Holy moly I woke up this morning to over 10k views! Absolutely blown away, thank you so much everyone for watching, commenting, and providing feedback. I'd love to respond to all your comments, but there are now too many for me to keep up with! I made this video essay as a random passion project, expecting to only get 100 views, so to get 10,000 is mindblowing. I absolutely loved making the video, and it looks like people want more, so rest assured another like this is on the way, however I am unfortunately a one man army with a regular job so it's not going to come out as soon as I'd like it to. If you want a teaser, however, I can tell you that this SECOND video is going to be about a tragic villain who I think really has it TWO bad. Thanks again everyone :)
The reason why they had Superman fighting for truth, justice and the American way is because the American way is the best the world has and the US needs to go back to the Boy Scout American way but right now we have Bizarro in the White House being controlled by China home of covid-19. It's not racist it's normal to protect your home and family above everything else regardless if you have Superman's powers or not. The US and western Europe needs to start doing that again and quit letting crap in that wants us dead and destroy our counties. Some people we allow over the border are more evil and ruthless than Putin or anything comics got to offer regardless of race or color of skin. What happened in France is a example of that.
Really brilliant video! You totally deserve all the views. It's clear that so much thought and research went into creating this. Your passion is utterly contagious and has inspired me to delve further into more Superman comics. I really look forward to your next video, whatever it may be!
Great video, over the years I have been realizing how great Superman is and how great his villains are. Also that scene of Lex from Superman TAS is one I have been watching all year, I'm glad someone else notices how great that scene is. My favorite versions of Superman are the DCAU and Arrowverse.
as of his 3rd incarnation you wouldn't be saying sorry dad I can't come to your birthday party if you were superman because both your parents would be dead
When my grandmother passed away from breast cancer in 1978, my father and his siblings were distraught. He was only eight years old at the time and his family was slowly falling apart. In a moment of haste, my grandfather took his three children to the cinema to see “Superman: The Movie”. Two-and-a-half hours later, the four of them left that theatre happy, encouraged and above all, feeling invincible. My family managed to reconcile with each other and showed each other their love. Years later, I was born. As my father’s only son, he took a real appreciation to my interests in superheroes but wasn’t interested in anyone but Superman. When I was about 6, he showed me the film and we began to watch Smallville together. I can still remember the final episode airing and the both of us sitting together, and just as Clark unveiled the logo on his chest and the theme tune was blaring, he whispered “He’s Superman now, so are you.” Superman is MY superhero. He represents everything I want to stand and be remembered for. Thank you for making this video to represent him as the beautiful icon of hope that he is. Bless you.
Thanks for sharing your story. I'm a huge fan of Superman '78 as well. The new Superman '78 comic that came out last year is fantastic and truly carries on the tone and story of Superman '78 and II.
Everyone in the JLA that is close to him doesn't call him "Superman", they call him Clark. Lex on the other hand, knows Clark is his real name, but could not accept it because he only sees him for the ideology that Superman represents, that he hates. Not the man behind the cape.
Wow, that's a really interesting observation in the context of Batman being the real indentity of Bruce Wayne. Clark is Superman when he needs to be. Batman is Bruce Wayne when he needs to be.
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superma had ton of cheesy plots. But the dialogues were brilliant. When Lois discovers Clark is Superman and asks who he really is he answers brilliantly: "Superman is what I can do. Clark Kent is who I am".
If superman was an antihero like deadpool everyone would love and worship him in today's pop culture climate. Modern society now as a whole hates the boy scout generic cookie cutter heroes like Superman they view him as a relic of the past in most instances whereas foreign adaptations that loosely pull from him are all the rage and the popular trend now. Of course the gritty anti pop culture heroes are fine and interesting but the wholesome heroes of old can be just as entertaining even moreso. Every hero can't be gritty and push or break the 4th wall even if we as readers or people watching want it so.
What makes this even more ironic is that since Superman represents pure optimism and hope and Lex Luthor juxtaposes him in every way representing pure societal cynicism, then technically most audiences who share said cynicism embody the same viewpoint as Lex Luthor, when we really shouldn't.
He's "underrated"_because of the kind of hero that he is. The ideal Superman character shouldn't be changed. But thanks to hollywood modernizing and current fan perception. Superman has been victim of a raw deal. He hasn't been treated right in modern times. With very few exceptions
The character has been destroyed for the past 30 yrs since the first crisis. DC has elevated Batman to God Status while continuing to weaken and hurt Superman. And modern audiences have taken the character and turned him to fit their idea of human sensibilities, instead of allowing him to rise above and set the example. He's no longer a beacon of hope, because for some reason they feel the idea of hope, goodness, decency, empathy, are either outdated or non existent in current times. The idea of a pure hero escapes them. And this reduced Superman to just another hero in tights.
legit superman irl. He's helped so many people through tough times through his stories and helped shape the world at large, yet people still find him boring and write him of.
I think my favorite thing about the Superman character is that he completely flips the notion that power is corrupting. Superman has unbelievable power, and yet he dosen't abuse it. He only uses it for the good of everyone, to save as many lives as he can and help anyone who needs it. So often stories about all powerful beings portray them as either cold and inhuman, or outwardly hostile to those they consider to be beneath them. But Superman is different, he doesn't see anyone as being beneath him. Everyone is his friend. And everyone is worth saving.
Some people try to make him darker or evil but that’s not Superman he’s meant to be that warm hand on your shoulder for whenever your feeling bad or you just really need help he’s an Ideal sure sometimes it can be boring but that’s really in how you just present them but bottom line I’m always gonna love Superman for what he embodies and what he inspires
This is true, HOWEVER characters like Thor and Iron Man are nothing like their movie counter parts either and yet they are loved. Heck even the new Black Adam isn't going to be what he's like in the comics. It's rare to see a Hollywood movie get comic characters correct
Darker stories for Superman are fun, for the man who has everything is a classic, that one justice League episode where he has a nightmare about accidentally killing Lois and Jimmy is heartbreaking, All Star Superman is about his inevitable demise and its fantastic. If writers want to do dark Superman stories they merely need to throw the big blue boy scout into horrible situations, they don't need to make Superman this brooding,angsty, morally grey superhero.
Yeah and thats the reason I find Superman to be a crap character. Too idealistic and not to mention power wise he has no clear limit. Leading to the invention of multi-colored space rocks needed to effectively combat against him.
I remember when I was younger, I hated Superman. I thought he was boring, overpowered and overrated. I preferred Batman to him. But as I got older, as my outlook on life changed, and I read more Superman stories, he felt... like everything I needed at the time. I was a teenager struggling with depression and an abusive homelife, who wanted to just hate the world for all the pain it was causing me. But I started reading and watching good Superman stories, and I just felt like I had a new drive in life. To always love, care, and be there for people. Now, the character means so much to me, that with almost every decision I make in life, I ask myself "what would Clark Kent do?". Because at the core of his character, Superman is Clark Kent, a simple guy, that's filled with so much love and compassion for anyone, no matter how good or bad. That is so contagious, and so needed today. Superman's outlook on life and optimism is just as powerful in real life as it is in the comics. I truly don't know where I'd be without him. I live every day trying my best to be kind and caring. Being the best person I can be, all because of a fictional character. I love Superman and all the lessons he's taught me, but also how much he made me realize it's never as bad as it seems.
It's funny because as a kid I really enjoyed Superman but as I got older I realized how boring and unrealistic his entire persona is. I realized the world is filled with shades of grey and the black/white evil/good version of the universe does not exist. Its when Superman starts to question whether humanity is worth saving that he becomes interesting.
@KVAcedo27 Overly simplistic and dull. Superman does good because he is good. No nuance, no substance. Call me when he decides saving the cat stuck up a tree is not worth his time.
@@mbogucki1 i think if you can't be arsed saving a cat stuck in a tree, despite possessing the ability to fly and being virtually indestructible, that would make you unambiguously a piece of shit
You did an excellent job explaining why Superman is great and why he's a timeless character. Although Spider-Man is my favorite superhero, Superman is an icon in pop culture and the reason why superheroes are loved. We wouldn't have superheroes today if it weren't for Superman.
The animated series said it best: "Clark, you live your life. Superman just helps out once in a while." As for division of time, depends on how much sleep a Superman needs. Since I'd fly to work, I'd be on the lookout for trouble. Getting a job with flexible hours so you can be on call if something happens during the day. Do a couple of patrols before and after dinner. A couple of late night sweeps before bed at 2-3am. Eventually the criminals would realize they will get caught if they do crime in my town. So yeah, I'd pick a metropolitan center and focus on that. That's really the only way to do superhero work. If you spread yourself out too wide, you'll be ineffective. You'll end up like the Flash from Kingdom Come, never stopping to appreciate the world around you. On the weekend, if the city is slow, you could do some special projects. Superman connecting with STAR labs for example. Or checking in with the military to improve our defenses. Because here's the thing: Clark doesn't owe us anything. He's a hero because he can and because he likes helping people. That's it. So while it might be jingoistic or racist, being an American means you'll live here and do most of your work super or otherwise here. Would you expect Captain Britain to fly over here to help us? Maybe sometimes, during a disaster, possibly. Thanks for this. I really enjoy the discussion about superpower ethics.
I would say, more like underappreciated. Because nowadays people are so obsessed with relevancy, realism and inclusion that we cast him aside as nothing but power fantasy. Which is sad really. When the original purpose of the medium was to teach good morals and have an untouchable and incorruptible role model that we can look up to no matter what walk of life we live in.
@Darklord69 He's is underrated. Maybe not for a older audience, but most my friends have never watched any superman shows/movies and almost all of them have watched a batman or a marvel movie.
On the question of "why do you relate to Batman more than Superman," it's mostly an emotional thing. We live in a difficult world, and staying optimistic like Superman is difficult - it's much easier to feel the pain and develop anger. Ultimately, Batman's story is about turning pain and anger into something positive to help others, and his pure determination is inspiring. That being said, I relate to Superman a lot as well. Again, he has that determination, but the core of his character is helping others no matter what (which is the same as Batman, but Superman does it in a much more positive way). For me currently, the way I see it is that Batman relates to how I feel now, but Superman relates to what I'm working towards for the future. Anyways, fantastic video. Been telling everyone Superman is awesome and nobody believes me, so I'll have to send them this from now on.
