MovieChat Forums > Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993) Discussion > If you are truly a Superman fan, then yo...

If you are truly a Superman fan, then you'll know this,,,

posted 13 years ago by Superman7292
20 replies | jump to latest

Batman is actually Bruce Wayne, Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker. When that character wakes up in the morning, he's Peter Parker. He has to put on a costume to become Spider-Man. And it is in that characteristic Superman stands alone. Superman didn't become Superman. Superman was born Superman. When Superman wakes up in the morning, he's Superman. His alter ego is Clark Kent. His outfit with the big red "S", that's the blanket he was wrapped in as a baby when the Kents found him. Those are his clothes. What Kent wears - the glasses, the business suit - that's the costume. That's the costume Superman wears to blend in with us. Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n2UyctImKs

[–] sargentaaron2004 13 years ago

why are people copy/pasting this everywhere?

[–] Superman7292 13 years ago

well i posted this on every Superman related show or movie i watched before (except one) cus i thought this was interesting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n2UyctImKs

[–] Journeyman1 13 years ago

This is actually open to interpretation. Yes, this is how most people perceive it but this has changed a few times in the comics. Depending on the writer, Clark Kent has often been portrayed as the "dominant personality." I believe it was the episode where Clark proposes to Lois and she asks him "Who's asking? Clark or Superman?", there is a line where Clark says "Clark Kent is who I am. Superman is what I can do."

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[–] rica2005 13 years ago

My theory is that he is Clark Kent first and foremost. He was born Kal-El, whose identity doesn't really matter all that much as he was an infant when he was sent away. Without the Kents, he would have never been either Clark Kent or Superman. If he had been found by someone else, he still would have had his superpowers, but he wouldn't have been Superman. He could have just as easily been a supervillain. Powers are not what makes a superhero. It was the morals he was taught as a child as Clark Kent that makes him use his powers for good.

The thing that really sets my theory in stone is the fact that if Clark ever lost his powers permanently, he would still be Clark, he just wouldn't be Superman anymore. Conversly, when he's hit with something that makes him forget he's Clark or makes him act without judgement or morals, he is no longer Superman. He may dress like him, but he's not him.

[–] poem 13 years ago

Clark Kent is how Superman views us. And what are the characteristics of Clark Kent. He's weak... he's unsure of himself... he's a coward. Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race.

Doesnt compute.

Clark Kent is Supermans link to humanity.

I have never seen him portrayed outright weak and incompetent. He works as a reporter able to compete with a star reporter, Luis Lane, at his magazine. Thats a LOT of strength and competence right there.

The only reason Clark Kent is often kind of clumsy is so that he looks less like Superman, because Superman, unlike the aforementioned Batman and Spiderman, does not use a mask.

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Always listen to your own advice.

[–] Lorelaisimpson 13 years ago

Kill Bill vol 2

[–] doobienick 13 years ago

<<<<Superman was born Superman>>>>

That's incorrect. Superman was born Kal-El, a normal Kryptonian. He only developed his powers when he came to Earth, with a lighter gravity and a yellow Sun.

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The rest of it, I waste.

[–] moonwalkernow 13 years ago

Grant Morrison quote, from All Star Superman wiki page. Granted it is one storyteller's opinion, I agree with it.

In his writing of the character Superman, Morrison identifies different aspects of his personality, stating, "'Superman' is an act. 'Clark Kent' in Metropolis is also an act. There are actually two Kents, at least – one is a disguise, a bumbling, awkward mask for Superman. The other is the confident, strong, good-hearted Clark Kent who was raised by his surrogate Ma and Pa in Kansas and knows how to drive a tractor. I think he's the most 'real' of all."

The Silence will fall....Their shoelaces are untied.

[–] CannibalCraig 13 years ago

This has been subject to change throughout the many many years Superman has been around in film. In the Fleischer Studios cartoons Clark was never a full developed character but in the serials of the late 40's starring Kirk Allen, Clark was a much tougher character. In the Adventures of Superman with George Reeves, it was kind of a mixed bag. At times he could be wisecracking and at other times he could be a coward. It sort of depended on the situation. It really wasn't until Superman The Movie that Clark was always depicted as being meek and cowardly. That's the version associated with Clark most often on screen (not really counting Lois and Clark).

In my opinion, Kal-El acts the polar opposite of Superman to make him appear as the most less obvious person to actually be Superman. I never thought his "Clark" was how he envisioned humans to be. That wouldn't make much sense since all he ever has known is humans and not Kryptonians.

[–] poem 13 years ago

In my opinion, Kal-El acts the polar opposite of Superman to make him appear as the most less obvious person to actually be Superman.

+1

The "critique" of the OP doesnt make any sense in the first place.

Why would Superman criticise humankind for not having superpowers like himself ? A person who would think that petty wouldnt do what Superman does.

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A gentleman will not insult me, and no man not a gentleman can insult me.

[–] Coke24 13 years ago

I kinda get where you are coming from, but don't 100% agree. He was born Kal-El without any superpowers. It's the yellow sun which gives him his powers, so like Peter Parker has got powers as the result of an event. He was raised by the Kents and that Clark Kent is the real person. Superman is the alter-ego but he pays homage to his Kryptonian heritage by donning the famous "S" on hit suit. The only problem is that because he doesn't wear a mask when he's superman he has to change his Clark Kent personality to a clumsy, "weak" person, wearing classes and slicking his hair back. THAT's the disguise. Peter Parker is kind of the opposite from Clark Kent in that he actually starts off as a bumbly, weak person who grows strong so he keeps the weak persona when he's PP, unlike Clark who has to act out a weak persona unless around people who know his secret.

[–] JoeCSU 13 years ago

I like all the comments people are writing....Good stuff!

I'm watching Season 4 of Lois and Clark and I just got done to watching the episode, "Sex, Lies and Videotape." Definitely one of the best episodes of the whole series. You can just tell that a lot of thought went to explaining, "Who Superman is and what he stands for?" I like how Lois mentions that it is the 'idea of Superman' that is most important. She explained this once before in a previous season....It's so true. It's simply that Superman is a hero and people look up to him and believe.

[–] princess_critic 12 years ago

Agreed and disagreed. I believe (in this Verse, anyway) that Clark is the man he is. He was born Kal-El, but raised as Clark Kent - Clark was never a disguise in his early years. He lived his life as a child and teenager, he was taught right and wrong like we all are. For many years that is who is was.

Then he decided to become Superman to help the world and realised he was never going to get away with it without a disguise, so he changed his Clark persona to the clumsy, geeky reporter we all know and love. But he's still Clark Kent because that is how he was raised. He just had to sacrifice parts of him.

[–] nitsua125 12 years ago

This is from Kill Bill 2.