Controversial Superman Opinions

[Zero Hunter]

Here's one that's not too controversial, but I think never said often enough: When Superman and Batman are out on the job and Bats calls Superman "Clark", it drives me nuts. When Superman and Lois are on a date and she calls him "Superman", it drives me nuts. It's "Kal". His name is Kal. Clark is his name too, but if he's not "being Clark", then he should be Kal to his friends and loved ones, not Clark, not Superman. I don't think of Clark as a disguise or as a compulsion or a hobby. Superman really is Clark Kent! But like Kal-El, Clark is a state of being, and moreover Clark's a state of being who doesn't wear a cape.

Jon can still call him "Dad" I guess. Maybe a time-traveling Ultra Boy can slip and call him Superboy, that'd be kind of funny.

He didn't even learn his name was Kal El until latter in life. He grew up being Clark and that is his name. I was adopted and before I was I am told they called me Paul in the place I was when I was a baby . Does that mean I should go by Paul now when I have been Kris since I was adopted? No. My name is the one my parents gave me just like Clark Kent is the name the people who raised him and he called mom and dad named him. Kal El should mean a lot to him but the name he has gone by most of his life is Clark.

[Jim Kelly]

In some versions of the character, Clark doesn't know that he was born Kal-El until later in life and in other versions he does know he was Kal-El.

I think it makes good sense, when the Kents discover the rocket and the baby in the rocket, that Jor-El has set it up so the tech makes a telepathic connection with those to find the child--in this case Martha and Jonathan--and they get the 411, so they know who this child is and what it's all about. So even if Kal-El doesn't have perfect memories of Krypton, his adoptive parents understand their responsibility and his origins. Then as he's growing up, they can work with him to support him discovering his roots--and the mind tapes on the rocket ship help in that, as well, teaching him how to use his powers, along the lines of "Superboy's Robot Teacher," ADVENTURE COMICS 240 (September '57).

I also like it better when Kryptonian males are addressed by their full name and they don't shorten their names. In English speaking North American culture, we shorten names and don't call people by their full name (except Charlie Brown), but this is Krypton. So it helps to set them apart as a different culture. In that culture, the male's full name has power and meaning, so that's what Jor-El would say to his son--addressing him as Kal-El in his Marlon Brando voice, not Kal. Just as all Kryptonian women take their father's full name as part of their name--Lara Lor-Van, Kara Zor-El--because it's a different culture, it's not North America in the 21st century on Earth.

Sure, Bruce can call him Kal. Bruce is a privileged, American playboy--he reflects his own culture. But I believe that Clark understands his birthname is Kal-El not Kal and he understands why that's culturally significant. As far as women on Krypton go--I haven't decided. It seems convention to use just the first part of the name--Lara, Allura, Kara. And maybe that's a sexist distinction--but that's their culture and perhaps there were distinctions based on gender.

[DochaDocha]

Here's one that's not too controversial, but I think never said often enough: When Superman and Batman are out on the job and Bats calls Superman "Clark", it drives me nuts. When Superman and Lois are on a date and she calls him "Superman", it drives me nuts. It's "Kal". His name is Kal. Clark is his name too, but if he's not "being Clark", then he should be Kal to his friends and loved ones, not Clark, not Superman. I don't think of Clark as a disguise or as a compulsion or a hobby. Superman really is Clark Kent! But like Kal-El, Clark is a state of being, and moreover Clark's a state of being who doesn't wear a cape.

I think most of the time, the writers made sure that Batman wouldn't call him anything identifiable while in earshot of other people not in the know. Wonder Woman in the pre-Flashpoint era used the "Kal" moniker by far the most, and I always figured it should be reasoned that they're close enough she doesn't want to call him something impersonal like "Superman," but obviously can't call him "Clark" all the time, so "Kal" works universally. Batman I just assumed is such a curmudgeon, he's going to use the most curmudgeonly-appropriate name for the moment, which is usually "Clark" or "Superman" depending on company.

Lois should stick with "Smallville" in lighter moments, as fitting with her sarcastic personality.