Youz perfctly summarized why i can relate to Batma. And exactly why Superman dont is relatable for me at all. As i despise the role odel concept as i was always compared i should be other people
In my opinion superman's greatest powers are his empathy, and humbleness. He may be some sort of powerful demigod, but he's still human to the core. he cares for people and deeply values life, and honestly this is way more interesting to me than the twisted perception of the evil or cold hearted superman. It definitely deserves better man, i wish he had a good movie instead of whatever the hell Sneyder did
I always hated that 'Kill Bill' Speech... as a Lifelong Superman fan I was screaming at the screen how wrong that is. You could Argue he has 3 different identities (depending on the era/media being portrayed) There's Superman, the powerful hero, The Role Model that saves the day... There's Daily Planet Clark, mild mannered and professional reporter (sometimes a bit clumsy to throw off suspicion)... then there's "Farm" Clark, this is the "real" Clark his loved ones see especially the ones that know his secret identity, the one where he's not putting on any act, It's where he's as 'regular guy' as he can be.
My biggest problem with Superman was John Byrne's decision to reinvent him by depowering him, so he'd be "more relatable." By doing so, he made his moral compass less difficult to navigate, even if it made his battles easier to write. The most relatable aspect of his character was how his godlike powers prevented him from being able to marry Lois Lane. Then, by reducing his powers to more "relatable" levels, Superman became somebody who has a great job, is able to marry Lois Lane and have a family, and he doesn't really have to worry about how his powers affect his relationships with others. (Not that there haven't been good stories written after John Byrne's reboot but most of them happen to be outside of the regular continuity.)
I always thought Superman was a boring one dimensional character since I’ve never really looked into any of his stories but this video makes me want to check out more of his stories.
Please check out Superman Adventures comic books (the animated series style artwork), because that’s where he shines as a character. Ignore the bad artwork, tho.
Superman is the single best superhero of all time and nobody can argue with that. You may have characters you prefer or have your own favourites (Raven is mine) but Clark is the absolute epitome of everything a superhero is: cheesy, kind, compassionate, relatable and powerful. He is the perfect and quintessential superhero
yup. He's flashy, seemingly invincible and awe-inspiring, although that's really just a face he puts onto the world when in actuality he's simply just a man trying to do good.
I think one of the biggest problems Superman stories have now is that so many are focused on the superficial. They see what he can do and what he looks like and assume almost everything is easy for him. But it's never that simple, and no one likes to admit that. I really like how you deconstruct a lot of factors everyone complains about or claims are associated with Superman. Gotta respect my fellow Kansan as well. Especially since I was raised with similar moral leanings. Also that point you made about his super senses being a problem.... It's actually something I bring up in my own set of comic stories. The Superman of the universe I made had to deal with not just his hearing and sight enhanced, but all of his senses when his powers awakened. To the point he's blind, stepping into the sun for the first time made it feel like he was on fire, and he could hear and smell everything around the world at once. Then he lost control of his newly gained strength and..... Well let's just say he accidentally caused a near apocolypse. And ever since he got control of his senses, strength, etc, he's lived trying to do right like he used to (he originally worked in search and rescue) while also atoning for what happened. "That is the Justice I need to fulfill." That's just a little quote.
Superman is my favorite superhero and I enjoy a lot of his stories. The DC Extended Universe holds a special place in my heart (thank you, Henry) and I always do my best to give new stories a chance to impress me. I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again: the definitive Superman does not exist. If Superman existed in real life, he'd be enjoying the kind of career most actors would kill for. He's played just about every role imaginable, such as champion of social justice, space-faring adventurer, reluctant Messiah, loving father, awkward teenager with romantic problems, medieval fantasy swordsman, tyrannical villain and even sentient dinosaur. If you're wondering how is it possible for a single character to possess so many different, yet equally valid, interpretations over the years, the answer is simple: Superman is whatever the story and the audience need him to be at the time. While the core aspect of Superman have remained mostly unchanged throughout the years, the simple truth is this: Superman is a highly versatile character that can be adapted into any kind of story, scenario or situation, much like James Bond, Sherlock Holmes and Godzilla. Personally, I'm tired of the debate of the "definitive Superman" because it's no longer a way for people to talk about the merits and flaws of their favorite Superman stories but rather a way for people to boost their own egos, while tearing others down. Every Superman out there is equal in their legitimacy and their appeal to a particular audience.
The “world of cardboard” speech has done so much damage to the character. I hate how even for some people that like Superman, the conversation is only ever about his power. Superman’s power has nothing to do with why he’s my favorite superhero.
Indeed for me Clark has always been an impossible standard of morality to aim at. Which is perfect because even though I can't possibly become as good of a man as him. Just striving to be like him invariably makes you a better man
God I tire of hearing "cis white male" (and no, I'm not one). As if they aren't also human beings. That aside, excellent analysis of what makes the Man of Steel so interesting. Earned a sub, sir.
Yeah I never understood why he keeps saying that, It does not really help his point when he is himself labelling a certain group of people by their race and sexual preference.
The negative perception that we see of Superman nowadays genuinely annoys me. Yes he's one of, if not the most powerful heroes in comics. But like this video states: How does that make him less interesting? He has to struggle more than any other not to cause irreparable damage to humanity. And he loves humanity. He loves humanity more than humans themselves do. That's what's so interesting about him. He sees humans as the race of people who took him in, raised him as their own, taught him right and wrong, and gave him a place to grow up. People hate him because he's "perfect" but he isn't "perfect" for no reason. He's a reflection of the best that humanity has to offer. And I for one think that's great.
@@spunkymaniac9312 Well, yes and no. He is the way he is because of the core values John and Martha Kent instilled in him. He just takes those ideals to the extreme, which he has to do because he's so powerful. So he's sort of like the best human ideals brought into reality through an extremely powerful alien. Idk if that made sense.
What about his negative traits ??? That's what also makes US human.Over coming your short-comings & negative traits also makes you human,these things are very relatable.I think that's why some say Supes is PERFECT and not relatable.
Superman is a boring Mary Sue. That's why his sales can't hit over the #50. Once the CCA was thrown out his sales sank even faster. He is perfect, and the best ever who can beat anyone even cosmic beings. That's why everyone hates on the character, spiderman doesn't get any hate(only from superman fanboys) and he's just as big of a goodie two shoes as supergod.
@@powerbad696 He still struggles with daily everyday problems. He has a family that he worries about, a job that disrupts his ability to be a superhero, as Clark Kent he's clumsy and awkward. Plus he's naive. That's his most glaring flaw. He isn't willing to accept that some humans can't be saved, or some just straight up don't deserve to be saved. He's all powerful and he has unflinching morals, but that doesn't make him unrelatable.
Fantastic video, all star superman was the first comic book ive ever read. Ever since then, he has been and always will be my favorite hero. I think hes so relevant to todays faults and environment. My own morals as a man and human being on this earth will never be the same. I didnt realize my own faults as a person prior to superman. But as i kept reading and reading i realized who i truly can be and who ive always wanted to be. Incredible character, ive never felt more personally spoken to than with superman. Awesome vid again. Superman forever
The same thing happened to me recently, I always disliked him despite liking Christopher Reeve's version and Smallville that was it. However, after watching Superman & Lois, I was pleasantly surprised. It has made me wonder about my already existing views on Supes. Tyler's portrayal is so charming and exactly how Supes should be. All my favourite characters are Spidey, Nightwing and Daredevil. They all have a constant emotional conflict. I just realised Supes can fall into these same boxes if he's written well. He has the heart of Nightwing almost, so that goodness is just instilled inside him. I love characters like that, Wally West is another example that came to mind while writing. All these characters love/care about people and characters are important considering how cruel life can get.
wally west is how you handle a legacy character. He isn't just perfectly fit for the role, he grows into it and overcomes his mental challenges and eventually becomes his own kind of flash, surpassing barry.
Yeah, I protested that part, too. Unfortunately IRL, there is no energy difference between red and yellow sunlight. But I do enjoy when Clark flies into orbit to get a full charge of sunlight.
Captain America, Optimus Prime, and Superman; the holy trinity of "lights in the dark." Too bad they're all getting ripped off in some way, shape or form.... it sucks.
Superman is unrealistic, but that is the whole point: he is meant to be aspirational and represents the latent potential of humans. And as long as we fail to meet that potential, there is still a place for Superman. In the famous Superman All-star run by Grant Morrison, a dying Superman create simulations of the world to see what will happen if he never exists, so that he can feel safe to pass on, knowing that humans are safe. One of the simulation that he saw was our world, where comic writers are creating Superman. It speaks to our species' nobility to seek out to become better, even creating mythos to guide us towards that potential.
No where else was it put better than the time I read a meme that said, "my ultimate consequence-free power fantasy is to be able to help everybody." If you don't understand this, if you don't play the "good side" in video games with no consequences for being bad, you simply shouldn't be writing Superman.
A very well thought-out video. I'm a big fan of Superman as he stands for ideals, and I'm an Idealist. His rogues gallery is fantastic, and he's a complex character. My favourite superman content: The 2 Richard Donner Superman movies ('78, Superman II Donner Cut), Lois and Clark, Superman the Animated Series. Justice League Animated Series. By the way, you have to watch "For the Man Who Has Everything" episode from Justice League. An amazing Superman and Batman episode!
Good video, you've earned yourself a subscriber. There's another element surrounding Superman's character that's actually pretty powerful and relevant today: Truth. Most people overlook this, but what Superman does as Clark Kent is just as important as what he does as Superman depending on the circumstances. It's easy to just go out there and beat the bad guy, but it's A LOT harder to repair the damage that they already caused before you were able to stop them. Superman reminds us to always find the truth and tell it to as many people as possible. You may get wrong information, and you may make mistakes, but constantly pursuing and working to uncover the truth is the only way to be able to truly defeat evil. This theme is an ever prevalent belief in Superman stories right down to his origins with his father trying to get the Leaders of Krypton to see that Krypton is dying. Heck, I think it's this dedication to truth that was what allowed Batman and Superman to connect so well despite being so different. Though, that's mostly just head-canon on my part.
I don't know about "stronger no killing rule than Batman", but he does definitely prefer not to kill. He's told the Joker that he just generally doesn't kill, and he tends to forgive heroes who kill in his presence much more readily than Batman would. The reason Superman vs The Elites still works in this context is because they were doing it to the point of making the public believe that was always the answer, which Superman does still stand against. Sometimes killing is necessary, but it should never be the first resort.
I agree woth the entire video but one note; hes not pretending to be a bumbling dork, he really is Clark kent. He plays up his air headedness, but overall Clark is the real identity, and Superman is the face he puts up to be a hero.
I gotta disagree, though I reckon it also depends on the interpretation too. However, for me most Superman stories primarily show "Superman" being the real identity and "Clark Kent" being the mask. Of course neither is truly him, and his real self is a combination of the two: an alien raised as a man, struggling with inner conflicts like anyone else, but who is aware of his worth and power. He's not just Superman, but he's not just Clark Kent. I'd say the real identity is however he acts around his parents, in a way.
@@Profile__1 i gotta agree with ruber duck and slight dis/agree with you. Superman was raised as a normal person, he is pretty dorky and chill. Clark kent is his more true self because well thats how he grew up, superman is a more exaggerated version of himself, helps him and even inspires himself.
