David Corenswet & the importance of a Jewish Superman

[Shadowcat]

Here’s an article I wrote for the Comic-Watch website on why I think it’s importance to the fans, and a very important and respectful tribute to its creators.

https://comic-watch.com/news/david-c...ewish-superman

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

good read! especially about the timing of this casting as America is facing an uprising of bigotry in the all too familiar guise of "christian nationalist" that's against everything characters like Superman stand for. IMG_1099.jpg

[Kuwagaton]

While it's something I found very cool, I absolutely didn't wanna say anything as if it was relevant to casting.

I just like the idea of honoring the founding fathers of comics and newspaper strips with a lead who shares those roots.

[JBatmanFan05]

I just like the idea of honoring the founding fathers of comics and newspaper strips with a lead who shares those roots.

Yeah. Don't know if it had anything to do with this casting, but it's nice a first casting of a Jewish actor has happened. Kane and Finger were Jewish as well, and google tells me we've seen a Jewish actor(s) play Bruce/Batman. Sometimes it feels unmentioned or downplayed that Batman is as Jewish in origin as Superman. It's kinda interesting that Jewish creators of Batman and Superman created characters that, while perhaps had some Hebraic elements/inspiration, were pretty waspy as well.

[Shadowcat]

Thank you everyone. I had to cut a bit, as my first draft had almost 1200 words. Some stuff I wish woulda been kept, like his name L-El, comes from the Hebrew meaning of god

[Filbert]

With all due respect, I don't think any actor's background is relevent to a role. They're just playing a character hundreds of people have had a hand in. And there is absolutely nothing Jewish about Superman. Nothing for a mainstream audience in 1938 would be, even if S and S had a strong Jewish identity. And the The L/El name comes from sci fi naming conventions.

[Silvermoth]

I’m excited for a Jewish superman. I think it really adds layers to him when you consider the chosen people angle and more

[Ascended]

Good article. For all the talk about 'space jesus' the truth is Clark's always been more of a 'space Moses" and the Jewish parallels are deep baked into the character's DNA, even if we don't usually pay much attention to that.

Nice to have an actor who can tap into those layers with real, lived experience. I'm not one for casting people who share traits with the characters; I don't need an orphan playing Batman and I don't need a Spider-Man actor to have grown up in Queens; it's acting, just get the best talent you can and pretend! But it's always cool when an actor's real life experience can apply directly to a role, I think it adds a bit of nuance you won't get otherwise. Not 'necessary' but always appreciated. And while Clark's never been Jewish in the comics there's still a lot of similarities that, hopefully, Corenswet will be able to tap into.

Looking forward to what Gunn and Corenswet do. And if it also happens to piss off the right people then even better!

[Filbert]

Looking forward to what Gunn and Corenswet do. And if it also happens to piss off the right people then even better!

James Gunn is behind the unforgivable live-action Scooby-Doo movie, so I'm not optimistic.
I hope I'm not "the right people to piss off." I'm Jewish, I love seeing Jews doing well (Go, David! Somebody, please tell him I love and support him). I don't like people making a big deal out of meaningless things, like background an actor brings to a role, or creating nonexistent Jewish context.
Okay, *breath* let's try this again. Don't want to lose my temper or offend anybody. Yes, Superman is Jewish and that's part of why I love him, but there's none of that in the early stories. (The most Jewish thing about them is how not Jewish they are. Again, mainstream audience means mainstream stories.) There's some subtext, I think in the Silver Age, with the whole deal about Kryptonian tradition, and Kandor-as-Israel to Superman-as-American-Jewry. And one of the things I hate about the Byrne reboot is how disgusting Clark acts about his heritage (even if Byrne made it something he thought any red-blooded American would hate). I think the messianism that starting creeping into the comics in the 70s and especially after the movie just makes me so mad that I want to absolve my religion for anything to do with this nonsense.

