When did Superman become such a brooding character?

[kingaliencracker]

There's no question that over the past 15 years at least there's been a directional shift with Superman to make him a much more brooding and somber character. It seems TPTB have latched onto the "isolated alien" concept and it's pretty much been the mainstay in most incarnations of the character we've seen recently.

My question is, when did this start exactly? It didn't seem to be a drastic or immediate shift, but something that happened more gradually until it became who the character is. I think "For Tomorrow" was one of the first major storylines that pushed the brooding stuff but I also feel that Smallville may have had some impact on it too (to a lesser degree). I know even the first Superman film had some very minor portions of Superman feeling isolated but generally I believe that portrayal was very optimistic. Yet Superman Returns, which was a "loose sequel" to that film certainly portrayed a brooding Superman.

What are all your thoughts or opinions?

[manwhohaseverything]

I can tolerate the brooding.I can't tolerate the preachiness.

[Agent Z]

The only version as of recent to do this were the New 52 and Man of Steel and even then not by much. The isolated alien idea is definitely not present in rebirth or the upcoming CW show. Smallville also didn't brood that much either.

Superman might be played a bit on the serious side but that isn't the same as being brooding or unhappy all the time.

[titansupes]

Broodiness has been a part of his personality since since at least... The Bronze Age, if not earlier? But I think you're right that For Tomorrow represented a big shift into that direction. In spite of the story itself not being well liked.

[Vordan]

Hmm on some level it was always there. Think of all the Pre-Crisis stories which often ended with Superman sadly reflecting on how lonely he felt as the last of his kind. It started to ramp up with Alan Moore, For the Man Who Has Everything is a story all about Superman grappling with how much he misses (the idea of) Krypton. Then Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow? had him crying in his Fortress all alone and talking about how badly he’s botched his relationships with Lois and Lana.

But if I had to pick one story that really leaned into it? Kingdom Come. That was the big turning point, the story where Superman quits out of disgust and disillusionment with humanity, is very broody throughout the story as he struggles to figure out what he should do, wants Diana to call him “Kal” and basically turns his back on his human heritage until the end. For Tomorrow, while definitely the embodiment of the worst of surly broody Superman, is not at all held up as a great Superman story, but Kingdom Cone IS, and it did have a big impact on Superman.

Ultimately the story ends with Superman re-embracing Clark as a vital part of him, but if Watchman and DKR have taught us anything it’s that many writers are dumb and will simply try to copy the aesthetic of stories rather than try to learn from their lessons/morals.

All that said I don’t think Superman has been all that grim and somber for a while? New 52 Superman dies with his head held high. Rebirth Superdad was a little broody in the beginning (that opening with him standing at Superbro’s grave is still an amazing opening imo), but overall was nowhere near as bad as he could be during the worst of the Post Crisis era. Bendis Superman was downright joyful most of the time if emotionally turbulent at points. We’ll see how PKJ writes Supes.

[manwhohaseverything]

The only version as of recent to do this were the New 52 and Man of Steel and even then not by much. The isolated alien idea is definitely not present in rebirth or the upcoming CW show. Smallville also didn't brood that much either.

Superman might be played a bit on the serious side but that isn't the same as being brooding or unhappy all the time.

New52 superman was brooding?what?

[rpmaluki]

I don't think Clark "brooding" is necessarily a new/recent idea as other's have said already. It's all varied throughout his story with his isolation for being alien with all these powers and not having any he could relate with, on a deeper level outside his folks. He's had close relationships growing up but we've seen him keep them at arm's length which is usually written into the story until he comes out with his secret and lets other people in. Today, people see "brooding" and somehow automatically make the assumption that this means Clark is reduced to a dour, joyless zombie who thinks the world will break if he dared crack a smile and this is so inaccurate and very frustrating to see because it pigeon holes Clark into two camps of extreme, the forever joyless kind because people frown on a happy Clark and then the very opposite of that where people want him always flashing a broad smile when saving people, as if he doesn't have a care in the world. It's weird to always want him with a smile constantly plastered on his face, it's not realistic.

[Kuwagaton]

There was something that seemed to come about when I was becoming a regular reader like 2003 ish. After president Lex and OWAW, then Infinite Crisis where Superman never seemed to really recover.

As Vordan points out, For Tomorrow wasn't nearly as big a comic as Kingdom come... but I'd say it was more relevant to Superman and a greater influence on the line. The pre flashpoint stuff and much of the New 52 (where Lee came back) kinda centers on a mopey Superman in that vein. Of course Cavill himself mentioned it too, though I'm not sure how the DCEU creatives stand on the comics

[stargazer01]

I don't think Clark "brooding" is necessarily a new/recent idea as other's have said already. It's all varied throughout his story with his isolation for being alien with all these powers and not having any he could relate with, on a deeper level outside his folks. He's had close relationships growing up but we've seen him keep them at arm's length which is usually written into the story until he comes out with his secret and lets other people in. Today, people see "brooding" and somehow automatically make the assumption that this means Clark is reduced to a dour, joyless zombie who thinks the world will break if he dared crack a smile and this is so inaccurate and very frustrating to see because it pigeon holes Clark into two camps of extreme, the forever joyless kind because people frown on a happy Clark and then the very opposite of that where people want him always flashing a broad smile when saving people, as if he doesn't have a care in the world. It's weird to always want him with a smile constantly plastered on his face, it's not realistic.

