How is Superman viewed in the real world outside of America?

[LordUltimus]

DC has been pushing Superman as being more than an American hero for a while now, and I can't help but wonder - is he seen as a global icon outside of the U.S.? Or is he seen as another American superhero? I genuinely want to know.

[Quinlan58]

He's seen the same as any other superhero. Yeah, he's American, he's obviously American, but so what? The "American superhuman propaganda" stigma if anything falls harder on action heroes fighting in non-American lands against evil foreigners, be they 80's-style action heroes or more "realistic" soldier characters.

[Doctor Know]

Haven't you heard? Superman's new slogan is "Truth, Justice, and A Better Way". The American Way isn't reflective and inclusive enough anymore.

https://variety.com/2021/film/news/s...me-1235090712/


This news dropped at Fandome. On my Birthday no less.

[bat39]

He's an American character the same way that James Bond is a British one. Doesn't stop either of them from being icons of global pop-culture.

Granted, nothing about Superman, on the surface, screams ''AMERICA'', unlike, say, Captain America. But I don't see what is to be gained by diminishing the fact that Superman is an American character, created by Americans, owned by an American corporation, and in-universe was raised in America, lives and works in America, and is married to an American.

Getting rid of ''the American Way'' doesn't make a difference to global audiences, who appreciate and accept the fact that Superman is an American character. Honestly, the move is targeted towards the 'woke' audiences in America who have a negative perception of their country as part of their socio-cultural and political leanings.

[SiegePerilous02]

Isn't he one of the most recognized global icons, right after Mickey Mouse? I think he's viewed as an icon and one that is American, but not any different than other superheroes or icons that aren't inherently nationalistic beyond their point of origin.

As for the slogan, I'm fine with changing it. Of all the parts of the character that have been altered or outright dropped over the years, there are far more important ones. He should never be changed from an American character living in a fictional US. His immigrant experience works better if he lives here. But what he stands for us more broadly encompassing of all humanity and not just the states.

[titansupes]

Aussie here-- As everyone else has said, he's seen in exactly the same way as every other superhero, albeit he's obviously the most famous/iconic of them along with Bats and Spidey.

"The American Way" rarely comes up (doubt most people even know about it) but on the rare occasion it does, it's usually met with a casual... I don't know the word, but that little laugh when you blow air out of your nose. Just because overt 'MURICA! style stuff is generally viewed as silly to non-Americans.

[SuperX]

He is a American icon, and a global hero.

"should be" OK to be proud of where you live, no matter where thst is.

[Prime]

Superman should be a global hero. If Brainiacgoed to Japan or Russia is he just suppose to let him?

[SuperX]

Superman should be a global hero. If Brainiacgoed to Japan or Russia is he just suppose to let him?

He is a global hero, every single one of us know thst, nobody is under the assumption he is just a hero in America, but he is a American icon, and that's OK

[exile001]

When I associate Superman with America, outside of "Metropolis is basically New York", it's a very loose ideal of what America could and should be. He's got wonderful farmer parents who are good, loving, giving open-minded souls and in Metropolis he's surrounded by the best a big city has to offer who are all still socially conscious reporters. He's everything good about the classic "American Dream" ideal (with all the reality stripped away).

[Menacer]

I'm Canadian. Live in Victoria the captial of British Columbia on Vancouver Island (couple hour ferry ride from Seattle)

I can't speak for all Canadians but I grew up in small city in Manitoba, just above North Dakota.

Growing up in late 80s and the 90s my favorite tv station we got on our bunny ears was channel 12, Fox! (we only got 5 channels and one was CBC french, cause of Quebec.)

Canada is easily one of America's closest allies and when America does well, Canada does well. Our economy is dramatically effected by the United States.

CANADA has 38 million citizens (less people live in canada then California =0)and we have an enormous amount of land, granted much is frozen and semi uninhabitable... but we are mineral and resource rich. We have more fresh water then any other country in the world.

When America does well economically, politically and internationally Canada celebrates with America.

Canada historically has always been a liberal leaning nation. Socially but just in terms of the political party that has most held office.

Liberal (the most popular party in canada, generally, historically the party that rules canada)
Conservative (tough on crime, christian focused, socally conservative, was against gay marriage etc)
NDP (largely socialist and responsible for free health care and a union focused party. The workers party)
GREEN (environmentally conscious and the first party to support legalized weed. Liberals finally legalized it few years back)
BOC Quebec (only 1 province can vote for them)
Peoples Party (communist)

But ultimately Liberal, NDP and Green tend to work well with each other. Particularly in minority governments which happen fairly often and I think is the best kind of government)

Okay so basically Canadians, as with much of the world loves Americans entertainment. Many of our best entertainers, musicans, actors become very successful in America.

