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Superman needs saving

Nick Calacouras

by Nick Calacouras

25 Oct 05:40am

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Filed under: Comics, Entertainment, Journalism, Media, Super Heroes, Superman

28 comments

Can somebody please save Superman? He seems to be going through a bit of a crisis.

New Superman would cry if you asked him to do this…

Eighteen months ago, he was a successful reporter for the Daily Planet, he was happily married to Lois Lane and he spent his spare time fighting for truth, justice and the American way.

Now, he’s pashing Wonder Woman, and this week we learnt he has quit his job and is starting up a blog. And by the way, you know we are in trouble when even the Man of Steel doesn’t think he can save print journalism.

The change of lifestyle isn’t all his fault.

To made a long and ludicrous story short, last year the another hero went back in time to save his mother. This messed up the timeline, erasing the back story of other comic book characters .

One character became gay. Another was no longer in a wheelchair. And they even added a Muslim Green Lantern.

But Superman is the one they’ve really mucked around with.

Sure, there have been plenty of modernisations over the years.

He died. Came back to life. Lost his powers, got them back. And for a small period of time, he was this weird blue energy creature.

But despite all of this, some things remained constant.

He is supposed to be a mild mannered reporter for a major metropolitan newspaper. He is not a pimply faced blogger typing anonymously in the basement.

He is supposed to leap tall buildings in a single bound. He is not supposed to jump the shark.

And he is not supposed to be chasing tail with other superheroes.

By taking these things away from him, the writers have destroyed something that was pure. Superman is the original superhero. He is iconic. Mythic.

Watching this happen to Superman is like watching someone you respect fall into a mid life crisis.

For the past 80 years, Superman has faced Kryptonite, evil geniuses, alien overlords and - in one case - a US president.

But the writers, in their attempt to get headlines and new readers, may have succeeded where others have failed.

They may have actually killed Superman for good.

Comments on this post will close at 8pm AEST.

Most commented

28 comments

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    • Craig says:

      06:01am | 25/10/12

      What an arrogant view.

      The makers of superman have successfully adapted him for every generation.

      You’ve gotten older, not superman. Your post is off the mark - where did you get the idea most bloggers are pimply teen boys for example?

      Superman’s real power is ditching ageing wanna-bes who still think they are young and reinventing himself for each new youth generation.

      It may be hard for the author to admit that he’s no longer the key audience for superman, but it is what it is.

      Reply

    • the apologist says:

      08:07am | 25/10/12

      rubbish. Superman is not a postmodern concept. I’m young, and I agree with the author. Superman is being corrupted, he is no longer the iconic hero, the apex of morality, truth, etc. We’ve got other heros to explore different ideas - but Superman should remain faithful to the fundamental principles of his character. When you take these away, he’s not the same. Reinvent him sure, try new things, but once you shift the foundations it’s all over.

    • Geronimo says:

      06:01am | 25/10/12

      Every adolescent thinks his dad is Superman, it’s when he grows up he realizes his Dad is just a regular guy who wears a red cape and jumps off bridges.

      Reply

    • nihonin says:

      06:20am | 25/10/12

      I’m wondering if the Invisible Man has recovered yet, after Superman ‘hit’ him instead of Wonder Woman.  wink

      Reply

    • Wayne Kerr says:

      07:16am | 25/10/12

      an oldie but a goodie

    • pa_kelvin says:

      10:36am | 25/10/12

      As in…....Was it good for you?... smile

    • pa_kelvin says:

      10:39am | 25/10/12

      And not to forget the classic Thor…..Your Thor, I could hardly pith this morning… smile

    • Nathan Explosion says:

      07:20am | 25/10/12

      Do you actually know anything about comics? Things change and get retconned all the time.

      How many times has Jean Grey died?

      Reply

    • Dr Dep says:

      10:02am | 25/10/12

      Could not agree more, the Comic industry is constantly re-vamping characters to keep readers tuned in.

      Having said that…......if I have to deal with a Jean Grey dying saga one more time…......

    • Admiral Ackbar says:

      01:59pm | 25/10/12

      I don’t know, they should have kept him dead but people bitched and moaned about it. Worst superhero ever.

    • Nic says:

      07:25am | 25/10/12

      Weird article.

