Truth, Justice, and the American W– Not So Fast!

Did you read the landmark Action Comics #900? If so, you would have come across this little sequence, written by David S. Goyer, that surely won't find its way over to Fox News for any reason whatsoever. (UPDATE: called it!)


Just like that DC, has a heck of a possible controversy on their hands. People got very mad about Wonder Woman's costume change, and the death of Captain America, so why don't people seem to be up in arms about this one? Superman is the original superhero. He counted as an American, even though, he's technically an illegal immigrant. How did the Kents secure a birth certificate anyway?

The subject of Kal-El's American-ness isn't something writers have shied away from over time however. He was cast as the tool of the corrupt government in Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns. He took plenty of guff from Diana in Darwyn Cooke's New Frontier, and in continuity, DC made super criminal Lex Luthor the president of the United States.

I've noticed that Kal hasn't actually done it yet though. He says he's going to. All sorts of things could happen between now and that UN address.

Does Superman belong to the world, or is he American? Is the world smaller, and are Superman's allegiances greater to those of the U.S. than of the rest of the world? It's a can of worms that will yield all sorts of things a storyteller can use, but the question is really whether it will contribute to stories that comic book fans will want to read? Time will tell.

Comments

  1. That’s pretty cool.

  2. If nothing else it’s a story I want to read. It’s kind of interesting, the kind of people that would politically like to hold superman up as this kind of american ideal are probably not the kinds of people Clark would like. I always think of Superman as being broadly left of centre but he can be easily twisted to represent some really creepy right wing ideals.

    Also, what’s up with the last panel there? something is probably afoot

  3. Does this mean that he won’t need a visa on the backpacking storyline?

  4. @Alexferrer  Well done.

  5. This is super fascinating. While I think that it’s a neat idea, and I look forward to the story to follow, both in comics and on Earth Prime, I’ll be a little sad that Supes is no longer an American.

    To me, Superman has always represented one of the most central tennets of the American Dream: A foreign immigrant, sent by his parents to a new life, finds success and acceptance. Maybe it’s a little narrow-minded to contextualize the legend in that way, but it’s always seemed like a nice little aspect of the character, and an artifact of the time in which he was created.

    “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.” That’s what I always thought that he meant. Not that he fights for America’s interests, but her ideals.

    It’ll be a very interesting story, and I’m not upset or anything, but it does make me a little… I dunno. Something.

  6. @Alexferrer stole my joke, and did it better than I was going to.  I bow before you.

  7. Why are his eyes glowing green?  Isn’t that the universal sign of evil possession?

  8. @JRscherer he using his vision powers in the next panel.

    the freak out honestly i expected but wow really this is not even an ongoing storyline or anything.

  9. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/04/28/superman-renounces-citizenship-00th-issue/#comment

    fox news has it.

    really dc probably didn’t think it was a big deal.

    this is going to be funny

  10. I guess this is the Red SON version of supes, and he’s finally showing his commie colors.

  11. Cap says, ” I don’t like it!”

  12. @JedeyeSniv – Yes, glowing eyes is usually the universal indicator of mind-control/doppelganger.  The fact that they zoom in to draw attention is interesting.  However, it could also be a way of indicating his alien nature, adding another layer to his decision.

    What I think could be interesting is if this ripples into the JLA.  Would Superman opt to no longer be a member since they have “America” in their name and they could be construed as a tool of American policy?  Or would the JLA reconsider their name, say … JLI?

  13. @JRScherer Universal sign of watching a woman in the shower two states over.

  14. To be fair, I’d have a hard time supporting the government that killed off most of my species too. Just saying.

    Plus, this doesn’t really say anything about Clark Kent’s citizenship.

    @Art1318: Well played.

