While writing this article, my writer’s block was rooted in my inability to decide where I stand when it comes to Superman. I have always loved Batman. His costume, Batmobile, and vigilante-antihero nature make Batman someone I root for, but I cannot say the same about Superman. Perhaps it is because every time I hear someone express their preference for Superman, that someone is almost always male. Sometimes I imagine the creator of Superman envisioned himself as the character. But I shouldn’t hold that against Superman. After all, he is merely a comic book character.
The thing is, Clark Kent is Superman. Almost every superhero has
an alter ego, but for many superheroes, their alter ego is the very
identity the world knows them by. Not Superman. Jonathan and Martha Kent quite literally found him enveloped in the Kryptonian symbol of hope. Clark Kent is the name given to him when he comes to Earth, but his original name is Kal-El, which directly translates to “star child” in Kryptonian. Superman didn’t have to get bitten by a radioactive spider or train with the League of Assassins to become Superman; he was
always Superman.
There are two sides to each coin. Some view Clark Kent as Kal-El’s critique of humanity, while others view Kent as a representation of a decent person, and, to be frank, they both make good points. It is difficult for me to refute either side, which makes it harder for me to write
this piece.
Clark Kent is clumsy, unsure of himself, cowardly, and afflicted with glasses, all characteristics Superman doesn’t have, but he needs a disguise. He needs to blend in with other human beings, so much so that anyone would find it laughable to think that Superman and Clark Kent are the same person despite their striking resemblance. It is in this disguise that we see how Superman views humanity.
Yet, Clark Kent is also a good-natured, mild-mannered individual, and an all-around decent person, which makes him likable and pitiful. Kent gets stepped on often, but he never contemplates turning to the dark side because of it. In a way, Clark Kent represents the best of us, a template for what a decent human being should be.
In the past, and even now, heroes were influenced by god-like beings, with comic book companies often using Greek and Norse mythological gods for inspiration. Heroes needed to be morally correct, self-sacrificing, and powerful, traits any human would praise but never correctly embody
in disposition.
And that is what makes Batman so interesting. Batman is a more realistic representation of what a superhero would be like if a human took on the mantle. Batman is, like many of us, flawed, but he tries his best to be good. Bruce Wayne could choose to do nothing about the crime that plagues his city. He could choose to live a life of luxury with his inheritance, but instead, he uses that money to fund his cape-crusading activities. He uses his ingenuity to create gadgets, vehicles, and a costume. He is a detective who uses his intuition, intelligence, and skills to solve mysteries and fight crime. He risks his life to do what he believes is right. While his crime-fighting sprees often border on vigilantism, given his city’s corruption and injustice, it makes sense for him to take matters into his own hands.
Even when he doesn’t don his black mask, Bruce Wayne strives to do good with the resources he has, often splurging to help others. True, he would not be able to do what he does were it not for his wealthy parentage, but at least he didn’t grow up to become a rich scumbag. As a human, he is more likely to fall into moral bankruptcy, but he instead gives himself one rule: no killing. Batman strives to be good and does what he can with the resources he has, which is the best any of us can really do.
Batman’s enemies are also more interesting because they imitate real life. Now, no penguins are living in our sewers, but we do see gangsters, drug lords, serial killers, corrupt politicians, and terrorists in the real world. The law is there to protect us, but the law is not perfect and justice is not always achieved. We can only hope that someone is willing to stand up to these wrongdoers, but since there is no Superman in the real world, our last hope is Batman.
In trying to write this article, I consumed as much Superman content as I could during the little free time I had. I wanted to make sure I gave him a fair chance, which could only be accomplished by getting to know the character. What I learned is that Superman is actually kind of cool, and Clark Kent does have a heart of gold.
Superman’s friendship with Batman is even more endearing. Picture an easy-going man raised on a farm in Kansas hanging out with the dark, brooding, almost gothic man raised in a mansion. The characters are polar opposites, which makes for comical interactions, but their tantamount passion for fighting against the forces of evil makes them hold each other in high regard. Seeing Batman collaborate with someone other than Alfred only augmented my liking of Superman. So Eshaan Joshi was right, kind of. But make no mistake, Batman will always be the better superhero.
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