Should Superman eat meat and drink beer?

[LoneNecromancer]

I don't see it as contributing to the suffering and killing of animals. The suffering and killing takes place WAY before the meat is sanitary enough for humans to consume. I love animals. I would never hurt one in my lifetime and I am AGAINST animal cruelty and the suffering that takes place by the hands of other people but I'm not a vegetarian. Just because I do consume meat doesn't mean I feel like I contribute to the suffering of those animals. That's an unfair assumption.

I don't really follow your logic. Buying meat is funding a system that's built on suffering, regardless of how "early" into the process it was. That funding is what holds up the system, it doesn't exist unless it has consumers to provide for. Consumers who are basically paying someone to go kill animals for them.

Booze doesn't effect Superman, but booze also impairs judgement and people have done some heinous acts in the form of alcoholism and suffer from that on a day to day basis in the world we live in. With Superman drinking a beer, is he contributing to the suffering of those people and the families who lost an innocent loved one who got killed by a drunk driver? I think not. Drinking a beer is innocent. Eating meat doesn't necessarily mean you contributed to the suffering of that animal either IMO. I guess it's all in how you view it.

No, that's because it's an entirely different situation so comparing them doesn't really work. The action of creating beer doesn't produce drunk drivers, people misusing a product after its creation leads to drunk drivers.

[mr_crisp]

He doesn't do that stuff already?

[Tra-EL]

That's far from the comparison I'm trying to make. The debate is contribution of the person in the use of something. With Superman drinking a beer, he's not contributing to every person misusing the product of beer to get drunk or contributing to every person who died of alcoholism. Eating meat isn't contributing into the suffering of animals. People who drink beer isn't always misusing the product and people eating meat isn't contributing to the suffering of the animal. They are contributing to their cravings. I don't have much more thought, though. I think we're on opposite pages.

[Kid A]

My opinion on meat is that I think the blame should go to the production side of things and not consumption. Cheap meat is the result of horrible treatment and suffering of animals, but the reality is that a lot of people simply can't afford more expensive food. So placing the burden on them is IMO unreasonable.

But having said that, Superman choosing to be vegetarian makes sense to me. I don't see meat eating as inherently morally inferior because that's condescending as hell, and so Superman shouldn't have an issue with what other people eat, but it makes sense that someone with Superman's level of empathy would make that personal decision.

Don't see the problem with beer at all, OTOH.

[Prime]

I don't see why not.

I'm not sure why there is even a thread for this.

[kane]

I do not see what the problem is with him eating organic meat from cattle which grows up on a small farm (no mass production). Bovines are not in danger of extinction and cattle on a small farm usually does not suffer - it has a better life than wild animals. The only thing you have to take care of is making the death as quick as possible, so no stress hormons are released, which is also better for the taste.

You can not have high quality beef in mass production.

He could also eat venison - circle of life and all that.

[Ascended]

Should he eat meat and drink beer? Not necessarily.

Can he eat meat and drink beer? Sure, the character is uptight enough as is.

We have a winner!

I think beyond the discussion is whether he should or not, or even has to eat or not, lies the only important question; how would it affect his image and sales? If someone at DC thought that having Clark knock out a few beers with Perry after work would help raise readership, we'd see it happen. And Lax is right; Superman's reputation works against him as much as it does for him, so is this a direction that is healthy for the character?

I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous.

He doesn't need food? And people wonder why folks consider Superman as someone they can't relate to? What a surprise.

Years ago I remember reading a story where Superman gets ambushed by aliens in his sleep and hypnotized [this is a LOOOOONG time ago]. Now we find out that like the vampires in Twilight he doesnt even need to sleep. He can go 24/7.

It's crazy. And silly! Solar energy might give him super-powers but how does it create water in his body to keep him hydrated? It's a wonder he still even needs to breathe! [assuming he does, who knows].

He's supposed to be a Super-MAN. If he doesn't need to eat, drink or sleep you might as well call him a god and be done with it.

