Entry 29: Superman

People who read comic books read them for a plethora of reasons.  They read comics because they love page long fisticuffs where an entire city, planet, or perhaps more lay in the balance.  Maybe they read comics because they like the brilliant visualizations.   But I think that most life long comic book fans read comics because they like relating to a character or a story.  A lot of people relate to Peter Parker, aka the Amazing Spiderman.  A lot of readers like reading about bad asses like Wolverine, Punisher, Venom, and Batman. But today's blog is about someone who receives a lot of criticism from modern American readers.  A character I've admired since I was five years old.  Today's entry is about the Man of Steel and the Man of Tomorrow.  Superman.

The reasoning behind the disliking of Superman usually falls under the same categories:  He's boring; he's too powerful; He's not relatable; he's too much of a boyscout.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  But frankly, readers are missing the point.  And I think the disliking of Superman in the modern era is much more of a commentary on modern day America than it is on the character himself.  It's a little sad that kids grow up idolizing nihilistic, selfish, and fake role models when they could be idolizing a selfless man who does nothing less than to try to do the right thing and nothing but the right thing. Superman is a character with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.  The character can fly, move at remarkable speeds, has unyielding strength, is as indestructible as they come, has heat ray vision, x-ray vision, super hearing, and can freeze things with his breath.  Superman can do a lot of things.  However, despite having all of those powers he doesn't use them to harm people.  Superman can easily take over the entire planet if he wanted to, but he doesn't.  It's really interesting, from an early age Bruce Wayne aka Batman was taught the worst humanity had to offer, but with Superman it was different.  The last son of Krypton was raised by loving adoptive parents in Smallville, and Superman was raised with the complete opposite.  He learned of the good in people.  And that's what separates Superman from genuinely every other hero.  He constantly looks for the good in everyone.  And that's something most of us do.  People are so hesitant to trust others, and are quick to think of other people as someone who's selfish and with no regard for others.  And you know what?  Maybe people aren't wrong for doing so, but Kal-El never loses faith in the people of his adopted home world.  Superman wrestles with an unbelievable burdon night in and night out of saving 7 billion people a day for no reward and for no gain.  Superman doesn't get a thing for this.  He's just a modest farm boy, who tries to do the right thing.  He always tries to do the right thing.

People talk about Superman being cocky perhaps?  I hardly think so.  As Clark Kent, the woman he loves is more in love with the man with the red cape, and his boss is a real hard ass.  In fact, the only people who seem to actually understand him are his very own parents.  Clark can have anything in the world he wants, but he struggles with keeping everyone away so he doesn't hurt them.  He lives a modest life as journalist exposing Lex Luthor in the papers, while foiling him in a bright iconic costume that brings hope to an entire planet of people.  The story about Superman is not about a God protecting the Earth from giant threats who are more powerful than him.  The story of Superman is about a man that we should all aspire to be like.  A selfless, modest, man who never strays from the line.   I understand people have a hard time relating to reading about a man who can do anything, but is struggling to find his place in the world, but that's not the point.  Superman is someone we should all aspire to be like.  Because even though we fool ourselves into believing that we have limitations in life, all we really need to do is reach for the skies and believe.