  15. First he walks the earth to find himself, now he’s sticking it to the Man. Our boy is turning into quite the hippie.

  16. Wow….the world really is going to hell.

  17. @BC1 for superman it’s also the sign of X-ray vision

  18. I recommend everyone go read the posts on DC facebook page about this…very entertaining (and scary) reactions from knee-jerk nationalists complaining about liberal media agenda and DC going PC!…

    This unbridled patriotism is the very thing that’s put me off the character for years. No disrespect to America at all, but the whole “truth, justice and the American way” has always sat uncomfortably for me (probably cos i’m a damned Brit). So this development certainly seems positive. That said I’ve always enjoyed the jingoism of Dan Dare, but I think the thrill of that is experiencing such casual pomposity with hindsight, from the perspective of a fallen empire and a people embarrased by their savage imperial past.   

  19. Who needs him, I ask? Especially in light of having J’onn J’onz? All kidding aside, this is a great story telling opportunity for Superman. I’m all for it.

  20. Savor your afternoon of relevance, Superman. Nestle it to your bosom one last time.

  21. That’s OK Clark Kent still has his U.S. citizenship.

  22. @JesTr  That’s got to be some sort of offense that’ll land you in jail.

  23. That last panel makes me think that Superman’s going through what Daredevil in Shadowland went through and is being possessed. I really really hope that that is not the case. Still I think this entire conversation is just pointless. All of the times he blatantly saved the world, not just America THE WORLD with his actions & now the Iranian government is giving him grief? Also why is Superman just automatically revoking his own US citizenship (I didn’t know that superheroes have to have citizenship? wtf?) after this one incident with Iran?!?!?!? JMS you have really messed up Superman.

  24. @SpiderTitan  He’s not possessed – he’s using his x-ray vision.

  25. I know it’s not the current continuity, but John Byrne established Kal-El as an American in Man of Steel #1. Kal-El was in a “birthing matrix” in the ship that Jor-El and Lara sent to Earth. He was still a fetus until his ship crashed, cracking his artificial womb and “birthing” him. Technically, he was born on American soil, making him an American. This allowed his to run for president in a possible future in Action Comics Annual #3.

    But yeah, I suppose his current origin in Superman: Secret Origin does make him an illegial alien in every sense of the term. 

  26. So now we have to go through another round of talking heads on cable news channels discecting and criticizing a scene and completely missing the point? Lame. 

  27. this has to be the dumbest idea ever. im a huge superman and DC fan but this takes away from teh essence of the character. what if Peter suddenly said “screw great responsibility!” essentially the same thing. so dumb.

  28. It feels like they try every way to deconstruct superman to make him interesting. Wish they could just give him a good storyline in metropolis. 

  29. He’s clearly sick of America, having seen every single square inch of it.

  30. in retrospect, i sounded like a snotty fanboy in my last post. allow me to save face and say that while i disagree in the choice of doing this, its not like im disowning the character or anything. i’ll read it, maybe i’ll hate it, or maybe it’ll surprise me. i give props for DC in shakingthings up. maybe this will lead to cool story where supes is more of a Plutonian character. that would be fun for an arch or two….i guess.

  31. I’ve read a few comments elsewhere that are trying to back up their unwarrented rage (and yes, it is rage) about this development by saying that “Superman acted out of character!”

    Right. Because taking steps to ensure that he can BE SUPERMAN ALL OVER THE WORLD is out of character for Superman.

  32. I like how 90 percent of the people who will complain about this have never picked up a comic book in their life. Why the hell do they care?

    If people read closely, he is doing this for two reasons and one of them is not “Fuck you America”. One he wants to be able to expand his influence and be able to help all around the world. Second he wants to be able to do this without getting the American government in trouble because as most countries just like in this case think that anything Superman does is an attack from America or backed up by the American government. This can and does get the American government in trouble because they end up having international crisises because of it. No longer having an American Citizenship will save the government and the people from these incidents because he will no longer be tied to that. It kills two birds with one stone except he is helping the two birds

  33. I want to add to what I said before. When I talk about the people who complain that is not an attack on here to anyone who does not like this decision. I mean more of the media and the political masses.

