I wasn't disappointed or sad when Superman died fighting Doomsday. I was sad that he came back. And it isn't because I don't like Superman. I don't like Cyclops, but I think I'd be bummed out if he were killed off forever, because then who would I mock endlessly for being uptight and bossy? No, I think the problem is, things seem to come too easily for Superman. When a foe is too tough for Wonder Woman, or J'onn, or the Big Red Cheese, well don't worry, Superman can stop him, because just like Danger Mouse, 'he's the strongest, he's the quickest, he's the best!'
I know that's not accurate, other heroes have saved Superman's butt in the past, and that I'm biased because of my intense dislike for Planet-Juggling Superman of the 1960s, with his endless array of super-powers with no upper limit, but still it seems the gap between him and everyone else is too great. I sort of recall that story from Morrison's JLA where Superman has just finished putting the Moon back in orbit, but he's perfectly capable of going up against someone that's been trashing the Martian Manhunter. There were probably extenuating circumstances (was the angel using fire on J'onn?), but still it seems Supes should at least be worn down enough to require assistance for something like that.
I think this is my Rurouni Kenshin Syndrome, defined as "dislike for a character that apparently must always be the best, no matter how much other characters attempt to close the gap, or how much the character lets their skills atrophy, or how beat up they are." Watching these seemingly supreme characters save the day, just leaves me wondering "How would the good guys have triumphed without Character X? Would it have taken longer? What would the repercussions be?" And with the number of characters the DCU has, with all their varieties of powers, the answers to that are more intriguing to me than "Well, Superman used his super-..."
I suppose the answer to this is something Scipio pointed out once, that in the Golden Age Superman dealt with problems that couldn't be punched away, but I think there still would be the question of how could someone else have pulled this off.
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Or, using an example from the movie, he reversed time to save Lois Lane?
STOP HITLER, ASSHOLE
Well, I liked the planet-juggling Superman. He should be super because, well, "super" is his name.
Slightly More Powerful Than Everyone Man doesn't cut it for me.
I always disliked the post-Byrne superman because he was neither the first hero in the DC universe nor even the most powerful. Plus, Clark Kent was suddenly the most macho guy in the world and who can relate to that?
What I like about Pre-Crisis Superman is that despite his power, he's lonely and knows there are some things - i.e. the death of Ma and Pa Kent - he can never prevent.
It added a Marvel-style poignance to the character that nobody other than Grant Morrison or Kurt Busiek seem to understand.
Oh, and the REAL superman would never reverse time just to save one person. Kal has a sense of responsibility ...
Hmmm...yes. I do like Superman, but I find him a bit dull. My favorites have their asses handed to them on a regular basis.
So are you glad Kenshin was finally defeated by a foe too powerful for him? And unlike Superman, he doesn't come back.
And funnily enough, in a play to be more like Spider-Man, Kenshin kills his wife with infected sperm!
fitz: No kidding. That Superman, always thinking of himself.
fortress: I can respect that. I guess I never really saw the Superman comics where he dealt with his parents' mortality.
sallyp: It does make it fun doesn't it?
the dane: Yeah, Kenshin's end was OK with me, though that movie was really damn depressing.
I think "Superman" is good because he's not "Infinitely Powerful Man" - he does have flaws and weaknesses, and despite all other elements, Superman's strongest power is his sense of right and wrong.
Giving him weaknesses and vulnerability adds a necessary element to the character, because there's only so far you can go with infinite power and invulnerability. Marvel's Sentry could have gone down that road, but they managed to give him a touch of the crazy to reign him in.
billscomics: 'His strongest power is his sense of right and wrong.'
I like that. And I will admit I respect that about him more now than back in the '90s (my rebellious teenage years), when both he and Captain America seemed like silly old guys who didn't get it.
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