Oh good, then is isn't just me! LOL

Well, in current continuity, Im fairly sure we've seen him sleeping. I dont think he needs to breathe though, he spent two months in deep space recently without any apparent problems. That tells me that he likely doesnt need to eat or drink either, or at least not very much. As far as I know, there arent a lot of Burger King's out past Pluto.

As for the sun-given powers thing....a lot of people assume that if solar radiation affects him to the point where he can survive black holes and lift the estimated weight of the planet, then it's quite likely that it also provides sustenance. This of course means that Kryptonian physiology is based, at least in part, on a type of photosynthesis. Which, if we accept that Krypton was a planet with scant resources and environmental extremes (as its often portrayed as) photosynthesis makes a kind of sense as an evolutionary advantage.

As for calling Superman a god and being done with it.....body of a god, soul of a humble man. Hasnt that always been the point?

[Joe Acro]

I'm definitely in the camp of people who feel he should have to breathe, sleep, and eat, just like everyone else.

That said, "should" he eat meat comes down to his own morality. If he chose to not eat meat because he felt it was wrong, in theory, he'd also make an effort to shut down meat production plants and things of that nature--trying to rid the world of this thing he views as a crime. He'd likely be unsuccessful, just as he's been unsuccessful in removing crime in general, but the point would be there. So, unless the writer is willing to have Superman take a stand for not eating meat, then it being a part of the character is of no consequence. And if it's of no consequence, then there's no need to make the distinction.

So, I say he only should if a writer or editor feels there are some important, good stories to be gained from such a development.


As for beer, or alcohol of any kind, I don't really see any reason to explicitly say he doesn't.

[The_Greatest_Username]

Growing up on a farm causing him to be a dedicated meat eater is kinda stereotyping. Pretty sure his parents would respect a desire not to eat meat.

You're right. Growing up in the south, I know quite a few people who don't eat meat because they grew up on a farm.

If Superman existed in the real world, I can't imagine he'd eat meat because he'd be very aware of all that goes on in the process. It being comics and all, it's easy to overlook Clark eating a hotdog or something since that's kind of a hard policy to enforce.

[Empress96]

Superman not eating/needing water is dumb and solar powers do not magically explain it away. He has teeth doesn't he? Presumably teeth similar to humans so he can walk among us undetected. If Kryptonians evolved on their planet with teeth, they were obviously eating something. You can argue that Earth-based food may not be compatible to his physiology but not that he doesn't need food/water at all. You would have to redesign his character for some of these ideas to make sense.

This is one aspect of comics I don't like. I don't mind stretching ideas/theories/facts for storytelling, but some of this stuff isn't even rooted in basic science anymore. It's similar thing with the red vs yellow vs blue sunlight. You can a create sci-fi character/world/story while still adhering to facts.

[daBronzeBomma]

Hmmm.

Why not just make Kryptonians officially sapient humanoids who are genuinely autotrophic in nature? Their needs would not be dissimilar from plants: They do require light, heat, water, air and some kind of nutrient soil (probably harder than diamond to justify their possession of teeth).

Superman shouldn't need to conventionally eat (or poop: I'm with Grant Morrison on this, Kryptonians shouldn't have an anus, they're too biologically efficient for that), as our food would do nothing for or against him in terms of sustenance (though he probably does like the various tastes of things).

But Clark Kent?

He eats whatever anyone around him is eating. He does not draw attention to himself. If most people around him are drinking alcohol, he'll nurse a beer just to be social (as an adult). If Clark is at a BBQ, he'll chow down on whatever's being grilled just not to be disrepectful.

I'm pretty sure not all farmers are vegetarians. In fact, I'd say most probably are not. I doubt Jonathan and Martha are vegetarians. Clark would eat whatever they served him.

Animal cruelty and genocidal civil wars are two of the many things Superman won't put a stop to, simply because it literally (not from this planet) AND figuratively (not a head of state) is not his place to do so.