[Adekis]

He didn't even learn his name was Kal El until latter in life. He grew up being Clark and that is his name. I was adopted and before I was I am told they called me Paul in the place I was when I was a baby . Does that mean I should go by Paul now when I have been Kris since I was adopted? No. My name is the one my parents gave me just like Clark Kent is the name the people who raised him and he called mom and dad named him. Kal El should mean a lot to him but the name he has gone by most of his life is Clark.

I think it's different specifically because of the cultural gap between Kryptonopolis and Smallville. My sister and I were both adopted from elsewhere in the same state we grew up in, and neither of us would respond to the names we were given before our parents renamed us. By contrast, I've got a friend who was adopted from China and he does consider his Chinese name to be every bit as much his "real name" as "Ben" is, and he's very interested in Chinese culture, though not of course enough to want to move there. Now imagine you grow up feeling like an outsider and the culture you were adopted from doesn't exist anymore and was a utopia. It's easy to see why Clark would latch onto his Kryptonian heritage. Thus the Kryptonian action suit he wears as Superman, the museum of Kryptonian artifacts and the interplanetary zoo of endangered creatures in the Fortress- etc.

Don't get me wrong- I've always thought stories where the Kents call their son "Superboy" are absurd, and I absolutely think that Clark thinks of himself as "Clark Kent" as much as he thinks of himself as "Kal-El", but he very much does think of himself as "Kal" as well as "Clark". There's no split personality, though he does demonstrate different behaviors for whatever role he inhabits. He's just a man with two names.

I also like it better when Kryptonian males are addressed by their full name and they don't shorten their names. In English speaking North American culture, we shorten names and don't call people by their full name (except Charlie Brown), but this is Krypton.

Ah, I disagree entirely about the full name thing, though there's obviously precedent for it. I'm with you and on the train about women using their father's full name as a last name (though I like to imagine Diana getting kind of mad about it at three A.M. during a long conversation with Kal), but I prefer the first name only for Kryptonian men in casual circumstances. Formally it can be either the full name or the last name. Consider, in Man of Steel (controversial, I know) the council and then Zod call Superman's father "El" in a respectful sort of way, I assume like saying "Mr. El", but after Jor-El refuses General Zod's offer to join him, Zod defaults to calling him "Jor-El", a more distant term. By contrast, Lara calls her husband "Jor" and both Jor-El and Lara call their son "Kal" - implying closeness and affection. Zod also publicly calls Superman "Kal-El" in his "YANA" video, but when he meets him in person, he calls him "Kal" to imply friendliness- and later continues to do so I suspect to imply disrespect for the man who in his eyes murdered Krypton.

But I gotta be honest, at the end of the day I'm really just using such a reading to justify my belief that more people than Kara and occasionally Diana should call him Kal.

I think most of the time, the writers made sure that Batman wouldn't call him anything identifiable while in earshot of other people not in the know. Wonder Woman in the pre-Flashpoint era used the "Kal" moniker by far the most, and I always figured it should be reasoned that they're close enough she doesn't want to call him something impersonal like "Superman," but obviously can't call him "Clark" all the time, so "Kal" works universally. Batman I just assumed is such a curmudgeon, he's going to use the most curmudgeonly-appropriate name for the moment, which is usually "Clark" or "Superman" depending on company.

Lois should stick with "Smallville" in lighter moments, as fitting with her sarcastic personality.

Obviously Batman wouldn't call him anything identifiable with other people there to hear it- I trust Bruce's judgment on that front. I suppose that calling him a curmudgeon is accurate enough, haha! I honestly don't know if I've ever heard Bruce call Superman "Kal" in a cartoon or something. I kind of wish he would. Anyway, people like Diana and Jimmy who are close enough not to want to call him "Superman" but who don't want to "out" him as Clark- and who understand that calling him that when he's not "being Clark" is somewhat inaccurate- are the biggest reason I want to see "Kal" as more common.

I am 100% on board with Lois calling him "Smallville" in just about any context, haha!

[DochaDocha]

Obviously Batman wouldn't call him anything identifiable with other people there to hear it- I trust Bruce's judgment on that front. I suppose that calling him a curmudgeon is accurate enough, haha! I honestly don't know if I've ever heard Bruce call Superman "Kal" in a cartoon or something. I kind of wish he would. Anyway, people like Diana and Jimmy who are close enough not to want to call him "Superman" but who don't want to "out" him as Clark- and who understand that calling him that when he's not "being Clark" is somewhat inaccurate- are the biggest reason I want to see "Kal" as more common.

