People who dislike Superman often cite him as being either boring or unrelatable. He’s the Man of Steel, and is leagues stronger than everyone else around him while only even being able to be hurt by a handful of small and very specific things. They say he’s too strong or bland to ever be interesting, since he can defeat every villain he comes into contact with and is generally considered the textbook definition of a boy scout character. Besides, Superman is literally an alien and practically a god, so they think there will always be a wall separating them from him. People might tend to gravitate towards a more physically human character like Batman, especially because the Dark Knight is built around the very human feeling of loss, something we can all relate to. However, I say to people who think this that Superman is not only incredibly relatable and interesting, but for the average person he’s actually way more relatable than Batman, even if Batman is super relatable himself.
Superman Isn’t Boring
First off, let’s set one thing straight; Superman is not boring. People who do not like or do not understand Superman will often say that he is either too strong or lacks any real personality, but those things are objectively not true. Yes, Superman is absurdly powerful and will always be able to save the day in the end. However, what people fail to realize about Superman is that the enjoyment comes not from him being powerful, but in how human he is. The best Superman stories are the ones that emphasize his great humanity, and therein lies the struggle that drives the story forward. And let’s not act as if Superman lacks villains who can challenge him physically. There’s Darkseid, Brainiac, Mogul, Cyborg Superman, Bizzaro, Metallo, and Mr. Mxyzptlk, just to name a few.
One of Superman’s most universally beloved storylines is “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?” and it tackles these supposed issues beautifully. In it, Superman’s worldview of fighting for a better tomorrow is challenged when the edgy superhero team named the Elite arrive. They kill villains and preach about controlling crime through power and fear, and even garner plenty of public favor. Superman, who cannot abide by them ruining lives in order to reach their end goals, eventually agrees to fight it out with the Elite to determine who will stand as the protectors of the world. In the end, Superman defeated them by pretending to have killed the Elite, showing them and the world what it would look like if he chose to believe might decided who was right or wrong.
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What makes this story so incredible and relevant is that it captures the heart of what all good Superman stories understand. Beneath all the powers and fancy speeches, Superman is simply a good man who wants to help others. The challenge doesn’t just come in the physical threat of the Elite, but what they represent ideologically. They are the embodiment of cruelty and vengeance running the hearts of good people, people who give into their instincts to hate instead of help. The question is not whether Superman will beat them, but will he beat them in the right way? Will Superman prove them wrong and show how being a good person is the best way forward? Superman fights with morality as much as he does with his fists, and that moral struggle is so interesting to watch unfold. It’s all about how Superman struggles to find a way to be a good person in a world that is constantly trying to force him to be anything but, and he always finds a way. And even then, the Elite and other supervillains do legitimately stand good chances at beating him, but he stands up anyways.
Superman is Incredibly Relatable
As I spent the entire last section explaining, Superman’s struggles come from his inherent humanity, something that is present within all of us. While Batman is relatable in the sense that he is a deeply hurt man who is inspired to use that pain to help others, Superman is relatable in the fact that he is just trying to be the best person he can be. He has been blessed with his abilities, but he sees them as anyone else would a talent in music or crocheting. They are a gift and a responsibility, and since he has enjoyed them he should share them with the world in order to improve it in any way he can.
Superman doesn’t always know the best way forward, and he often doubts what he can do in order to help the people around him, but he will always try. At the end of the day, isn’t the same true for all of us? No one can be sure that what they’re doing is the right thing, but we all just want to do the best we can with what we’ve been given. The only difference between us and Superman is that he’s been given a little more. His best stories always carry the themes of holding onto hope, finding your place in a world you feel like you don’t belong to, and choosing to be kind. Without a doubt, these are the most human worries you can have. He might be an untouchable alien, but Superman is easily the most human of all of DC’s characters.
Superman makes mistakes, the same as any of us, but the Big Blue Boy Scout always tries his best to be a good person. He wants to leave the world a better place than when he entered it. There is tragedy in his past, but he’s not spurred on by grief or pain. He’s doing it just because he thinks it’s the right thing to do. I can’t imagine a superhero being more relatable than just being someone who wants to help. He’s trying his best, the same as any one of us.
