Originally Posted by
Ascended
People are always interested in what Superman truly is.
The issue is that a lot of people don't know what that really means.
People see Clark as retro and old fashioned. Someone who helped build the status quo, or is at least complicit in it. A father figure in a world where "Okay Boomer" is a warcry in the battle between generations. Somehow the average person has come to see Superman not as the Man of Tomorrow, but as the Man of Yesteryear. Practically everything a casual person might say about Superman is likely to be the exact opposite of the truth....but because this is Superman, global icon (DC screwing him up for thirty+ years hasn't helped), they're so set in their opinion you'll be hard pressed to change their mind. Just look at Morrison's Action #1; maybe the most perfect distillation of the Superman archetype in modern comics and how many people said it was everything Superman *isn't?* They love the exact same archetype and story when it doesn't have an "S" on it, but they think Superman is something different, something that spent all its value....even though the reality is that Clark is as relevant today as he ever was.
And this is gonna piss some of y'all off but I think there's a degree of....socio-moral decay....involved too (but that word is far stronger than what I mean, it's not quite right so don't take it too literally...). Some heroes, they're defined by their bad days. They lose a parent or uncle or puppy and they never get over it. They tell us, in their broody, high school ideal of cool way, that it's okay to let the bad days rule you and your worldview. But Superman asks for a little more. He's defined by his best days. He looks for the best in people. I think that invites the idea that, if you're a fan, then shouldn't you try to live above your bad days too? And being your best self like that? That's hard. Requires work.
And this is just superheroes and entertainment so it's not like this is a big direct influence on anyone; we're not talking religion or philosophy here so don't feel like I'm saying otherwise, but I think it's there and I think people resent, a little bit, elements that maybe make the bare minimum effort look like, well, bare minimum effort.
But mostly it's just that the world thinks Superman is retro and old fashioned.
I agree.
Discounting a few eras like the 50's and 80's, yes. His actual politics are hard to nail down, and they shift with writers and eras, but in a real broadstroke way he's a left leaning centrist. Or something thereabouts, anyway.
As for what is so fascistic about it....here's a quote from the first issue of New52 Action: "You know the deal Metropolis, treat people right or expect a visit from me!" Yes, we know that Clark is a good guy who just wants to do his part to make the world a better place, no different than any of us. We know he's not going to hurt an innocent person. But take that basic understanding out of it, and this is a dude who doesn't believe in moral relativity, who has no legal authority given to him by the people but is forcing his views and beliefs on everyone around him anyway.