  34. People do know this is a short story that has no bearing on any continuity at this moment? DC didn’t say it’s in-continuity and I doubt a filmwriter like Goyer is going to waste time making a Superman story stay in continuity. Unless he brings this up in his screenplay for Snyder’s film, I doubt this will lead to anything, ever.

    Just another non-story being turned into the story by idiots. Not you guys, I just mean TV. 

  35. In a statement released early today, Captain America had only this to say: “Fuck him. I was going to deport his candy ass anyway”.

  36. You know, the part that ticked me off when I read that story wasn’t really him renouncing his citizenship(Im sure Clark won’t be getting deported anytime soon), it was the fact that he said “truth, justice and the American way” aren’t enough. It’s no secret that the real reason why Superman grew up to be the greatest hero is because of the American values that Ma and Pa Kent taught to young Clark, and now he feels those American values don’t cut it? I don’t know, I have a feeling if Pa Kent was still around, he’d give Clark a mean whoopin! 

    I know it sounds like I’m saying that the reason Superman is the best because he was raised on American soil and he wouldn’t be if he were raised anywhere else but… well, did you read Red Son? 

  37. Here’s the thing: he’s making perfect sense. Superman’s a symbol of hope. He’s just a global one now. What’s wrong with that?

    Also, couldn’t he get a green card from his marriage to Lois?

  38. I know it’s a story and he’ll be back to saying “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” in a few years, but I really do find this very offputting. It makes me feel like Supes is somehow less than he was.

  39. Plus how many times has he gone to different countries and even planets to save people? I don’t think he’s been an ‘american’ hero for decades now.

  40. Let the world have him…the way he has been portrayed doesnt really have much to do with america anyway.  and its clark that was raised american, so superman will more global, as he should considering his power set.

  41. As someone who is not a fan of Superman at all, unless it’s by Fleischer, I’m actually interested in this turn of events.

  42. This is the best move in ages!! Superman goes beyond any nationality….a true champion of the oppressed!

  43. I was a bit taken aback when I read this as well. I was wondering whether it would even be addressed in the regular Supes books, but I guess we’ll see.

    I thought the story was weird overall, as most Superman takes in recent years have seemed to emphasize how, at the heart of it all, Superman’s really just a man, while this story emphasized his alienness and made him come off as downright creepy.

    It was like reading a Dr. Manhattan monologue.

  44. Now that I’ve actually read the story I feel I can comment on this article.
    I feel I understand why Superman did what he did and the political response. I have no problem with him renouncing his citizenship for the greater good.
    More importantly, I liked the short story.

  45. It could have some interesting story ideas, but I just don’t trust any of the potential writers to have enough political cognizance to do anything that isn’t absurdly simplistic with it.

    Really all you ever see with this kind of stuff is blanket “Global is better” statements. Really? Sure, we want to be inclusive, but statements like that are so vague that they really don’t have any substance to them. “Superman represents America” is a VERY substantive statement–it’s filled with all sorts of contradictions and nuances. “Superman is global”, on the other hand, doesn’t really say much of anything. If he represents “all” of humanity, then wouldn’t that include the Iranian government he’s apparently protesting? How about the Chinese government? China is the most populous nation, but they treat their people almost like slaves–so does Superman represent that? The problem with global authority is that there isn’t really any line in the sand. “Superman represents America” is problematic in definable, interesting ways. “Superman represents the globe” is too problematic to have much value.

    And, frankly, it’s a little disheartening to hear so many people being so eager to give up the ideals that America supposedly stood for. Did we always live up to them? Hell no. But what’s with this eagerness to give everything away and foresake even trying to have our country’s name stand for anything? I’m not a “conservative”. In fact I think the worst part of this whole ordeal will be listening to conservative talk show hosts oversimplify the issue. But there’s another side of this. What’s with our wimpy nature lately? It seems like the logic is “If far-right conservatives wouldn’t like it–then I’m for it no matter how much it will empty our identity or finances.” Have we grown up in an era where nothing’s really serious to us anymore? It’s like we just want to support far off authorities because it lets us off the hook for not holding our own elected representatives accountable.

