Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow: A Superman Story

So, we just came from watching the new James Gunn Superman flick—which we thoroughly loved—and we wanted to talk a little bit about it. This isn’t our review, we’ll be writing and posting about that later (We’ll link back here to hook you up with that review as soon as it is written, posted, and approved). But for now, what we want to do here is to talk a little bit about how there are reports on social media about how Gunn turned Superman “Woke” and they don’t like it.

To those people who feel this way, all I have to say (as someone who has been reading comics since 1961, working in the field as a journalist since 1981, and as a comicbook creator since 1986) You have no idea what you are talking about here. And trust me, as I’m something of an expert in this.

But first, allow me to go back a few years when the first Wonder Woman film came out in 2017. Back then a pair of conservative talking heads whined on-air about how disrespectful it was that the film changed her uniform from red, white, and blue like Superman’s. This without clearly realizing that her costume was never red, white, and blue, and neither was Superman’s. Hers has always been red, gold, and blue, while Superman’s was red, Yellow, and blue. Further, neither of them are actually Americans, Wonder Woman is from the mythical island of Themyscira, while Superman (Kal-El) was born on the planet Krypton and is (technically) on Earth (and in the U.S.) illegally.

Next up, in 2022 other conservative TV talking heads (probably from the same network) were griping that Marvel has gone woke by creating a female Hulk, without realizing that She-Hulk first appeared some 43 years earlier in her own Marvel Comicbook. According to information at the time, the character was created to protect the company’s trademark on the green-skinned Hulk character’s name. In fact, there is a video clip of a reporter interviewing Bill Bixby (who played David Banner on the TV show. That clip is shown below.

My point with these first couple of paragraphs is that quite often, the folks on (pretend) TV news shows very often don’t know, or even understand, even the simplest of things (which can be looked up) on which they are reporting, and if they can get simple (not important) things like those I cited wrong, then how can we trust them getting actual important news correct.

Then there is the case of Dean Cain (who played Clark Kent/Superman) in the CBS TV show Lois & Clark, The New Adventures of Superman (1973–1977). Sometimes, proving that even when they have some understanding of who the character is because they actually played them on TV. Cain re-entered public awareness recently with his negative assessment over Gunn’s film (without even having seen the film). Cain claimed that the film is too woke because it celebrates Superman as an immigrant (somehow forgetting that only is he an illegal immigrant, but that there was an episode of Lois & Clark that dealt with the same topic.

Another issue the conservative Cain mentioned about the film is Gunn’s changing the long-standing mantra first associated with Superman m the 1950s TV show, stands for “Truth, Justice, and the American way” to “Truth, Justice, and a better tomorrow”. Well, two things here. First, under our current administration, America isn’t as welcoming to immigrants as we were in the ‘50s. Second (and more relevant to the character) those of us who actually read comics already know that back in 2011 (Action Comics #900), Superman addressed the full council of the UN and renounced his U.S. citizenship and declared himself to be a citizen of the world. Thus, making the “…for a better tomorrow” a far more reasonable pledge.

THIS JUST IN!

Shortly after posting this article, we learned that Dean Cain (who is Japanese American and whose father's entire family was interned in a camp in Idaho during WWII) has recently announced that he is joining ICE! 

Having written all that, we have seen the new Superman film and let us state that we fully enjoyed it and state that it is easily one of the best stand-alone Superman films ever made (and the presence of Krypto certainly helped in that regard). Further, the appearance of the Justice Gang (especially Metamorpho, an old favorite of ours) added to the film’s fun. Plus, the addition of Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor was simply brilliant. Ultimately, we believe that a large part of the misunderstandings covered in this article stem from the fact that many folks still believe that superhero films, and the comics from which they are based, are still “junk” or “kiddy” fare, and not legitimate literature or cinema. And frankly, as far as we’re concerned, that’s simply a crying shame.

* * *

Oh, and just to let all’y’all know that I know what I’m talking about, in 1961 I moved from reading syndicated newspaper comic strips to reading comicbooks. Around 1978 I joined comicbook fandom and began to contribute to an APA (Amateur Publishing Alliance). In 1981 my first comicbook article was published in Amazing Heroes #5. In 1986 my first comicbook (Agent Unknown: Renegade Press) was published. I spent the next 15-20 years working as a journalist in comics, writing for virtually all of the magazines that covered the comicbook industry. Currently I still post about comics both here and over at HubPages, I also still write comics at Dark Fire Press, and other indie publishers. 

 

So, really, who's Idea was spandex in the first place?

This one is for Mike Baron

I totally couldn't help myself

Yes, he said “Witnessing the Badger”

And then there’s this...

Apparently there is a brand  new ad campaign that is occurring in Mozambique, that is being orchestrated by Associação da Luta Contra o Cancer (ALCC) that is using the comic book characters Wonder Woman, Catwoman, She-Hulk, and Storm to promote self-examinations for breast cancer prevention.

The ad copy states:

Nobody’s immune to breast cancer. When we talk about breast cancer there are no women or super women. Everybody has to do self-examination monthly. Fight with us against the enemy and, when in doubt, talk to you doctor.

I just have to wonder if the suits at Marvel  and DC signed off on this campaign.