Superman only shows up to stop things we can't (like natural and accidental disasters, individual violent crimes, super-villains, giant monsters and invasions, etc), not the things that are on us to fix. He's not going to publicly advocate for policy change or endorse political candidates. That's not what he's here for, his job is to inspire us to be better people, with our own talents. His job is to show that might, at all levels, need not be selfish in nature, that it can be selfless.

So, yes, Clark should eat meat and drink beer, but only as another form of socializing with humans. He needs neither meat nor milk, nor fruit nor vegetable, nor anything we consume other than air and water. Eating any sort of human food is just Clark's way of being polite.

That's my opinion, anyway.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I want to see young Clark Kent, naming the chicks in his yard. Hearing their heartbeats from the egg, suddenly snapping their necks come some Sunday dinner in the future. I want to see that in a Dr. Manhattan sliding time sequence in the next Multiversity. I think he would pass on meat as a child.

[Tra-EL]

Hmmm.

Why not just make Kryptonians officially sapient humanoids who are genuinely autotrophic in nature? Their needs would not be dissimilar from plants: They do require light, heat, water, air and some kind of nutrient soil (probably harder than diamond to justify their possession of teeth).

Superman shouldn't need to conventionally eat (or poop: I'm with Grant Morrison on this, Kryptonians shouldn't have an anus, they're too biologically efficient for that), as our food would do nothing for or against him in terms of sustenance (though he probably does like the various tastes of things).

But Clark Kent?

He eats whatever anyone around him is eating. He does not draw attention to himself. If most people around him are drinking alcohol, he'll nurse a beer just to be social (as an adult). If Clark is at a BBQ, he'll chow down on whatever's being grilled just not to be disrepectful.

I'm pretty sure not all farmers are vegetarians. In fact, I'd say most probably are not. I doubt Jonathan and Martha are vegetarians. Clark would eat whatever they served him.

Animal cruelty and genocidal civil wars are two of the many things Superman won't put a stop to, simply because it literally (not from this planet) AND figuratively (not a head of state) is not his place to do so.

Superman only shows up to stop things we can't (like natural and accidental disasters, individual violent crimes, super-villains, giant monsters and invasions, etc), not the things that are on us to fix. He's not going to publicly advocate for policy change or endorse political candidates. That's not what he's here for, his job is to inspire us to be better people, with our own talents. His job is to show that might, at all levels, need not be selfish in nature, that it can be selfless.

So, yes, Clark should eat meat and drink beer, but only as another form of socializing with humans. He needs neither meat nor milk, nor fruit nor vegetable, nor anything we consume other than air and water. Eating any sort of human food is just Clark's way of being polite.

That's my opinion, anyway.

I absolutely LOVED this post and agree 100%. GREAT POST! +1.

[brucekent12]

Geoff Johns has Clark and Superman eating hot dogs in the latest issue.

[The World]

Animal cruelty and genocidal civil wars are two of the many things Superman won't put a stop to, simply because it literally (not from this planet) AND figuratively (not a head of state) is not his place to do so.

Superman only shows up to stop things we can't (like natural and accidental disasters, individual violent crimes, super-villains, giant monsters and invasions, etc), not the things that are on us to fix. He's not going to publicly advocate for policy change or endorse political candidates. That's not what he's here for, his job is to inspire us to be better people, with our own talents. His job is to show that might, at all levels, need not be selfish in nature, that it can be selfless.

So, yes, Clark should eat meat and drink beer, but only as another form of socializing with humans. He needs neither meat nor milk, nor fruit nor vegetable, nor anything we consume other than air and water. Eating any sort of human food is just Clark's way of being polite.

That's my opinion, anyway.

Then why stop anything? If death on a massive scale isn't enough to move him from his perch why does he bother doing anything? That's what most supervillains desire either large scale death or subjugation. All the individual crimes that happen from day to day happen on a massive scale in human civil wars. Rape, theft, murder, torture you name it. The man's moral compass is downright incoherent and has been for god knows how long.

That's why this discussion about meat is important because it factors into and helps define his ethics. If he's going to act like life is incredibly precious then that needs to be reflected in his actions all the time rather than just when it's convenient to be preachy.