    Superman becoming “global” might on some level represent an advance for humanity at large. But not on this globe–not right now. Whatever our petty little problems in this country (“Wah! I don’t like the mean man on the radio! He scares me!”), they’re a hell of a lot less than the problems going on in the rest of the globe.

  46. @Conor I know he was using X-Ray vision its just the complete randomness of him using X-Ray vision makes it seem like he is possessed & thus kind of misleads the reader, at least me.

  47. @SpiderTitan  It wasn’t random, though. He used it as an example.

  48. Personally I think this is terrible. Superman should be fighting for the American way, now because most Americans and others forget what that truly means, Superman gives up? Yes, America has changed a lot and gone down the drain a bit, but do we have heroes like Superman especially to remind us all that there is hope? 

  49. sounds interesting.

  50. *Don’t 

  51. Guh. This is Superman’s “Nomad” phase.

    I’m sick of a Superman who lacks confidence. All-Star Superman got it right by making him SUPERman. He was filled with sentimental love of Earth and the people in it in a relatable way, while also living in a sci-fi fantasy world of wonder and possibilities. Not one moment in that story though, even when he was dieing, did he sit around and mope or walk around like he didn’t know what to do.

    I’m so over seeing panels of him standing around wiht shoulders slumped and his head down. Lets see Superman FLY again.

  52. Superman, Inc.?

  53. He just doesn’t want to have to show his long form kryptonian birth certificate

  54. actually according to 12 USC 1401 (f) “a person of unknown parentage found in the United States while under the age of five years, until shown, prior to his attaining the age of twenty-one years, not to have been born in the United States;” shall be nationals and citizens of the United State.

    you don’t need to be born here.

  55. @dcicirelli, one great point that Morrison once made was that the reason why Superman is such a great hero is because he represents the best traits of America. It’s heatbreaking he’s given up on that.

  56. Looks like Captain America can suck it. Superman just became Captain Earth. (Not to be confused with Captain Planet.)

    And the whole set-up and logic behind the move makes perfect sense. However, now I just really want to read the Elseworlds story where Superman goes in the opposite direction and decides “Screw it. These east coast elitists don’t share my values. I’m only saving Kansans from now on.”

  57. NBC’s affiliates have been mentioning it too:

    http://scoop.today.com/_news/2011/04/28/6551587-superman-renounces-us-citizenship

    So maybe we can lose the “omg FoxNews is stirring up trouble!”-angle? For what it’s worth, the Fox article actually includes a few quotes from people arguing for Superman as a more global icon, and doesn’t include a “conservative” counterpoint (not that it has to, imo).

    I swear, it’s getting to the point where half the people would stop believing “2 + 2 = 4” if it was mentioned on FoxNews article. And the other half would start believing “2 + 2 = 5” if Fox said it.

  58. Again, I point out that he hasn’t done it yet. He’s only said that he’s going to. These are different things.

  59. Avatar photo Paul Montgomery (@fuzzytypewriter) says:
  60. @josh: True. Unfortunately, it won’t stop media outlets from reporting as if it already happened. I think the actual narrative is less interesting than what the idea of Superman foresaking U.S. citizenship means, and why we care (or don’t care), and what that says about us. Personally, I really like the story idea.

  61. I love the idea, Superman has always been a superhero for the world, I mean his Fortress of Solitude has always been outside the U.S.A. He’s always flying off saving every little country that needs it, now it won’t be America’s fault if they take offense to it, and too be fair, Batman started it, I mean “Batman Inc.”, a group of international Batmen imposing his will on the world, it’s just that Supes don’t need anyone else, he can be there himself in the time it takes Bruce to drive to the corner store.

