of him. That sounds promising.

“It’s fair to say that it's another aspect of the obsessive/compulsive personality that led to his alcoholism in the comics. Iron man is 'a fix' that he needs to maintain his stability. In that story, we took that release valve away from him, which drives the character into a downward spiral.”

Ah yes, the alcoholism. That tends to make a person jittery. So how comfortable is he going to be placing in trust in someone else?

Score: 5/10

Trust in Others

“Not very comfortable at all,” says Layton. “When you’re THAT rich and powerful, most of the people around you are somewhat sycophantic. That’s why Jim Rhodes was created. Rhodey was introduced to ground Tony Stark's fantastic exploits in some degree of reality and to give him a true confidant that he could trust. They are, in spite of their different backgrounds, brothers to the end.”

So other than Rhodey, he’s going to be reluctant to place his trust in anyone. This guy may not be our Guarantor after all.

Score: 1/10

Openness

“Not very. How could he be, given his position?”

Score: 2/10

Summary

From Bob Layton's testimony, it’s fair to say that there are one or two flies in the ointment when it comes to Iron Man’s suitability as a Guarantor. A reluctance to trust anybody? A lack of transparency? A history of alcoholism? He’s hardly whiter than white. But he does have the financial clout and a deep-lying sense of duty. So how would you rate Iron Man overall?

Black Panther, the 18th MCU movie, smashed box office records and became the first superhero film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, where it scooped three awards.

T’Challa, the Black Panther, is king of Wakanda, a hi-tech African state that’s sitting on a vast resource of precious vibranium. He is a noble and righteous leader, who is aided in his conflicts by a special suit woven with bullet-proof vibranium threads, which has retractable vibranium claws, is responsive to his touch and absorbs energy aimed at him and turns it to his use. He also has a rare herb, which gives him strength, speed, agility and stamina and enables him to communicate with his dead ancestors.

Vote for Black Panther

CHARACTER WITNESS – Afua Richardson

Credit Rating

“Vibranium is a valuable resource,” points out Richardson, adding, “His holdings of a country-sized rare mineral are probably through the roof. So I think his credit is pretty pristine.”

Pristine – yes, good. That’s the sort of endorsement we’re looking for. But holding folding doesn’t necessarily equate to a high level of responsibility, does it?

Score: 10/10

Handling Responsibility

“The Black Panther is adaptable,” says Richardson. “He bares a lot of responsibility as king and protector, to not only maintain the kingdom but the wellness of its people too. It takes a lot of energy and time to tend to the needs of others as well as his own.”

Another good start. Loaded and responsible. But this is where Iron Man began to come unstuck. Having the attributes is one thing, being prepared to share them is another. So…

Score: 9/10

Helping Others

“T’Challa is the kind of leader who will think carefully about assisting someone,” says Richardson.

Funny, that seems to be a trait among leaders, doesn’t it?

“If the need is immediate and life threatening, he will act quickly. But when considering the long-term assistance of someone, he would prefer to help them learn to help themselves. It would manifest in a gift of real empowerment.”

Aha! The old ‘give a man a fish/teach a man to fish’ approach. Well, what is being a Guarantor if not helping someone to help themselves? This guy is looking the part! So any caveats over T’Challa’s altruistic tendencies?

“I believe the Black Panther is charitable, but would extend that charity within the means of his people.”

Score: 9/10

Trust in Others

Despite his wealth and status, the Black Panther doesn’t seem to suffer with the same insecurities as Iron Man when it comes to trust. According to Richardson, he takes an altogether more confident, discerning approach.

“T’challa would consider the past in dealing with matters of trust. How does one manage what little or much they have? How true are they to their word? How willing are they to learn from their mistakes?”

The Black Panther will trust you if you are worthy of trust, seems to be the bottom line. Of course, if you’re not he might just rip you to shreds with his vibranium claws. Think carefully before asking.

Score: 8/10

Openness

“I think T’Challa would voice his concerns and plans but not to the point of informing his enemies.”

Score: 7/10

Summary

That’s some testimonial Afua Richardson has given right there. We may have found our Guarantor already, but as with all these games, it’s not just the judges who decide, it’s you the audience. Here’s your chance to vote for your favourite big cat.

Peter Parker is either an everyday high school kid from New York (which kind of rules him out of being a Guarantor until he becomes an adult) or a struggling photographer for the Daily Bugle in his late 20s depending on which movie franchise you watch or comic book you read! In both cases he spends his spare time fighting crime, developing his superpowers as Spider-Man (the result of a spider bite) and as a high school kid dreaming of joining The Avengers – a dream which, of course, comes true.

His powers include superhuman strength and speed, plus the ability to adhere to walls – everything you’d expect of a spider, really. His challenge is keeping his identity hidden, which is hard when people keep posting videos of his feats to YouTube.

Vote for Spider-Man

CHARACTER WITNESS – Brad Douglas

Credit Rating

“Spider-Man’s credit rating would be average to poor,” says Douglas, sensibly setting aside the age factor. “He’s always behind on his bills.”

Hmm, now that’s not a good start. Why isn’t this guy loaded like Iron Man and Black Panther?

