The Ever Changing and Ever Lasting Superman

Who hasn't run through the house with a towel or blanket tied around his/her neck pretending to fly? With underoos, movies, comics, t-shirts, and lunch boxes available in the market place, Superman has become one of society's most iconic and profitable characters right behind Micky Mouse. Almost everyone's generation has been influenced with the Superman Myth. From the 1950s television series (which is still in syndication), the 1970s and 1980s movies, the Superboy television series of the 80s, the Lois and Clark television series of the 90s, cartoons from the 40s and 2000's, and countless comic books to the current television series Smallville. Like Mickey Mouse, Superman has gone through substantive changes to make him relevant society as it continues to evolve.

The Superman myth was invented by a modern culture that needed to invent a hero to help them realize their hopes and dreams during the depression. At the core Superman embodies the goals and ideas of the modern world as with any mythic hero. He processes the values of truth and honesty, and his purpose becomes helping the world reach a utopia, which can easily be seen in the fourth movie where Superman helps rid the world of nuclear arms. Much like the heroes of Greek myths, Superman becomes the model citizen that all citizens should look to as an example of how to behave and act. Possessing the values of honesty and civility, Superman's motto to fight for "truth, justice, and the American way," represents a modern culture.

Now Superman has undergone many changes in the postmodern world and represents a vision that is unlike the one that was originally invented. Superman comics no longer follow the storylines that were originally created, in fact most of the storylines are written by a new set of authors who separate themselves from the others, making Superman relevant to today's world. There are three comics that represent the Superman story today. Each comic presents a different version from each other, although occasionally the stories do mix. Even television has reincarnated its own version of the story that opens up a new area for the postmodern Superman. Superman has even made his way into popular music with a song that crash many of the traditional views of the superhero.

As one of the most popular television series today, most students will be familiar with the characters and story lines of this series. The series attempts to tell the story of a young Clark Kent, who is discovering his own powers. The coming of age story brings with it a plethora of changes and postmodern aspects to the myth.

One of the first aspects of postmodern of the television series is its attempt to rewrite the Superman myth. The television series builds on the story giving it a sense of pastiche as it recreates and adds to it, but it also rewrites the myth to accommodate for societal changes. Adding several new characters to the mix, the series gives new life to the same story. For instance, the character of Chloe is a new element to the story that did not exist before. She serves as sort of attempt to recreate the character of Lois Lane in the Smallville setting, as she is a love interest for character of Clark much in the same way that Lois Lane was presented in the earlier renditions of the story. Another interesting characteristic to note in this similarity is that fact that Chloe is also a journalist, which further provides a link between her and Lois.

The city of Smallville has also become fragmented. In another addition to the story, the series has the meteor fragments blast through the town, tearing the town apart physically and metaphorically. The chunks take away Lex Luther's hair, giving him a sense of isolation. The same is true for Lana Lang, whose parents were killed by the meteor fragments, leaving her orphaned. These incidents provide an aspect to the story that show the fragmentation that exists in the post-modern society. Clark Kent also represents this fragmented view. No longer does he want to save the world and work for the American dream; now, he wants to work for personal reasons that do not benefit humanity or lead the world into a utopia as he would have in the modern influenced comics. Instead Clark wants to use his powers to pacify his own guilt and loneliness. In another difference between the modern and postmodern Clark Kent is the sense of loneliness. The original Clark Kent in the comic books does not express any loneliness as the new Clark Kent does in the Smallville series. While the movies and comics touch on the idea of Clark's the alimentation due to his powers, the new series takes it a step further by giving it a more cultural feel with all the characters feeling isolated and lonely.

The state of Superman in the comics is always in a state of change. The stories continue to reinvent themselves. In the earlier comics, Superman was deemed to be immortal and unable to be hurt. His death proved the thought to be untrue. The question is not that he died, but why he died and what it means to the Superman myth. As the modern view persisted, Superman was immortal, representing the hope that a utopia would be reached. In the postmodern world, the idea of this happening has been rejected; therefore, the death of Superman represents the death of this narrative. Since his return to life, he has become more self-oriented and does not represent the same morals and mottos that he had before he died.

The rejection of morals becomes extremely evident when superman murders. Although he murders criminals, this event jars the concept of Superman, for has broken a law of the United States. This act alone is contradictory to the statements of fighting for truth and justice. Instead, Superman took justice into his own hands. With the murder of the criminals, Superman rejected values and began a thought that mirrors the postmodern thought of pluralism. He rejected the American Justice System by taking justice into his own hands. It can be argued that because this was a parallel universe without any humans, he had no choice but to take justice into his own hands; however, this act still violates the principles and values that the Superman character was built upon in the 1930's. This value rejection is evident in the fans negative reaction to the murder.

Even music shows the changing Superman. Throughout the Superman stories, his honesty has been a central part of the character. In the 1970's movie Superman tells Lois Lane as she is interviewing him, "Lois, I never tell a lie." This statement is in direct contrast to the statement made by the character in the Five for Fighting song "Superman." For example the character of the song says, "Find a way to lie/ About a home I'll never see." His statements show a more pluralistic desire that is more common in the postmodern worldview. Even if the lie is only a small one, the lie itself stands in direct opposition to the Superman's honesty. If he were able to lie, then all aspects of him representing the ideals and values of the modern world are crushed, for honesty would be essential to building a utopia.

The song also shows a character suffering from the fragmentation of society. The lyrics, "Looking for special things inside of me," show a character that is unsure of himself. This lack of identity is a characteristic of the postmodern society. Another lyric also presents itself in the same manner: "Men weren't meant to ride/ With clouds between their knees." In this quote, the Superman character doubts his identity, something that the modern character would never do. This doubt most certainly arises from the fragmentation of society.

Even the new Superman Returns movie shows a change in Superman rejection of modern values for postmodern ones. In the movie, Superman is a father of an illegitimate son, also providing a new twist to the ever-changing myth. Another addition to the movie is Lois love interest in Perry White's nephew. These additions stand in contrast to the story that exists in the comic books. Furthermore, the movie shows a more global Superman. Scenes show him helping the whole world and even the American way phrase has been dropped, evident when White asks, "Does he still stand for truth, justice, and all that stuff."

The Superman myth continues change as society changes, making Superman a relevant hero to the contemporary society. One fact remains, no matter what the changes are, Superman will continue to be an iconic figure not only in American society, but a global society as well.