Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound,Supermanis not just one of DC’s most iconic heroes of all time, but he’s also one of the most prominent characters in the history of pop culture - and I know why. With over eighty years of publication history under his belt, it’s no wonder that the Man of Steel is one of the most recognizable superheroes in the world.
But with great brand recognition comes great scrutiny, and over the years, more than a few folks have argued thatSupermanis too boring to remain relevant in this day and age. On a commercial level, if Superman really was as “boring” as many “fans” claim, there’s no way he’d have spent the better part of the last century in constant publication, nor would he have been portrayed in the various adaptations and merchandising deals that have made him a household name the world over.
Economics aside, when it comes to the claim that the Man of Steel is boring, his naysayers couldn’t be more wrong –and I’ll tell you exactly why Superman is needed now more than ever.
Superman Actually Isn’t as Powerful as People Think
Superman’s No Lightweight, But the DC Universe Is a Big Place
One of the most common arguments for why he is boring isthe idea that Superman is simply too powerful. With most onscreen portrayals highlighting his considerable strength and speed, in addition to his invulnerability and endless array of super-senses, it’s not too surprising that the general audience perceives Kal-El as nigh unbeatable. In actuality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. And diehard DC Comics fans – whether they happen to be fans of Clark Kent or not – know all too wellthe powerhouses at play in the DC Comics universe.
Sorry, Superman: We Found 10 Kinds of Kryptonite You Never Even Knew Existed
Kryptonite may be one of the most famous superhero weaknesses in all of pop culture, but Superman’s greatest vulnerability has some obscure variations
WhileSupermanis undeniably in the upper echelons of DC’s hierarchy of power, there are plenty of threats more than capable of bringing him down. Aside from the cosmic entities Darkseid, Imperiex, or Doomsday, Superman is regularly challenged by Lex Luthor, an obsessed billionaire genius who has spent years planning just how to bring him down, and even Batman in certain continuities. Even so, it’s not Superman’s power that makes him the hero he is, nor is it what makes him interesting to his most dedicated fans, including me. No, Superman’s true power, trite as it may sound, genuinely is his pure heart.
At his core, Clark Kent, Kal-El,Superman- whatever you want to call him - is a fundamentally good person. That’s not to say that he never has personal struggles or never experiences any self-doubt. Quite the contrary: I could make a strong case that Superman is in dire need of some serious therapy. So much of Clark Kent’s life has been spent hiding who he truly is and never letting himself get too close to anybody because of the fundamental fear of rejection - before meetingthe love of his life, Lois Lane, that is.
Clark Kent Is Just a Guy Trying to Do the Right Thing
Superman Sees Us for Who We Are
That sort of self-isolation, coupled with the type of overwhelming pressure he faces not just from the world at large but from himself, isenough to make even a Superman spiral, and his enhanced perceptions don’t make it any easier. After all, with all of Kal-El’s super-powered senses, Superman sees the worst in humanity every single day. He sees us in our darkest, most broken moments,yet he chooses to love us anyway. There are many that would use this point to argue for his portrayal as some sort of messianic figure, but I can’t help but disagree.
Superman’s unwavering morality in the face of overwhelming odds as well as his dedication to the ideals of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow have spoken to his fans of all ages for nearly ninety years.
Clark’s consistent choice to see the best in others, to bring the best out of others, is one of his most human traits.Superman doesn’t see himself as being above anyone else,especially as a type of holier-than-thou figure. Like all of us, he’s just a person who is trying to do the right thing with the tools he has at his disposal. It just so happens that the tools at his disposal, and the problems that come with them, are greater than anything we’ve ever seen.
Somewhere along the line, people began perceiving earnestness, compassion, and altruism as cheesy, cliché, or just flat-out uninteresting. And what character is more altruistic, earnest, and compassionate than the Man of Steel?Superman is literally the platonic idealof what a superhero is and can be with or without his powers, and his unwavering morality in the face of overwhelming odds as well as his dedication to the ideals of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow have spoken to his fans of all ages for nearly ninety years.
Superman Isn’t Boring, We’re Just Jaded
There’s Nothing Wrong With Genuine Optimism
Yet, for more cynical contemporary audiences, it’s this same hope and optimism that hampers the character’s overall appeal. Superman’s innate goodness gets to the root of his problem in terms of his public perception as the ultimate goody-two-shoes. Audiences assume thatbecause Clark will always choose to do the right thing, that somehow makes him boring, but I challenge that same audience to actually think about what “doing the right thing” actually entails and see if it’s truly as easy as Superman makes it look.
“It’s Overdue”: There Has Never Been a Better Time For a Superman Renaissance
With James Gunn’s Superman film on the horizon, The Man of Steel is getting his time to shine on screen and in comics, and it’s well-deserved.
Even for Superman, being good is hard. The world around us grows more complicated by the day, and it’s far from the easiest thing to try and always put the needs of others before our own - especially when you’re as powerful as a Kryptonian under a yellow sun. The concept of what’s “morally right” has been weaponized, commodified, and memeified to the point that many people no longer know what to believe in. They’ve lost hope, and in seemingly hopeless times like these, a character as inspirational and aspirational as the Man of Tomorrow isn’t just interesting. He’s necessary.
When times get tough and the world feels like it’s falling around our ears, Superman is always there to remind us: each and every one of us is stronger than we think we are. That is what Clark Kent ultimately represents. That is why Kal-El is an infinitely interesting character. And that is whySupermanwill always be one of the world’s greatest heroes, whether the haters like it or not.
Comics, graphic novels, and other forms of storytelling starringSupermanare available now from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