“Peter Parker doesn't make much money taking unethical pictures of himself as Spider-Man so he has to find alternative ways to make money. He can deliver pizzas, take a side job with Silver Sable etc, but he can never make ends meet.”

So even superheroes experience financial pressures. That’s kind of reassuring. Let’s proceed on the basis that he might come into some money some day.

Score: 3/10

Handling Responsibility

Easy one.

“It’s the main motivation of the character,” says Douglas. “He's driven by responsibility. It’s why he puts on the mask everyday.”

So is that responsibility for his own actions or does he feel responsible for helping others out of their difficulties?

Score: 9/10

Helping Others

“Spider-Man feels a responsibility to help strangers in need,” says Douglas. “It’s part of his guilt for not stopping a burglar run past him, which in turn ended up killing his Uncle Ben. Every day he tries to make up for that mistake and honour his uncle.”

No-one needs that kind of guilt but if it benefits others in the long run, then maybe it’s for the best. A man on a mission to shed his burden of guilt by doing good by others – that sounds like a shoe-in for a Guarantor. So how choosy is he about whom he helps?

Score: 10/10

Trust in Others

“I think he has been burned many times. However, if you go by the movie version, he's willing to hand over Tony Stark's glasses after a simple conversation at a bar.”

He got burned then too, didn’t he? You’d think a character with a name like Mysterio would ring alarm bells but not for young Spidey.

“He can be way too trusting,” says Douglas, “and it leads to drama and often 147 part comic book crossovers.”

Nice.

Score: 8/10

Openness

I think we already know the answer to that one.

“He’s fairly protective of his family and identity. He wears a full mask and hides his identity so villains don't harm his loved ones.”

So a bit of a challenge for the loan assessors.

Score: 1/10

Summary

For a kid who starts out too young to even qualify as a Guarantor, Peter Parker/Spider-Man turns out to have many of the credentials in bucketloads – just a shame we can’t say the same about his cash. In fact, he’s more likely going to be the one seeking a Guarantor. Kids eh!

Thor, son of Odin, really can claim to be a god – the god of thunder, no less. Raised in Asgard, he has the strength, stamina and endurance typical of his godly kind, and having proven his humility in the Earthly guise of medic Dr Donald Blake, Thor is granted exclusive use of the magical war hammer Mjolnir.

Thor also develops something of a love interest on Earth, but the main threat to his divine power is his adoptive brother, Loki, a perpetual thorn in his side, who seems hell-bent on sabotaging Thor’s ascent to the Asgardian throne. Nevertheless, Thor maintains the belief that Loki can be turned to the light – a reflection of Thor’s firm belief in, and defence of, the power of good.

Vote for Thor

CHARACTER WITNESS – Roger Langridge

Credit Rating

“Well, he’s Asgardian royalty,” says Langridge, “so presumably he’s got that to fall back on if he gets in over his head. And he’s a medical professional (as Dr Donald Blake), so I imagine his credit is pretty good.”

Yes, smart moving by Odin, putting him into the body of a doctor.

Score: 9/10

Handling Responsibility

As Langridge points out, this is a question of divided loyalties.

“Odin regards him as shirking his responsibilities by spending so much time on Earth when he should be in Asgard. But he clearly is more responsible than his brother Loki, who’s always biting off more than he can chew and trying to avoid the consequences. So it depends who you’re asking! He saves lives, both as a doctor and as a superhero, so that’s quite a lot of responsibility.”

It certainly is. Being more responsible than your brother isn’t necessarily a ringing endorsement, especially when your brother’s an impish saboteur driven by jealousy, but if the reason you’re not spending enough time at home is because you’re saving lives on Earth, that seems like a reasonable defence.

Score: 7/10

Helping Others

“I think he’s pretty good about it,” says Langridge, adding sardonically, “it sort of comes with the superhero territory. He’d be a terrible superhero if he resented helping people!”

Well, yes, but superheroes aren’t all as straightforward as Thor, are they? Some of them have demons and are careful about who they get involved with. Who they trust…

Score: 9/10

Trust in Others

…Not our Thor, though.

“A fundamental part of Thor’s personality is all about ideas of honour and of keeping one’s word,” points out Langridge. “I imagine that if he judges you to be someone who keeps their word then he’d be fine placing his trust in you. And he works well in a team as an Avenger too, so I can't imagine that working if he didn’t trust his teammates.”

So he likes people to be honest with him. But he hasn’t always been who he seems to be, has he?

Score: 8/10

Openness

“At various times he’s used a secret identity, hiding the fact that Donald Blake can transform into Thor, so that’s not particularly transparent.”

Quite.

“As Thor, though, he seems to be an open book emotionally – he tends not to hide his true feelings about things. The secret identity aspect tends not to be used in the comics very often these days (and I don’t think it made it to the movies at all), possibly because it seems quite unlike him to be so secretive.”

Score: 8/10

Summary

Will the real Thor please stand up? This guy seems to be a bit mixed-up. One minute he’s responding to a deep-seated sense of responsibility to save lives on Earth, the next he’s neglecting to call his mother. One minute he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve, the next he’s wearing another man’s sleeve. Still, overall he looks like a pretty safe bet. So what do you think?