Controversial Superman Opinions

[Jim Kelly]

Pre-Crisis Superman had super-memory where he actually DID have some survivors guilt and it just made him obsessed with Krypton and made him less relatable to humans.

This is what they say, but it never was that way for me. Surely the reason the writers would have Clark get choked up over his loss was to play upon our emotions so we could relate to him more. And it didn't seem all that alien back then. They also complain that Krypton didn't look alien enough, that it was too Buck Rogers, too much like Earth. But that's why Krypton worked for me, because it was an analogy--it was supposed to be Earth-like and the Kryptonians were supposed to be essentially human. Otherwise, they would have all been bug-eyed monsters and the planet would look like something drawn by Moebius.

They don't seem capable of thinking along the lines of an analogy. Superman's experience is relatable because there are a lot of people who are displaced. And just ask indigenous people, people of colour, what it's like to be raised in a white home where you're kept from knowing about your roots and you aren't able to learn your hereditary language. The beauty of the Kents is that they never taught Clark to hate his heritage, they were the biggest fans of Krypton and his alien roots. It's testament to them that he was able to celebrate both worlds and feel good in doing so.

I loved the Superboy comics a little bit more than the Superman comics when I first started reading them as a kid, because I could relate to this boy's struggles and that feeling that all children have that they don't fit in and they don't know who they are or what they are here for. Of course, there were always those stories where Clark felt like he had to leave home. I could relate to that too, because as a little boy I would often "run away from home." Not really, since I never got very far down the block before I turned back.

[Tzigone]

If Superman was 8 years old when krypton was destroyed and suffered from survivors guilt due to being the only survivor of his race...Superman would be a more popular character

Probably (the question being when he gets that origin, as I think it would have hampered him early, when comics were different). But then it's just one more angst ridden hero like so many other modern ones. I agree on the more popular angle, but I'm glad it's not that way. So sick of angst and all emotionally damaged heroes.

Pre-Crisis Superman had super-memory where he actually DID have some survivors guilt and it just made him obsessed with Krypton and made him less relatable to humans.

Only in some versions. Originally, he didn't find out about Krypton until after he'd become Superman (I prefer that version)

They don't seem capable of thinking along the lines of an analogy. Superman's experience is relatable because there are a lot of people who are displaced. And just ask indigenous people, people of colour, what it's like to be raised in a white home where you're kept from knowing about your roots and you aren't able to learn your hereditary language. The beauty of the Kents is that they never taught Clark to hate his heritage, they were the biggest fans of Krypton and his alien roots. It's testament to them that he was able to celebrate both worlds and feel good in doing so.

While that could be an interesting story, it's very much not Superman to me. As someone else said a while ago, he's not the ultimate immigrant, he's barely even an immigrant. He wasn't created as a character that felt this separation form the world he was raised him and I liked him a lot better before that came heavily in to play (in the silver age) and after it was gone (post-COIE, though there were other issues). Now, maybe you want to change the fundamental aspects of him for a more modern time, but for me, I say it'd be much better to simply create a new character to do all those things rather than to erase (by almost completely rewriting) the existing one. But then, they've largely erased/rewritten characters (including Supes) before, so to each his own. I just really, really dislike Clark thinking of himself as "other", as apart from humanity as not really "one of us."

I do think that's an element/aspect that can work really well with Kara, who did always come from another world with another culture at an older age, and had all the memories and the life there that shaped her into who she was. While Clark was shaped on earth to me. At least, in the versions I most like.

[Jabare]

Superman shouldn't be able to have children with Lois

[Agent Z]

Kryptonians have the role of being mediocre who only depend on their powers. zod should be a fighting machine, but 99% of the time he's useless who doesn't even know how to throw a punch. Kryptonians are possibly the most useless species in the universe when it comes to combat.

I don't know what Superman comics you are reading but this could not be more hyperbolic.

[Agent Z]

I hate this thinking. I hate it.

But I have ZERO writing credits in comics. And writers who ARE established have constantly lamented "power levels" as being a concrete block around my three favorite characters'necks.

But I just don't see it that way. The Superman character should be what he was created to be. He has a ton of powers, sure, and they ARE at alpha tier levels. He shouldn't be eclipsed by ANYONE --specialist or no-- in superstrength, superspeed, and invulnerability. Why? Because while his creators were easily the least complex/educated their stated objective for what the character was to encompassed those areas and they identified the character of which Superman was to be a modern interpretation. So yes all the Flashes have their speedforce mechanics but they aren't pooping on Supes in speed. Their advantage rests only in their specialty usage and speedforce mechanics depending on how much realism the writer wants to bring.

He isn't dumber than Luthor or the vaunted Batman.

