Blue Tights, No Green Card (New Superman Not Jingoistic)

Movies.com ^ | June 22, 2006 | Jeanne Wolf

[tlb]

In Superman Returns, editor of the Daily Planet Perry White says, "Truth, justice and … all of that stuff." And I found out the omission was no accident. I went straight to the writers, Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris:

Mike: "When it comes to the American way, that's tricky." Dan: "I don't think 'the American way' means what it meant in 1945." Mike: "He's not just for Metropolis, and not just for America." Dan: "He's an alien, from Krypton; he has come to Earth to be kind of a savior for this world, not our country … And he has no papers." Mike: "What would happen with the immigration laws we have now?" Dan: "I'd like to see someone kick him out!" Director Bryan Singer admits that when they made the revision to the legendary slogan, they did have the international market in mind.

[tlb]

It could be worse. They might have made Superman dedicated to truth, justice, and the Kyoto Accord.

[Terpfen]

All indications are that the movie is mediocre, and this just adds to that perception. Do these two goofs even know the character's backstory? Apparently not.

[Richard-SIA]

Thanks for the tip-off, i will be sure to save my $8!

If this is their mind set I see no reason to reward it.

[hsalaw]

It could be worse. They might have made Superman dedicated to truth, justice, and the Kyoto Accord.

And gay.

[Caesar Soze]

Under the post-(On Infinite Earths)-Crisis, pre-Infinite-Crisis, Superman was a de jure American citizen. He was sent to Earth as a fetus in a birthing matrix, and that matrix only opened when Martha Kent approached it. It was important to John Byrnes that Superman be born in the United States. That plot thread is not so important to the current, Silver Age-grown writers on the title, and pundits are drawing unwarranted conclusions from that.

[RWR8189]

So Superman was an anchor baby?

[monkapotamus]

[L.N. Smithee]

It could be worse. They might have made Superman dedicated to truth, justice, and the Kyoto Accord.

It got dangerously close to that in 1987.

[Darkwolf377]

Dan: "I'd like to see someone kick him out!"

What a retard. Anyone over the age of 14 who's hot to see this movie is either stupid or gay.

[Names Ash Housewares]

They can play their little word games if they want.

You cannot seperate the myth from the symbolism.

The American way? It is the way of democracy. And that "way" is taking the world by storm.

How many truly free nations existed when Superman was created? And how many today?

THAT is the American way, and it is because of America that it happened and continues to do so.

There is NO question where the Last Son of Krypton made his home and which nation he forever will be associated with.

A stupid word game cannot change that. Everyone KNOWS.

[FrankR]

Why are there repeated articles about the politics and demeanor of Superman - a FICTIONAL character. What next, OSHA investigations of ACME products to protect Wylie Coyote? (Another FICTIONAL character)

Will CNN now investigate why Porky Pig doesn't wear pants, or, PETA charging Elmer Fudd for hunting wabbits? How about charging the "Little Teapot's" owner with abuse for placing it on a hot stove?

Is Uncle Scrooge paying his share of taxes on his money? Are Huey, Dewey, and Louie illegitimate?

I probably won't go to see the new Superman, but I think all this uproar about whether he is Jewish, homosexual, or and illegal alien is just, plain, silly. He's a comic book character.

[bannie]

Yup...he was simply created with someone's colored ink.

He ISN'T gay, male or human (or Kryptonian, for that matter).

[singfreedom]

Hummmmm. I think they just made up my mind as to whether I will see "Superman"----and that's a negative.

[singfreedom]

Hummmmm. I think they just made up my mind as to whether I will see "Superman"----and that's a negative.

[singfreedom]

Sorry for the double post but the "left click" on my new laptop is acting kinda weird!

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

I'm a huge Superman fan, but I think I just got turned off from seeing the new movie. Guess I'll stick to those classic Fleisher cartoons - best Supes ever!

[Caipirabob]

"The NYT building is on fire, I must save the flaming queers within so they may continue their enlightenment of the proletariat!"

[spetznaz]

I actually have the graphic novel that picture came from (Superman Red Son), and it is very well written (the premise is quite interesting).

[tina07]

Wile E. Coyote to be exact!

http://looneytunes.warnerbros.com/stars_of_the_show/wile_roadrunner/wile_story.html#

[The Duke]

Ditto on that - I make it a point to skip all movies that carry any detectable propoganda. So, that's six movie tickets that Superman won't be seeing.

[Caipirabob]

I've seen it on Amazon but I haven't worked myself up to order it yet. Perhaps I should before the movie drives up the price. I can probably get it used for $7-8. I'm reading "Prey" and "Timeline" by Crichton and "A Darkness At Sethanon" by Feist a third time so I'll most likely wait.

I do find that a lot of the graphic novels today are well written with some highly talented artists contributing to the appeal of that media.

[GladesGuru]

"PETA charging Elmer Fudd for hunting wabbits?"

How about a revised poster of 'Hunting Liberals' with both the Bloom County geezer and Elmer on the hunt.

Lines like "Pesky Libewal" come to mind. Any PHotoshop pros on this thread?

[browardchad]

He's a comic book character.

A postmodern comic book character.

[tina07]

Superman died with Christopher Reeve. I have that picture of him on a cloud throwing his wheelchair off the cloud. I would post it, but I don't know how!

[Terpfen]

To be honest, I'm not a big Superman fan. But even I can understand the whole "raised with American values" aspect of his character.

Looking forward to Spider-Man 3 and the Batman Begins sequel.

