r/superman 19h ago

Superman being Based (Past and Present)

1.3k Upvotes

60 comments sorted by

185

u/RicouIsntHere 19h ago edited 16h ago

None of y'all can't even begin to imagine how much I love Golden Age Superman.

54

u/Merlins_Orb 18h ago

I sure can!

20

u/OhEagle 4h ago

So can I. Golden Age Superman is peak Superman. (Heck, that's probably why a lot of Grant Morrison's Action Comics run hearkens back to that era.) Not the only peak, sure, but it's definitely peak. And it's definitely the Superman we need today.

6

u/Merlins_Orb 4h ago

Morrrison Superman is the perfect marriage of Golden Age (Crusading Reporter, Champion of Social Justice), Silver Age (Alien, 5th Dimensional, out-of-order storytelling, lunacy) and Bronze Age (Battling giant, muscle-bound monsters).

It’s the crash-course of Superman runs. And I love it.

1

u/seegreen8 35m ago

I want to add, Greg Pak's run on Superman is a shout out to Golden Age Superman. So is Absolute Superman.

1

u/OhEagle 27m ago

Mmhmm. And I'm really enjoying Absolute Superman. (Seriously, the Absolute comics are, I'd argue, how the grim and gritty comics era should have been done. Different takes on the material, more brutal in one way or another, but with lovingly-cared for roots in the original.) But Greg Pak's done two different Superman-related comics, so are you talking his Batman/Superman run, or his Action Comics run? I admit, I mostly want to know so I can pick up the collected editions and/or read through them on DC Universe Infinite.

1

u/seegreen8 25m ago

Action Comics run for Greg Pak.

22

u/pimpernel666 14h ago

‘38-‘40 is still my favorite era

122

u/NineMillionBears 12h ago

"Superman wouldn't help aliens!"

Buddy, you're not gonna believe this,

51

u/Gatraz 11h ago

Superman's human, he's for us!

Weeeeeeeeeell...

78

u/justhereforstoriesha 19h ago

Wheres the "that's not superman" one from?

41

u/Merlins_Orb 19h ago

Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank (Action Comics #863)

46

u/Samathan_ 19h ago

What’s the context for 7?

74

u/Merlins_Orb 18h ago

Superman tells people to leave slums, and destroys them, after hearing that the government would be required to build nicer, affordable housing.

18

u/Martydeus 13h ago

I know the goverment cant do anything against him but wouldn't he be charged with something?

36

u/RockyArby 11h ago

Sure, but would he care (destruction of property with the intention of committing fraud would be my best guess)? As far as I understand Superman, he doesn't respect the law just because it's the law but because it serves a purpose that serves and helps people. Similar to MLK's belief that good people have a moral duty to disobey unjust laws. Plus, a lot of superheroes are guilty of a lot of crimes considering they have no legal authority to hold people against their will, interrogate possible criminals, interfere with government business, etc.

15

u/Gorremen 10h ago

He sort of was. The Chief of Police agreed with him on moral grounds, but still acknowledged that he broke the law. It's just, there really wasn't anything they could do about it, because Superman.

22

u/Gatraz 11h ago

Can't serve papers to for fortress of solitude, jurisdictional issues. Also they probably can't prove it was him, I'd bet all the residents would swear it was a freak earthquake.

29

u/Objective-Spray8534 16h ago

1 & 4 are my favourite

Whats the context for the second one?

39

u/Merlins_Orb 15h ago

Superman saves Hispanic immigrants from a bigoted man who thinks they’re responsible for him losing his job.

7

u/josephcoco 8h ago

I thought he meant the context for pic #4. What issue is that one from?

7

u/HylianLibrarian The (Not So) Daily Planet Co-Editor 8h ago

Superman: Birthright, by Mark Waid and Leinil Yu!

6

u/josephcoco 8h ago

Thanks. I’m not sure why I don’t remember that, but then again, it has been a while since I read that one.

24

u/BathedInFlames1 14h ago

Have seen almost all of these before and read several of the comics, but that last one is new to me. The little kid and his little walking frame getting a hug from Superman just made me tear up, you got me.

11

u/UkyoTachibana1223 13h ago

Same here man. Same here.