    If only we could make it so that all the writers at Marvel start using S.H.I.E.L.D. as the United Nation’s hazard intervention orgazination that it’s supposed to be instead of an American Based Superhero CIA/FBI, that’d be awesome.

  62. @josh, still the leap of logic in his intent- even if not his action- shows a bit of bad characterization on the part of Superman.

    The reason “Truth” is in tagline is because the classic Superman ideal stands for immutable propositions and convictions as opposed to mere perception.  Superman declares his intent based on the fact he’s “tired” and fears how his actions will be “construed”.  I’m sorry, but that’s not classic Superman.  The Man of Steel who fights The Never Ending Battle is not supposed to get “tired”.  The man who wears trunks outside his tights and a red cape is not supposed to care about how he’s FALSELY “construed”.

    Worse yet, the action that spurs the intent was admittedly foolish and the reaction provoked would not have changed not matter what Superman declared to be his citizenship, the exact same foolish action done by a “world citizen” would STILL have been condemned as American aggression specifically BECAUSE it was “construed”… an issue of appearances not fact- legal, techical, or otherwise.

    I’m not saying there isn’t interesting story potential or that reactionaries aren’t mixing other agendas into their condemnation of the panels, but as far as tight plotting or characterization, it’s poor and it’s stupid.  It’s like Superman getting completely rattled by an insane woman slapping him for his absence and walking the nation because of it…. oh darn.

  63. To illustrate, this is like someone saying: “I’m tired of reactionaries construing my Muslim faith as a threat of terrorist action so come next Friday, I’m going to renounce my religion.

    The renouncing of citizenship or faith could be done for hypothetical right reasons, but the reasons given here are poor writing, characterization, and logic. 

  64. In Superman, DC have a globally recognised icon, that they need to market internationally. So,I can see that DC have to tread carefully in regards Superman’s national identity.

    Yes, Superman is an American icon and will always be intrinsically linked to the USA. Infact it can be argued that
    “the core of Superman’s persona is that of the immigrant: an alien coming from another place…with the exception of the aboriginals, every American was an alien at one point or another.”
    http://netage.org/2010/03/01/superman-a-mythical-american-2/

    Superman could only have been created in America and as such,I believe, should never be permanently divorced from his surrogate home. Does that mean that Superman should always fight for “Truth, Justice and the American Way”, I’m not so sure. Although the phrase may have been used in some form or another from 1938 onward, it wasn’t until the television show in the 1950’s that the phrase became codified in the form most of us remember it: “a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.”
    http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/30/opinion/30lundegaard.html

    Of course, as a Brit, where issues of patriotism and nationalism can be uncomfortable, I’ll never truly understand an American’s link to Superman and the “American Story”. I do know, however, that as a reader of Superman comics, watcher of Superman films and wearer of Superman T-shirts, that I feel a global relevance to the character. 

  65. At least America still has Ultimate “This A doesnt stand for France” Captain America.

  66. I hope Captain Britain was invited to tomorrow’s Royal Wedding.

  67. As someone who reads comics as a form of entertainment and escapism, I have no use for writers who directly inject their political opinions into their work.  I do however like storylines that reflect the current events of the time and appreciate writers who weave said events into their fiction.

    Frankly I don’t read Superman anyway but I’m not thrilled that this has become a trend with the character.  I was less than thrilled when they pulled this crap with the Superman Returns movie – ‘truth, justice and all that stuff’ line – I thought it was dumb then and see no need for it now.

    Like it or not, Superman’s phrase including ‘and the American way’ has been a part of his character for longer than most of us have been alive.  To divorce him of it now is just pointless political correct BS.  How well would the book sell (and would it even survive) if Americans stopped buying it – could the book continue to exist if dependent strictly on the sales of the international market?

    Leave the politics out of it, just concentrate on writing good stories without looking for cheap or easy publicity.  If I had control of the news agencies, I’d just ignore the story all together.

