Personal Superman Head Canon

[achilles]

Now I want a villain named "Head Cannon" who just has a cannon for a head!

That would be rather sweet.

[Stanlos]

What do you think of him not knowing anything of Krypton? Does that diminish him in some degree? How would he be different in the emergency get the baby off the exploding planet scenario vs the Donner style hologram crystal znd crystal forteess bits letting him "see " a lot of dead Krypton?

[bat39]

What do you think of him not knowing anything of Krypton? Does that diminish him in some degree? How would he be different in the emergency get the baby off the exploding planet scenario vs the Donner style hologram crystal znd crystal forteess bits letting him "see " a lot of dead Krypton?

That literally was the case for the first 10-11 years of publication, until Superman # 61 in 1949, when he discovers his origins after an encounter with kryptonite.

In discussions about whether 'Clark' or 'Kal-El' or 'Superman' is the 'true' identity (which tend to get quite heated around here ) I often bring up the fact that when Clark learns the truth has an impact on how he sees himself. In the Silver Age, for instance, he apparently always remembers Krypton due to 'super-memory' and as such self-identifies as Kal-El right from childhood. Byrne's MOS however has him discover the truth about Krypton at the age of 28, after years of operating as Superman, which lays the basis for Clark being the real persona in the Post-Crisis era.

By the same token, I argue that the Golden Age Superman would have self-identified as Clark Kent because he was completely unaware of his alien heritage till well into his career as Superman.

[superduperman]

What do you think of him not knowing anything of Krypton? Does that diminish him in some degree? How would he be different in the emergency get the baby off the exploding planet scenario vs the Donner style hologram crystal znd crystal forteess bits letting him "see " a lot of dead Krypton?

That's basically the golden age Superman. In some incarnations, like the 50's TV show, the rocket itself even burns up so there's no evidence he was even from another planet. The Superman Encyclopedia implies his parents didn't even tell him about the rocket that brought him to Earth. I prefer him having at least some knowledge of where he came from so he knows why he's different. Super memory always seemed weird to me because your essentially relying on the memories of an infant. Even under the best of circumstances you're not going to come away with a lot of information.

[TaliaJoy]

What do you think of him not knowing anything of Krypton? Does that diminish him in some degree?

I think it's cool and doesn't diminish him at all. As others have said, this was the case in the Golden Age. I think a really cool take is for him to not know about Krypton until he's an adult who's publicly become Superman, such as is seen in Lois & Clark and Superman Smashes the Klan. I remember watching the Lois & Clark episode that dealt with that and thinking to myself, "So, this is a story about a reporter investigating the origins of an alien...only the alien is the reporter. What an awesome premise! Why doesn't more Superman media use this?!"

By the same token, I argue that the Golden Age Superman would have self-identified as Clark Kent because he was completely unaware of his alien heritage till well into his career as Superman.

I don't doubt that he considers Clark Kent his name rather than Superman, but it's also clear that he expresses more of his personality in his Superman identity than his Clark one. Those are two separate things, which you probably already know. It's why I find it goofy when they actually have Batman treat Batman as his real name or what he calls himself internally...but I guess it does reinforce that he's a weirdo obsessed with him mission.

That's basically the golden age Superman. In some incarnations, like the 50's TV show, the rocket itself even burns up so there's no evidence he was even from another planet. The Superman Encyclopedia implies his parents didn't even tell him about the rocket that brought him to Earth.

I'm not sure what Superman Encyclopedia you're talking about (and I'm not sure I'm parsing exactly what you're saying), but in the 50s show, his mom did tell him his origins, but because they just say in narration that she did so, we don't know exactly what she said. However, considering all she knew about his origins is that he arrived in a rocket, I imagine that's what she said.