A Hardee cup full o' Spidey

I just recently became aware of (and acquired), a Spider-Man cup that was issued by Hardee’s back in 1990. The cup (which also starred Captain America) was apparently part of a set of four (I believe), that also included a cup that co-starred The Incredible Hulk & She Hulk.

The cup has a short comic strip printed on the side where Spidey and Cap go up against Doc Ock. I’m including three pics of the cup so you can see (and hopefully read) the comic itself.

Pretty cool, eh? I guess this is just my week to acquire cool fast food super hero stuff. First a Green Lantern Cup, then the Cap car, then the Spidey head & figurines, and now this.

Fall of the Hulks

OK, truth in Blogging time. I’m really not reading the Fall of the Hulks storyline — or, more to the point — I haven’t been faithfully reading it. I’ve only “sampled” the storyline, buy picking up the related comics that contain an appearance of Spider-Man. (Hey, you have your bias, and I have mine.) Anyways, from what I have been able to glean, Greg Pak & Jeph Loeb (a pair of writers whose work I do really enjoy), grew up on Dr. Seuss, and are now channeling him in their current work (Red Hulk, Green Hulk, Blue-Hulk(?), She-Hulk, Red She-Hulk, Savage Red She-Hulk, et. al. nausium.

All of which is not to say that I’m not enjoying the parts that I’m reading, all of which seems quite well written, and quite engaging. Still, there is a bottom to my wallet, and I’ve long since reached past it, so — as good as it is — I’m still going to have to pass on acquiring the full run (for now at least).

Still, near as I’ve been able to gather several of the very smart criminals (Leader, M.O.D.O.K., etc.) have taken it upon themselves to kidnap the eight (10?) most intelligent people in the world. Given that this is the Marvel Universe, those folks include Tony Stark, Hank Pym, Bruce Banner, Reed Richards, T'Challa, Hank McCoy, and possibly one or two others). My problem with this list is that it doesn’t include Peter Parker.

Surprised? You shouldn’t be (and n0, not just because I’m a Spidey-Geek), but because Pete is really a world-Class Scientist. Sure, sure, he hides it well (and the writing and editorial staff seem to be willing to conveniently forget this). Just for the record, I’m not the only one who thinks this. Back during Civil War, Tony hired Pete to work for Stark Enterprises, and not just because Pete (as Spidey) was an Avenger, but because Pete is positively brilliant. (Again, not just because I say so).

Nope, Hank Pym also says so. Again during Civil War, Pete (as Spidey) paid a visit to Pym at his scientific retreat, where Pym learned that Pete designed his web shooters as a 15-year-old and (thoroughly shocked), admitted to Spidey that he is smarter than Pym (Pym recently ascended to “Scientist Supreme in Mighty Avengers, so imagine how smart that makes Pete).

Thus, the only reason that I can think that Pete wasn’t included in the abduction list by the Intelligentsia, is because they simply don’t know who he is (this in spite of the fact that it has been made clear over the years that Pete has published a number of scientific papers). Still, he technically isn’t working as a scientist these days, and (as a freelance photographer) largely works below the radar). So, in this regard I’m going to give Pak & Loeb a pass, and enjoy the parts of the ride that I’m experience.

Still, someone from the Marvel Handbook crew is going to tell me how this story fits into the Siege storyline which is also currently ongoing throughout the Marvel books.

Whatever happened to Spider-Man?

I’m trying to be fair, I really am. I mean, I love the character, and in spite of what I think about most of the stories in Amazing Spider-Man’s post Brand New Day world (any one else notice that editorial has stopped referring to Spidey’s life in that fashion. I can only guess that want to stop bringing attention to the fact that these aren’t real Spidey adventures, as they are the result of a Mephisto-induced world).

I really don’t go out of my way to publicly state how much I hate most of the stories, but lately, I have to say the past couple of issues of ASM have had what can only be described as some of the worst art I’ve ever seen in a Spidey comic in my entire life (and I’ve been reading since Amazing Fantasy #15.

The art in ASM #611 (with Deadpool) blew chunks (no disrespect to the artist, but his style just does not belong in Marvel’s Signature series. It looked rushed, muddy, and amateurish. And when did Deadpool become such a jackass. I mean I know that he is a smart-mouth mercenary, but seriously, the writing was crap too. I mean, When John Byrne was writing She-Hulk, and all that goofy crap was going on in that title (the silly stories, breaking the 4th wall), that was all fine and good, but when she appeared in any other title, it was business as usual and things operated pretty much they way they did in the “regular” marvel Universe. Here Deadpool’s stupidity exploded all over the pages of Amazing, completely ruining my reading pleasure).

Then in ASM #612, the back-up tale with Pete, MJ and that girl reporter from Front Line, the art there was equally bad. I mean, after the atrocious (and confusingly badly-written) Who Was Ben Reily? storyline (ASM 608–610), this title is seriously hitting the skids (there is even a retcon in #612 regarding events in 600/601, it just makes me shutter.

Now I’m not telling anyone to stop buying this title. I want everyone to make up their own minds, but the writing of late is just bad. I am urging everyone to write into the Spidey offices to tell them what they thing (bad or good), as this is the only way that anyone in that office will know what we really think.