  68. MGM is spending several barrels of money to digitally change the villians in the Red Dawn remake from China to North Korea. I wonder (out loud) if this is a bid by WB to further position Superman as an international hero to play better worldwide.

    One could argue Superman already has universal appeal, and I wouldn’t deny it. Just wondering. 

  69. This is the first time anyone outside the comics community has remembered Superman exists since he died. 

  70. as a European, i gotta say, i never considered superman to be particularly American. I know he’s the first superhero which is an american concept, in a comic which is seen as a very american genre but i guess it never felt important to me to identify him as american. i know theres the whole corn-fed uber-american clark kent part to his personality but again, its probably less forcefully american than you yanks might consider it to be. In fact, it always bothered me when superman was portrayed with an american flag behind him or a bald eagle on his arm or any of that nationalist nonsense because he just doesnt seem particularly american to me. Maybe i’m crazy but…there it is. So this, statement of intent from him seems very forced to me, there was no need for it, just as theres no need for the ‘american way’ part after he says ‘truth and justice.’ The cold war is over, those kind of phrases just sound retarded anyway. 

  71. I know this is a tricky line, but we’ve got a “no politics” still in effect. If you want to talk about your personal politics, this isn’t the place. We’re talking about comics.

    That said, I’m pretty impressed that the conversation has stayed so level headed. Thanks guys.

  72. Why is no one bringing up the obvious solution? Why doesn’t the United States just man up and back whatever decision Superman makes? He’s clearly never wrong. Supes stays American and the USA starts kicking all kinds of ass. Problem = solved.

  73. @lmiller31  Actually, Superman’s decision in the issue was the opposite of kicking ass.

  74. I honestly don’t see the big deal.  He’s not denouncing America, he just wants the freedom to do what he feels is right without worrying about someone accusing him of being a puppet.

    That being said, I have no interest in reading about Superman dealing with global issues or taking long walks to get in touch with his feelings.  I think they should just Brand New Day this shit and get back to basics and tell fun stories.  I don’t need Superman to teach me life lessons.

  75. I’m intrigued by the idea Superman is even a U.S. Citizen. Clark would be, but why would Superman who is an alias also be a citizen himself. Does he have a passport with the name Superman. Can Superman vote? then Clark would get two votes. That’s undemocratic. Could anyone adopt a superhero identity and be granted a second citizenship? More than one? How much does citizenship matter to someone who doesnt have an income, doesnt pay taxes and resides in the arctic. Maybe he is Superman Inc as Smasher said! Pre-crisis superman was granted citizenship of every country in the world by the U.N. Maybe thats what happens in this story, at the UN everyone offers him citizenship and he accepts them all.  

  76. @froggulper, rjspring and DrAwkward. Well said!

    The panel is political in nature (as was the not so subtle but appropriate dig at FOX News). Posting it and not expecting any political commentary is like chumming the water, going for a swim and being surprised that you got bit in the keister by a shark. No disrespect but c’mon. This has actually been a great thread to read so far. Some great points on both sides.

    I always thought of Superman not just being American but a personification of the “state” of America. He sort of reflects what America is like at any given moment. From the protector of the little guy in his inception to flag waving/wearing patriot during WWII and most recently, just after 9-11. Now he seems to be reflecting the self loathing naval gazing some of us are projecting as a society. Hopefully it’s just a phase (for all parties considered). IMHO, Superman is American. His Ma and Pa were/are American and he seems to think the world of them and their values, thats good enough for me.

    What’ll they think of next? Superman will grow a soul patch, start wearing a “Che” shirt, smoke clove cigarettes and change his address from the fortress of solitude to a coffee house that holds a bi-weekly poetry slam. That would make Hannity burst a blood vessel!

  77. @abstractgeek: Good points! I like you thought process.

  78. The “values” of most Americans that squawk about such things, are not the “values” that Ma & Pa taught Clark. The government doesn’t represent these either. I think that’s what Superman has a problem with.