@@Thatglasseskun Hmmm that's very interesting actually. I haven't come across many that interpret the "Kent vs. Superman" identity like this, actually. More often it's Superman being the real identity, as it holds with the typical phrase associated with DC "Gods pretending to be human," e.g., Batman is real, Bruce is the mask or Wonder Woman is real while her human identity is a disguise. Stuff like that.
@@Profile__1 alan moore's run on superman depicts the superman identify as a necessary chore, similar to peter parker's great power comes great responsibility(both characters share that value, even being instilled by their respective parents) and ngl, i really dislike the grossly over simplification of that phrase/mindset. Clark genuinely grew up human, he isn't trying to ge human, he just is himself. Contrary batman see's himself as a literal symbol, his famous phrase "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am batman". Infact Thor is a literal god who is trying to be human.
Marlon Brando's portrayal of jorel actually addresses the possibility of people constantly calling on Superman for everything when he tells his son about why he should keep his identity a secret
Red Kryptonite actually just changes a Kryptonian's biology, yes it can turn them evil but it can also turn his skin to glass, shrink him or anything the writer wants him to be.
Superman is my favorite character, and I'm grateful to see a video breakdown that genuinely understands him. That Tarantino garbage about Clark being a character he puts on as a critique of the human race frustrates me to no end. He IS Clark Kent. All the dorky stuff like getting flustered talking to women and going on about how great Smallville is? That's him. It's not an act. If anything, Superman is the act. It's Clark doing his best to be the world's hero because he wants to help everyone all the time.
superman's clark's false face he puts on to give the world hope. That's why superman's invincible and always wins, cause clark made him to be that way, someone for the rest of the world to count on. But in reality, he's just a regular man trying to do good, and he's pretty average. He came from smallville kansas as a farm boy, works as a reporter, and while quite a excellent and highly praised one, he's humble and mild-mannered. That's why I think one of the best examples of superman is all might from my hero academia. He's flashy, goofy, overpowered and seemingly invincible, yet his skinny form shows who he truly is, a humble, beaten man trying to build a better world.
superman definitely isnt weak to electric shocks, but great video! i see people just blindly hate superman, not sure why or where it comes from but most just dont wanna give him a chance. he isnt too powerful either, i love the humble beast. he holds back so other villains would always have a chance against superman, and theres so much unexplored lore. like kyrptonian martial arts, wildlife of alien worlds in the fortress, and much more.
I'd say he isn't "weak to" in the way of actually being mortal to it, but instead in that he seemingly has to resist the kind of muscular contortions that electric shocks to the nervous system can cause. With someone with his level of strength, allowing those contortions to happen naturally would likely cause earthquakes.
the biggest problem with superman today is the editors and producers either dont understand him or want to focus on sales and flashiness. New characters and IP are riskier than using an already publicly popular and known characters...so the easier way to use whats known. Superman is one of the most known characters in the world on rival with popular mythology. whether or not an author understands the core of a character is less of a problem than an editor/publisher/producer who wants/needs to make sales. Superman is a great character at the whims of the needs of corporations.
I feel like for the last 10 yrs, Batman has been overrated while Superman has been underrated. People thinking that Superman isn't as cool or as interesting as Batman also make me laugh. Smallville for me really kill these misconceptions. Thanks for giving Superman the praise he truly deserves.
I will say, something that I've come to want for Batman is for a return to his nobility. Think of that scene from the JL Animated Series where he comforts Ace, a dying girl in her last moments, rather than taking her out because she's been causing a lot of harm. Is that something we'd see with the modern Batman? We've turned too far into the grimdark alleyway; let's get back into the bright pastures of hope. That's where Superman lives, where Batman thought of back then, and where Spiderman carries in his heart. The fields of hope is where our greatest heroes come from. Let's remember that and not get lost in the grime. Random side note: I was surprised to find that the Sonic movies of all things are one of the few modern productions to truly capture that spirit again, for me at least. Just saying.
Captain America, Superman And Invincible are my top 3 superheroes of all time, no caps. They are a source of inspiration to me during tough times and aspire me to be a better human being everyday. Bonus Superhero is Spiderman cause i can't get enough of him.
Here's another small, but rather crucial detail that makes me love Superman even more. A LOT of the majorly popular superheroes have monikers that are thematic. Batman dresses like a Bat. Captain America is a symbol of America. Iron Man wears a metallic suit. Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Green Arrow, etc. But not Superman. His whole theme is that he's just... super. He's just an awesome being. While he does have a rich history and backstory, the idea he represents is to just pure goodness. To be the best of ourselves. To be super, is to just keep trying to be better. Be kinder, be more patient, be more firm, be more courageous, and take a stronger stand against injustice and suffering. Be better.
Thank you for this video. I'm a long-time Superman fan and I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment. Superman IS a great character. My favorite Superman write of all time is Elliott S! Maggin. He penned Superman stories in the 1970s and 80s. His approach to writing Superman stories is simply this: Superman can do practically anything he wants with his powers? How, then, does he decide WHAT to do. That's where the stories come from. Thanks again, for the appreciation of Supes!
Really agree with this overview of Superman, which I feel is needed now more than ever. Just my opinion, but some writers seems to have missed the point - seeing only his powers as amazing, and his personality as "boring". Media in general tends to delight in the fall of any character; and the higher the character rises, the greater the distance to fall. Previous generations used to update the world, but keep the personality consistent. Now it seems they want to "improve" or modernise the character, which usually means inserting their own opinions to the point of making him unrecognisable.
I hate getting into arguments with people on the internet about who would win between superman and batman, but I always think it's funny how people say Supes would lose because batman's is a supergenius, when his two greatest enemies are the smartest man on earth, and a literal alien supercomputer.
Superman is the benchmark and role model for all superheroes!!! Loved your video, by the way, especially when it is about mine and several others' favourite superhero!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
superman and superheroes in general should focus more on what causes crime (like bad economies) instead of trying to catch each of them as they happen, because that is just impossible. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure, you know.
If you want some more good Superman comics, here are some of my favorites... Superman: Earth One Trilogy (a good portrayal of how to portray Superman in a modern setting) Superman: American Alien (an anthology of pivotal moments in Clark's journey to becoming Superman) Superman & Batman: Generations (similar to Spider-Man: Life Story, it is a story that condenses the stories of Superman and Batman into stories that encompass what their comics were like when the comic takes place, skipping ahead ten years to tell the next chapter, with a couple of exceptions in the last part of the book) Superman: Red Son (a story about what if Superman had landed in the Soviet Union instead of the United States. A really great story that examines the Cold War, and how the road to hell is paved with good intentions) Superman ((Geoff Johns and Gary Frank Trilogy :: Secret Origin, and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Brainiac)) (Johns and Frank really understand the characters and what they represent. They are some of the best comics creators to write and draw Superman and his world) Superman: Secret Identity (a story about what if a kid named Clark Kent in our world suddenly gained the abilities of Superman. A very good examination of the old saying, with great power, comes great responsibility)
I loved the first 2 Christopher Reeve films as a child (I still do) but it was watching Smallville that truly made him one of my favourite comic book characters My favourite comic book characters in no particular order are: - Cyclops - Wolverine - Spider-Man - Daredevil - Batman - Superman
I think you would love Superman for All Seasons. It has a grear exploration of his inner moral drive and shows off why Lex is his best villain. I've always loved Superman, he's been my number one for a long time but less and less of my peers seem to understand the appeal. Im glad I have something to direct them to now! I really think that the public is primed to love Superman again if he is given the chance and treatment he deserves
Great video! I too was on the Batman bandwagon as a kid, but TAS introduced me to what is so good and compelling about Superman. As I grow older, I've also found myself appreciating the aspirational heroes for what they bring to the table. For your troubled or antiheroes to shine, there needs to be a Superman to aspire to.
If i was superman, i would probably at first try to ignore responsibility, but when you have superhearing, and hear EVERYTHING! There's just too much guilt to not act.
Meh. Things have been good and bad long before the superhumans came to be. Id only use my powers to protect those I care for. Otherwise, the secret would be out, and people would try to bring me down by whatever means necessary.
"For some of his morality and desire to protect humanity, everyday is a failure for Superman". Damn, that hits hard. I've been recomended a lot of Superman videos lately, as I decided to learn more about the character. That line you said is just enough for me to apreciate the character more. We definitely need more good Superman stories.
This video is honestly awesome and I agree with it 100%. Might I add, there's a scene in All Star Superman where Clark is interviewing Lex in prison, and Lex has this speech to Clark about how "doesn't the existence of Superman make you feel inferior" pointing at Clark's clumsiness and saying how Superman doesn't understand what it's like to be human. But what's ironic is unbeknownst to Lex, he IS talking to Superman, and the fact that Lex has no idea and sees Clark as a weak fool, shows how good of an understanding he has of humanity, that he's able to hide his alter ego from the smartest person on earth.
Now you understand why everyone didn't like The Last Jedi. It destroyed a Boy Scout, a Superman if you will. We need more Heroes like Superman and Luke Skywalker for men to aspire to.
If you want a great Clark vs Lex story wich explores Luthor's tragic past in Smallville with Clark you should read "Superman Birthright", it's also my favorite origin for Superman as a hero. (Another great story for Superman's character development is "Superman Smashes the Klan, you'll probably love this one too).
Superman: Birthright is a good story, but if you really want a tale that gets to the core of Luthor, try finding a long forgotten graphic novel called "Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography." Maybe you've heard of it. The book came out in the early 90's and it is essentially Lex's answer to the "Killing Joke". The story is really well done with incredible artwork by Eduardo Barretto, I believe. Eduardo either wrote the story or drew it, I can't remember off the top of my head. The book never got it's due in the same way that the "Killing Joke" did. Another good Luthor story is Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azarello and Lee Bermejo.
I appreciate the heck out of your thoughts here. You've managed to encapsulate a lot about what I feel about Superman in a pretty well-spoken manner, and I'm about to go sharing this to hope it sways a few more minds.
A fascinating character study. I absolutely loved it. I have always found the paradox of having incredible power and at the same time feeling incredibly powerless, to be worth delving into. Looking forward to your other videos.
The best superman stories are the ones like where he’s distracted the whole time he’s fighting this earth saving battle but then he like flies off to stop a little boy from killing himself then comes back. Things like that are a good way to showcase his broken powers without making him boring to read about
I completely agree with you! I didn't like Superman that much, but it was my father favorite super hero. After his dead due to illness in a way to try to feel close again to him l started to consume a lot of Superman media and that's when I realized why he like him so much and in a way I saw how it influence his actions and his morals. So thank you very much for this beautiful video.
He's the manifestation and idea on what a super hero is In other words he's the first block of a great tall and strong wall that are superheroes. He may get shat on by everyone or in more modern times but he's the reason why it all exists in the first place.