      Superman’s been hooking up with Wonder Woman since what the 70s? 80s? It’s hardly a new thing. As far as the blogging thing or whatever it is, well, I think the Onion summed it up pretty well honestly.

      http://www.theonion.com/articles/economically-healthy-daily-planet-now-most-unreali,28718/

      The idea that Clark Kent was a “mild mannered reporter” is unbelievable in a world where there are no reporters, or even journalists. The dross that makes up for modern news definitely doesn’t deserve that title, not when almost all articles have little or no sourcing or come straight from corporate/political mouthpieces.

      Personally I think the western comic’s idea of never letting a story end is a problem in itself. If we let go of Superman and Batman we could have new stories. Instead we remake and retell the same stories even though the Superman of the 40s is nothing like the Superman of today.

      Have a story with a beginning a middle and end, then move on and tell a new story. The Japanese system seems much smarter to me at least.

      Difference between characters owning their creation and Studios owning them I suppose.

      Reply

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      07:52am | 25/10/12

      It could be worse, Superman as Clark Kent could be working for Fox News. But hooking up with Wonder Woman was definitely the right move…..

      Reply

    • nihonin says:

      08:18am | 25/10/12

      ‘It could be worse, Superman as Clark Kent could be working for Fox News.’

      Or he could be a part of the Canberra Press Gallery, SFM.

    • line says:

      04:12pm | 25/10/12

      hahaha,
      I dig the press gallery idea:


      How will Superman survive the crushing pressure of group think…..find out in our next edition….

    • Colin says:

      08:21am | 25/10/12

      The story should be left in the 20th century, why does it need to be modernized?
      We dont re-write westerns to make them more relevant to modern life. I think D.C is making a mistake with this and I will bet money that before the end of 2013 there has been a comic released retracting this and carrying on as if it never happened.

      Reply

    • pa_kelvin says:

      10:30am | 25/10/12

      Colin have you bought a copy yet?? I know I will be, it will be a real collecters item in about 30 years time….....

    • Ryan says:

      09:01am | 25/10/12

      Like I’ve told you many times before Nick.

      Make Mine Marvel.

      Reply

    • Nathan Explosion says:

      10:20am | 25/10/12

      One genuine No Prize for you!

    • St. Michael says:

      06:06pm | 25/10/12

      Bullpen Bulletins approves of this post.

    • Haxton Waag says:

      09:03am | 25/10/12

      Who are “the may”. Some group of supervillains I haven’t heard of before?

      Reply

    • volker says:

      09:05am | 25/10/12

      I think the real issue is, there are no telephone booths around anymore. Where is he going to change now?

      Reply

    • line says:

      10:03am | 25/10/12

      Maybe they should go back to their roots and tell a story about him punching Hitler again.

      Reply

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      10:52am | 25/10/12

      I nominate Perry White as Boss of the Century. Gives a whole new meaning to the concept of flexi-time. Where has Clark Kent gone off to now?

      Reply

    • Liam says:

      11:04am | 25/10/12

      Can I start by asking what the eff you are talking about? Is this some new TV series or movie or comic?

      Reply

    • Diverdan says:

      11:15am | 25/10/12

      Looking at the photo I think the author’s Superman undies are a bit tight. But gee doesn’t he wear them with pride !

      Reply

    • JamesH says:

      12:12pm | 25/10/12

      It’s about time they made him a bit more interesting.  The whole “Big Blue Boy Scout” bit was getting old, even Batman was able to kick his butt at one point!  Lois Lane used to have that crush on him like a nerdy schoolgirl loving the captain of the football team, and that kind of balance has been restored with Superman hooking up with the ONLY woman on Earth who could bear his Super Baby without dying.

      Reply

    • Jay says:

      12:35pm | 25/10/12

      Why can’t he upskill and become a mild mannered banker; make billions and give it to the poor. When ever the Board meets to give themselves a wacking pay rise he can quikcly excuse himself and comeback as Superman and lecture them on the values of giving. No that is even too far fetched for a comic.

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      04:42pm | 25/10/12

      But you are right, Superman is a hero, and a hero is an archetype, and an archetype is always fictional.
      Therefore, the Man of Steel is fictional, therefore, he can, and should, get up to whatever derring-do’s his creator can think up, and his fans don’t like it then they should expand their notion of what a hero really is ... ie. look it up.

      Reply
 
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