[spetznaz]

A must read if you like comic books. The unique thing is how even if he lands and is raised in a Soviet commune (and personally brought up by Stalin as a real 'Man of Steel') that he still ends up at the end being the Superman we know (truth, justice, and the ....in his case adopted ...American way). At first he is everything the Soviets wanted in the perfect man, and he literally made the US implode on itself. For the matter he 'made' communism work (since he could regulate everything, and with the help of Braniac even had total control over the weather, total control over the economy ...which again with Braniac's help he could keep track of everything in a way that is basically at deity level). Thus communism 'worked' in terms of economics etc, and in that world it is capitalism that fell, but Superman still gets troubled by the social aspects of communism and certain things that happen.

Without revealing too much, let's just say that Lex Luthor becomes America's last hope. That Batman is a Russian rebel who strongly believes in capitalism and freedom, and thus leads a terrorist insurgency against Superman and his ilk in Greater Russia (whcih at this point has spread across the globe). Wonderwoman makes several seminal appearances, as does the entire Green Lantern corps under the leadership of Lex Luthor (who also has access to the Phantom Zone).

And at the very end, the last 2 pages, we see a very unique look at the Superman origin story that in itself is worth the price of the graphic novel.

Pretty nice.

[6SJ7]

"Truth, justice and … all of that stuff."

Sounds like the Democrats current campaign theme.

[aruanan]

The American way? It is the way of democracy. And that "way" is taking the world by storm.

You do know, don't you, that the Founding Fathers thought democracy sucked, though they didn't use that word?

[Jonah Hex]

It could be worse. They might have made Superman dedicated to truth, justice, and the Kyoto Accord.

And gay.

You didn't read the book where he encountered pink Kryptonite? Lois was SO jealous of Jimmy...

(Actually, DC recently published a Supergirl girl comic where they made that joke, playing off the Silver Age penchant for green Kryptonite, red Kryptonite, blue Kryptonite, gold Kryptonite...)

[7thson]

This is an interesting post. Everyone should think about this for a moment. Yes, Superman was created for truth, justice, and the American Way. But whose American Way? The character was created in 1939 by two Jewish kids from NYC. What did they know about flyover country - or Kansas - back then? Had they even been out of the state, much less the city? Superman had a New Deal mentality back then, that the government should be involved in solving social ills. And do not forget - his job is a reporter. What would he be like back then? What would he be like today? He would be the same - an arrogant, yet ignorant know-it-all who actually knows very little. He would be intellectually lazy which is how The Batman sort of thinks of him and treats him in todays world.

Another character that supposively symbolizes America - Captain America! Another character created by a New Yorker. Think about Steve Rogers. A malnutrioned, skinny kid growing up and influenced by FDR's New Deal in NYC. Don't you think the guy would be some kind of closet socialiist who also believes the government - a liberal government - knows best?

[Puppage]

They might have made Superman dedicated to truth, justice, and the Kyoto Accord.

Or gay, like the new Cat Woman.

[Tanniker Smith]

Batwoman is gay. (Is she still Carolyn Keene?)
Catwoman still has the hots for the Batman.

"What about Robin?"
"Oh, we'll kill him. Painlessly, of course."

TS
(Which was better: Julie Newmar's legs or Ertha Kitt's purr?)

[steve-b]

The critics rave....

[Jabba the Nutt]

Superman's been very popular worldwide. They didn't mind the "American Way" stuff. They see Superman as American. Underestimating and pandering to the audience. Great.

[Jonah Hex]

(Which was better: Julie Newmar's legs or Ertha Kitt's purr?)

Legs. All the way...

[Tanniker Smith]

Jonah Hex wrote:

Hmmmmm, I guess I know what comic you read.

[Jonah Hex]

Hehehe... I wondered if anybody would catch the connection.

:-)

[andy58-in-nh]

Whenever I see that word - "Jingoistic" - I want to curse e.e.cummings for giving it to the world, albeit indirectly, through his poem "next to of course god america I": ...by jingo by gee by gosh by gum...

"Jingoistic" has become liberal-speak for "Patriotic". It is a negatively-loaded term, now almost ubiquitous, and used by liberals as a weapon with which to intimidate and disparage. It implies that there is no honestly-expressed love of country except that as endorsed and voiced by liberals. When conservatives express patriotic sentiment, it is characterized by the Left as a form of chauvinism - motivated not by love or respect or honor, but by hatred and anger and stupidity.

[xp38]

Superman # 24 Sept-Oct 1943

[xp38]

let's try this again....

[Tokra]

The character was created in 1939 by two Jewish kids from NYC. What did they know about flyover country - or Kansas - back then? Had they even been out of the state, much less the city?

Sorry - but you are wrong. They were 2 Jewish kids form Cleveland, Ohio. That IS "fly-over" country.

They knew nothing about New York City!

[Tokra]

form = from. Haven't had my morning Pepsi yet.

[dfwgator]

"I am.. Uberman! I fight for untruth, injustice, and the Nazi way!"

[Antoninus]

Hollyweird: For Truth, Justice, and the Sodomite Way.

[7thson]

I stand corrected. I always thought they were NYCers. I see Joe was born in Canada and moved to Cleveland when he was 9.

I still stand by some of the things I said, though. Their idea of the American Way was totaly different from the average non-city dweller.

Thank you for the correction. It helps me more than you know.

[OneWingedShark]

I belive there was a bit of a conversation that went like this:

"What have we got Mr. Franklin?" {Inquiring about America's new government.}

"A republic... if you can keep it." He replied.

I don't remember where I read that from, but it's rather obvious that the founders thought that a full/true-democracy was a horrible idea and would lead to anarchy.

[E-Mat]

Thanks for the tip-off, i will be sure to save my $8! If this is their mind set I see no reason to reward it.

Ditto.
Just keep giving me excuses to stay home, and I'll save $20 - $60 depending on how many of my family members I would consider taking to the movie.