This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen! You did a fantastic job explaining the value and power of Superman and his world. One thing you made me think of regarding his global awareness is that given that he works at a major newspaper, he would hear all the worst news and have to sift through what requires his intervention and what doesn't, domestic and abroad. I'm so glad you cited my two favorite depictions of Superman from the Animated Series and Smallville. This was utterly fantastic and it'd be cool to see more of this content from you!
I'm looking around at all this superman stuff and finding myself enjoying myself. Clark is human that wants to do good and I'm reminded of a video of one villainous scene where Lex gets all of superman's powers and he after processing everything that superman knows he becomes humble.
Amazing video...aaaand I'd like to add... When Superman's allies decide to follow his example, he doesn't HAVE to be everywhere at once. He doesn't HAVE to save everyone. When he's escorting a prisoner to the Oan sciencells, everyone from cops, to firemen, to paramedics, to emerald archers, to burger flippers, to golden-clad time travellers, to demi goddesses, to soldiers, to political leaders, to billionaire orphans would stay behind, asking themselves: "What would Superman do?" This is why the nature of this character's depictions are SO critical, and why I get unreasonably offended when people try to "Ayn Rand" him up. His dedication to the weak often makes me shamefully question my own. He's potentially as thought-provoking as Sandman. Write the script. I also recommend the 2014 "Adventures of Superman" TPB, vol 1-3. Beautiful stuff.
Superman I'm realizing is the ultimate image of what a celebrity is. The way comic book fans talk about him speaks volumes. Because he's nearly all powerful, he's boring, nothing is hard for him, etc etc ......but when you actually see the character in his own personal setting and mind....you find out the grass is not necessarily green. We prop up Celebrities all the time thinking they got it all.....when most of them will tell you they don't and it's not as glamorous as we see it in media.
I remember watching reruns of the George Reeves Superman series as a kid in the 60's & 70"s. In the series they incorporated the movie, "Superman and the Mole Men" into the series. I recommend getting a copy of that movie and watching it. It is about a drilling company drilling down and striking a tunnel in which these beings come up. While watching this show, i was exposed to the ugliness of racism and it really affected my attitudes in life.
@@ProjektTaku The best thing about the Mole Men movie/episodes is that it enabled a way for me to talk to my parents about racism and bigotry, without actually talking about racism and bigotry. It was the start of me realizing the power of superheroes (as well as scifi) to talk about stuff without beating you over the head with it.
@@djswint lol guess your right, but I think superman smashes the klan, while not a super subtle message, is still a great story with good art and I heavily recommend it.
21:49 Somehow I don't think that's the part people find relatable, but point taken 😂 Anyway, this was a wonderful video! I have never disliked Superman. I'm quite fond of him in my own way. But this past week, I've been watching various essays on why he's not boring and is actually great. While I appreciated the love and passion behind those videos, I found that if I didn't already like him, none of what was being said would be enough to appeal to me. But this video, particularly this section (14:09) finally made everything click into place. Great work 💖
He's so underrated, such a good character not just for his power but for his connections to the important people in his life. I've always found it relatable that he wants to do the right thing.
As a kid, I was one who saw Superman for how powerful he was and loved every second of it in the Animated shows. Why? Because he was a nice guy, his theme was bright and hopeful, the show was a total opposite to Batman all dark and dreary which actually bored me with literal Day and Night with Superman being mostly Day. At the time I actually wished he was stronger because I was confused how some villains gave him too much trouble like Parasite and Metallo....but he found a way, cause he doesn't give up. Even when his powers can't help him...he finds a way. Shit when it didn't work, I was always at the edge of my seat how he would get through this. He's strong willed and he doesn't let it go to his head. It was him and Goku as some characters that always inspired and motivated me to be a better me. It's funny cause when Darkseid first came to the scene.....maaaannn he was honestly the best villain to me because physically overpowering Superman, but then Superman eventually besting him? Was great. Especially when he rallied earth together. Admittably, I loved Lex Luthor in the show and his voice actor but sometimes I was in disbelief that he could give Superman trouble sometimes and is even able to walk around with all the shit he caused.
If they can keep Captain America morals intact, then Superman should be morality foundation stone for all Superheroes. He simply saves everyone nothing more nothing less.
The conflict of responsibility you mentioned regarding how Superman spends his time is explored further with a lot of Superman analogues, like Astro City's Samaritan, or Marvel's Sentry. Regarding the character himself, has always been my favorite. Very unhappy with the modern theatrical depictions of him. A small part of me died the day I watched Man of Steel. The world needs a good Superman movie more than it knows and it's sad that the best one is *still* the first, from 1978.
When I was a kid in the 90s I was all about batman, ninja turtles and x men. That all changed when I saw Superman the animated series. Since then he's been my favorite superhero. Hollywood needs to make an iteration like that.
honestly, I think all might from my hero academia is also a good portrayal of how superman should be. His all might form is flashy, over the top, seemingly invincible and awe-inspiring, a legend, while in actuality his regular form is simply a man trying to do good and keep peace, essentially the 2 sides of superman: Superman and clark kent. Clark is just a regular dude who wants to do good, so he puts on this face of perfection to give the world something to look up to. Superman is just clark trying to make his childhood heroes a reality, similar to how batman loved detective stories in his young, inspiring his hero persona. If bruce goes to the theatre and sees a mystery detective thriller, clark reads a comic about a perfect hero who always wins in the end, no matter what.
@@ProjektTaku that would be a great addition in movie script, a scene where you see young Clark watching a superhero with a cape on TV, imagining himself one day being a superhero
@@chrisd653 lol yeah, would be cute. We don't actually normally get to see much of a young, kid clark. Honestly would love to work on a animated superman movie.
Lex Luthor is lowkey maybe the best villain of all time. He is the part of humanity that in the name of his perception of what is glorious refuses to evolve into the future. I feel the term "man of tomorrow" means that Superman represents the bridge between humanity and the future. A future that Lex will never accept.
I Loved the Video. My video request is making a Video that discusses Superman and Lex. Their Dynamic and how it works. I would Appreciate. Thank you once again for this Video on The G.O.A.T
superman is a humble farm boy who wants to do good, and lex hates the idea that someone with his power would choose to live like any other man, which is why he doesn't realize clark is supes, cause he just wouldn't do it. He's a self-made man who built everything and put himself ontop of metropolis, so when superman comes in a casually receives the love and support of the public lex has cultivated for years, simply because of his natural gifts he assumes, it hurts his pride. He can talk all he wants about superman being a danger to humanity, but really its just his ego at stake. If lex wanted to, he could become a better hero than superman ever was, but his inferiority complex holds him back. he couldn't settle for "2nd" place as metropolis's hero, so he became the no 1 villain. I also love clark and zod's dynamic. Zod is a natural born warrior, he takes great pride in his heritage and looks down on clark for being too "soft" due to earth, and he decides that he alone should rule krypton due to it being his birthright, and he'll sacrifice even his own people towards that goal, unlike clark, who sees himself as like any other man and will sacrifice himself for others. In essence, zod is simply vegeta who was never redeemed.
I LOVE Superman. Goku is pretty much a carbon copy of Superman, yet cringe anime fans continue to say Superman is boring or overpowered. How is Goku any different then??? 😅 An Lex Luthor is an amazing character agreed 👍 Just stay away from his Batman V Superman version. Even tho I love the ultimate edition of that movie ❤
Holy moly I woke up this morning to over 10k views! Absolutely blown away, thank you so much everyone for watching, commenting, and providing feedback. I'd love to respond to all your comments, but there are now too many for me to keep up with!
I made this video essay as a random passion project, expecting to only get 100 views, so to get 10,000 is mindblowing. I absolutely loved making the video, and it looks like people want more, so rest assured another like this is on the way, however I am unfortunately a one man army with a regular job so it's not going to come out as soon as I'd like it to. If you want a teaser, however, I can tell you that this SECOND video is going to be about a tragic villain who I think really has it TWO bad. Thanks again everyone :)
The reason why they had Superman fighting for truth, justice and the American way is because the American way is the best the world has and the US needs to go back to the Boy Scout American way but right now we have Bizarro in the White House being controlled by China home of covid-19. It's not racist it's normal to protect your home and family above everything else regardless if you have Superman's powers or not. The US and western Europe needs to start doing that again and quit letting crap in that wants us dead and destroy our counties. Some people we allow over the border are more evil and ruthless than Putin or anything comics got to offer regardless of race or color of skin. What happened in France is a example of that.
Really brilliant video! You totally deserve all the views. It's clear that so much thought and research went into creating this. Your passion is utterly contagious and has inspired me to delve further into more Superman comics. I really look forward to your next video, whatever it may be!
Great video, over the years I have been realizing how great Superman is and how great his villains are.
Also that scene of Lex from Superman TAS is one I have been watching all year, I'm glad someone else notices how great that scene is.
My favorite versions of Superman are the DCAU and Arrowverse.
as of his 3rd incarnation you wouldn't be saying sorry dad I can't come to your birthday party if you were superman because both your parents would be dead
Is it two face?
When my grandmother passed away from breast cancer in 1978, my father and his siblings were distraught. He was only eight years old at the time and his family was slowly falling apart. In a moment of haste, my grandfather took his three children to the cinema to see “Superman: The Movie”. Two-and-a-half hours later, the four of them left that theatre happy, encouraged and above all, feeling invincible. My family managed to reconcile with each other and showed each other their love.
Years later, I was born. As my father’s only son, he took a real appreciation to my interests in superheroes but wasn’t interested in anyone but Superman. When I was about 6, he showed me the film and we began to watch Smallville together. I can still remember the final episode airing and the both of us sitting together, and just as Clark unveiled the logo on his chest and the theme tune was blaring, he whispered “He’s Superman now, so are you.”
Superman is MY superhero. He represents everything I want to stand and be remembered for. Thank you for making this video to represent him as the beautiful icon of hope that he is. Bless you.
Thanks for sharing your story. I'm a huge fan of Superman '78 as well. The new Superman '78 comic that came out last year is fantastic and truly carries on the tone and story of Superman '78 and II.
Great story made me have goosebumps. You should try to read All star superman. It's really his greatest appearance in media IMO.
@@CAGAT25 All-Star Superman is amazing. One of my favorite Superman storylines. Too bad we won’t ever get a live-action adaptation of it.
@@spencergsmith yeah I know man it sucks
@@CAGAT25 if you like that one, you might want to check out "Superman: Birthright" or "Superman for All Seasons" as well.
Clark Kent is the real Personality, Superman is the tool he uses to help others.
Everyone in the JLA that is close to him doesn't call him "Superman", they call him Clark.
Lex on the other hand, knows Clark is his real name, but could not accept it because he only sees him for the ideology that Superman represents, that he hates. Not the man behind the cape.
