(An ongoing theme here for some time has been the clear demise of our Empire. Okay we don't call it that, but ya know what I mean. I just noticed that it's a tad worse than I thought. Seems the Man of Steel has been eyeing the 'kiss off' clause in his contract, and has decided to terminate the relationship. Leaving the land of the nolonger so free behind.)
Since he crashed down from Krypton 1938, Superman has been as American as apple pie. With the wind rippling over his red and blue costume as he flew through the air, through comic books, TV shows and movies, the Man of Steel has served as a prime representation of all things to which America aspires.
Now, in a time of great international turmoil, Superman is giving up his national identity.
In "Action Comics #900," Superman will renounce his American citizenship, rejecting the international notion that his actions are part of US policy. The shift comes after a personal visit to Iran in support of protesters leads President Ahmadinejad to believe America was declaring war against the government in Tehran.
By rejecting his citizenship, Superman will now work on a grander international scale, because, as he says, "truth, justice and the American way... it's not enough anymore"
Whether this impacts the upcoming Superman franchise reboot film "Man of Steel," remains to be seen, but it will most certainly take the legendary hero in a new direction.
From "Comics Alliance"
"truth, justice and the American way... it's not enough anymore"
And so we end an Age.
Stay tuned.
7 comments:
Amen I say to you Sidney. Amen.
And it's not only the Empire that is on its way out, it's civilization itself. And that is not a bad thing either.
This is truly symbolic of our times. A national icon leaves us. The American century is absolutely, and completely over now.
Even as a kid, and a real fan of Superman, I found the phrase, "truth, justice, and the American way" to be weird and uncomfortable. What is this thing called THE American way? I loved and still love the land of my birth, but just what is there about it that makes its 'way' automatically better than anyone else's? I've always been drawn to those different from me, and, even when I have not liked what I've seen, have wanted to know why the difference existed.
"My country right or wrong, but still my country" -- well, yeah, but my country, when wrong is WRONG, and needs to be corrected. The American way, when one examines it, does contain much of value and even beauty, but it also contains, at its very heart, some very serious weaknesses, such as, for example, this assumption that 'the American way' is better because it's American.
ed
Ed, it's beyond correction. Get used to it.
Something fluffy and escapist might be nice about now.
What do you mean Zaek? Something like taking cyanide?
Or drinking Lysol like Vachel Lindsay? "I got them before they got me!"
http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/g_l/lindsay/exhibit/1928.jpg
No, Sidney got it about right with his space-faring teddy bears. Having looked unflinchingly at reality for a while, rather than shop for plastic bags to tie over my head I feel the need for a sanity-saving interlude on the Bunny Planet.
Terence McKenna incorporated a similar theme into his rap about 'shrooms. He used to describe how at a certain point in the trip he would say to the mushroom, "All right, enough of the Erté décor and talking Fabergé eggs - now show me what you are for yourself." The trip would then swiftly take a turn into exceedingly dark and disturbing places far too weird for human habitation, and he would say in fright "No, NO! - enough of how you are for yourself - let's get back to the Disney loop!" And that's how it is with me: I'm ready for a visit to the Disney loops. I won't forget about reality indefinitely, but it's bit too grim constantly staring down into the icy Atlantic from the downward side of an ever-more-steeply listing deck.
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