I will never tow that line.

Superman's creators portrayed him as faster than a locomotive with super strength and the ability to fly. Other DC characters shouldn't be limited by whether or not they make Superman look inferior.

But then again, maybe Superman should be in his own separate universe.

[Gaius]

Superman's creators portrayed him as faster than a locomotive with super strength and the ability to fly. Other DC characters shouldn't be limited by whether or not they make Superman look inferior.

But then again, maybe Superman should be in his own separate universe.

Yeah, super strength is one thing but I feel the burden’s on Superman writers and fans to justify why Superman should be faster than the character whose entire gimmick is being “the fast one” and is the archetype for “the fast superhero”.

[manwhohaseverything]

Superman's creators portrayed him as faster than a locomotive with super strength and the ability to fly. Other DC characters shouldn't be limited by whether or not they make Superman look inferior.

But then again, maybe Superman should be in his own separate universe.

He didn't fly..at all..He leapt and ran on electric cables..
superman flight is bland.The creator created a man of action that was effing cool and did cool ****..

Yeah, super strength is one thing but I feel the burden’s on Superman writers and fans to justify why Superman should be faster than the character whose entire gimmick is being “the fast one” and is the archetype for “the fast superhero”.

It's like saying an athlete who competes and win in multiple competition can't do that cause there are people who specialise in those things and things alone..

[I'm a Fish]

Here is my controversial opinion


If Superman was 8 years old when krypton was destroyed and suffered from survivors guilt due to being the only survivor of his race...Superman would be a more popular character

You can have survivors guilt without actually knowing any of the people who died.

Elvis Presley had survivors guilt because his identical twin was stillborn.

It certainly bothers me a lot less to hear people dump on Superman when I have a TV show, a bunch of good Superman comics out now or coming, and an animated series on the way. And also when you have content that people enjoy featuring Superman, it’s kind of hard to take arguments that he’s “unrelatable” or OP or whatever too seriously. Clearly people still enjoy him beyond just hardcore Superman fans.

Yeah, there was backlash against Snyder’s Superman and WB responded with a TV Show, a cartoon, more animated movies and are working on another live action movie (which I know people are already ripping apart despite there being no trailers or even a casting call )

There’s clearly still an attraction for this character or else companies wouldn’t risk hundreds of millions of dollars on his IP.

[Alpha]

It's like saying an athlete who competes and win in multiple competition can't do that cause there are people who specialise in those things and things alone..

The best thriathlete in the world won't win a race versus Usain Bolt.

[Gitagon]

I really wouldn't have a problem with DC power levels if the power gaps weren't so massive. Like I'm okay with the Flash being faster than Superman but I don't want it to be a super ridiculous difference in speed.

Same thing with Wonder Woman, I'm okay with Superman being stronger but definitely not stomping her the way it is nowadays.

Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, even Aquaman to some extent. The differences shouldn't be so massive or insurmountable.

[NaVi]

Yeah, super strength is one thing but I feel the burden’s on Superman writers and fans to justify why Superman should be faster than the character whose entire gimmick is being “the fast one” and is the archetype for “the fast superhero”.

always the same when it comes to superman and flash. Flash is not only fast, according to WW it hits harder than Superman, without forgetting that it has many other powers. so another character competes with flash in speed, it is the same as ww (and many others) competing in strength with superman. because superman may have rivals when it comes to strength, but not the flash when it comes to speed.

[rpmaluki]

I really wouldn't have a problem with DC power levels if the power gaps weren't so massive. Like I'm okay with the Flash being faster than Superman but I don't want it to be a super ridiculous difference in speed.

Same thing with Wonder Woman, I'm okay with Superman being stronger but definitely not stomping her the way it is nowadays.

Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, even Aquaman to some extent. The differences shouldn't be so massive or insurmountable.

I feel they should use the 'rock, paper, scissors' approach to their roster. No one on their own is über invincible but they are also not super weak/jobbing unnecessarily doing away with logic completely. It would keep things interesting and relatively balanced.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I like the idea that any League member gone rogue would be a major Super Villain and threat to the league.
Siegel and Shuster had Superman breaking orbit, outracing electrical current, and calculating time travel. He’s not Super Strong Man.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I think Superman without his powers would be an Adam Strange, Indiana Jones man of action hero.

[manwhohaseverything]

The best thriathlete in the world won't win a race versus Usain Bolt.

You are saying won't,not can't.There in lies potential..And that's what superman does..

I like the idea that any League member gone rogue would be a major Super Villain and threat to the league.
Siegel and Shuster had Superman breaking orbit, outracing electrical current, and calculating time travel. He’s not Super Strong Man.

He did all that. And he was still a super strongman