I am 100% on board with Lois calling him "Smallville" in just about any context, haha!

How many people now know Superman's secret ID? I think "Kal" would have a short list of users. Diana already explained, Kara obviously, any Kryptonian villain (think Vegeta and "Kakarot"). I think Jimmy and Lois would use "Superman" in public as part of the charade. Other members of the JL who do know his secret ID probably aren't really close enough to the guy that they'd be uncomfortable not using a more familiar name, IMO. Barda called him "Kal" in the cartoon, but I always figured that was because she was a sit-in for Wonder Woman who at the time was not available due to legal reasons. I think it works pretty well being limited to a small handful of users.

[Frontier]

How many people now know Superman's secret ID? I think "Kal" would have a short list of users. Diana already explained, Kara obviously, any Kryptonian villain (think Vegeta and "Kakarot"). I think Jimmy and Lois would use "Superman" in public as part of the charade. Other members of the JL who do know his secret ID probably aren't really close enough to the guy that they'd be uncomfortable not using a more familiar name, IMO. Barda called him "Kal" in the cartoon, but I always figured that was because she was a sit-in for Wonder Woman who at the time was not available due to legal reasons. I think it works pretty well being limited to a small handful of users.

I feel like most of the core League, who would know his identity, would probably use Clark in a private setting more then they would Kal, except Wonder Woman and maybe J'onn.

[Adekis]

How many people now know Superman's secret ID? I think "Kal" would have a short list of users. Diana already explained, Kara obviously, any Kryptonian villain (think Vegeta and "Kakarot"). I think Jimmy and Lois would use "Superman" in public as part of the charade. Other members of the JL who do know his secret ID probably aren't really close enough to the guy that they'd be uncomfortable not using a more familiar name, IMO. Barda called him "Kal" in the cartoon, but I always figured that was because she was a sit-in for Wonder Woman who at the time was not available due to legal reasons. I think it works pretty well being limited to a small handful of users.

Kal-El's not really a secret identity though, in at least some versions he tells Lois that's his name in their first interview. I just figure that "Superman" is like a really widely-known nickname whereas Kal-El is publicly known but not commonly used except by his friends (I like to imagine that after a month or so of being Pals, he finally tells Jimmy he doesn't have to call him "Superman", Kal's fine). I always figure that in the League at least the "big seven" are close enough to be on first-name terms with him. For example, if J'onn or Hal called him "Superman" in the field, I wouldn't bat an eye- but I might find it kind of weird if he goes to visit them and they're just flying around talking together. Blue Beetle or Booster Gold though- er, maybe "Superman" is best for them.

Er, what cartoon are you talking about with Barda? Every cartoon I can think of, if she's there then Wonder Woman's in the show too. Now I'm really curious!

[DochaDocha]

Er, what cartoon are you talking about with Barda? Every cartoon I can think of, if she's there then Wonder Woman's in the show too. Now I'm really curious!

Batman Beyond episode "The Call."

[Adekis]

Batman Beyond episode "The Call."

I forgot all about that!

I didn't know that Wonder Woman wasn't available for legal reasons. Huh. Today I learned. That one's a little different- I get the sense that Superman hasn't been Clark Kent for years in that episode.

Also, poor Superman, brainwashed by Starro for years! What the hell? What awful writer would do that to him? (EDIT: Don't answer that) I love Batman Beyond, but it sure is depressing when you think about it beyond the here-and-now of Terry cracking wise.

[FishyZombie]

I think Lex Luthor should be one of the villains who call him "Kal-El," or even "Mr. El." To Lex, calling his enemy "Superman," would be like admitting he's inferior to him. Besides there's history that Luthor enjoys pointing out that Superman is an alien.

[Adekis]

I think Lex Luthor should be one of the villains who call him "Kal-El," or even "Mr. El." To Lex, calling his enemy "Superman," would be like admitting he's inferior to him. Besides there's history that Luthor enjoys pointing out that Superman is an alien.

I don't think I've ever heard the idea of "Mister El" before, but I kind of love it immediately.