[Kuwagaton]

I love any notion to honor the creators and their heritage but the beauty is that as a fictional immigrant, Superman doesn't have to stand for one group. Instead representing us all. Byrne was an immigrant and I'm a first generation living amongst a massive Cuban population... a common thread is that we are all proud Americans, very proud of representing. Gunn has his liberty over the context, but the original Superman created by Siegel and Shuster thought nothing of Krypton himself. So I think the whole thing of Superman having disdain is both exaggerated and debunked, both in the ongoing narrative where he only starts learning as an adult and in relation to the perspective of many real people.

[Ascended]

I hope I'm not "the right people to piss off."

Probably not. Not unless you get your news solely from Fox and believe space lasers stole the election while city water is making you gay.

[JBatmanFan05]

James Gunn is behind the unforgivable live-action Scooby-Doo movie, so I'm not optimistic.
I hope I'm not "the right people to piss off." I'm Jewish, I love seeing Jews doing well (Go, David! Somebody, please tell him I love and support him). I don't like people making a big deal out of meaningless things, like background an actor brings to a role, or creating nonexistent Jewish context.
Okay, *breath* let's try this again. Don't want to lose my temper or offend anybody. Yes, Superman is Jewish and that's part of why I love him, but there's none of that in the early stories. (The most Jewish thing about them is how not Jewish they are. Again, mainstream audience means mainstream stories.)

I agree with these parts, and I don't think anyone yet has done anything that rings false with the Jewishness-but-also-strikingly-nonJewishness of "mainstream" Superman. And I suspect David was primarily chosen for reasons other than him being Jewish or how his "background" can bring so many things to the role. I more just think Siegel and Shuster might have been a tad proud a Jewish actor got the role at least once.

[DABellWrites]

James Gunn is behind the unforgivable live-action Scooby-Doo movie, so I'm not optimistic.
I hope I'm not "the right people to piss off." I'm Jewish, I love seeing Jews doing well (Go, David! Somebody, please tell him I love and support him). I don't like people making a big deal out of meaningless things, like background an actor brings to a role, or creating nonexistent Jewish context.
Okay, *breath* let's try this again. Don't want to lose my temper or offend anybody. Yes, Superman is Jewish and that's part of why I love him, but there's none of that in the early stories. (The most Jewish thing about them is how not Jewish they are. Again, mainstream audience means mainstream stories.) There's some subtext, I think in the Silver Age, with the whole deal about Kryptonian tradition, and Kandor-as-Israel to Superman-as-American-Jewry. And one of the things I hate about the Byrne reboot is how disgusting Clark acts about his heritage (even if Byrne made it something he thought any red-blooded American would hate). I think the messianism that starting creeping into the comics in the 70s and especially after the movie just makes me so mad that I want to absolve my religion for anything to do with this nonsense.

Unforgivable? I love that movie! And I loved Scooby Doo when I was younger. What's New Scooby Doo! is my SD, plus the 1969 series.

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One of the most interesting about Superman, is that. aside from Ark and Strength of Ten Samsons, there's nothing remotely Jewish about the character. Still, great way to honor S&S.

[Filbert]

Unforgivable? I love that movie! And I loved Scooby Doo when I was younger. What's New Scooby Doo!.

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One of the most interesting about Superman, is that. aside from Ark and Strength of Ten Samsons, there's nothing remotely Jewish about the character. Still, great way to honor S&S.

I refer to his desecration of Scrappy Doo.

[Ascended]

I suspect David was primarily chosen for reasons other than him being Jewish or how his "background" can bring so many things to the role.

I'd hope that he wasn't cast 'just' because he's Jewish! But it's a nice bit of extra that, hopefully, will given Corenswet a slightly different perspective on the character and allow him to tap into certain aspects of Clark's life in a more honest performance. Just a little detail that, maybe, will help Corenswet be that little bit more authentic.

Not a big deal in the grand scheme but it's a nice detail. And I agree, it's a cool nod to the creators. Plus, it's nice that it's happened now when anti-Jewish sentiment is on the rise.