@@jack-exzolt9858 yessss!!!
Wow, that's a really interesting observation in the context of Batman being the real indentity of Bruce Wayne. Clark is Superman when he needs to be. Batman is Bruce Wayne when he needs to be.
@@jack-exzolt9858 correct
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superma had ton of cheesy plots. But the dialogues were brilliant. When Lois discovers Clark is Superman and asks who he really is he answers brilliantly: "Superman is what I can do. Clark Kent is who I am".
The problem lies not with Superman as a character, it lies with us as an audience. We are too cynical, jaded and nihilistic to appreciate him.
Speak for yourself. Try discerning and realistic instead. The bad audience tack is distasteful.
@@Twirlyhead Are you a Garth Ennis fan?
If superman was an antihero like deadpool everyone would love and worship him in today's pop culture climate. Modern society now as a whole hates the boy scout generic cookie cutter heroes like Superman they view him as a relic of the past in most instances whereas foreign adaptations that loosely pull from him are all the rage and the popular trend now.
Of course the gritty anti pop culture heroes are fine and interesting but the wholesome heroes of old can be just as entertaining even moreso. Every hero can't be gritty and push or break the 4th wall even if we as readers or people watching want it so.
What makes this even more ironic is that since Superman represents pure optimism and hope and Lex Luthor juxtaposes him in every way representing pure societal cynicism, then technically most audiences who share said cynicism embody the same viewpoint as Lex Luthor, when we really shouldn't.
@@milkiassamuel780 well said.
He's "underrated"_because of the kind of hero that he is. The ideal Superman character shouldn't be changed. But thanks to hollywood modernizing and current fan perception. Superman has been victim of a raw deal. He hasn't been treated right in modern times. With very few exceptions
Thank god Superman And Lois are taking the good routes I swear that show are the new seasons of Smallville we never got
@Anastasia's Secret then I guess the words character development means nothing to you and you just enjoy shitty mary sues
Facts
The character has been destroyed for the past 30 yrs since the first crisis. DC has elevated Batman to God Status while continuing to weaken and hurt Superman. And modern audiences have taken the character and turned him to fit their idea of human sensibilities, instead of allowing him to rise above and set the example. He's no longer a beacon of hope, because for some reason they feel the idea of hope, goodness, decency, empathy, are either outdated or non existent in current times. The idea of a pure hero escapes them. And this reduced Superman to just another hero in tights.
@@auntiewewe972 there jaded,petty ,and has self esteem issues
“In spite of everything you’ve done , eventually they’ll hate you”
legit superman irl.
He's helped so many people through tough times through his stories and helped shape the world at large, yet people still find him boring and write him of.
Christ
@@robertortiz-wilson1588 especially Jesus Christ
@@mightybryan1033 indeed!
I think my favorite thing about the Superman character is that he completely flips the notion that power is corrupting. Superman has unbelievable power, and yet he dosen't abuse it. He only uses it for the good of everyone, to save as many lives as he can and help anyone who needs it. So often stories about all powerful beings portray them as either cold and inhuman, or outwardly hostile to those they consider to be beneath them. But Superman is different, he doesn't see anyone as being beneath him. Everyone is his friend. And everyone is worth saving.
Some people try to make him darker or evil but that’s not Superman he’s meant to be that warm hand on your shoulder for whenever your feeling bad or you just really need help he’s an Ideal sure sometimes it can be boring but that’s really in how you just present them but bottom line I’m always gonna love Superman for what he embodies and what he inspires
This is true, HOWEVER characters like Thor and Iron Man are nothing like their movie counter parts either and yet they are loved. Heck even the new Black Adam isn't going to be what he's like in the comics. It's rare to see a Hollywood movie get comic characters correct
"With great power comes the absolute certainly that you'll turn into a right cunt" - William Butcher
So Superman is a _mum_ then.
Darker stories for Superman are fun, for the man who has everything is a classic, that one justice League episode where he has a nightmare about accidentally killing Lois and Jimmy is heartbreaking, All Star Superman is about his inevitable demise and its fantastic.
If writers want to do dark Superman stories they merely need to throw the big blue boy scout into horrible situations, they don't need to make Superman this brooding,angsty, morally grey superhero.
Yeah and thats the reason I find Superman to be a crap character. Too idealistic and not to mention power wise he has no clear limit. Leading to the invention of multi-colored space rocks needed to effectively combat against him.
I remember when I was younger, I hated Superman. I thought he was boring, overpowered and overrated. I preferred Batman to him. But as I got older, as my outlook on life changed, and I read more Superman stories, he felt... like everything I needed at the time. I was a teenager struggling with depression and an abusive homelife, who wanted to just hate the world for all the pain it was causing me. But I started reading and watching good Superman stories, and I just felt like I had a new drive in life. To always love, care, and be there for people. Now, the character means so much to me, that with almost every decision I make in life, I ask myself "what would Clark Kent do?". Because at the core of his character, Superman is Clark Kent, a simple guy, that's filled with so much love and compassion for anyone, no matter how good or bad. That is so contagious, and so needed today. Superman's outlook on life and optimism is just as powerful in real life as it is in the comics. I truly don't know where I'd be without him. I live every day trying my best to be kind and caring. Being the best person I can be, all because of a fictional character. I love Superman and all the lessons he's taught me, but also how much he made me realize it's never as bad as it seems.
It's funny because as a kid I really enjoyed Superman but as I got older I realized how boring and unrealistic his entire persona is. I realized the world is filled with shades of grey and the black/white evil/good version of the universe does not exist.
Its when Superman starts to question whether humanity is worth saving that he becomes interesting.
Well when was I younger, I liked Superman more than Batman, lol.
@KVAcedo27 Overly simplistic and dull. Superman does good because he is good. No nuance, no substance.
Call me when he decides saving the cat stuck up a tree is not worth his time.
@@mbogucki1 i think if you can't be arsed saving a cat stuck in a tree, despite possessing the ability to fly and being virtually indestructible, that would make you unambiguously a piece of shit
I never enjoyed batman as a kid. I would watch the Batman animated series but it being all dark and Batman not having powers bored the shit out of me.
Ever since Injustice, people really kept looking at Superman and fail to understand him.
2010s writers missed the point on who Superman is and what he stands for and ruined how people perceived the character.
@@petermj1098 Comics like Rebirth, up in the sky, American Alien, ect got him
You did an excellent job explaining why Superman is great and why he's a timeless character. Although Spider-Man is my favorite superhero, Superman is an icon in pop culture and the reason why superheroes are loved. We wouldn't have superheroes today if it weren't for Superman.
Fax
The animated series said it best: "Clark, you live your life. Superman just helps out once in a while."
As for division of time, depends on how much sleep a Superman needs. Since I'd fly to work, I'd be on the lookout for trouble. Getting a job with flexible hours so you can be on call if something happens during the day. Do a couple of patrols before and after dinner. A couple of late night sweeps before bed at 2-3am. Eventually the criminals would realize they will get caught if they do crime in my town. So yeah, I'd pick a metropolitan center and focus on that. That's really the only way to do superhero work. If you spread yourself out too wide, you'll be ineffective. You'll end up like the Flash from Kingdom Come, never stopping to appreciate the world around you. On the weekend, if the city is slow, you could do some special projects. Superman connecting with STAR labs for example. Or checking in with the military to improve our defenses. Because here's the thing: Clark doesn't owe us anything. He's a hero because he can and because he likes helping people. That's it. So while it might be jingoistic or racist, being an American means you'll live here and do most of your work super or otherwise here. Would you expect Captain Britain to fly over here to help us? Maybe sometimes, during a disaster, possibly.
Thanks for this. I really enjoy the discussion about superpower ethics.
I wouldn't say "underrated", but he's definitely overhated
I would say, more like underappreciated. Because nowadays people are so obsessed with relevancy, realism and inclusion that we cast him aside as nothing but power fantasy. Which is sad really. When the original purpose of the medium was to teach good morals and have an untouchable and incorruptible role model that we can look up to no matter what walk of life we live in.
Yea "underrated" was a poor choice of words
@Darklord69 He's is underrated. Maybe not for a older audience, but most my friends have never watched any superman shows/movies and almost all of them have watched a batman or a marvel movie.
@Will N I'm a big fan of TAS, justice league/JLU, and most the DCAU. Appreciate the suggestions tho homie
@@jack-exzolt9858 Nope he was never a role model for me or inspired me (Infact the exact oposite people like him only make me feel worseI
On the question of "why do you relate to Batman more than Superman," it's mostly an emotional thing. We live in a difficult world, and staying optimistic like Superman is difficult - it's much easier to feel the pain and develop anger. Ultimately, Batman's story is about turning pain and anger into something positive to help others, and his pure determination is inspiring.
That being said, I relate to Superman a lot as well. Again, he has that determination, but the core of his character is helping others no matter what (which is the same as Batman, but Superman does it in a much more positive way).
For me currently, the way I see it is that Batman relates to how I feel now, but Superman relates to what I'm working towards for the future.
Anyways, fantastic video. Been telling everyone Superman is awesome and nobody believes me, so I'll have to send them this from now on.
Youz perfctly summarized why i can relate to Batma.
And exactly why Superman dont is relatable for me at all. As i despise the role odel concept as i was always compared i should be other people
I feel that him and Cyclops get so misrepresented nowadays.
I wish to see Old Clark and Scott done justice.
In my opinion superman's greatest powers are his empathy, and humbleness. He may be some sort of powerful demigod, but he's still human to the core. he cares for people and deeply values life, and honestly this is way more interesting to me than the twisted perception of the evil or cold hearted superman. It definitely deserves better man, i wish he had a good movie instead of whatever the hell Sneyder did
I always hated that 'Kill Bill' Speech... as a Lifelong Superman fan I was screaming at the screen how wrong that is. You could Argue he has 3 different identities (depending on the era/media being portrayed) There's Superman, the powerful hero, The Role Model that saves the day... There's Daily Planet Clark, mild mannered and professional reporter (sometimes a bit clumsy to throw off suspicion)... then there's "Farm" Clark, this is the "real" Clark his loved ones see especially the ones that know his secret identity, the one where he's not putting on any act, It's where he's as 'regular guy' as he can be.
My biggest problem with Superman was John Byrne's decision to reinvent him by depowering him, so he'd be "more relatable." By doing so, he made his moral compass less difficult to navigate, even if it made his battles easier to write. The most relatable aspect of his character was how his godlike powers prevented him from being able to marry Lois Lane. Then, by reducing his powers to more "relatable" levels, Superman became somebody who has a great job, is able to marry Lois Lane and have a family, and he doesn't really have to worry about how his powers affect his relationships with others.
(Not that there haven't been good stories written after John Byrne's reboot but most of them happen to be outside of the regular continuity.)
