With his
legendary red cape, blue tights and his stylized “S” shield on his chest
Superman is with no doubt the most famous superhero of all time. This American
cultural icon opened us to the superhero genre.
Origin
 |
| First apparition of Superman in a comic book (1938) |
Superman
was introduced to the world in 1932, in a story imagined by two fans of science
fiction; the writer Jerry Siegel and the artist Joe Duster. He was originally nothing
like the icon he is today, being an evil creation of a mad doctor. After this
first unnoticed version of Superman, Siegel decided to revise his work. With
the development of the comic book genre in the 30’s, he elevated Superman to
the rank of a comic book superhero. In 1938, DC Comics finally noticed Duster
and Siegel’s work and published it. From
that time onwards, Superman never stopped catching the public’s attention.
Over the
years, the original story of Superman has been rewritten and rebooted many
times by scenarists who tried to perpetuate the legacy. Although the common
themes remain the same, details have prominently differed in each retelling to
keep the readers’ interest.
A super hero
Without the
creation of Superman there would be no superhero genre as we know it. He is the
archetype hero who uses his powers to counter crimes and prevent villains to take
over the world thanks to his strong moral code.
Superman was
born on the planet Krypton and was rocketed to earth when his planet was about
to be destroyed. Rescued by Kansas
farmers, the Kents, he was raised as Clark Kent. He was taught to use his
powers for the good cause. He embodies the perfect hero, willing to do
everything to protect the planet which welcomed him.
An icon
For almost
75 years Superman has never fallen off in popularity. He is the first cross
media star, being successfully adapted to movies, cartoons, daily newspaper,
radio and TV shows...
Superman is
popular not only because he is the first superhero but also because people can
identify and connect with him. First of all, he is an ordinary journalist who never
dreamt of being special. But his strong values of morality, justice and goodness help him use his powers for the good of
humanity. Then as an orphan and immigrant, he tries to fit in the world and to
figure out who he is supposed to be. Finally he is the people’s hero protective
of his land of refuge, defending the oppressed and fighting the never ending
battle for truth and justice.
Superman has
had a huge influence on people who grew up with him through comic books,
cartoons and films. He is a role model, the symbol of the best part of mankind
and someone we can look up to. Moreover this flying man takes us from our daily
routine into a world of adventures where everything is possible. Clearly as popular now as he was 75 years ago, he has
been voted the greatest sci-fi character of all time.
Angeline Derzelle and Céline Pierre
No comments:
Post a Comment