2013-07-23 Slash Stab Spurt

[Kradeiz]

This, sadly, has become the new trend for writers, that they think the only way to make their characters relatable is to give them a tragic past and a buttload of issues, even if they are well-established characters who never had that many issues before. ('Man of Steel', anyone?) And then on top of that, spend half the story on their origin that people maybe half-care about.

God, look at what I've started...*giggles*

[Pking]

Superman's not a religion? You haven't been paying attention to the subtext of his whole character. Look up what "Kal-El" means in Hebrew ("voice of God"). Look up what Siegel & Shuster influenced them (Moses). Heck, look at the religious pose he takes in the latest film.

He's far less religious than people think given that any scrutiny of parallels between judeo christian religious figures tends to fall apart immediately.
Yes the El naming scheme does hearken back to the traditional el suffix put on the names of hebrew angels. Yes he does that pose alot because people keep thinking he's something he isn't. It's a bit of a recent thing really. Yes he qualifies for a parallel of the baby in a basket. From that point onwards everything to compare him to a religious anything unless you're searching so hard a printing error could have significance is nonexistent. We see the pattern because we want to see it.

To sum up his connections he's basically an angel from the heavens that fell to Earth and the religious emphasis stops there. His main thematic narratives are more about class disparities. He's the son of two farmers (who back when he was made would count as the quintessential common man that would be exploited by rich fatcats) This is why Clark moved to metropolis since most Americans were getting used to the idea of having to move to the big city where they were immediately beset upon by those who could use and abuse them. Luthor later evolved towards Superman's theme and because a fatcat billionaire who wasted his talent that could be used to better the world so that he could exploit it instead. It's made him one of his most iconic villains.

It's not about him being the second coming of Jesus. It's about the little guy having the power to stand up to the big guy for the sake of all the little guys. That tends to get lost nowadays since he's not as obviously a salt of the earth type of guy o those who just glance at the big flying man in the sky without remembering that he's not really acting when he's being Clark Kent. You dont want to run up to any of the bailout companies who spent the bailout money giving themselves raises and scatter their money in the middle of the protests everyone who got unemployed or swindled by the company? That's the sort of thing the original superman would do.
He's gone from a a social justice(the actual thing. not the insulting thing it's become on the internet where you call black/latino people racist for not being dark enough in a photo) character. to a fantastical adventure guy to a mix of the previous two while struggling to find a valid way to mix both and attempting to be a bit of a positive role model.

Superman is also not infallible. if you think he is you clearly haven't been reading the comics within the last decade since there's always some comic every few months/years where they make sure to make it nice and obvious for everyone that Superman isn't omnipotent and cant save everyone. Superman is not supposed to be a god. He's supposed to be(relatively) down to Earth which is exactly why people worshiping him gets him so uncomfortable.
I typed out way too much. I'm going to bed. good night.

[Eisu]

On the bright side, I am happy to announce this is the first SOTR thread to go to 5 pages! yayyyy! I don't care if 3 quarter is about Superman, it's still 5 pages of discussion on an SOTR forum!!!

[Bloody Vikings]

Everyone delete your posts! We can't have Eisu feeling happy, now can we?

[Eisu]

Happy Eisu is a productive Eisu?

[Spidrift]

That tends to get lost nowadays since he's not as obviously a salt of the earth type of guy o those who just glance at the big flying man in the sky without remembering that he's not really acting when he's being Clark Kent.

But remember - Clark Kent, the tongue-tied wimp, is what Kal-El thinks a human being is like...

But anyway - Eisu, Eisu - if you want fifty-page threads, you need to learn from Ma3. Unfortunately, it's probably a bit late for a strip about Sandra losing her virginity.

[Raamyah]

Happy Eisu is a productive Eisu?

Then by all means, let's keep Eisu happy! More SOTR, more Marry Me, and more No Pink Ponies!!

[Azrael]

Don't forget Rumble Fall.

[verityheld]

I have the distinct feeling Sandra will be doing unto the 'revampers' of Chamelia what they did to Chamelia, and a good thing too!

[Eisu]

Happy Eisu is a productive Eisu?

Then by all means, let's keep Eisu happy! More SOTR, more Marry Me, and more No Pink Ponies!!

Yes, and Marry Me just updated and I'm roughing out tomorrow's SOTR tonight (and if I finish that, I'll have some free time to do No PInk Ponies tomorrow!) and Rumble Fall updated yesterday. Yay for comic update week!

[Azrael]

I was glad to see Marry Me didn't go quite as dark as it was looking to go.

Now, hopefully Shazlin can curb stomp Tophat von Mustache as much as he deserves.

[Pking]

That tends to get lost nowadays since he's not as obviously a salt of the earth type of guy o those who just glance at the big flying man in the sky without remembering that he's not really acting when he's being Clark Kent.

But remember - Clark Kent, the tongue-tied wimp, is what Kal-El thinks a human being is like...

But anyway - Eisu, Eisu - if you want fifty-page threads, you need to learn from Ma3. Unfortunately, it's probably a bit late for a strip about Sandra losing her virginity.

Nope. that's just a misconception by Bill who cant understand what Superman is like because he's evil. The line is supposed to(or at least it comes off that way when analyzed too much) show Bill's general mindset about the world. Bill cannot understand altruism or anything else about superman. Superman clearly (in Bills mind) has to look down at everyone.

The glasses in some versions were a suggestion from his mother. They sometimes are even made from glass from the spaceship because he couldn't control his heat vision at the start.The bumbling is to make it at least a little less obvious who he is and he barely does that as much as people think he does. As Clark he's much more vocal about things because he can say stuff without the same reaction superman gets. What do you think the difference in reactions between Clark doing an expose on some politician/general and Superman talking about him at a press conference?
Each Identity is a subset of who he actually is.
At the start of his comics run in golden and silver age Kal-El was the dominant identity and not expanded upon much. Then in post crisis Clark became the dominant identity. The important thing however is that both identities are who he is currently.

Now have yourself a Faora.

[Odd Man Out]

Oh MAN is Sandra about to blow this gig in a highly unprofessional manner that circumstances will (unlike in real life, where she would be fired) cause to work in her favor.

"Sure you are an unknown model who verbally (and possibly physically) accosted the client in front of a crowd, but the people love you for it, so instead of firing you, we are going to pretend like it was the plan all along!"

She can't be fired. She's not employed in the first place!

[Seriously, remember the bit about "get into this costume, we'll sort out the contract later"? There IS the question of whether she's in breach of contract with her ACTUAL employer, that said, the one who hired her to stand around in the mascot suit...]

They covered this. Sandra's mascot character is owned by the same company. She's working for them, although they may have overstepped by changing her role so drastically I really doubt anyone trying to establish a new model is going to complain about getting more exposure.

[Gil Hamilton]

He's far less religious than people think given that any scrutiny of parallels between judeo christian religious figures tends to fall apart immediately.
Yes the El naming scheme does hearken back to the traditional el suffix put on the names of hebrew angels. Yes he does that pose alot because people keep thinking he's something he isn't. It's a bit of a recent thing really. Yes he qualifies for a parallel of the baby in a basket. From that point onwards everything to compare him to a religious anything unless you're searching so hard a printing error could have significance is nonexistent. We see the pattern because we want to see it.

<snip the rest for space, but I'm addressing the entire thing>

Of course, some Superman media pushes the Superman As Jesus idea more than others. Remember the first Superman movie with Jor-El's speech in the Fortress of Solitude?

Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son.

Sometimes I think it's seeing cultural patterns, but other times I think the parallels are deliberate. Superman has been handled by a lot of authors, after all. It's not unreasonable that some people's take on superman has a more religious bent than others.