Also by depowering him everybody got powered up in DC/MARVEL so everyone can kick his ass now.
I always thought Superman was a boring one dimensional character since I’ve never really looked into any of his stories but this video makes me want to check out more of his stories.
Please check out Superman Adventures comic books (the animated series style artwork), because that’s where he shines as a character. Ignore the bad artwork, tho.
Check out - Superman for all seasons , Superman Peace on Earth and All Star Superman.
Superman is the single best superhero of all time and nobody can argue with that. You may have characters you prefer or have your own favourites (Raven is mine) but Clark is the absolute epitome of everything a superhero is: cheesy, kind, compassionate, relatable and powerful. He is the perfect and quintessential superhero
yup.
He's flashy, seemingly invincible and awe-inspiring, although that's really just a face he puts onto the world when in actuality he's simply just a man trying to do good.
As many other RUclipsrs like say, everyone needs a Superman. Someone to inspire hope when the world keeps getting worse.
Honestly People like Superman dont inspire hope in the slightest in me, quiet the oposite.
@@Acacius1992 then what does?
I think one of the biggest problems Superman stories have now is that so many are focused on the superficial. They see what he can do and what he looks like and assume almost everything is easy for him. But it's never that simple, and no one likes to admit that.
I really like how you deconstruct a lot of factors everyone complains about or claims are associated with Superman. Gotta respect my fellow Kansan as well. Especially since I was raised with similar moral leanings.
Also that point you made about his super senses being a problem.... It's actually something I bring up in my own set of comic stories. The Superman of the universe I made had to deal with not just his hearing and sight enhanced, but all of his senses when his powers awakened. To the point he's blind, stepping into the sun for the first time made it feel like he was on fire, and he could hear and smell everything around the world at once. Then he lost control of his newly gained strength and..... Well let's just say he accidentally caused a near apocolypse. And ever since he got control of his senses, strength, etc, he's lived trying to do right like he used to (he originally worked in search and rescue) while also atoning for what happened. "That is the Justice I need to fulfill." That's just a little quote.
Superman is my favorite superhero and I enjoy a lot of his stories. The DC Extended Universe holds a special place in my heart (thank you, Henry) and I always do my best to give new stories a chance to impress me.
I've said this before and I'm sure I'll say it again: the definitive Superman does not exist. If Superman existed in real life, he'd be enjoying the kind of career most actors would kill for. He's played just about every role imaginable, such as champion of social justice, space-faring adventurer, reluctant Messiah, loving father, awkward teenager with romantic problems, medieval fantasy swordsman, tyrannical villain and even sentient dinosaur. If you're wondering how is it possible for a single character to possess so many different, yet equally valid, interpretations over the years, the answer is simple: Superman is whatever the story and the audience need him to be at the time.
While the core aspect of Superman have remained mostly unchanged throughout the years, the simple truth is this: Superman is a highly versatile character that can be adapted into any kind of story, scenario or situation, much like James Bond, Sherlock Holmes and Godzilla.
Personally, I'm tired of the debate of the "definitive Superman" because it's no longer a way for people to talk about the merits and flaws of their favorite Superman stories but rather a way for people to boost their own egos, while tearing others down. Every Superman out there is equal in their legitimacy and their appeal to a particular audience.
..Stop it. Superman ABSOLUTELY has a definitive version. ONLY people who do not like the characters claim otherwise.
@@panthergod Are you implying that I don't really like Superman because my opinion is different from yours?
The “world of cardboard” speech has done so much damage to the character. I hate how even for some people that like Superman, the conversation is only ever about his power. Superman’s power has nothing to do with why he’s my favorite superhero.
Indeed for me Clark has always been an impossible standard of morality to aim at. Which is perfect because even though I can't possibly become as good of a man as him. Just striving to be like him invariably makes you a better man
God I tire of hearing "cis white male" (and no, I'm not one). As if they aren't also human beings. That aside, excellent analysis of what makes the Man of Steel so interesting. Earned a sub, sir.
Yeah I never understood why he keeps saying that, It does not really help his point when he is himself labelling a certain group of people by their race and sexual preference.
Why do you care if you're not white? looking to get something from us, huh?
Oh thank god, someone said it.
it's a just a way of describing someone, it's the same as calling someone black or a woman (or a female, if you're one of those)
@@RomanHistoryFan476ADEverytime i hear that phrase i think, whats wrong with being a straight cis white male? Almost makes you think.
The negative perception that we see of Superman nowadays genuinely annoys me. Yes he's one of, if not the most powerful heroes in comics. But like this video states: How does that make him less interesting? He has to struggle more than any other not to cause irreparable damage to humanity. And he loves humanity. He loves humanity more than humans themselves do. That's what's so interesting about him. He sees humans as the race of people who took him in, raised him as their own, taught him right and wrong, and gave him a place to grow up. People hate him because he's "perfect" but he isn't "perfect" for no reason. He's a reflection of the best that humanity has to offer. And I for one think that's great.
So the best humanity has to offer isn't even human ? Great
@@spunkymaniac9312 Well, yes and no. He is the way he is because of the core values John and Martha Kent instilled in him. He just takes those ideals to the extreme, which he has to do because he's so powerful. So he's sort of like the best human ideals brought into reality through an extremely powerful alien. Idk if that made sense.
What about his negative traits ??? That's what also makes US human.Over coming your short-comings & negative traits also makes you human,these things are very relatable.I think that's why some say Supes is PERFECT and not relatable.
Superman is a boring Mary Sue. That's why his sales can't hit over the #50. Once the CCA was thrown out his sales sank even faster. He is perfect, and the best ever who can beat anyone even cosmic beings. That's why everyone hates on the character, spiderman doesn't get any hate(only from superman fanboys) and he's just as big of a goodie two shoes as supergod.
@@powerbad696 He still struggles with daily everyday problems. He has a family that he worries about, a job that disrupts his ability to be a superhero, as Clark Kent he's clumsy and awkward. Plus he's naive. That's his most glaring flaw. He isn't willing to accept that some humans can't be saved, or some just straight up don't deserve to be saved. He's all powerful and he has unflinching morals, but that doesn't make him unrelatable.
Fantastic video, all star superman was the first comic book ive ever read. Ever since then, he has been and always will be my favorite hero. I think hes so relevant to todays faults and environment. My own morals as a man and human being on this earth will never be the same. I didnt realize my own faults as a person prior to superman. But as i kept reading and reading i realized who i truly can be and who ive always wanted to be. Incredible character, ive never felt more personally spoken to than with superman. Awesome vid again. Superman forever
The same thing happened to me recently, I always disliked him despite liking Christopher Reeve's version and Smallville that was it. However, after watching Superman & Lois, I was pleasantly surprised. It has made me wonder about my already existing views on Supes. Tyler's portrayal is so charming and exactly how Supes should be. All my favourite characters are Spidey, Nightwing and Daredevil. They all have a constant emotional conflict. I just realised Supes can fall into these same boxes if he's written well. He has the heart of Nightwing almost, so that goodness is just instilled inside him. I love characters like that, Wally West is another example that came to mind while writing. All these characters love/care about people and characters are important considering how cruel life can get.
wally west is how you handle a legacy character.
He isn't just perfectly fit for the role, he grows into it and overcomes his mental challenges and eventually becomes his own kind of flash, surpassing barry.
Just to clarify, superman is not weak to all red light only red SOLAR energy
Yeah, I protested that part, too. Unfortunately IRL, there is no energy difference between red and yellow sunlight. But I do enjoy when Clark flies into orbit to get a full charge of sunlight.
That is a very good point that I should have clarified in the video, thanks for the spot!
@@AuthorsAnvil thank you for an otherwise perfect video 👍
Captain America, Optimus Prime, and Superman; the holy trinity of "lights in the dark."
Too bad they're all getting ripped off in some way, shape or form.... it sucks.
I kind of think Ultraman should be in there too. The one from Japan, not the Superman of Earth-3.
@@AdamYJ Ultraman is DEFINITELY underrated. Can't believe the last time we saw him was in Shin Ultraman...
Superman is unrealistic, but that is the whole point: he is meant to be aspirational and represents the latent potential of humans. And as long as we fail to meet that potential, there is still a place for Superman.
In the famous Superman All-star run by Grant Morrison, a dying Superman create simulations of the world to see what will happen if he never exists, so that he can feel safe to pass on, knowing that humans are safe. One of the simulation that he saw was our world, where comic writers are creating Superman. It speaks to our species' nobility to seek out to become better, even creating mythos to guide us towards that potential.
No where else was it put better than the time I read a meme that said, "my ultimate consequence-free power fantasy is to be able to help everybody."
If you don't understand this, if you don't play the "good side" in video games with no consequences for being bad, you simply shouldn't be writing Superman.
A very well thought-out video. I'm a big fan of Superman as he stands for ideals, and I'm an Idealist. His rogues gallery is fantastic, and he's a complex character. My favourite superman content: The 2 Richard Donner Superman movies ('78, Superman II Donner Cut), Lois and Clark, Superman the Animated Series. Justice League Animated Series. By the way, you have to watch "For the Man Who Has Everything" episode from Justice League. An amazing Superman and Batman episode!
I wouldn't call for the man who has everything a superman and batman episode.
Its firmly rooted in superman's story with a little bonus batman extra.
@@ProjektTaku Sure, you could say that.
Good video, you've earned yourself a subscriber.
There's another element surrounding Superman's character that's actually pretty powerful and relevant today: Truth.
Most people overlook this, but what Superman does as Clark Kent is just as important as what he does as Superman depending on the circumstances. It's easy to just go out there and beat the bad guy, but it's A LOT harder to repair the damage that they already caused before you were able to stop them. Superman reminds us to always find the truth and tell it to as many people as possible. You may get wrong information, and you may make mistakes, but constantly pursuing and working to uncover the truth is the only way to be able to truly defeat evil.
This theme is an ever prevalent belief in Superman stories right down to his origins with his father trying to get the Leaders of Krypton to see that Krypton is dying.
Heck, I think it's this dedication to truth that was what allowed Batman and Superman to connect so well despite being so different. Though, that's mostly just head-canon on my part.
I don't know about "stronger no killing rule than Batman", but he does definitely prefer not to kill. He's told the Joker that he just generally doesn't kill, and he tends to forgive heroes who kill in his presence much more readily than Batman would. The reason Superman vs The Elites still works in this context is because they were doing it to the point of making the public believe that was always the answer, which Superman does still stand against. Sometimes killing is necessary, but it should never be the first resort.
I agree woth the entire video but one note; hes not pretending to be a bumbling dork, he really is Clark kent. He plays up his air headedness, but overall Clark is the real identity, and Superman is the face he puts up to be a hero.
