Superman the Rebel--an literary look at the early origins of Superman.

[Aurora Moon]

http://toobusythinkingboutcomics.blogspot.com/2015/07/superman-radical-rebel-some-thoughts-on.html

I thought this article had an very interesting take on Superman's early origins. thoughts?

[DA_Champion]

This was very good, thanks for posting.

These kinds of stories would never fly now, look at the reactions to MoS, people complained he broke the bully's truck and the predator drone. In modern Anerica, you are supposed to be nice to bullies, that is how far the culture has fallen.

[BoyScout-ManOfTomorrow]

Good read, a really interesting analysis.

When the New 52 started in 2011 Grant Morrison's Action Comics harkened back to Siegel's and Shuster's original take on the character. We had Clark Kent doing exposes for the Daily Star on a corrupt business man who owned the Daily Planet. We had Superman beating on a wife beater and stopping the bulldozing of Metropolis' slum district. Still it's nothing as daring as the stories from the late 30's early 40's.

Tackling social issues makes for great stories but not necessarily good drama since Superman can't die when facing real world problems. I still tend to think the character thrives when thrown into a science fiction world of imagination and wonder. Characters like Batman are maybe better for social commentary imo.

This was very good, thanks for posting.

These kinds of stories would never fly now, look at the reactions to MoS, people complained he broke the bully's truck and the predator drone. In modern Anerica, you are supposed to be nice to bullies, that is how far the culture has fallen.

To be fair the scene with the bully is a retelling of the Donner diner scene with Smallville Pilot sprinkled in. We've seen that scene before except in this context it makes no sense. Clark let Pa die to keep his secret safe, yet Clark endangers it by wrecking a truck out of petty revenge. He's actually regressed from that time the group of bullies picked on him when he was younger.

Also destroying the drone was really passive aggressive and the scene came across like Superman was going to do anything he pleases and none can stop him. The scene played it for laughs with the female soldier saying how hot Superman was but this is one of those times where Snyder is tone deaf to the stuff he directs. For example Superman could have landed the drone on the back of the general's truck or something without destroying it. It accomplishes everything the scene wants but without making Superman a total (and dangerous) dick.

[Aurora Moon]

Boyscout, I agree with you on the MOS movie. Still, parts of it was fairly enjoyable.... and to me, it was better than the Superman Returns movie.

The writers and the director didn't stop to think about how the "Superman's kid" sub-plot easily ruined Superman's image (and also that of Lois). I mean, This movie is supposed to be an follow-up to the older classic superman movies with Christopher Reeves, right? So in the past Superman mindwipes Lois' mind when she complains how she can't compete with the world for Clark's attention... but according to the Superman Returns movie this was after Lois presumably gets pregnant with Clark's child. Now in Superman's defense he most likely didn't know at the time... but surely he had to notice something was off with Lois before he left for the 7-year-mission in space?

Now think about poor Mind-wiped Lois. She doesn't remember ever having sex with Superman, so she at first assumes that she's having a normal kid with this awesome human man she fell in love with. So think of how terrifying or weird she might find it when her son starts exhibiting weird abilities.
she would start questioning why she apparently has superman's child but can't even remember having sex with Superman. Now, the logical process any woman would have when they know there was sexual contact but CAN'T remember it.... well, that kind of conclusion often leads to the idea that they were raped.
After all, if you can't remember if you consented or not, then it must be rape right?

Of course with Superman being an alien, Lois might be wiling to excuse him if it turned out to be some werid alien biological process that most humans would find non-sexual.... something like holding hands. But we all know that wasn't the case.

And then the scenes at the end... arrrgh. though-out the movie we find out that Lois's husband (or fiancée?) is actually a decent, kickass guy and you can see why Lois fell in love with him. And then the ending implies that Lois is going to cheat on her husband with Superman?? we have an decent good guy getting the super-shaft here in the relationship love triangle.


to me, this was why Superman Returns were worse than MOS, even if MOS had it share of problems.