No More Invisible Girls

I think I’ve probably written half a dozen explanations for why Superman is my favorite superhero, ever since my fandom was birthed ten years ago. One of those pieces was actually my college application essay. Still, I don’t know if I’ve figured out exactly what it is about Clark that makes him special to me.

But what I have noticed recently are the echoes of Superman in other characters to whom I’ve gravitated. The open-faced moral sincerity of Steve Rogers. The “aw shucks,” milk-guzzling nature of The Middleman. The stoic existential solitude of the Doctor. The optimistic pursuit of utopia of Leslie Knope. The shaggy-haired boyishness - and the strength and flight - of Will Stronghold. The predisposition to red and blue of that asshole that Tom Welling played on Smallville, whoever that was.

As derivative as Clark is - of (depending on who you ask) Moses, Jesus, Hercules, or Jewish immigrants - all of the characters that I mentioned above came afterwards. And just as Superman inspires the people of Metropolis and the heroes of the DCU, so too he has inspired - consciously or not - scores of characters created after 1938 who needed a dash of moral decency, kindness, and strength.

I see glimpses of Superman everywhere. I think that’s a good thing. I think we can all learn a thing or two from him.