I gotta disagree, though I reckon it also depends on the interpretation too. However, for me most Superman stories primarily show "Superman" being the real identity and "Clark Kent" being the mask. Of course neither is truly him, and his real self is a combination of the two: an alien raised as a man, struggling with inner conflicts like anyone else, but who is aware of his worth and power. He's not just Superman, but he's not just Clark Kent. I'd say the real identity is however he acts around his parents, in a way.
@@Profile__1 i gotta agree with ruber duck and slight dis/agree with you. Superman was raised as a normal person, he is pretty dorky and chill. Clark kent is his more true self because well thats how he grew up, superman is a more exaggerated version of himself, helps him and even inspires himself.
@@Thatglasseskun Hmmm that's very interesting actually. I haven't come across many that interpret the "Kent vs. Superman" identity like this, actually. More often it's Superman being the real identity, as it holds with the typical phrase associated with DC "Gods pretending to be human," e.g., Batman is real, Bruce is the mask or Wonder Woman is real while her human identity is a disguise. Stuff like that.
@@Profile__1 alan moore's run on superman depicts the superman identify as a necessary chore, similar to peter parker's great power comes great responsibility(both characters share that value, even being instilled by their respective parents) and ngl, i really dislike the grossly over simplification of that phrase/mindset. Clark genuinely grew up human, he isn't trying to ge human, he just is himself. Contrary batman see's himself as a literal symbol, his famous phrase "I am vengeance, I am the night, I am batman". Infact Thor is a literal god who is trying to be human.
Marlon Brando's portrayal of jorel actually addresses the possibility of people constantly calling on Superman for everything when he tells his son about why he should keep his identity a secret
Red Kryptonite actually just changes a Kryptonian's biology, yes it can turn them evil but it can also turn his skin to glass, shrink him or anything the writer wants him to be.
I love how in All-Star Superman he saves a lot of people as Clark Kent and he uses the clumsines as a disguse when he does that.
I've always found him boring until I watched smallville, now hes one of my all time favourite superheroes and I find him more interesting now
It’s always good to hear someone defending the quality of super man stories. Cheers Author’s Anvil.
Superman is my favorite character, and I'm grateful to see a video breakdown that genuinely understands him. That Tarantino garbage about Clark being a character he puts on as a critique of the human race frustrates me to no end. He IS Clark Kent. All the dorky stuff like getting flustered talking to women and going on about how great Smallville is? That's him. It's not an act. If anything, Superman is the act. It's Clark doing his best to be the world's hero because he wants to help everyone all the time.
superman's clark's false face he puts on to give the world hope. That's why superman's invincible and always wins, cause clark made him to be that way, someone for the rest of the world to count on.
But in reality, he's just a regular man trying to do good, and he's pretty average.
He came from smallville kansas as a farm boy, works as a reporter, and while quite a excellent and highly praised one, he's humble and mild-mannered.
That's why I think one of the best examples of superman is all might from my hero academia. He's flashy, goofy, overpowered and seemingly invincible, yet his skinny form shows who he truly is, a humble, beaten man trying to build a better world.
Idk if Superman is my favorite hero but he definitely symbolizes the best qualities of a superhero. Not to mention the best immigrant story ever.
Before this video, I was definitely one of those “Superman is boring” guys, but you have thoroughly changed my mind. Well done
superman definitely isnt weak to electric shocks, but great video! i see people just blindly hate superman, not sure why or where it comes from but most just dont wanna give him a chance. he isnt too powerful either, i love the humble beast. he holds back so other villains would always have a chance against superman, and theres so much unexplored lore. like kyrptonian martial arts, wildlife of alien worlds in the fortress, and much more.
I'd say he isn't "weak to" in the way of actually being mortal to it, but instead in that he seemingly has to resist the kind of muscular contortions that electric shocks to the nervous system can cause. With someone with his level of strength, allowing those contortions to happen naturally would likely cause earthquakes.
the biggest problem with superman today is the editors and producers either dont understand him or want to focus on sales and flashiness.
New characters and IP are riskier than using an already publicly popular and known characters...so the easier way to use whats known. Superman is one of the most known characters in the world on rival with popular mythology.
whether or not an author understands the core of a character is less of a problem than an editor/publisher/producer who wants/needs to make sales.
Superman is a great character at the whims of the needs of corporations.
I feel like for the last 10 yrs, Batman has been overrated while Superman has been underrated. People thinking that Superman isn't as cool or as interesting as Batman also make me laugh. Smallville for me really kill these misconceptions. Thanks for giving Superman the praise he truly deserves.
I will say, something that I've come to want for Batman is for a return to his nobility. Think of that scene from the JL Animated Series where he comforts Ace, a dying girl in her last moments, rather than taking her out because she's been causing a lot of harm. Is that something we'd see with the modern Batman?
We've turned too far into the grimdark alleyway; let's get back into the bright pastures of hope. That's where Superman lives, where Batman thought of back then, and where Spiderman carries in his heart. The fields of hope is where our greatest heroes come from. Let's remember that and not get lost in the grime.
Random side note: I was surprised to find that the Sonic movies of all things are one of the few modern productions to truly capture that spirit again, for me at least. Just saying.
It’s DC’s fault since 1989 they’ve been force feeding us Batman in hella variants
Captain America, Superman And Invincible are my top 3 superheroes of all time, no caps. They are a source of inspiration to me during tough times and aspire me to be a better human being everyday. Bonus Superhero is Spiderman cause i can't get enough of him.
👍👍👍
I think this sums up why superman will always be relevant. I hope James Gunn takes notes for “Superman: Legacy”. 😊
Here's another small, but rather crucial detail that makes me love Superman even more. A LOT of the majorly popular superheroes have monikers that are thematic. Batman dresses like a Bat. Captain America is a symbol of America. Iron Man wears a metallic suit. Spider-Man, Ant-Man, Green Arrow, etc.
But not Superman. His whole theme is that he's just... super. He's just an awesome being. While he does have a rich history and backstory, the idea he represents is to just pure goodness. To be the best of ourselves. To be super, is to just keep trying to be better. Be kinder, be more patient, be more firm, be more courageous, and take a stronger stand against injustice and suffering. Be better.
Thank you for this video. I'm a long-time Superman fan and I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment. Superman IS a great character. My favorite Superman write of all time is Elliott S! Maggin. He penned Superman stories in the 1970s and 80s. His approach to writing Superman stories is simply this: Superman can do practically anything he wants with his powers? How, then, does he decide WHAT to do. That's where the stories come from. Thanks again, for the appreciation of Supes!
Really agree with this overview of Superman, which I feel is needed now more than ever. Just my opinion, but some writers seems to have missed the point - seeing only his powers as amazing, and his personality as "boring". Media in general tends to delight in the fall of any character; and the higher the character rises, the greater the distance to fall. Previous generations used to update the world, but keep the personality consistent. Now it seems they want to "improve" or modernise the character, which usually means inserting their own opinions to the point of making him unrecognisable.
I hate getting into arguments with people on the internet about who would win between superman and batman, but I always think it's funny how people say Supes would lose because batman's is a supergenius, when his two greatest enemies are the smartest man on earth, and a literal alien supercomputer.
Superman is the benchmark and role model for all superheroes!!! Loved your video, by the way, especially when it is about mine and several others' favourite superhero!!! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
superman and superheroes in general should focus more on what causes crime (like bad economies) instead of trying to catch each of them as they happen, because that is just impossible. an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure, you know.
If you want some more good Superman comics, here are some of my favorites...
Superman: Earth One Trilogy (a good portrayal of how to portray Superman in a modern setting)
Superman: American Alien (an anthology of pivotal moments in Clark's journey to becoming Superman)
Superman & Batman: Generations (similar to Spider-Man: Life Story, it is a story that condenses the stories of Superman and Batman into stories that encompass what their comics were like when the comic takes place, skipping ahead ten years to tell the next chapter, with a couple of exceptions in the last part of the book)
Superman: Red Son (a story about what if Superman had landed in the Soviet Union instead of the United States. A really great story that examines the Cold War, and how the road to hell is paved with good intentions)
Superman ((Geoff Johns and Gary Frank Trilogy :: Secret Origin, and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Brainiac)) (Johns and Frank really understand the characters and what they represent. They are some of the best comics creators to write and draw Superman and his world)
Superman: Secret Identity (a story about what if a kid named Clark Kent in our world suddenly gained the abilities of Superman. A very good examination of the old saying, with great power, comes great responsibility)
I loved the first 2 Christopher Reeve films as a child (I still do) but it was watching Smallville that truly made him one of my favourite comic book characters
My favourite comic book characters in no particular order are:
- Cyclops
- Wolverine
- Spider-Man
- Daredevil
- Batman
- Superman
I think you would love Superman for All Seasons. It has a grear exploration of his inner moral drive and shows off why Lex is his best villain. I've always loved Superman, he's been my number one for a long time but less and less of my peers seem to understand the appeal. Im glad I have something to direct them to now! I really think that the public is primed to love Superman again if he is given the chance and treatment he deserves
Great video! I too was on the Batman bandwagon as a kid, but TAS introduced me to what is so good and compelling about Superman. As I grow older, I've also found myself appreciating the aspirational heroes for what they bring to the table. For your troubled or antiheroes to shine, there needs to be a Superman to aspire to.
If i was superman, i would probably at first try to ignore responsibility, but when you have superhearing, and hear EVERYTHING! There's just too much guilt to not act.
Meh. Things have been good and bad long before the superhumans came to be. Id only use my powers to protect those I care for. Otherwise, the secret would be out, and people would try to bring me down by whatever means necessary.
"For some of his morality and desire to protect humanity, everyday is a failure for Superman". Damn, that hits hard. I've been recomended a lot of Superman videos lately, as I decided to learn more about the character. That line you said is just enough for me to apreciate the character more. We definitely need more good Superman stories.
This video is honestly awesome and I agree with it 100%.
Might I add, there's a scene in All Star Superman where Clark is interviewing Lex in prison, and Lex has this speech to Clark about how "doesn't the existence of Superman make you feel inferior" pointing at Clark's clumsiness and saying how Superman doesn't understand what it's like to be human. But what's ironic is unbeknownst to Lex, he IS talking to Superman, and the fact that Lex has no idea and sees Clark as a weak fool, shows how good of an understanding he has of humanity, that he's able to hide his alter ego from the smartest person on earth.
Now you understand why everyone didn't like The Last Jedi. It destroyed a Boy Scout, a Superman if you will. We need more Heroes like Superman and Luke Skywalker for men to aspire to.
I actual became a fan of Superman recently and he is cool and he deserves much more
I've always liked supes.
It was Smallville that really put him over the top for me.
The wife and I had a superman themed wedding lol
I also never had Supes in my fav, but lately he's up there. Probs number 1.
Superman is one of my favorite heroes ever ! Glad to see he's getting the respect he deserves.
