Making Amends with Superman

This Saturday is the 74th anniversary of the publication of the first issue of Action Comics and the debut of Superman, and I have something I need to get off my chest.

I have a problem with Superman.

No, it isn’t because of his convoluted mythology or laughable origin story (every superhero has one), or even his infallible, Boy Scout persona. It isn’t because of his red and blue tights or even the twirl of hair that falls arrogantly from his forehead.

It’s because he’s better than me.

I’ve been a Batman fan my entire life. My childhood days were spent arguing with my cousin over whose Batman action figure would win in a fight (mine). I may not have known it then, but Batman appealed to me as he appeals to most people; because he’s just a man. He may have money, a genius level intellect and a triathlete’s physique, but he also has rage and vengeance and limitations. He can be beaten and, as Knightfall showed us, he can be broken.

Superman, on the other hand, is not only without weakness (one incredibly rare element that seemingly only Lex Luthor can obtain doesn’t count), he is without flaw. He is without limitation and never lacks empathy or compassion. He is, literally, perfect.

None of this would matter if I could use his perfection as an excuse to label him “unrelatable” as most have, but there is something I find very relatable in Kal-El.

When you boil Superman’s character down to its essence, he is just someone trying to do as much good as he can with the power he has. His power just happens to be god-like.

I might not have supervision or invulnerability or the power of flight, but I do have the power to help someone who is hungry, or cold, or lonely. I may not always exercise this power, and I know that if Clark Kent were in my shoes he would do so without hesitation, but I’m getting there.

I remember standing in line at a local book store and asking a friend why Superman was his favorite superhero. His response was simple.

“Because he’s good,” he said.

At the time, I laughed him off and went on to argue why Batman was the superior character, but now I understand what he meant.

I still have a problem with Superman but, someday soon, I think we’ll make amends.