I was once a comic book junkie. I loved any of them I could
get my hands on. But there was always a love/hate scenario for me. I loved
Batman and hated Superman. Batman was the detective, the human, the night.
Superman was just that…super.
But as I got older, Batman and his complexities became
simple, human, and easy to dissect. But Superman was becoming more and more
complicated. He was and is evolving.
In the latest issue of the Superman
comic book, which goes on sale on Wednesday, the caped hero's alter ego, Clark
Kent, quits his job as a journalist at the Daily Planet. A staff member at a
comic book store in New York City's Times Square says the superhero left the
tabloid after voicing his disdain for the direction the newspaper is headed,
lacking real journalism and real reporting
WOW!
In Action Comics latest issue, Superman proclaims himself
a citizen of the universe after clashing with the U.S. government. Which puts
rather a dent in his longtime motto: Truth, justice and the American way.
Damn!
How does one reconcile with being an alien, with no one of
his kind to relate to, all the while walking around with the restrictions of a Buddhist
monk walking on rice paper?
That’s what Superman deals with EVERYDAY!
I unfortunately relate to that…
Someone once asked me do I feel alone a lot, I truly wanted
to answer honestly and say…
“Only when I'm around people.” But I humbly responded with an appeasing…sometimes.
Haven’t we changed the cliché of “no man is an island” by
determining what makes a man beyond being humane? Money, penis size, love of
god, love of country, or love of family has become some of our metrics for
being a man. I don’t know if I even qualify as a man in many circles.
never let you see them sweat…etc…
So Superman leaves the Daily Planet because they have become (or always been) a basic tabloid rag, careful not to offend the corporate advertisers. And, thus freed up, he realizes that maybe being an American is just as confining. And he finds what was always his destiny, to be a citizen of the planet, a man of the universe.
ReplyDeleteOf course, he would be lonely. Most gifted, genuine people are. While others are out talking about their golf game and who to trade in their fantasy league, or whether shell pink draperies would do wonders for the guest room, the people, the ones who trust themselves to think, are wondering about humanity and great joys and sorrows.
Someone once wrote on one of my blogs "I have been of the belief that in Song I have found god. Maybe I am not alone after all."
It is so easy to feel alone these days when so many are rejoicing over the anticipated final defeat of one who was given a task then had obstacle after obstacle thrown in his way. When so many are rejoicing they will no longer have to feel guilty (if they ever did) about befouling our water, leaving our children to starve, our women to die from pregnancy, our poor to lie sick and unattended. And the temptation to feel superior! And the push to just give up.
Some charlatan wrote a book "Waiting for Superman". Aren't we all. But he is closer than one might think.