Superman Vs Republicans!

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/apr/2

9/superman-threatens-renounce-us-citizenship?cat=books&type=article

In a recent issue of Action Comics Superman intervined in a protest against the Iranian government which caused Iran to call Superman an agent of the US government and call his actions an act of war. Superman responded to this by saying "I'm tired of having my actions construed as instruments of US policy," and threatening to renounce his US citizenship.

As expected, the right wing blogosphere doesn't much care for this. Frankly, I think that them thinking that this will get them anywhere politically is pretty damn silly as I don't recall the actions of comic book characters every having much sway with the voting public. Though it does show that most of the people outside of comics complaining about this don't know that "and the American way" part of Superman's tagline got drop something like 20 years ago.

Honestly, it's just more of the modern media trying to make political hay out of something it doesn't really understand. But I do like Superman a lot so this really bugs me more than it normally would.

Comments

Don't forget Batman vs. Jesus:

[op-tech-glitch.livejournal.com]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.comicsalliance.com/media/2011/04/jesus-vs-batman.jpg

(Thassome real nice trollin' there, Lou.)

[qnetter]

Um, actually, the "and the American Way" part wasn't originally part of the tagline -- it was added during WWII on the radio show, dropped after the war, and added back for the TV show. It's never been a part of the comics, except as a meta-comment. So there's really nothing for it to be "dropped something like 20 years ago" from.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

And Superman's flying ability wasn't originally there either. Lots of things got added to the character and taken away.

But Superman has always been an American icon.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Personally I think it's an exciting development in the Superman/Justice League storyline, but the other day, when it was announced, a lj friend of mine and his friends (all leaning similarly politically) were kinda half seriously upset about it.

[st-rev.livejournal.com]

Hey! What I said was: Superman renouncing his American citizenship is like Doctor Who renouncing his British citizenship.

Nobody got the joke :(

[jerseycajun.livejournal.com]

The reality of this is, there isn't anything of political import from this. In that sense, it's a distraction.

However, I do grok how people are responding to this negatively. Things which, for whatever reason, have become traditionally associated with the positive aspects of America (and like the adaptation of G.I. Joe previously), suddenly being re-adapted to distance themselves from it, when repeated often enough, begins to send another message: "Americans, be ashamed." While that's not how fans in other countries will see it, it's almost unavoidable when seen from this side.

And while the tagline was dropped a long time ago, this brings striking attention to it by having the character make affirmative steps away from it rather than passively dropping it from the lexicon. It was woven into the culture (like mom and apple pie) long ago, so it's got staying power in spite of the absence of those words.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Captain America has been saying he follows his own heart and not US policy since the days of 'Nam. So I really don't see this as anything different.

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

> Things which [...] have become traditionally associated with the positive
> aspects of America [...] suddenly being re-adapted to distance themselves
> from it, when repeated often enough, begins to send another message:
> "Americans, be ashamed."

Shame is useful and necessary. Shame is the expression of conscience. To systematically attack (so as to remove) any media conjunction of "America" and "Shame" is to send another significant message:

"Americans have no need of a conscience."

[htpcl.livejournal.com]

Really? People get worked up about a comic character? Really....

[jerseycajun.livejournal.com]

This is the internet. People get into fits over less on a regular basis.

Who has time to argue over policy when the new Captain America has his bandoleer sewn into his uniform, which we all know makes it completely impracticable.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

You should see the Godzilla fandom sometime.......

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

My feeling is that this isn't so dismissable.

The comic book universe is one corner of our shared mythology. Our shared mythology is becoming more nuanced and introspective. To some that is a good thing, to some a bad.

[debergerac.livejournal.com]

you should see how upset people get over my comic, masked muhammed versus superjesus and his gay sidekick buddhaboy.

[badlydrawnjeff.livejournal.com]

The problem is that the initial leak only had the OMG SUPARMMN STOPS BEING AMERICANS. The reality, as I understand it, is that there's a storyline in play regarding Superman standing with the Iranian protesters, the Iranian government claiming that it's a US plot, and Superman renouncing his citizenship as a show of support for the Iranian people rather than a dismissal of the US itself.

