Origins and Creation
In June 1938, artists Joseph “Joe” Shuster and Jerome “Jerry” Siegel introduced Superman in the first issue of Action Comics. This character not only became immensely popular but also paved the way for a new genre: superhero adventures, which continues to thrive today.
At just 24 years old, with nearly self-taught backgrounds, Shuster and Siegel marked the beginning of a myth that resonates to this day. Both Jewish-Lithuanian Americans, they were second-generation immigrants living in Cleveland’s Jewish neighborhood of Glenville. They came from humble beginnings, much like other influential comic creators of the 1950s and 60s, known as the “Golden Age” – such as Jack Kirby or Will Eisner, who also fled European antisemitism.
Read more: From ‘Superman’ to ‘Maus’, Jewish creators are essential to comic history
Shuster and Siegel did not create Superman out of thin air; instead, they absorbed various elements from the popular culture of their time, primarily through pulp magazines. They drew inspiration from characters like Doc Savage (Henry Rawlins and John Nanovic, 1933), who sought to eliminate “injustice and punish the wicked,” as well as The Phantom (Lee Falk and Ray Moore, 1936), whose strong moral compass and secret identity resonated with them.
Superman’s Unique Selling Point
The distinguishing feature of Superman – the key to his success – was introducing superpowers, directly connecting him to semi-divine myths. He could fly and possessed immense strength, durability, and abilities like projecting optical beams or breathing icy blasts.
James Gunn Takes the Helm
The latest cinematic adaptation of Superman’s story, directed by James Gunn, is now released. Following his successful Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Gunn has been hired by DC Comics to order the cinematic universe of the DC Universe – home to Superman, Batman, and others – to compete with rival Marvel Studios.
Gunn chose not to delve into Superman’s origins, which have been extensively covered on the big screen. Audiences are familiar with his story: Superman (originally named Kal-El) is the sole survivor of Krypton’s destruction caused by his exploding sun. He escapes as an infant in a small capsule, found by the Kents, a humble Kansas farm couple who raise him instilling the paramount value of doing good.
A Tumultuous Decade
By the late 1930s, when the comic was published, American society aimed to forget the brutal recession caused by the 1929 stock market crash. The New Deal measures proposed by President Roosevelt helped curb the crisis, emphasizing the importance of rewarding hard work and heroism from the working class – a stratum to which Superman’s adoptive parents belonged.
Simultaneously, society faced an uncertain future as Europe’s pre-war scenario became increasingly apparent with the Nazis’ rise to power in 1933. Interestingly, during World War II, Superman battled characters inspired by Nazi Germany, though he never directly confronted Hitler – unlike Captain America.
The Hero and Their Weakness
What does the hero, using the masculine form deliberately, signify as a narrative subject?
The term “hērōs” originates from ancient Greek, referring to semi-divine beings – offspring of gods and mortals. These entities generally occupied a middle ground between human and divine realms. Consequently, human qualities like valor, sacrifice, and empathy were attributed to mortals, while superior morality and supernatural abilities stemmed from celestial origins. The fusion of both created the ideal to emulate.
Heroes from all cultures’ mythologies, from Gilgamesh to Hercules, embody the prototype of beauty, goodness, and truth.
However, Superman – like Achilles – also had a weakness: kryptonite, a substance from his home planet that could neutralize his superpowers and render him as mortal as anyone else.
Who We Are and Who We Aspire to Be
The Real Academia Española defines a “superman” as “a man of overhuman capabilities and qualities.”
Superman’s triumph as a modern myth, however, lies in the character’s dual nature. We have the timid, clumsy, and somewhat foolish Clark Kent, allowing anyone – assuming they’re Caucasian and Western – to identify with him. Yet, there’s also the possibility that this seemingly fragile facade conceals another self capable of facing any challenge. Someone who, like Friedrich Nietzsche’s Übermensch (superman), has attained a supreme state.
Perhaps not everyone can be Superman, but we can be Clark Kent.
After numerous film adaptations in recent years, perhaps it’s worth noting that Gunn’s version recovers the more humanist, even classical, and benevolent essence of this character. These ideals may be necessary to survive in today’s America, with its nearly dystopian atmosphere. As they say, reality often surpasses fiction.
