Superman: Portrait of an American Icon
By
Throughout the world, there are only a handful of cultural icons that are able to transcend language and social boundaries to deliver basic human truths. Of that handful, there are none that are as globally recognized as Superman, a character that rises above mere fictional literary character status to become a mythological god-man profoundly resonating with an archetypical power all his own. He is indeed one of the greatest American cultural institutions, a hero and role model for millions. Who hasn’t tied a towel around their necks and ran with their arms outstretched pretending to be him? In addition to his thousands of comic books, he has spawned numerous TV and radio shows, a horrible Broadway play, tons of merchandise, even his own ride at Six Flags. In case you haven’t watched TV or walked down a toy or cereal aisle in the past few months, you might not know that another Superman movie has just been released. Not too shabby for a guy pushing 70 years old.
In 1938, Hitler was Time magazine’s Man of the Year, and the world was tense with foreboding dread. Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, sons of Jewish immigrants, believed the world needed a hero; someone to fight for the repressed and downtrodden, a rallying point to remind people of the virtues of truth, justice and…you get the picture. Thus a hero was born, a Superman perhaps deliberately intended to be the polar opposite of Nietzsche’s cruel, self-serving Übermensch. Siegel & Shuster’s biographical accounts of their early days partly inspired Michael Chabon’s Pulitzer Prize winning book, “The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”
Perhaps owing to the Jewish influences of Superman’s creators, one can find biblical allegories in the Superman mythos. Like baby Moses, so too did Kal-El’s parents send their child off to an uncertain future with the hope that he would make a difference for others. Incidentally, Superman’s Kryptonian birth name, Kal-El, bears a remarkable resemblance to the Hebrew Kol El, which can be translated as, “voice of God”.
Then there was that time in 1993 when Superman died and later came back to life…but with a mullet haircut.
Over the decades, Superman has become the benchmark for all superheroes, acting as a social barometer to cultural morals and values of the time. His high sense of morals earned him the titular nickname, “The Big Blue Boy Scout”. Because the dividing line between good & evil shifts over the years, perhaps a four color character is best way to define black & white terms like good and evil.
In his earliest adventures, Superman was reckless and prone to violence that wouldn’t be acceptable today. Whether he’s gleefully tormenting villains, threatening “papa spank” (I wish I was making that up) or encouraging readers to “slap a Jap” by buying war bonds, Superman’s morals have always been defined by the times. Even today, one wonders where his morality lies, as seen in the graphic novel, “Identity Crisis”.
Where does Superman get his morality, and how is that significant in today’s
world? Notwithstanding the fact that he’s an alien, he’s an ideal
character to explore human drives and emotions. Plato suggested that doing what’s good is inherently desirable, which
may be true for Superman. The graphic
novel “Red Son” asks what if baby Kal-El crashed in
the plains of
Then there’s the subject of
The Rapid City Public Library has a lot of Superman related materials for further perusal. Besides the materials mentioned above, recommended movies exploring the Superman character include Superman I and II, Unbreakable, and even the Incredibles. Also look for Robert Mayer’s superhero deconstructionist novel, “Superfolks”.
Graphic novels in the Library collection featuring Superman include,
“Kingdom Come,” “The Death of Superman,” “Superman: the Man of Steel,” and
“Whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” Others featuring Superman
archetypes include “Top 10,” “