Superman Quits America, Fox News Readers Take the News Badly

[geizr]

LIberals, conservatives; these words no longer mean what they used to mean, and all rational thought on either side has long been eschewed. These days, they're both just a bunch of people living in the depths of their own colons. Meanwhile, reality continues on, as it always has, somewhere in the middle of these extremes.

 

[Doctor Glocktor]

I thought the American way was placing a puppet leader in a Government that doesn't bend over to the U.S.A.

Honestly, Superman has the right idea.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I see two halves to the silly uproar being presented about this whole thing.

The first half consists of people who actually know about Superman, but have mentally rebuilt his existence into an idealistic "American exceptionalism" mythos. To these people, Superman is the logical end of the mentality that wants to send our soldiers into every last third-world nation that looks at us funny: The fist of American will, making the world safe for us (and by extension, making the world safe). To them, America is God's gift to the Earth; whatever is good for America is good for everyone, and the world would be perfect if all those other weirdo nations just did whatever we told them to.

The second half consists of people who don't even know about Superman, but decry this move as "anti-American" (their defintion of "anti-American" being "anything that isn't pro-American").

Personally, as an American, I don't really give a damn either way. Superman doesn't actually exist, and if I were going to fret over every last fictional character's political stance, I probably wouldn't be able to make it to Dilbert without a bout of apoplexy.

 

[Bakuryukun]

wow....those comments sound like they were written by the tin-foil hat brigade.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

I think the much more significant plot point than him renouncing U.S. citizenship is the fact that real world political figures are being attacked now. With this, and with the recent commencing of raids by Anonymous on Iranian government servers, in the context of the turmoil in the Middle East, is just more fuel for the flame of freedom in the Middle East. Particularly as a rallying work for Iranian opposition if they are able to get it somehow.

 

[Razhem]

1) to me here is the crux of the issue, Superman except in crazy spin-offs, never takes an active role in political situations, with this I mean he doesn't actively intervene nowadays in human wars (WWII was another time after all), it's what stops him from just becoming the Authority or Miracle Man (if you haven't read it, please do, an amazing story). ...

2) I won't deny that the story that spawned this change is overly political, but I do like the end result, just hope the guy that keeps the story going is less preachy.

1) Your Miracle Man reference is likely more spot on than the Dr. Manhattan and what I think the author of that link I posted is worried about. If I recall correctly, by issue 15 they've (MM and associate) remade Earth civilization into their idea of an ideal.

Superman can be apolitical, but renouncing national identity, I think, goes beyond that.

2) I'll give the writer this: fine, you've shaved off a bit of his character, curtailed a bit of who he is that provided drama. Now what are you going to do with him? Given how over powered this character has become (originally, the line was something like, "nothing short of a bursting bomb shell can penetrate his skin" suggesting he is very tough, but not invulnerable to everything) he has been difficult to write good stories for. I think that job has just become tougher.

Yeah, Miracle Man was an amazing story yet very unnerving. Also, keep in mind, though Superman is now flagless, Clark Kent is not and still resides in Metropolis and is still married to a Lois. His values and his connection to the people that raised him and live with him is a lot stronger to the tie he has to a flag. Hell, I was surprised Superman was even considered a "US citizen", I mean, how the hell does that work, don't you have to give a certain amount of info? Doe she pay super taxes? Does he have to obey a military personnel officer if ordered to? It's sort of really wonky and just seems a lot more like a symbolical thing of feeling "accepted" for Superman and for the US feeling safe by having such a titan as their protector. The moment the US looks at him funny for doing his thing is when Superman seems to decide he has to make things clear. I have to insists again that Clark Kent is 100% US citizen and he will retain those values simply because he is still constantly in contact with Ma and Pa Kent and the people at the planet and Metropolis.

As for point 2... well, frankly, I feel that is a huge problem with a lot of DC characters. They are too powerful, simple as that, and the moment you start putting political pressures to a lot of these heroes... well, either we get magical plot solution, or we get Authority, Miracle Man and Squadron Supreme again. I mean really, at the end of the day, what makes Superman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Aquamans and so on not just simply say "well screw what you think, I'll do this because I feel it must be done and lets see you try and stop me". When you have a ring that can make anything, can punch moons and could flood half the coasts in the world, well, frankly, there shouldn't actually be much that worries you aside from crazy comic antics. That's why I feel Marvel comics work better for more political stories, they just aren't packing that much crazy power, so it is more believable that they will not just be in a situation of "I'll do it and screw you all". Anyway, Superman has always been incredibly hard to write, but I'm feel him at his strongest when he deals with things at a humane level, I loved Superman for all ages for example.