  79. I like, possibly given I’m not an American and it’s a nice recognition that he represents everyone.

    I also find it interesting that both Batman (Bruce) and Supes are global.

  80. I’ve always thought it a tad absurd that Superman have any sort of political affiliation or citizenship…he’s supposed to be protector of Earth so it makes no logical sense. Why would the most powerful super “human” on earth even allow himself to be put in a position of being used as a political pawn or weapon. That being said, you can’t really separate Superman from America…just like baseball…its international now, but its always gonna be American. 

    What i find most disturbing is reading the comments about this story on mainstream news sites. All the hate, overreaction, bigotry and anti-Semitic statements about the generalized ethnicity of the “New York Writers” and how they hate America. blah blah blah…makes me embarrassed for my country and ashamed that those people are my “neighbors”.

  81. 81 comments is way to much interest in something David Goyer wrote… not that i read any of them

  82. I think with the current story in the Superman title and now this stupid move by DC, we are witnessing the real “Death of Superman”. It’s no wonder that comic sales are declining.

  83. I must say, often is the time I’ve seen Superman do something and thought, “If there really was a Superman, the first time he touched down on foreign soil and did something that country would say he was an American agent and declare war.” I just never thought they would touch on it in an actual Superman story, because it has the potential to be interesting.

  84. @Jimski  –totally agree. Just the idea of a “Superman” existing as an American would be viewed by the rest of the world has more threatening than the biggest nuclear arsenal. Really an American Superman would be the greatest threat to world peace and arms escalation that the world has ever seen. 

    I love the fact that they are touching on this idea. I hope they really expand it….it would be better than walking…

  85. @Jimski  Watchmen touched upon this with Dr. Manhattan. “God exists and he’s American.”

    I’m rather curious if this plot thread is going to be picked up again or if this was just a one-off story. We’ll see.

  86. Apparantly if David Goyer was writing back in WWII, instead of getting this (Superman 17) http://www.dialbforblog.com/archives/281/supes17.gif:


    We’d get a Neville Chamberlain Superman shaking hands instead…

    UGH!!!!!!

  87. @JeffR -Great point! Great line! yes i think that sentiment would be closer to realityy that how Superman’s citizenship has ever been portrayed. 

    America has a fetish for weaponizing just about everything. I think Superman would be no different. 

  88. @conor  True, but I was speaking mostly metaphorically. Superman, in general, kicks ass. If the USA supports everything he does, then it will also kick ass.

  89. On another note, does anyone else find this whole concept slightly odd just from a story-telling point of a view. I could be totally wrong here, but doesn’t the whole world know he’s an alien? I mean, I know everyone knows he lives in and is based in America now, but it’s not like they’d have any reason to assume he was born and raised in the US (unless he’s come out publicly and said that – I don’t know for sure.) But I don’t get why anyone would assume his actions necessarily speak for America’s government any more than, say, Johnny Depp’s actions speak for France. 

  90. Boy, do am I glad that I read this issue right away, instead of sitting on it . . . I liked the story, and thought that it was well done.  In the world we live in today, how could Superman step into a delicate situation like Iran without being torn apart by the pundits on one side (or both) of the political divide.  One of the reasons, I am enjoying Brubaker’s recent issues of “Captain America” is how they acknowledge that in our polarized culture Bucky could never just say “I was under mind-control” and be given a free pass.  It would become a political/social issue.  I don’t think that Superman is renouncing the values that the Kents taught him, as much making a, very public, reminder that how he acts out those values are his own private choices.  As for the Chamberlain comment above, remember that this whole mess starts when Superman lends his support to a group of people trying to stage a protest against an unfair government.  If anything it’s a call to greater action against the leaders of Iran, not less . . .

    Also, correct me, if I’m wrong, but isn’t Goyer still the screenwriter for the next Superman film, and if so, who thinks that DC just gave us a teaser of what the feel of that movie is going to be . . ?

