Did Superman really inspire the careers of any other superheroes?

[bat39]

So, for a long time, one of the arguments made to support the idea that Superman is the 'greatest superhero' in-universe, is the idea that he's the 'first superhero' who 'inspired' the heroic age. Pre-COIE, and in the New 52, he was literally the first hero (on Earth 2, and I guess, Earth 1 as well). Post-COIE, he was the first 'modern' hero after the JSA.

But did he really 'inspire' the emergence of other heroes and the start of the heroic age?

I mean, consider the other heroes usually presented as Superman's contemporaries in various continuities. Bruce Wayne had already spent his life training to be Batman. He would have become Batman irrespective of Superman's debut (I think in the New 52 timeline, he was around at least a few months before Superman first appeared). Barry Allen gaining his powers had nothing to do with Superman...his decision to put on a costume also had nothing to do with Superman. Hal Jordan being found by Abin Sur and becoming Green Lantern had nothing to do with Superman either. Nor did Diana coming to Man's World. Or Oliver Queen being trapped on an island, learning archery, and deciding to become Green Arrow.

Starting to get the picture?

I mean, its not like if Superman didn't exist, superheroes wouldn't exist. There are in fact several alternate reality stories (The Nail, Flashpoint etc.) which prove that. So exactly how did Superman inspire the heroic age?

At most, we can say that Superman served as the harbinger of the new era, from the public POV...but even so, that era was the product of several unrelated events that culminated in the sudden emergence of a number of 'superheroes' within a short span of time.

I understand the fact that Superman is the real-life inspiration for the entire superhero genre...but it really doesn't make sense in-universe where each character has his/her own origins and mythos completely unrelated to the Man of Steel.

[butterfingers158]

Don't have time to make a full response, but just wanted to point out using Flashpoint as an example is a bad one. The world kinda went to crap without him.

[Legato]

Don't have time to make a full response, but just wanted to point out using Flashpoint as an example is a bad one. The world kinda went to crap without him.

That and Superman wasn't in the right state of mind to inspire anyone.

[Superlad93]

In universe it's usually that he inspires them to hold to a higher standard. "What would Superman do?" becomes a thought in there minds during a hard situation. Off the top of my head I remember Kyle doing this in JLA. Also recently in the new 52 Batman, Wonder Woman, Steel, and Lana are all showing thinking "what would Superman do" when he's not around.

So you're right he hasn't inspired many to put on a cape that we know (well he has though: Steel, Superboy, and Supergirl depending on the continuity) but it's after the fact in there hardest moments where they think back to his example.

[JackDaw]

In universe it's usually that he inspires them to hold to a higher standard. "What would Superman do?" becomes a thought in there minds during a hard situation. Off the top of my head I remember Kyle doing this in JLA. Also recently in the new 52 Batman, Wonder Woman, Steel, and Lana are all showing thinking "what would Superman do" when he's not around.

So you're right he hasn't inspired many to put on a cape that we know (well he has though: Steel, Superboy, and Supergirl depending on the continuity) but it's after the fact in there hardest moments where they think back to his example.

But how, within DCNU, has that come about? What NU52 stories have shown that he's actually a better role model than Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, or Uncle Tom Cobley?

(NB Not saying for a second, you're wrong. Just asking out of interest, and don't know answer myself...read very little of DCNU.)

[LoneNecromancer]

But how, within DCNU, has that come about? What NU52 stories have shown that he's actually a better role model than Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, or Uncle Tom Cobley?

(NB Not saying for a second, you're wrong. Just asking out of interest, and don't know answer myself...read very little of DCNU.)

Read Grant Morrison's or Greg Pak's Action Comics.

[JackDaw]

Read Grant Morrison's or Greg Pak's Action Comics.

No chance, don't like either writer.

But I can well imagine he's done plenty of heroic stuff in both...but so has Wonder Woman in her NU52 run, and every other main DC hero in theirs. And allegedly most GL and Batman continuity is still intact...so they will have achieved more within NU52 itself.

Has Superman really demonstrated any reason why he'd logically be regarded as main role model within the present continuity?

[Superlad93]

But how, within DCNU, has that come about? What NU52 stories have shown that he's actually a better role model than Batman, Wonder Woman, Hal Jordan, or Uncle Tom Cobley?

(NB Not saying for a second, you're wrong. Just asking out of interest, and don't know answer myself...read very little of DCNU.)

It's not as if it's a contest and he has won. It's more about the fact that he has such power, the most power in fact according to nearly everyone from Lex to Aquaman and villains like Helspont, and still hold himself to such a high standard. It's also just how far out of his way he'll go to make everyone's problem his own regardless of what he wants. That selflessness mix with that drive and control.

In Batman/Superman Batman says that he deals out moral questions to Superman about his powers and how he uses them because he sees that he's a big part of what keeps the world bright and he doesn't want to lose that.

In Action comics Superman notices and laments on how his hearing along with his power and scope are going up each passing year. Right he can hear everything going on in a city but soon everywhere is going to be his problem and with in ear shot and he's scared of that day but he knows he has to face it. Then right after that he feels the ground shake and he notices it's coming from south America so he goes to save it even though it's out of ear shot. Batman knows that this is the sort of things that go through Superman's mind every day.

There's also giving up a wish that could have fixed his whole life for a child and his family that he promised he'd get home safe. Rallying a whole city to trust him and help him beat back a devil imp. Inhaling the poison that was Doomsday just so no one else would get hurt even after he already beat it.

It's also been shown that in the new 52 Superman's city my not be supernatural but there seems to be a ridiculous concentration of supernatural power in the in the form of everyone's faith in Superman. He has become the center of unwavering faith in the city. Phantom Stranger confirmed this.

I couldn't give you one story where he's just shown to be "better" than them all because they all make the tough calls and try there best. I just seems that all throughout the DCU lifespan Superman has been the hero for not just the people but for the other heroes as well. It's more so something you understand than something you point to a specific event to under cut the other heroes

[Nostradamus]

Well, Geoff Jones did an AMA on reddit recently, and when someone asked him to explain what Superman was in a few words (or something to that effect), he replied ' the heroes' hero'. So here's hoping he does something to do with that in his run.