[superduperman]

I think it's cool and doesn't diminish him at all. As others have said, this was the case in the Golden Age. I think a really cool take is for him to not know about Krypton until he's an adult who's publicly become Superman, such as is seen in Lois & Clark and Superman Smashes the Klan. I remember watching the Lois & Clark episode that dealt with that and thinking to myself, "So, this is a story about a reporter investigating the origins of an alien...only the alien is the reporter. What an awesome premise! Why doesn't more Superman media use this?!"



I don't doubt that he considers Clark Kent his name rather than Superman, but it's also clear that he expresses more of his personality in his Superman identity than his Clark one. Those are two separate things, which you probably already know. It's why I find it goofy when they actually have Batman treat Batman as his real name or what he calls himself internally...but I guess it does reinforce that he's a weirdo obsessed with him mission.



I'm not sure what Superman Encyclopedia you're talking about (and I'm not sure I'm parsing exactly what you're saying), but in the 50s show, his mom did tell him his origins, but because they just say in narration that she did so, we don't know exactly what she said. However, considering all she knew about his origins is that he arrived in a rocket, I imagine that's what she said.

In the Superman Encyclopedia circa 2010, at least that's the version I have, it's implied that the Earth 2 Superman's parents never told him he came in a rocket. Yes, in the fifties show, his mother told him they found him in a rocket.

[TaliaJoy]

In the Superman Encyclopedia circa 2010, at least that's the version I have, it's implied that the Earth 2 Superman's parents never told him he came in a rocket. Yes, in the fifties show, his mother told him they found him in a rocket.

Yeah, I figured I may have misunderstood your sentence. xP

[Johnny Thunders!]

I think remembering Krypton, even as an infant, is a terrific concept. I know Superbaby is seen as one of those outdated concepts, but I went and saw Dune 2, the superbaby in that movie can communicate telepathically from the womb.

[superduperman]

I think remembering Krypton, even as an infant, is a terrific concept. I know Superbaby is seen as one of those outdated concepts, but I went and saw Dune 2, the superbaby in that movie can communicate telepathically from the womb.

So it's the Frank Miller version!

[Stanlos]

I think remembering Krypton, even as an infant, is a terrific concept. I know Superbaby is seen as one of those outdated concepts, but I went and saw Dune 2, the superbaby in that movie can communicate telepathically from the womb.

Um, spoiler tags on the Unesday OoTay movie please!

[superduperman]

Um, spoiler tags on the Unesday OoTay movie please!

It's been so hard to avoid spoilers for that!

[Johnny Thunders!]

Sorry bout that, I’ve got to get my Personal Superman Head Canon checked.

[bat39]

I think remembering Krypton, even as an infant, is a terrific concept. I know Superbaby is seen as one of those outdated concepts, but I went and saw Dune 2, the superbaby in that movie can communicate telepathically from the womb.

So it's the Frank Miller version!

Never been a fan of the idea, but Frank Miller had a pretty interesting take on it.

Frank Miller's name isn't associated with the Silver Age much, but if you think about it, his work is really about taking Silver Age characters and concepts and dragging them kicking and screaming into the shadiest, most extreme version of the 'real world'.

[superduperman]

Never been a fan of the idea, but Frank Miller had a pretty interesting take on it.

Frank Miller's name isn't associated with the Silver Age much, but if you think about it, his work is really about taking Silver Age characters and concepts and dragging them kicking and screaming into the shadiest, most extreme version of the 'real world'.

SYO has...issues. But the first issue was a pretty standard, and decent, Superman origin. If you ignore the Miller style dialogue.

[Zero Hunter]

What do you think of him not knowing anything of Krypton? Does that diminish him in some degree? How would he be different in the emergency get the baby off the exploding planet scenario vs the Donner style hologram crystal znd crystal forteess bits letting him "see " a lot of dead Krypton?

I think I like him knowing very little of it but learning as he gets older. I can see Hal taking him to Oa and the Guardians letting him study all the records they had on Krypton before the disaster or him asking Hawkman or the Martian Manhunter if their people had any records of the Kryptonians. Really any alien he came to know he would ask them.