Superman is a nearly indestructible alien from another planet. He can fly faster than light, he can lift entire islands without breaking a sweat. In the blink of an eye he can create a machine which can exile the bad guys into another dimension, save the girl, take her home, and stop the meteorites from destroying the town—and he can even pick up flowers on the way. He has heat vision, freezing breath, x-ray vision, and hurricane-powered lungs—and he has even hinted that he can cure cancer.
And with all this, it is absolutely astounding that so few writers—of comic and movie alike—ever explore Superman’s undeniable god-complex.
In "Superman: For Tomorrow", writer Brian Azzarello presents us with a startlingly authoritative depiction of the man of steel--one where he has finally realized his true scientific and moral powers and has opted to "save" all of mankind from itself in an oddly Orwellian way. Without going deeply into the story or spoiling its ending, his obsessive fixation on protecting people results in him taking things a little too far.
Superman may be the boy scout--and his intentions are pure, but he always seems to go a little too far. He can choose that Lois Lane is worth going back in time to save (Superman (1978)), but that others are less worthy. He thinks that he has not only the power, but the power to choose.
In "Red Son", Superman finds it prudent to place the entire world under his authority in order to promote peace and prosperity--and what else can you expect from the man with super-hearing? While his proposal seems noble to start--to save mankind from fear and self-destruction--he MUST ALWAYS become "Big Brother" as a result. Society's perceptions on Niccolo Machiavelli range from ruthless statesman to root-of-all-evil, but weren't his philosophies all based on the good of the many outweighing the good of the few? Is it worth accepting an evil for the greater good?
Does Superman have the right to imprison mankind in paradise--or police the actions of the entire world under his banner?
If you had the power to make it all right--should you?
The common perception of Superman is that he is too perfect--that he has too many powers and his villains never stand a chance against him. A lot of comic book readers, especially younger ones, dismiss him as boring as a result. I would like to suggest that this is where he is completely different from all other heroes--and where he truly shines.
Batman has no powers, the flash can't be everywhere at once, and the green lanterns have that weakness to yellow fear, but Superman's Kryptonite is more or less a cosmetic issue and this is what sets him apart. This godliness should be the subtext of EVERY story arc.
Superman thinks he is god--and that is why Superman is the greatest hero, but also the one who should be most feared...
