Seeing that Dean Cain is still trending, but I am actually thinking about #ManOfSteel. A lot of people didn't like that movie because much of it didn't "feel" like Superman to them. Yet, even though these characters are very old, the new tales always reflect the time we live in.
Dean Cain is right that "the American Way" is a big part of Superman's story. When he was created, he was the quintessential American because he was an (undocumented) immigrant refugee who made a home and life in this country, then used his power (privilege) to protect others.
Dean Cain is also right that America has changed, at least in how it views that story. In fact, as part of the right-wing media outrage machine he's helped with that. And it's true that Superman doesn't represent the "American Way" anymore because it no longer reflects his story.
This is why in #ManofSteel, #BatmanvSuperman, & even #Supergirl, the kryptonians are met with suspicion and fear. Superman hasn't changed, instead what some folks think of as "American" has, and thus erased what tied the character to it. It's an indictment of who we've become.
Just like historically discriminated against groups in the US, Superman is now met with fear, derision, and mistrust. Yet, despite that, he's still a part of the fabric of our nation and uses his power to do GOOD. This scene sums it up perfectly.
If you're sad that we've not seen a classic Superman story like when George Reeves or Christopher Reeve wore the "S," don't blame DC or WB. Instead, blame the forces in America who forgot what our supposed values were, the ideal that America was supposed to live up to.
Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and every Superman storyteller ever since recognized that the US isn't perfect, people aren't perfect. That's why Superman became a symbol of the kind of moral power any old human could wield in the world. And we Americans have let him (and them) down.
I loved Lois & Clark as a kid in the 1990s. When I was in Iraq, @RealDeanCain was the only celebrity (other than Robin Williams) to make the trip up north to my FOB for a visit. I still appreciate that. And he's right that Superman can't say "the American Way" anymore. But...
It's not because of anti-American sentiment or anything like that. Hell, on Supergirl, that phrase is used in connection to both Superman and Supergirl. No, the problem is that the "American Way" means something much different and much worse today. #MakeSupermanAmericanAgain
(To be clear, American immigrants are the backbone of this country and what help keeps us young and growing. The people who feel that their stories aren't "American" stories are wrong. And, like Superman, they and their kids are likely the ones who are going to save us all.)
