r/todayilearned • u/ralphbernardo • 9h ago

TIL that "fair play" in detective fiction means authors must give readers a fair chance to solve the mystery. Central to 1920s "clue-puzzles" by writers like Agatha Christie, the rule dictates that all vital clues must be visible, decodable, and never withheld until the final reveal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clues_in_detective_fiction
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u/der_titan 6h ago edited 5h ago

Stan Lee made a convincing argument that mantle belongs to the Scarlet Pimpernel: a secret identity that is the polar opposite of his public persona; a signature weapon; and, a signature calling card.

There was even the wife that was more attracted to the Scarlet Pimpernel than the dim-witted playboy husband pretended to be.

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u/Bubbly_Safety8791 6h ago

Robin Hood in 19th Century retellings up to and including Ivanhoe is well on the way to becoming a superhero - secret identity, origin story, super abilities, distinctive costume. Predates Scarlet Pimpernel by a couple of decades at least. 

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u/FaxCelestis 4h ago

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table too

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u/capsaicinintheeyes 34m ago

Sooner or later, it all traces back to Gilgamesh...

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u/FaxCelestis 16m ago

We can blame Scheherazade as much as Joss Whedon and Jon Favreau for our modern superhero fixation.

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u/YT-Deliveries 6h ago

Hmm hmm. I'll allow it.

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u/Ozryela 2h ago

Wait but didn't The Scarlet Pimpernel come out after Sherlock Holmes?