  91. Wanted to share this gem from one of the Fox News commenters. WOW:

    “Superman is now Super trife

    A Super sellout hero living a traitors life

    The hero of my children, the hero of my wife

    Someone please remove this Judas’ knife

    What about Truth, Justice, the American Way

    Traded in for Lies and Hollywood’s leftist sway!

    Really?

    Superman without the red white and blue

    It’s like Bruce Lee without the Kung Fu

    It’s like Batman in white being called the dark night

    It’s like robbing the Hulk of his great green might

    It’s like drawing Rogue without that streak in her hair

    Or Professor X without his chair

    It’s like Wolverine… without the claws

    Or Captain America fighting for Hitler’s cause

    I hope the Cap shows up in issue 901

    Patriotically standing with a kryptonite gun

    Lays a couple of shots in the the big red S

    And scrawls a U and A across his chest….”

  92. @j206  You got a link to that? It’s terrifying.

  93. It’s in the comment section at the bottom of the page that Josh linked to.

  94. i find it funny how many people have not read the story and yet the freakout his reached epic levels.

  95. I was listening to Ground Zero the other night and the focus was on this story.  He was suggesting some sort of conspiracy with the writers and sending all these messages about dissertion and rebellion.  A fascinating program and subject to be sure, especially when he mentioned that most ideas usually come through comics first, and TV and then movies.

    His bent was that we are degenerate finge thinkers but, I think the issue is more practical.  Time. A comic production turn around is much quicker than heavily produce TV and budget laiden film.  

    In the end, he missed the mark, because Superman is written and created by regular dudes, not despots or terrorists who are writing with the intent to unravel the wholesome fabric that is the American Way.

    I’m interested to see how this plays out with the rest of the DCU and Supes mythology.  It’s a neat idea.
     

  96. Is bashing of CNN allowed or is that just reserved for Fox News?

  97. I stopped reading supes during new krypton, but i might give this a go! thanks josh!

  98. I think everyone’s kind of jumping the gun a little here.  I don’t see this as a new status quo as much as setting up an arc.  I can totally see this as a case where the road to hell is paved with good intentions, where Americans feel betrayed by Superman’s decision while the rest of the world refuses to accept him because they percieve him as a tool of American Imperialism.  That or something that will be ignored when a new creative team takes over. 

  99. that poem is the funniest thing i’ve read in a while

  100. I have to jump in and reiterate several comments here, that the story is not yet written.  Absolutely noone has any idea where this storyline might go, if it even does become a storyline and not just a quickie short story (though with the reaction its been getting, I’d be very surprised if it doesn’t get developed).

    For every basher out there that thinks DC is abandoning Superman’s core values, I’d like to remind them, that morality tales are often given their point by showing what happens when that element is taken away.

    In the past couple years, we’ve seen DC’s US government destroy most of New Krypton, and seen Checkmate go rogue in its pursuit of the various heroes.  Secret Origins also showed a lot more tension with another faceoff against the military.  Any of these would be reason enough in a storyline to show why Superman might renounce his citizenship, though in the story, he’s clearly showing that he believes he has the government’s best interest at heart, by demonstrating that the US isn’t sanctioning his actions.

    I’d say, there’s a good chance this storyline might show that in spite of his best intentions, not having that American sanction, not having “the American Way”, might backfire on him.  The writers may show that Superman has indeed lost something integral, and that by the end of the story, demonstrate, even more why its crucial to get Superman back to the American way.  

    All of this is pure speculation, of course, but its far far too early to jump on the disgrace bandwagon, when there’s just as strong of a possibility that this will wind up reinforcing the importance of “the American Way.” 

  101. @Skyfire124  It’s a really good point about how the government treated Kal. Where was the outrage then? I’d be thinking about moving too.

  102. @Josh I got the impression from Secret Origins that the writers were basically saying this Superman has never FULLY been trusted by our government and that theyve badgered him his whole career, which eventually culiminated in what happened to New Krypton.