Here's an idea! Luthor becomes a super-hero for good and stays that way. He and Kal-El become first wary cooperators and then, eventually friends and colleagues.
They always address each other as "Mister El" and "Mister L."

[Superlad93]

I don't think I've ever heard the idea of "Mister El" before, but I kind of love it immediately.

It's from Christopher Priest's DeathStroke issue featuring Superman. He's called that by the US government (specifically Slade's wife).

Probably my favorite Superman nickname of all time.

[BBally]

-The returning Last Son of Krypton concept was an interesting idea but became stale and kind of put too much limits for creative by the late 90's especially when trying to bring back some aspects of Krypton without making them be from Krypton.

- I never particularly cared for Matrix Supergirl, it was an interesting concept but not something as a long term idea, she only was interesting when she went insane believing she was Superman or when she merged with Post Crisis Linda Danvers, who ended up being a much better Supergirl.

- I don't consider TRUTH to be the worst Superman story ever written as there are far worse stories out there, the worst will always be Chuck Austen's run.

- I would rather rewatch Superman 3 and 4 than rewatch Superman Returns, I found parts in 3 to be good like the Smallville scenes, the battle between corrupt Superman and Clark Kent and the chemistry between Christopher Reeve and Anna O'Toole to be more natural than the chemistry between Brandon Routh and Kate Bothworth, which was quite boring to me. I enjoy Superman 4 as a guilty pleasure and am entertained by how cheap and bad it is. With Superman Returns all I can give is a "meh".

- I think the times Byrne's Superman leaving a thug on top of a building or throwing a beam through a car make Morrison's young and brash Superman from his early Action issue look like a boyscout by comparison.

- I'm neutral when it comes to the Kents being alive or not, both sides have valid arguments on this topic.

- Prankster should be written as Superman's Arkham like villain, at least way more than Toyman.

- The Birthing matrix is a concept I would gladly say good riddance to as having Superman born on Earth took away the Ultimate Immigrant concept (knowing about Byrne's views only makes me have a biased dislike for the concept even more)

- I found Post Crisis Morgan Edge to be a boring one dimensional evil businessman.

[Superlad93]

I remember Byrne had the idea to make it so Lara went along with Kal to Earth, and died from Kryptonite poisoning or something or other, but before she died she had Kal on Earth. I kinda think that was a great idea. Evokes a lot of ideas that I think are pretty central to Superman as a concept.

Byrne's later idea of the Birthing Matrix was, in my opinion, far inferior.

Landis had a slightly better and more poignant version of the Birthing Matrix with his idea to make Clark's pod scan the Kents' DNA. He even has a description about Jor-El setting the pod to "adapt" and him saying "wherever you go, my son, you will belong."

Really cool idea and very touching sentiment, but I think Byrne's original beats both out. Like, I would love nothing more than to read the story of pregnant Lara stranded on an alien world (Earth) trying to keep find a safe place to have her child. She'd also have to deal with budding solar endowments (maybe the effects of pregnancy have interesting effects on solar powered kryptonians?), a fascinating cultural and language barrier to overcome, and the realization that her and her child are all that's left of Krypton. Have her see the best and worst our planet has to offer. Depend on the kindness and decency of strangers. Then finally give up her child. It would be beautiful to have Clark visit her unmarked grave (after finally tracking it down).

I'd read or watch the crap out of that! They probably should've gone with that for MOS honestly. Would explain why Lara hardly ever gets an interactive AI (I think they're really, really dumb anyway, so she's not missing much).

[superduperman]

I forgot all about that!

I didn't know that Wonder Woman wasn't available for legal reasons. Huh. Today I learned. That one's a little different- I get the sense that Superman hasn't been Clark Kent for years in that episode.

Also, poor Superman, brainwashed by Starro for years! What the hell? What awful writer would do that to him? (EDIT: Don't answer that) I love Batman Beyond, but it sure is depressing when you think about it beyond the here-and-now of Terry cracking wise.

To me it's obvious that the creators of the DCAU just wanted to work with Batman and had no real interest in the rest of the DCU. This incident is probably the best example of that. The Justice League cartoon made it more or less the "Batman tells everyone else what to do" show.