Metrics of Adulthood

This time of year, the media conspire to establish Belief in Santa Claus as the universal cultural metric of the transition from Childhood to Adulthood.

They have to push it, because it's not a very good yardstick. In the days before the modern mass media, children were more sheltered from the evidence of the commercial underpinnings of our winter holiday. Nowadays, only the smallest of tots could be unaware that their parents are responsible for their holiday gifts.

But what are better indicators, more rooted in our modern culture, that one has made or is making the transition from childhood to adulthood? Mine own is quite clear: I was certain I was an adult when I realized that Mr. Banks is right about the tuppence and Mary Poppins is wrong.

But that's just me. What other useful measures can we think of, especially focusing on those with roots in our common comic book culture?



You Know You're An Adult When...

• You send your She-Hulk poster to be framed.
• You start wondering why Batman allows a child to fight armed gangsters.
• Your empathy for Peter Parker turns to contempt.
• Superman starts to impress not because of what he does, but because of what he doesn't do.
• You stop caring whether people think Aquaman is lame.
• It occurs to you that visiting Paradise Island might be more fun than visiting the Batcave.
• You first say, "Oh, they finally brought that character back, eh?"

Your suggestions?