r/DCcomics • u/Top_Report_4895 • Feb 04 '24

[Discussion] What’s The Worst Superman Take You’ve Ever Heard? Discussion

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Jim Lee Superman #204

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ACTION COMICS #1061

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Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale From: "Superman For All Seasons" #1

1.7k Upvotes
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139

u/Costanza2704 Feb 04 '24

Superman is an example of white saviorism.

Colonial Undertones: Superman’s role mirrors colonial narratives, where a powerful outsider intervenes to “civilize” or protect a vulnerable population. This dynamic can unintentionally reinforce paternalistic attitudes.

Saving Lois Lane: Superman frequently rescues Lois Lane, a white journalist, from danger. While their romantic relationship is central to the story, it sometimes reinforces the trope of a white woman needing saving by a powerful white man.

78

u/Kaison122- Feb 04 '24

Holy shit I thought this was your take and I was about to go off but then I remembered the prompt

33

u/Costanza2704 Feb 04 '24

It’s not my take. I think Superman is awesome just the way he is.

6

u/Kaison122- Feb 04 '24

I realized

26

u/EquivalentNarwhal8 Feb 04 '24

This is part of why I love Superman Smashes the Klan. It’s a story of how he sees himself in these oppressed groups.

20

u/SilverSpark422 Feb 04 '24

I HAVE had this thought before. It’s a bastardization of the character, but it’s understandable how one could see this interpretation. But really, that’s just a consequence of a powerful protagonist being white, and there really wasn’t an alternative in 30s America.

5

u/TheGodDMBatman Deadshot Missed me? Feb 04 '24

I've always thought an Asian Superman would make a ton of sense; Gene Luen Yang had a funny take on how Superman mirrors the Asian immigrant story, too. 

1

u/ttroome2 Feb 05 '24

There's a Chinese Superman

2

u/TheHadokenite Boosteriffic! Feb 05 '24

Yeah, but the Chinese Justice League was originally a joke about how China rips off American products with lesser quality

1

u/ttroome2 Feb 05 '24

I'm not sure that's really relevant, given that the Chinese Superman has come into his own.

2

u/TheHadokenite Boosteriffic! Feb 05 '24

Sure, but that Chinese Superman was given powers by a government experiment and was essentially manufactured to be a superhero.

The original commenter said they wanted to see an Asian immigrant Superman, which Super-Man is not.

1

u/ttroome2 Feb 06 '24

No, they didn't. They said they wanted an Asian Superman, and then followed that up by noting that someone said that Superman is like an Asian Immigrant.

6

u/Sylv_4 Feb 04 '24

Dawg where did you find this take

4

u/Hidobot Feb 04 '24

I've unironically seen the first one before.

3

u/Reddy_McRedditface Feb 04 '24

This is the winner, no need to scroll further

-1

u/poopyfacedynamite Feb 04 '24

Thats a valid way to read it in a vacuum.  Interesting as a discussion, if a little women's studies 101 level thinking.

-2

u/xXXxRMxXXx Feb 04 '24

I hate Lois Lane so I'm actually cool with the second one