By JJ Ledewitz, Arts & Culture Editor
In 1938, Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster created one of the most recognizable characters in all of fiction: Superman. The backstory of this famous character, a man sent to Earth from a foreign planet, who hides his true self to fit into society, is a story that may be less fictitious than it seems.
Seigel and Schuster’s parents were Jewish European immigrants, who themselves were thrust into a life alien to their own. That is a general enough backstory, but seeing as Superman’s alien name, Kal-El, ends in a version of the Jewish name for God, there’s no denying a connection between Superman and Judaism.
Ever since the creation of the Superman character, it has been clear that he is different from other superheroes. He is more powerful than anything else on Earth, but he tries to end conflicts without fighting. He goes out of his way to save cats from trees, even if it makes him late for work. Most importantly, unlike characters like Spider-Man or Batman, regular people who wear costumes, Superman is the man underneath, and the mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent is the costume. No matter where in the universe he is thrown, no matter what society he is forced into, he cannot forget who he really is. He is Kal-El. He is Superman.
Superman was never supposed to be a character of conflict. He was supposed to be a character of hope – and to a certain extent, he still is. Rescuing people, righting wrongs, helping those who need it, these are things Superman does. He comes out of nowhere and shows up exactly when you need him. This is what Superman has always been about, and this is what his comic books have always been full of: hope.
Superman: The Movie (1978), the titular superhero’s first cinematic appearance, managed to nail the essence of Superman. Just like in the comic books, the on-screen version of Superman was the embodiment of hope. As a man with almost unlimited power, he chose to help those without. He used his power to help others, not himself. He was the least important person in a world full of helpless people.
While the original Superman movie managed to capture the essence of Superman as the personification of hope, every future iteration of the character has missed the mark in one way or another. Every filmmaker and showrunner wanted to do “their own thing” with Superman, changing the focus of the adaptation to his family, his legacy, his feelings or his backstory. At the time, people seemed to like it. Things were rather dull, there was no need for a symbol of hope, and people needed adventure. But now it is different. We need the hope that Superman brings.
When you go outside, you can see why.
Thankfully, there is an upcoming Superman film flying into theaters July 11. The world has changed, and a symbol of hope actually means something. Superman has a reason to be on screen, and he has a reason to symbolize the optimism of the people of Earth.
Director James Gunn has not been shy about the 1978 film’s influence on the upcoming one (which is aptly titled Superman, because apparently the 1978 film is technically titled Superman: The Movie). The music in the teaser trailer for the film, which was released in December, was a guitar version of the 1978 film’s score. Additionally, Gunn has decided to include various characters integral to the 1978 film that have been noticeably absent from recent adaptations, including Lex Luthor and Jimmy Olsen. Will Reeve, son of Christopher Reeve, who played Superman in the 1978 film, will officially cameo in the film, creating an emotional full circle moment for true Superman fans. Gunn truly seems to understand how important that film was.
But it’s not just the 1978 film that Gunn understands; he seems to really understand the essence of Superman. In reference to the opening shot of the teaser trailer – a bleeding, helpless Superman – Gunn said, “That is our country. I believe in the goodness of human beings, and I believe that most people in this country, despite their ideological beliefs, their politics, are doing their best to get by and be good people.”
He understands who it is that Superman is here to save: everyone. He also said the shot of vulnerable Superman “shows us what we’re kind of dealing with here. We’re dealing with Superman, this symbol of really old-fashioned values and hope, and it’s an idea that’s been a bit battered over the years.” Gunn continued, “I think that this is about letting that be what it is, and allowing those traditional values to manifest themselves in a completely new way.”
It has been over a decade since the last Superman movie, and it is the right time for another one. The world is in a state of disarray, where Superman can finally represent something greater than a hero. He represents a brighter future and a better tomorrow.
Photo Caption: The Superman Logo
Photo Credit: Unsplash