Superman as a dad is something I do not like in the least, and frankly will never like. Superdad is just not interesting. I can tolerate it and hope the dad aspects don't pop up to much, but it's not a draw.
Golden Age Superman for me, not surprising as the Superman Dailies and Sunday strips, as well as the Flesicher cartoons are my favorite versions of Superman.
-M
Comic fans get the comics their buying habits deserve.
"Opinion is the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding." -Plato
Surprisingly I got Silver Age Superman from your quiz. I do like many aspects of Pre Crisis Superman, but I grew up on Post Crisis Superman and All Star is my favourite version of the character so I thought I would get one of those two. Given that Bronze Age Superman was one of your answers, I'm surprised I didn't get him either.
I got Silver Age Superman: Krypto, the Legion of Superheroes, The Justice League, Braniac, the Phantom Zone, Imaginary Stories, all that and monkeys in capes.
I got bronze age.
The think I like with a lot of the Supergirl stories is that Kal-El gets to play at being a dad, even if he's not really a parent. Same with Kon-El and Cir-El too.
Last edited by marhawkman; 09-10-2021 at 05:18 PM.
Depends. Silver Age Superman sort of was a parental figure to Supergirl... but a pretty terrible one at that, and then Linda got actually good parental figures first in the Danvers and then in her biological parents coming back.
Bronze Age Superman and Supergirl definitely didn't have a parent-child relationship, from what I've read of them. It was more like siblings or, well, close cousins.
Wasn't the question if you identify with Superman as a father figure? I didn't want to agree with that too much. In the 1960s, I did identify Superman with my father and also with my big brother. And since I was reading SUPERBOY, I identified him with myself. So that was one of those questions when I could only somewhat agree.
While I'm okay with Supes as a figurative father, I don't like him as a literal father--except in imaginary stories.
I've never thought of Superman as a father figure. It was just ingrained in me from my earliest days to take to heart Reeve's quote from the movie, that he's a friend. That's how I always thought of him, Earth's friend, who's always there for it.
"They can be a great people Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you. My only son." - Jor-El
Sure,there is connective intersections and commonalities between supermen because the character evolved and didn't get rebooted except for byrne and flashpoint.It still is superman.
I tend to think there are irreconcilable differences,like opinions on general outlook, political leanings,even allegories and symbolisms used by the main writers that define the era like siegel, mort weisinger, byrne and morrison.For example,byrne superman doesn't care for direct action.Morrison's superman is all about that.All writers can do is present their superman by taking influences.That also means there will be differences as well.These differences can buildup and make a difference for many..
They are connected.Not exactly isolated.Judao Christian stories have "the savior","the ideal" and "god" as the father figure that saves people from themselves.Why?Sheer love.it's called the heavenly father routine for a reason.Superman stories bluntly use it as backdrop.
"Superman wants to save us because he loves us"
In what way is silent in that statement.But writers make it clear with their writings.
"Like a father".
Superman is essentially metropolis's dad.He can be a cool dad like when Morrison writes him or he can suck..
This guy is a father figure in his story.He is a good father.
Parallel.
This has all connotations of a father's love.(clark is very much a hugger).Another thing both men are said to be "world's strongest men" powerful enough to break it.But,they constantly keep themselves in check inorder to not do so.That's a father's fear of breaking his "family".They constantly struggle with being over-assertive and not enough with children.
Donner movies have it in spades.Donner's Clark might profess to be a friend.But,he's a dad in action.
Pretty much what defines superman for me.
Last edited by manwhohaseverything; 09-10-2021 at 08:10 PM.
"People’s Dreams... Have No Ends"
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.”
~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“If I love you, I have to make you conscious of what you don’t see.”
~James Baldwin
I got the Golden Age Superman. I'd say the Golden Age and the "Bronze" Age represent Superman at his narrative peaks imo.
Rules are for lesser men, Charlie - Grand Pa Joe ~ Willy Wonka & Chocolate Factory