Inspirations: Superman

I have for a long time held the personal belief that Kal-el/Clark Kent/Superman is a dull, overpowered character, with little potential for dramatic tension. Supes has no real weakness – even kryptonite never does any real damage to him, it just fluffs up the story in finding some way to get the kryptonite out of range. But watching the various documentaries in the lead-up to Superman Returns, and the movie itself, have revealed something to me. As one reviewer pointed out, at the culmination of Superman’s first heroic act upon his return (setting a plane down safely, in a ballpark), not only is the crowd in the movie ecstatic; so, too, is the audience. Even those, like myself, with no (or even negative) emotional investment in the character, it is a moment of joy to see the last son of Krypton return. But why is this, if the character is so weak?

Simple. Superman’s character and situations are not what makes him great. It is his power as a symbol, which is only strengthened by those things that make him weak in a narrative sense. His invulnerability, his unwavering commitment to truth and justice, his innocent (almost naïve) uprightness even as all other comic characters become grittier and more realistic… these all take Superman out of the realm of simple pulp storytelling into cultural symbolism. But a symbol for what? Truth and Justice?

No. Truth and Justice are derivatives of what Superman truly stands for: Hope. The last son of Krypton, he was sent from his dying world by his parents not to save the race – a lone male certainly couldn’t do that – but because of the parental hope for a child to succeed, and be happy. As Superman, he is the savior of countless people who have no other hope. To see Superman return in full heroic grandeur, in these post-9/11 times where the world is threatening and uncertain, is like seeing hope reborn. His pure simplicity and moral clarity are something the world has been starving for. Yes, everyone knows it isn’t real, that no patently benevolent omnipotent immigrant will appear and uphold right and goodness. But today, simply being reminded that there ARE such things as right and goodness is itself inspirational. The endless struggle of one man, even a super man, to uphold them create an optimistic dream world for people to hope and strive for. Sure, no one in the real world can fix a bursting dam or save a de-winged plane, but just imagining that someone can in inspiration toward smaller acts of goodness.

But, wait, didn’t Superman die? Well, of course, everyone knows about that – it’s probably the most dramatic moment in comics history. But even then, nobody truly suspected Superman was gone for good. And indeed, he recovered from death, just as he recovered from The Quest for Peace, returning as he always shall. Why? Well, literally, because he makes DC a crapload of money. But on a higher plane, he will always return as a manifestation of the zeitgeist, because, the world needs Superman. Not because we need to believe someone can swoop down from the heavens and make it all better, but simply to believe it can be made better, even by the actions of one person.

So, while Superman is not a direct positive influence on my writing (dramatically speaking, he’s an example of things I don’t like to do), he is a cultural artifact of such enviable influence I am overawed. Everywhere in the world (more or less), people know who Superman is, even if they, like I, don’t care a whit about Lex Luthor’s plans or the elaborate spectrum of kryptonite. He resonates, not for Americans or Westerners, but for humans in general. Consider the human tendency to root for the underdog in a fight… this is rarely going to be Superman. More than any other superhero, the audience knows he is going to succeed. But, despite being this huge narrative flaw, or perhaps because of it, Superman has ascended from mere character to full-on modern myth. Because, while he is never the underdog, he unquestionably is on the underdog’s side. While the audience may consciously wish they were Superman, (or at least, had his powers,) that is not why they root for him. They root for him because, in the end, he is fighting for the audience. He is innately selfless and unquestioning, seeing good even in the most foul repeat criminals, always giving endless chances for redemption. He does not impose his will, he merely sets an example and never wavers from it. To perhaps overstate my point a bit, Superman is everything a holy figure should be, without all the dogmatic distraction.

Superman is not a character I am likely to emulate, or even to want to emulate. From a writing perspective, he is far too simple. Yet, while my characters may always be more complex and intriguing, they will not resonate on the symbolic cultural level that Superman has. While all the complexities I am prone to perhaps make a brilliant overall picture, I dare say it couldn’t hope to compare to the palpable power of Superman. As a writer, Superman shows me the power of simplicity, well executed and well timed. This isn’t quite the same lesson as “less is more;” rather, it’s saying that, while an intricate character or story can certainly be relevant and symbolic, a simple one will resonate with the audience so much more strongly.

Not to mention, a score by John Williams doesn’t hurt.