This next post is a bit of a change of pace for me. Normally I would be talking about something in my life that was affecting me but today ,I don't want to talk about me, or about real life. No its time to dip into that wonderful place I like to call fiction land .
On that note, it would be amiss of me with a blog that has Superman in the name to not have a least one post dedicated to the man of tomorrow.
So let's talk about Clark Kent.
If even Batman would admit it then you know its true. I have to admit that this is the most interesting characteristic of Clark. He could easily view himself as more than human but he doesn't. He love being on Earth ,loves people, and does everything he can to protect and believe in them. Even when its not very easy to do. Lord knows what normal people would do with his power. It says a lot about his him as a person that he doesn't.
So not only is he humble. like truly humble but at the end of the day he is just a genuinely a nice guy. He is honest, kind and determined to help. He inspires people to try better because its hard not to want to with someone like that around.
One of the best examples of Clark's personality and ability to inspire people to change is the comic All Star Superman. It is the best representation of the character I have ever read. One page gets me because it is a shining example of him.
Clark Kent aka Superman .Many people say they have that one fictional character that they would defend and celebrate till there dying breath. For me that character is Clark Kent. I would go into his origins story again but you honestly it would take to much time. Here is a refresher .
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| Let me know when your ready. No rush. |
Now you'll notice that I keep calling him Clark Kent instead of Superman. That's because at the end of the day he is Clark Kent. He was raised as Clark Kent. He lives as Clark Kent. Superman is just the way he shares his gifts with the world. This seems obvious but it seems like the big problem with people's understanding of the character is that they seem to forget that fact.
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| Clark Kent is Superman. |
With that burned into your brain I want to talk about the character Clark Kent,why he is my favorite character and what I think people misunderstand about him.
The most important thing to remember about Clark Kent is that despite biologically being an alien. He is human. He acts like a human, thinks likes a human and most importantly doesn't think of himself as more than a human. That is the key fact about him. He doesn't think of himself as a being better than humans. In fact he would much rather be seen like any other human. As something Batman once said about Clark.
The most important thing to remember about Clark Kent is that despite biologically being an alien. He is human. He acts like a human, thinks likes a human and most importantly doesn't think of himself as more than a human. That is the key fact about him. He doesn't think of himself as a being better than humans. In fact he would much rather be seen like any other human. As something Batman once said about Clark.
It is a remarkable dichotomy. In many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then...he shoots fire from the skies, and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to him.
If even Batman would admit it then you know its true. I have to admit that this is the most interesting characteristic of Clark. He could easily view himself as more than human but he doesn't. He love being on Earth ,loves people, and does everything he can to protect and believe in them. Even when its not very easy to do. Lord knows what normal people would do with his power. It says a lot about his him as a person that he doesn't.
So not only is he humble. like truly humble but at the end of the day he is just a genuinely a nice guy. He is honest, kind and determined to help. He inspires people to try better because its hard not to want to with someone like that around.
One of the best examples of Clark's personality and ability to inspire people to change is the comic All Star Superman. It is the best representation of the character I have ever read. One page gets me because it is a shining example of him.
The reason I chose this panel because in this panel we see Clark doing the best kind of save he can. He may have saved millions of people with his powers but the fact that he can save this kid by just giving her a shoulder to cry on is not only one of the greatest examples of Clark as a man but the kind of example he sets to others. A normal person can do what he is doing there and after seeing Superman do it. I am more inclined to think more humans will. Both fictional and real. Including myself.
This leads me to the comments that annoy me the most that people who hate the character say.
"He's too old fashioned. His morals don't fit with our modern world."
"He's too perfect, he's boring"
First,
"He's too old fashioned. His morals don't fit with our modern world"
Take a look right now at the top box office and see what movie is currently #1 at the Box office. It's Captain America 2. It also has 89% on Rotten Tomatoes which means it was a critical hit as well. At least as superhero movies go. If a movie about one of the most moral character's in comic book history who literally comes strait from the 40's to our time can be a box office hit and critical hit, Then there is no reason a character like Clark Kent with his morals as they are written (i'm talking to you man of steel, that wasn't Clark dammit) to not fit with our world. In fact I argue we need more characters like Clark Kent and Steve Rogers.