 

[Red-Link]

Good Fucking gawd...The Right in this country makes my head hurt. Anything that doesn't toe their hypocritical line is an attack from the imaginary Elitist Left...Sorry. Stopping rant.

It sounds to me like you, a member of the Elitist Left, is attacking the truest Americans of all, the Right. Remember, disagreement is worse than death, it's un-patriotic, and only YOU can prevent such degradations!

 

[Dr. Crawver]

surprised that happened, but good to see the writers aren't just blind patriots

 

[Shirokurou]

It's not like he's Captain America to have that be an important move.
Basically he's saying he's out of politics and out to help the world.

 

[sunpop]

First it's a comic so deal with it. Second he's not even from earth so he wasn't ever a true American he just had citizenship. I heard he had citizenship in every country in the U.N (never checked) so there's that. Finally I like the idea that he would be protecting everyone in the world instead of just focusing on one country I don't see why America would be the only country attacked by threats anyhow.

I don't read supes so I can't really say how good or bad this will be for his story.

 

[Arcane Azmadi]

Ooh, the right wing loonies are upset about something again! SCARY!

Fuck 'em. Seriously.

 

[Nocturnal Gentleman]

I don't really care much about super man but really all this seems pointless. He's still going to live in America as clark kent so it's not like he's really losing anything. He really just looks like more of a douche and makes me want to read his comics even less.

Also for people going, why do americans care they're being ridiculous?! To me it's like Dr. Who dying and coming back as a chinese guy. Technically he's an alien so he shouldn't have a nationality, but it would still piss people off. Superman grew up in Kansas and was pretty much always a citizen.

Yeah he had a Canadian co-writer (a guy who mostly lived in america and had an american citizenship as well) but that doesn't change where the character grew up and the family he represented. He can go around the world fighting crime as usual. It doesn't take renouncing citizenship to do that. If people refused his help simply because they saw him as american he could help them anyway. They're just being intolerant assholes anyway.

As I said before though, this change makes me care for superman even less. I'll just continue reading chew. Also, people on this forum need to stop being assholes. You keep telling Americans how our country needs to consider everyone else but I see more insults and intolerance coming our way more than vice versa. Maybe when you guys globalize all your heros for stupid reasons then no one can complain.

 

[Nocturnal Gentleman]

Is Clark Kent giving up his citizenship too? Because as I recall Superman is not his legal identity.

I doubt it really

 

[Painmaker]

So, Superman is no longer american... what would happen if superman goes to some country to defeat some giant robot casue it's killing a lot of people? and then he finds out the us government is behind this robot cause they want to overthrow the leaders of this country?

If people got pissed about superman not being "american" just wait till he starts acting as such.

 

[Leg End]

Wait, he actually had a fucking citizenship? XD

When did this happen? XD

 

[Vigilantis]

Truth, Justice, and the American way...just isn't enough for Superman anymore....that makes me a sad panda =(. Then again he's constantly saving everyones asses not just Americas soooo...*shrug* still not the greatest development I've heard.

I guess I still have you Cap!

 

[Vigilantis]

He could have landed in france or india or autralia and would pretty much be the same in his actions of protection the free world.

Indeed

lol exactly what I was going to post, pretty sure India/ Australia or hell the rest of the world does not share the moral/ideals of a small Kansas farm family of which he was adopted.

Unless Kryptonians just have the knack to do good for goodness sakes

 

[Jaime_Wolf]

As one of the extremely liberal "America hating" types that they're all railing against, this change still rubs me the wrong way.

I don't have an ideological problem with it, I have a problem with the fact that it seems so contrived. It's a ridiculous issue-selling, controversy-baiting move.

Now taking bets on how long until we see controversy over Superman Returns to America.

 

[nukethetuna]

Now taking bets on how long until we see controversy over Superman Returns to America.

I hope it's a believable reason, like: "I just couldn't handle not being able to see the newest Jersey Shore immediately". I mean... I guess if he gave a reason like that, no other country would be sad about his loss, though.