Thank you for making this video^^
If you want a great Clark vs Lex story wich explores Luthor's tragic past in Smallville with Clark you should read "Superman Birthright", it's also my favorite origin for Superman as a hero. (Another great story for Superman's character development is "Superman Smashes the Klan, you'll probably love this one too).
Superman: Birthright is a good story, but if you really want a tale that gets to the core of Luthor, try finding a long forgotten graphic novel called "Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography." Maybe you've heard of it.
The book came out in the early 90's and it is essentially Lex's answer to the "Killing Joke". The story is really well done with incredible artwork by Eduardo Barretto, I believe. Eduardo either wrote the story or drew it, I can't remember off the top of my head. The book never got it's due in the same way that the "Killing Joke" did. Another good Luthor story is Lex Luthor: Man of Steel by Brian Azarello and Lee Bermejo.
@@coreyc5982 Thanks, I'll read those too!
I appreciate the heck out of your thoughts here. You've managed to encapsulate a lot about what I feel about Superman in a pretty well-spoken manner, and I'm about to go sharing this to hope it sways a few more minds.
You cannot be "underrated" if you're one of the three most famous superheroes of all freaking time!
Right?!
Superman is the one who inspired the other two
Superman is the father of all superheroes
He is the greatest
Anyone that recognizes the greatness of Superman deserves a subscribe. Good video, man!😁👍
Really don't care about people calling him boring and overpowered. Superman is THE quintessential superhero and always will be.
A fascinating character study. I absolutely loved it. I have always found the paradox of having incredible power and at the same time feeling incredibly powerless, to be worth delving into. Looking forward to your other videos.
The best superman stories are the ones like where he’s distracted the whole time he’s fighting this earth saving battle but then he like flies off to stop a little boy from killing himself then comes back. Things like that are a good way to showcase his broken powers without making him boring to read about
great video! keep up the good job!
I completely agree with you!
I didn't like Superman that much, but it was my father favorite super hero. After his dead due to illness in a way to try to feel close again to him l started to consume a lot of Superman media and that's when I realized why he like him so much and in a way I saw how it influence his actions and his morals. So thank you very much for this beautiful video.
He's the manifestation and idea on what a super hero is In other words he's the first block of a great tall and strong wall that are superheroes. He may get shat on by everyone or in more modern times but he's the reason why it all exists in the first place.
This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen! You did a fantastic job explaining the value and power of Superman and his world. One thing you made me think of regarding his global awareness is that given that he works at a major newspaper, he would hear all the worst news and have to sift through what requires his intervention and what doesn't, domestic and abroad. I'm so glad you cited my two favorite depictions of Superman from the Animated Series and Smallville. This was utterly fantastic and it'd be cool to see more of this content from you!
Superman = Hope and always has been the thing that changed is the audience we've started looking at him like lex
I'm looking around at all this superman stuff and finding myself enjoying myself. Clark is human that wants to do good and I'm reminded of a video of one villainous scene where Lex gets all of superman's powers and he after processing everything that superman knows he becomes humble.
Thank you thank you thank you for making this video! You’ve validated everything I’ve always loved about Superman. 😊
Amazing video...aaaand I'd like to add...
When Superman's allies decide to follow his example, he doesn't HAVE to be everywhere at once. He doesn't HAVE to save everyone. When he's escorting a prisoner to the Oan sciencells, everyone from cops, to firemen, to paramedics, to emerald archers, to burger flippers, to golden-clad time travellers, to demi goddesses, to soldiers, to political leaders, to billionaire orphans would stay behind, asking themselves:
"What would Superman do?"
This is why the nature of this character's depictions are SO critical, and why I get unreasonably offended when people try to "Ayn Rand" him up. His dedication to the weak often makes me shamefully question my own. He's potentially as thought-provoking as Sandman. Write the script.
I also recommend the 2014 "Adventures of Superman" TPB, vol 1-3. Beautiful stuff.
Superman I'm realizing is the ultimate image of what a celebrity is. The way comic book fans talk about him speaks volumes. Because he's nearly all powerful, he's boring, nothing is hard for him, etc etc ......but when you actually see the character in his own personal setting and mind....you find out the grass is not necessarily green.
We prop up Celebrities all the time thinking they got it all.....when most of them will tell you they don't and it's not as glamorous as we see it in media.
I remember watching reruns of the George Reeves Superman series as a kid in the 60's & 70"s. In the series they incorporated the movie, "Superman and the Mole Men" into the series. I recommend getting a copy of that movie and watching it. It is about a drilling company drilling down and striking a tunnel in which these beings come up. While watching this show, i was exposed to the ugliness of racism and it really affected my attitudes in life.
if you like that episode, you'll love "superman smashes the klan"
@@ProjektTaku The best thing about the Mole Men movie/episodes is that it enabled a way for me to talk to my parents about racism and bigotry, without actually talking about racism and bigotry. It was the start of me realizing the power of superheroes (as well as scifi) to talk about stuff without beating you over the head with it.
@@djswint lol guess your right, but I think superman smashes the klan, while not a super subtle message, is still a great story with good art and I heavily recommend it.
@@ProjektTaku I do appreciate the recommendation and look forward to reading it.👍😀
@@djswint great!
Outstanding cake on the man of steel. You nailed every aspect of what makes him special.
superman do have that cake tho😏
21:49 Somehow I don't think that's the part people find relatable, but point taken 😂
Anyway, this was a wonderful video! I have never disliked Superman. I'm quite fond of him in my own way. But this past week, I've been watching various essays on why he's not boring and is actually great. While I appreciated the love and passion behind those videos, I found that if I didn't already like him, none of what was being said would be enough to appeal to me. But this video, particularly this section (14:09) finally made everything click into place. Great work 💖
Thank you very muchly!
He's so underrated, such a good character not just for his power but for his connections to the important people in his life. I've always found it relatable that he wants to do the right thing.
As a kid, I was one who saw Superman for how powerful he was and loved every second of it in the Animated shows. Why? Because he was a nice guy, his theme was bright and hopeful, the show was a total opposite to Batman all dark and dreary which actually bored me with literal Day and Night with Superman being mostly Day.
At the time I actually wished he was stronger because I was confused how some villains gave him too much trouble like Parasite and Metallo....but he found a way, cause he doesn't give up. Even when his powers can't help him...he finds a way. Shit when it didn't work, I was always at the edge of my seat how he would get through this. He's strong willed and he doesn't let it go to his head. It was him and Goku as some characters that always inspired and motivated me to be a better me. It's funny cause when Darkseid first came to the scene.....maaaannn he was honestly the best villain to me because physically overpowering Superman, but then Superman eventually besting him? Was great. Especially when he rallied earth together.
Admittably, I loved Lex Luthor in the show and his voice actor but sometimes I was in disbelief that he could give Superman trouble sometimes and is even able to walk around with all the shit he caused.
If they can keep Captain America morals intact, then Superman should be morality foundation stone for all Superheroes. He simply saves everyone nothing more nothing less.
The conflict of responsibility you mentioned regarding how Superman spends his time is explored further with a lot of Superman analogues, like Astro City's Samaritan, or Marvel's Sentry.
Regarding the character himself, has always been my favorite. Very unhappy with the modern theatrical depictions of him. A small part of me died the day I watched Man of Steel. The world needs a good Superman movie more than it knows and it's sad that the best one is *still* the first, from 1978.
I love Superman! Always been THE superhero for me.
When I was a kid in the 90s I was all about batman, ninja turtles and x men. That all changed when I saw Superman the animated series. Since then he's been my favorite superhero. Hollywood needs to make an iteration like that.
honestly, I think all might from my hero academia is also a good portrayal of how superman should be.
His all might form is flashy, over the top, seemingly invincible and awe-inspiring, a legend, while in actuality his regular form is simply a man trying to do good and keep peace, essentially the 2 sides of superman: Superman and clark kent.
Clark is just a regular dude who wants to do good, so he puts on this face of perfection to give the world something to look up to. Superman is just clark trying to make his childhood heroes a reality, similar to how batman loved detective stories in his young, inspiring his hero persona.
If bruce goes to the theatre and sees a mystery detective thriller, clark reads a comic about a perfect hero who always wins in the end, no matter what.
@@ProjektTaku that would be a great addition in movie script, a scene where you see young Clark watching a superhero with a cape on TV, imagining himself one day being a superhero
@@chrisd653 lol yeah, would be cute. We don't actually normally get to see much of a young, kid clark.
Honestly would love to work on a animated superman movie.
The American Way is a broad term for the principles of Liberalism and Christianity, the principles America was founded on
Lex Luthor is lowkey maybe the best villain of all time. He is the part of humanity that in the name of his perception of what is glorious refuses to evolve into the future. I feel the term "man of tomorrow" means that Superman represents the bridge between humanity and the future. A future that Lex will never accept.
I Loved the Video. My video request is making a Video that discusses Superman and Lex. Their Dynamic and how it works. I would Appreciate. Thank you once again for this Video on The G.O.A.T
superman is a humble farm boy who wants to do good, and lex hates the idea that someone with his power would choose to live like any other man, which is why he doesn't realize clark is supes, cause he just wouldn't do it.
He's a self-made man who built everything and put himself ontop of metropolis, so when superman comes in a casually receives the love and support of the public lex has cultivated for years, simply because of his natural gifts he assumes, it hurts his pride. He can talk all he wants about superman being a danger to humanity, but really its just his ego at stake. If lex wanted to, he could become a better hero than superman ever was, but his inferiority complex holds him back. he couldn't settle for "2nd" place as metropolis's hero, so he became the no 1 villain.
I also love clark and zod's dynamic. Zod is a natural born warrior, he takes great pride in his heritage and looks down on clark for being too "soft" due to earth, and he decides that he alone should rule krypton due to it being his birthright, and he'll sacrifice even his own people towards that goal, unlike clark, who sees himself as like any other man and will sacrifice himself for others. In essence, zod is simply vegeta who was never redeemed.
I've said this many times so I'll say this again, Superman isn't Super because of his powers. He is Superman because of who he is at his core.
Before my view on Superman was good. But now you've given me a different perspective. Superman is cool
I LOVE Superman.
Goku is pretty much a carbon copy of Superman, yet cringe anime fans continue to say Superman is boring or overpowered. How is Goku any different then??? 😅
An Lex Luthor is an amazing character agreed 👍
Just stay away from his Batman V Superman version. Even tho I love the ultimate edition of that movie ❤
The reason why superman is so underrated is because of Snyder. Thanks Zack!
His Superman is the best, Man of Steel is by far the best incarnation of the character.
@@Powerhaus88 what about Superman TAS? That take is great
@@Powerhaus88 what about "for the man who has everything?"? That's a great incarnation.
@@Powerhaus88 i love man of steel but nah
there is no "definitive superman."