Jumping to conclusions rarely ends well, but irresponsible leaking isn't great either.

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

It's still a poorly contrived storyline either way.

Superman would still be considered American by the Iranians. And Superman could easily topple the Iranian gov't if he truly gave a damn about the protesters.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Isn't Superman technically an illegal immigrant?

[mrbogey.livejournal.com]

Not under the Byrne origin. He'd be a natural born American citizen as his birthing matrix opened after he arrived on US soil. Which under current reading of the law means he's a US citizen.

And under ret-con, if the Kent's filled out the legal paperwork to adopt him, then he'd be a naturalized citizen.

[404.livejournal.com]

Superman is still relevant?

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Yep. Superman is a metaphore so he's timeless.

[paedraggaidin.livejournal.com]

So...conservative bloggers are getting het up about happenings in a fictional medium that already features twin incest (http://forums.comicbookresources.com/archive/index.php/t-39139.html), the repeated deaths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Superman) and ever more contextually implausible resurrections (http://www.cracked.com/article_18835_5-absurd-ways-comic-books-have-resurrected-dead-superheroes.html) of main characters and bizarre crap I don't even have the words for? (http://www.oddee.com/_media/imgs/articles2/a96960_a595_3-star-trek-xmen.jpg) If anything, this might be even dumber than the Harry Potter = Satanism fiasco.

(I realize I will lose whatever nerd cred I had left by declaring I am not a comic book fan.)

That said, I am fervently praying that this (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1168213/Barack-Barbarian-takes-scantily-clad-nemesis-Sarah-Palin-new-comic-superhero-role.html) is made into a movie someday.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Well, when you consider that they're coming up with the Spider-Man guide to happy marriages after Brand New Day...... ;P

[chron-job.livejournal.com]

The story sounds to me like a great metaphor for a political individual's awakening consciousness, where they begin to separate the religio-myth of their particular nation and see it in a context of a world of nations.

Conservative ire is unsurprising, since they think the job of media is to maintain and reinforce a particlar religiou-myth, not lead people to question it.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Which is why so much conservative fiction is rank pap that's suited for File 13 and full of La Resistance against The ManTM, right? As opposed to liberal fiction that's rank pap about La Resistance against The ChurchTM.

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

Hey, if they can have a Muslim Batman (http://www.comicsalliance.com/2010/12/28/racists-batman-muslim-paris/) now there is no need for Superman to be American.

[mybodymycoffin.livejournal.com]

I'm sure these people even read comics.

No one tell them about Red Son.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

For that matter, nobody tell these gents about that old story from way back when when one of Kal-El's ancestors aborted the American Revolution and trapped the world in an 18th Century steampunk timewarp (which is stupid as Hell but alas).

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

I found this really nice comment on the whole thing. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/action-comics-900-random-thoughts-110429.html

After 73 years and 900 issues of Action Comics, people will still pay attention to what Superman says and does. That, in itself, is pretty impressive. Granted, part of the uproar that’s festered here is clearly politically motivated and amplified by people that don’t actually read comics or even understand storytelling. DC should be able to take risks, stretch boundaries, and ask hard questions. Marvel should be able to do that. Comics, TV, film, and literature can do that. Fiction can do that. Superman isn’t America; he’s a symbol for a particular idea of American values. And if we as Americans question our identity and values, then it’s only fair that Superman gets to question as well. The narration used to say that Superman was about truth, justice, and the American way. I would like to think that the American way is about saving lives, ending war, promoting freedom, helping those that can’t help themselves, and doing what one can to make a better world. It doesn’t matter where he lives or what his legal status is or what he even calls himself. If Superman subscribes to those ideals and those ideals ARE the true American way, then his heart, his mind, and his loyalty, should never be called into doubt.

[sealwhiskers.livejournal.com]

Pretty much.