Inter-Action

The Superpath

By Christopher "Clint" Simpson (chrstphrsmpsn@yahoo.com)

I'll start with my take to the "More Truth and Justice than You'll Ever Protect" essay by Jeff Dubbin. I think he makes excellent points on the morality concept. Some parts I found hard to understand but I got the point.

From what I understood, he puts forth that Superman represents a level of morality that everyday people, as hard as they try, can never achieve. It is understandable that in a world being more and more ruled by chaos and corruption that morality seems like something only a comic book character can possess. After all, that is what they're really supposed to stand for right? People sacrificing entire lifestyles for the salvation of others. Doing it even when all odds are against them including their own physical design. Some even doing it when society has turned in hatred to them.

It's hard to imagine the world against Superman because it's never really happened before. Not in any of the comics I've read anyway. I've only started reading comics in this past year but my infatuation with Superman dates back to when I was a kid and was renewed greatly from the truly honorable impact of the "Smallville" TV series. I am absolutely amazed by Superman's powers, but I am also obsessed with his nature and morals. He is able to perform great acts and can get away unscathed because of his powers.

But the best part of it that seems to be jumping out to fans more and more is that he does it with true morality. Never out of hate, never out of greed, and never for his own empowerment. But more for his own beliefs. People seem to get so baffled by how or why this man is so good. Imagine the banks he could break into and the women he could have and things of that nature. He could get away with anything and never be stopped unless an equal or greater force presented itself.

That force is both Jonathan and Martha Kent, Kal-El's adoptive parents. The Kents prove that they have what it takes to bring down Superman, with love and morality. Because in truth they made him. Just two lowly humans who ironically could never have a child and that suddenly were responsible for the life of a being with god-like abilities and they treated him as they would have if he were normal. They instilled him with their morality, love, and righteousness and inspired him to become the man many admire and are inspired by daily.

Which proves to me that morality is still a human concept and not one we can totally hand over to a fictional character. Yes the Kents are fictional too but they are obviously based off of real people.

Also bringing out a point that morality and righteousness are not something that is weak or passe but something that is truly powerful if you stand up for it. It can become the strongest power anyone will ever gain, even more powerful than a Superman.