Second,
"He's too perfect, he's boring"
This is the worst argument to me. I get it that some people will just not like the character. That is fine. There is however a fine line between not liking the character and not understanding the character and this comment provides a misunderstanding of the character.
The thing about Clark is despite as good as he is he is not perfect. He fails. He can get petty and angry and let those emotions make him angry at people sometimes. He never kills anyone but he has hurt people badly on occasion.
For example. One interesting of example of Clark being petty comes from the show Lois and Clark : The New Adventures of Superman. In this scene we see Clark get back at Lois for being so focused on the story of superman that she trampled all over people. Including him.
This shows a side of the character not a whole lot of people realize he has. It's him playing a prank mostly out of annoyance at Lois. It's a good way to remind the audience in a fun way that he is still very human and flawed. Admittedly its not as dark as hurting someone but other media has shown he get angry enough to do that.
This next scene is from Justice League Animated. From an episode called For The Man Who Has Everything, an adaptation of a comic with the same name. In this story Mongul took over Clark's mind and made him have the image of his perfect dream which was to be on Krypton with his parents. When Clark woke up from that mind control and realized that Mongul had played with his head. He was very obviously pissed. This scene followed.
The only reason that Clark didn't kill Mongol at that moment was the statue of his birth parents reminding him of who he is. This shows that Superman can be pushed and has done things completely out of anger.He is not perfect and not meant to be. He is however a cut above the rest of humanity and he has to fight everyday to keep control. To keep his morals. To save people no matter what. If that is boring to you I think you need to re-evaluate you life.
"He's too old fashioned. His morals don't fit with our modern world."
"He's too perfect, he's boring"
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| It's really good I don't have Clark's powers. You all would be dead. |
First,
"He's too old fashioned. His morals don't fit with our modern world"
Take a look right now at the top box office and see what movie is currently #1 at the Box office. It's Captain America 2. It also has 89% on Rotten Tomatoes which means it was a critical hit as well. At least as superhero movies go. If a movie about one of the most moral character's in comic book history who literally comes strait from the 40's to our time can be a box office hit and critical hit, Then there is no reason a character like Clark Kent with his morals as they are written (i'm talking to you man of steel, that wasn't Clark dammit) to not fit with our world. In fact I argue we need more characters like Clark Kent and Steve Rogers.
Second,
"He's too perfect, he's boring"
This is the worst argument to me. I get it that some people will just not like the character. That is fine. There is however a fine line between not liking the character and not understanding the character and this comment provides a misunderstanding of the character.
The thing about Clark is despite as good as he is he is not perfect. He fails. He can get petty and angry and let those emotions make him angry at people sometimes. He never kills anyone but he has hurt people badly on occasion.
For example. One interesting of example of Clark being petty comes from the show Lois and Clark : The New Adventures of Superman. In this scene we see Clark get back at Lois for being so focused on the story of superman that she trampled all over people. Including him.
This shows a side of the character not a whole lot of people realize he has. It's him playing a prank mostly out of annoyance at Lois. It's a good way to remind the audience in a fun way that he is still very human and flawed. Admittedly its not as dark as hurting someone but other media has shown he get angry enough to do that.
This next scene is from Justice League Animated. From an episode called For The Man Who Has Everything, an adaptation of a comic with the same name. In this story Mongul took over Clark's mind and made him have the image of his perfect dream which was to be on Krypton with his parents. When Clark woke up from that mind control and realized that Mongul had played with his head. He was very obviously pissed. This scene followed.
The only reason that Clark didn't kill Mongol at that moment was the statue of his birth parents reminding him of who he is. This shows that Superman can be pushed and has done things completely out of anger.He is not perfect and not meant to be. He is however a cut above the rest of humanity and he has to fight everyday to keep control. To keep his morals. To save people no matter what. If that is boring to you I think you need to re-evaluate you life.
This I believe is what people miss the most. Again Clark Kent is not perfect. Neather were the beings from the planet he came or us humans who raised him. However he was raised well and from good people. That along with the type of person he is makes him that great a character and why I will defend him to the death.
So dear readers. Do you have a character you would defend to your death. If so who it?
That's all for now. Have a Blessed Day,
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