Why Do People Think Superman Is Boring?
Image Courtesy: DC
It’s difficult to imagine the state of pop culture today without Superman. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the Man of Steel popularized the archetype of what we think of when we talk about superheroes. His first appearance, Action Comics #1, in its original pressing is the most expensive comic in the world. The signature red and yellow emblem is recognizable all over the world, and terms from the mythology like “kryptonite” became an official word in the English language in addition to his friends/love interest Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen’s names being synonymous with an astute reporter or someone nosy.
If you ask anyone on the street what they know about Superman, they will tell you that he’s a super strong alien who landed in Kansas as an infant, raised by human parents on a farm, before moving to the fictional city of Metropolis and becoming its hero. However, what I’ve found is that people my age and younger tend to not be fans of Superman. For a lot of people, Superman represents a bygone era of campy comic books with its protagonist being an all-powerful god who is unstoppable and has no distinguishable personality traits.
It seems strange that the generation that grew up in the era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe would be dismissive of such an influential figure in the mythos of the biggest film genre of the twenty-first century. Especially when his fellow DC moneymaker and best friend from the comics, Batman, is still so widely popular and beloved. A surface-level analysis might conclude that general audiences are sick of “pure good” characters that have no flaws and a high degree of power, making it hard to believe that they could ever lose. While that is probably what most people who don’t like Superman nowadays will tell you, I think there is a deeper reason at play here.
Something worth noting is that Superman has not had a solo film in the past ten years. Warner Bros. (who owns the film rights to DC) tried to make Superman films work in the 21st century but haven’t reached the level of success that they’ve wanted. The first time was 2006’s Superman Returns which takes place in the universe of the beloved Christopher Reeve films from the ‘70s and ‘80s with an all-new cast but ultimately underwhelmed at the box office. It didn’t help that the year before, Batman Begins was released to rave reviews and was a massive financial success. For the next seven years, Warner Bros. went back to the drawing board with a full reboot. But now with the Marvel Cinematic Universe looming large, Warner felt that it would be wise to differentiate themselves from the light-hearted, comedic Marvel films by creating a dark, grounded superhero universe in the vein of the massively successful Dark Knight films.
Image Courtesy: Warner Bros. Pictures
2013’s Man of Steel was released to mixed reviews and in trying to replicate the grounded nature of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, alienated audiences to a character that is known for his light-heartedness and unending optimism. It is very clear from the start of the film, that the intention is to build from Nolan’s interpretation of Batman. After all, Nolan was a producer on the film. Like Batman Begins, Man of Steel is a more grounded, “realistic” origin story; toning down the fantastical elements as much as possible while still being a Superman story. He is still an alien with super strength, speed, flight, and laser eyes, but is ostracized in Smallville for being different and is a lot more insecure and afraid to reveal himself to the world. He is unsure of whether or not he is making a difference by saving people on Earth and receives mixed reactions when he does so.
While I believe Man of Steel has its merits and good moments, I think it’s done a lot of harm to the public perception of Superman. This is understandable as most people don’t read comics, the only exposure they get to superheroes is through theatrically released films. This is a shame because I think Superman is one of the most interesting characters in all of fiction. While the general perception of his origin is correct, it lacks a lot of nuance. The character was created as a “champion of the oppressed”, tackling social issues rather than aliens. It was after World War II that Superman’s stories began to focus on the fantastical instead of the political. His personality began to change as well, going from a wise-cracking violent fighter for the oppressed, to a more kind-hearted, gentle giant who fights aliens instead of rich people. However, in recent times, the character has shifted to a middle ground between both.
Image Courtesy: DC
And I think this is where the best version of the character lies for me. The concept of Superman endlessly fascinates me. This idea that a god can grow up among men and be more human than the rest of us, becoming a paragon of good, maintaining optimism and kindness through the darkest of times, fighting for the oppressed of the world is incredibly interesting to me. I am very optimistic about the character’s future. He has two great television series that are ongoing, the CW’s Superman & Lois and Adult Swim’s My Adventures with Superman show Clark Kent at different points in his life but both embody the character very well.
Guardians of the Galaxy writer and director James Gunn is attached to write and direct a new Superman film titled Superman: Legacy set to release in 2025, with American actors David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan attached to star Clark Kent and Lois Lane respectively. Gunn has had a great track record of comic book films up to this point and has shown time and again his love for the medium and its characters. He is also not afraid to shy away from politics in his superhero films.
I think the world now more than ever needs a great Superman film. To show the world that doing the right thing makes us strong and indifference to injustice and greed makes us weak. To inspire kids and adults alike to want to help someone they meet on the street and fight for the victims of injustice wherever they can. If that’s not modern or interesting, I don’t know what is.
Strike Out,
Writer: Matías Civita
Editor: Cristina Angee
Tallahassee