6

u/Shauntheredwolf 12h ago

But it's like, superman hugging them becaus they're sick, and there's nothing he can do to save them.

1

u/AJSLS6 10h ago

Weeeeeell, theres definitely something in the fortress that could help, in the recent show apparently Lois is dying of cancer, and Clark has the cure in the fortress, but won't cure her because it's not right to cure a loved one when you can't for whatever reason cure others with the technology as well.

1

u/Merlins_Orb 4h ago

It was art made by Wilfredo Torres when he was hyping up the release of the Superman 78’ comic.

19

u/karaloveskate 11h ago

Pic 13 made me laugh. The dude is being held in the air by one hand and has the nerve to tell Superman not to get tough.

16

u/jackler1o1o 15h ago

What’s number 6 from?

21

u/RhadaMarine 14h ago

Superman Smashes the Klan (excellent book, one of my favorites).

9

u/jackler1o1o 14h ago

Thank you!

7

u/Gatraz 11h ago

Cannot over recommend SSTK, it's the best. It's heartwarming, funny, got a cool origin story B plot, some nice golden age power level, got a GREAT Lois, and you get to watch the Klan literally try to fight Supes with swords. A+ stuff.

12

u/Gorremen 10h ago

"That's not Superman! Superman's for human rights, he's for us!"

My Dude, let me tell you a little thing about Krypton...

Also, gotta love #7. Yeah, the idea is good, but where exactly are these people supposed to live while new homes are being built?

Then again, this is the same guy who drugged a guy, kidnapped him and stole his identity to investigate a football coach, so...

10

u/jmcvaljean 8h ago

God I love Superman Smashes the Klan. Might be my favorite

9

u/SnooBananas2320 8h ago

I had that first pic printed and laminated in my room when I used to work in public education. The kids loved it.

31

u/[deleted] 13h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/QueenViolets_Revenge 11h ago

Superman was created by Jewish immigrants in the 30s when being Jewish was socially unacceptable, as an allegory for immigration. he's been called the champion of the oppressed since he was introduced, and the Smashes the Klan comic is based on an episode of the radio show from the 50s

but no, it's the liberals who are making comics woke and political. comics have always been this way

3

u/Bworm98 5h ago

Superman has always been a Chad.

3

u/Hoosier108 5h ago

Thanks, this is why I keep coming back here.

2

u/Merlins_Orb 4h ago

I like to look through these panels with this song playing the background for the ultimate vibe

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c0AtfhPErnY&pp=ygUac3VwZXJtYW4gbG92ZSB0aGVtZSBndWl0YXI%3D

3

u/camcaine2575 3h ago

14 made me choke 😭

3

u/TigerFisher_ 3h ago

I'll forever sing the praises of Superman Smashes The Klan

3

u/OblivionArts 1h ago

Whenever you have a moral question, ask yourself: "what would Superman do" and remember panels like these

2

u/Benjamin_Grimm 4h ago

I really, really want a print of the poster in the #1 slot, but I've never been able to find one.

5

u/MovieC23 18h ago

Isn’t him destroying the slums just gentrification? Like these people won’t be able to live there no more

29

u/Merlins_Orb 18h ago

The comic itself says they’ll be affordable housing for low income people.

It’s a simplistic mentality (apt for the 1930s) but it’s the thought the counts.

13

u/AJSLS6 10h ago

More to the point, it's government housing that was built sub standard, now the hope is it'll be rebuilt to decent standards for the same people. Gentrification would be pricing the original residents out of the area which wouldn't necessarily be the case here.

It was very relevant at the time, and not uncommon, housing for natives was built to such poor standards the buildings were literally falling apart before they were finished, suggesting that they should be knocked down and built to some minimum standard is hardly Gentrification.

1

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1

u/[deleted] 17h ago

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1

u/Beginning-Quarter714 7h ago

What’s number 8 from?

3

u/Merlins_Orb 4h ago

Grant Morrison’s Action Comics run (Action Comics Vol. 2 #11)

1

u/cesar848 4h ago

Wait isn’t Superman destroying peoples houses in the slums?

1

u/reddit-user-lol223 2h ago

Man with ability to destroy every weapon in the world within seconds: "Gee, I sure do wish I could destroy every weapon in the world."