Why I love Superman

By  Ewen Paterson 

It seems like a cliché these days but I love Superhero’s. I love that they represent all facets of our society. Some people are drawn to the dark grittiness of Batman, others like mavel comics X-Men, outsiders fighting for the right to be accepted by the world. As for me, as you might have gathered I love Superman.

Some of my earliest memories are of Superman. I remember watching the animated series from the 90’s, being awed by Christopher Reeve flying backwards in time to save the woman he loves, the sheer thrill of watching Dean Cain as Superman save the day from Lex Luthor. Anytime I think of them I’m filled with the kind of joy that is ineffable but we all have it for something.

I know that to some he seems corny and a bit of a boy scout, but to me there is nothing wrong with that. The world can be so bleak and depressing that it is sometimes easy to be caught up in it and only see the negative side in everything. Superman and many other characters like him allow us to escape into worlds where good triumphs over evil, where the day is won by standing up for ones ideals and reminds us that no matter how dire the situation is there is always hope.

That’s why Superman in the "Injustice" series is such a compelling character. Here is a man that has lost everything, his wife, his unborn child and his city. Broken and not wanting anybody else to suffer as he has suffered he goes on the offensive, no longer reacting to the world around him but fighting for what he believes in. You can see flashes of the Superman that we know and love, but he has been corrupted and you’re willing him every step of the way to be redeemed only for him to falter. Kal-El’s fall here is so human, who hasn’t wanted to right all of societies wrong’s? Clark is in pain, grieving and driven by his fear, falls further and further.  

To some people this is the only way to make Clark an interesting character. Make him an angry man in a morally ambiguous world. Unfortunately this doesn’t always work  as seen by the DC Cinematic Universe . While Henry Cavill does an admirable job as Superman and shines with the material he is given, the idea we are presented with in "Batman v Superman" is that he is conflicted about his place in the world. On the one hand people revere him while the other side hate him. While this is an interesting concept, like many things in B v S it wasn’t explored properly.

As you might have gathered I don’t like the character for the usual reasons not his powers or that he is the Justice Leagues heavy hitter. No I enjoy him because he shows our potential for kindness, for compassion and ultimately our ability to always do the right thing.  One part of "All Star Superman" that I will always remember is the moment when he manages to talk a suicidal girl out of killing herself.  It is Superman comforting her in her darkest moment when she thinks her doctor has abandoned her. He just holds her as he says ‘It’s never as bad as it seems. You’re much stronger than you think you are.’ Moment’s like this show Superman at his greatest and his simplest. Yes he on the one hand can defeat an intergalactic warlord, but at the end of the day Superman will always look out for the little guy. Nothing is ever too big or too small for him. He is a beacon of hope and light and a reminder of our potential.

And to me that is why he’s my favourite because ultimately he is the most human of us all.