Hollywood the big mecca for making films right?

Well many many of the giant movies get shot most in British Columbia in and around Vancouver or in Toronto Ontario, heck even Quebec and Winnipeg Manitoba are the backdrops to many America films...

So Canadians tend to divorce Politics or America from the entertainment. In addition Hollywood is very very liberal. And unlike American there is hardly any contest between conservatives and liberals.

In fact the only reason a Conservative government is formed in Canada is when

LIBERAL
NDP
AND GREEB

Split the vote.

This creates either a minority government led by Liberals or Conservatives or it means the split is so strong Conservatives take power....

So long story short about 70% of Canadian's are left leaning (liberal, ndp,green).

Hollywood is Liberal.

So Canadians generally support the image Hollywood presents of America.

So guys like Superman and Batman are fighting for Hollywood America.

The idea.

So we love it!

But if you are talking about the literal state of real world America the bag is way more mixed and there is a lot of bitterness about how political split America is between Republicans (conservatives) and Democrats (liberals)

Id say the shift in how Canadians view USA started with the big lies around weapons of mass destruction and the Iraq war and the war in Afghanistan...

But the earliest signs of resentment may go back to the 70s and the USA 's misguided prohibition on drugs. THE WAR ON DRUGS.

Obviously canada made a hugely difficult decision in ending part of that war by legalizing weed in canada. Which some saw as political Suicide.

Many hate Trudeau but he was brave enough to end that part of the war on drugs.


But yah long story short.

Canadians as does much of the world love the idea of America, particularly the Hollywood version.

So heroes like Superman defend that beautiful dream, the American dream, prosperity and security.

All your heroes are safe as they will always be dramatically separate from what many view as the worst qualities of USA.

Ive heard many canadian and international friends disparage America. But we all love hollywood America.

Best of luck!

[Jim Kelly]

It's annoyed me my whole life that people from the United States call themselves "American" and call their country "America." So this whole question gets my hackles up.

In Canada, Superman is our hero. He is a Canadian creation. Of course, Canada is part of the Americas and therefore we are American, so even if Canada claims Superman as their own, that's still not "outside of America."

The Monroe Doctrine says all of us in the Americas are part of America--so if you want to know what people outside of that think, then no one from within this continental mass has anything to say about it.

[Quinlan58]

It's annoyed me my whole life that people from the United States call themselves "American" and call their country "America." So this whole question gets my hackles up.

In Canada, Superman is our hero. He is a Canadian creation. Of course, Canada is part of the Americas and therefore we are American, so even if Canada claims Superman as their own, that's still not "outside of America."

The Monroe Doctrine says all of us in the Americas are part of America--so if you want to know what people outside of that think, then no one from within this continental mass has anything to say about it.

I didn't know Canadians thought like that too. Though admittedly it makes a bit of sense as far as naming convention. Mexico isn't Mexico, after all. It's the United Mexican States, but the nationality is "Mexican". The USA is just following a similar convention... even if people in Latin America refuse to call them that way, lol.

[Menacer]

I didn't know Canadians thought like that too. Though admittedly it makes a bit of sense as far as naming convention. Mexico isn't Mexico, after all. It's the United Mexican States, but the nationality is "Mexican". The USA is just following a similar convention... even if people in Latin America refuse to call them that way, lol.

Canadians do not think like this. No one other then this guy has ever said that.

The continent of North America or South America has nothing to do with the country of the United States or Canada in the sense he's trying to make...


A Brazilian would say they are from Brazil and are Brazilian. Yes they are in south America...

A canadian says they are Canadian. Not American. Though we may say we are a north american .

A US citizen would say they are American.

Ive never heard a Canadian in vacation tell a local. Oh Im an American. Cause that local would assume they are a US citizen then.

We may all be north americans or south Americans or "Americans" in designation of continent.

In the same way someone may say they are European.

But eventually its made clear that we are Canadian.

No one in Canada is chapped cause USA is America

Also Wolverine has more Canadian heritage in his character but is created solely by Americans.

Superman had a canadian creator and we can be proud of that but the character has always been steeped in American hertiage.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, to give another example, the UK's full name is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The nationality is British. If you're in Northern Ireland, your nationality is still British - even though NI is in the UK but not Great Britain. If you say you're Irish, you'd be assumed to be from the Republic of Ireland.