When it comes to My Hero Academia, the manga plays off the long history of heroes before it. Kohei Horikoshi is a well-known fanboy where comics are concerned, so it is no surprise to see him make homages in his own series. Of course, this means fans are always on the lookout for nods, and it turns out chapter 306 makes a curious reference to DC Comics at the end.
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The moment comes in the final spread of My Hero Academia‘s latest chapter. Fans were shocked by the end as they learned Izuku had left UA Academy in order to keep All For One away from his friends. The manga shows Izuku going it alone at the end of chapter 306, and he’s perched atop a gargoyle which comic lovers might recognize.
Shout-out to @StephHocutt for catching & pointing out that Deku’s pose is an homage to these classic DC covers by Jim Lee.(Batman #608 2nd Ptg / Superman #204). pic.twitter.com/HmDFtrA1Ul
โ Morgan Perry (@geauxta) March 21, 2021
Izuku’s stance puts him high above the city with a leg propped forward. The hero seems deadened in the wake of his exit from high school, so life has been rough on the hero-in-training. This exact post has been featured before by DC Comics for both Batman and Superman. After all, artist Jim Lee has done some iconic artwork of the superheroes in this stance, and you can see the comparison for yourself above.
If you need exact source, Lee penned Bruce Wayne in this position back in Batman #608 while the other donned the stance in Superman #204. Both of these shots show the hero looking fierce high above the city as they search for crime. This is exactly what Izuku is up to in the manga, but his confidence is wavering far more than his DC Comics counters. In the midst of tragedy, All Might’s successor is unsure how to unite society, but he is determined to make the city a bit safer one mission at a time.
What do you think of this clever comics reference? Did you put two and two together here…? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.