I agree. I think Superman should have/show a range of emotions, but he should lean more into hope and optimism. He should experience deep emotions like anger or sadness, but his nature is more hopeful and that's why he is the greatest. He struggles like anyone, but he overcomes it because he has faith is us and he just loves life, all life. He was given such amazing powers, and he wants to use them for good. Even All Star Superman and Donner Superman had their sad moments.

The problem with BvS film is that he was too dour, too pessimistic for most of the movie. We don't watch Superman to feel constantly sorry for him, but to inspire us to be better, IMO.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I think he probably started brooding at the graves of his parents, or the first time he learns of Krypton, or maybe its the moment he built the Fortress of Solitude. It's arguable that he has always been brooding, but I wouldn't say that is how I think of him. It's baked in though! I think he has tears in his eyes in the Al Plastino Return to Krypton story?

[misslane]

I agree. I think Superman should have/show a range of emotions, but he should lean more into hope and optimism. He should experience deep emotions like anger or sadness, but his nature is more hopeful and that's why he is the greatest. He struggles like anyone, but he overcomes it because he has faith is us and he just loves life, all life. He was given such amazing powers, and he wants to use them for good. Even All Star Superman and Donner Superman had their sad moments.

The problem with BvS film is that he was too dour, too pessimistic for most of the movie. We don't watch Superman to feel constantly sorry for him, but to inspire us to be better, IMO.

Actually, BvS Superman was quite optimistic in the film. He didn't start to struggle until about halfway through when the media started to increase its coverage and the Capitol bombing happened. Prior to that, he was the one encouraging Lois, Perry, and Bruce: he told Lois not to worry about what happened in Africa; he told Perry to trust the public and the power of the press; he told Bruce that the world didn't share his cynicism about Superman. Even when faced with Martha's kidnapping, he chooses to apologize to Bruce and take a chance on him that he'll help. All of that is inspiring, in my view.

[stargazer01]

Actually, BvS Superman was quite optimistic in the film. He didn't start to struggle until about halfway through when the media started to increase its coverage and the Capitol bombing happened. Prior to that, he was the one encouraging Lois, Perry, and Bruce: he told Lois not to worry about what happened in Africa; he told Perry to trust the public and the power of the press; he told Bruce that the world didn't share his cynicism about Superman. Even when faced with Martha's kidnapping, he chooses to apologize to Bruce and take a chance on him that he'll help. All of that is inspiring, in my view.

I'm glad it worked for you. I think it sounds good on paper, but the execution of those ideas didn't convince me. That tone felt wrong for Superman, imo. It works for Batman.

[Adekis]

New52 superman was brooding?what?

Yeah, occasionally. He was quite brooding during the Perez and later Johns issues of the Superman title, there was something not totally unlike brooding under the surface of Doomed and Under the Skin, and a bit during Truth - though I'll be honest, all of those latter three seemed very situational to me, and not something the writer thought would be intrinsic to his character.

All that said, yeah, I always thought a capacity for brooding was important to Superman. The earliest comic I can really remember reading had him in the Bottle City, in the Silver Age, and Kal seemed to have a really big sense of... I guess missing out?

Missing out of being part of Krypton, of living Kal-El's life as Lara and Jor-El's son. It was the life he might have had, yet also never could have had. Plus, there was a sense of isolation on Earth to a certain extent, of being set apart from other people. I remember the last panel of the "Sandman Saga" from 1971, a caption box said something like "He stands alone in the gathering twilight, and none can know his thoughts." Very melancholy. Very brooding.

But crucially, these moments were always soon over. Not exactly blink-and-you-miss-it, but they rarely took a lot of space up in Superman's various upbeat science fiction adventure series. I think it's important for Superman to have that element to him, but I'll cop to it: having him brood so deeply and so hurt that he's fixing to quit being Superman, under pretty much any circumstances, is too much brooding, in my book. Even though there are a few stories where I think it has been done well, including BvS. I still just don't like it on aggregate.

[stargazer01]

I think he was already a bit brooding since he felt like an outcast, when he was growing up and realized he was different to the other kids. Stronger, faster, and couldn't be part of sport activities with others because he could hurt them. I guess it depends on what adaptation, but in Superman the Movie, and even more in Man of Steel, he felt that at times.