As I was watching Superman returns with my daughter(8) She asked me why nobody could tell that Clark Kent was Superman? In her own words she said "I mean...there just some stupid glasses!" Old feelings sprang forth from the depth of my soul. I really don't like Superman.
I often wondered what it was about this character that earned my resentment? After careful consideration I've concluded that its every thing. Superman is just too super. His superness and his upbringing, his alien heritage, and his 'alter ego' just don't work together very well. A good example would be that everyone I've ever known, who was raised on a farm, is really tough, not the goof Clark pretends to be at the Daily Herold. This example is only 'one' of many other complaints that I have with Supermans mythos as a whole.
In my opinion a good story is about pain. Why do we care about the main character? Because he hurts! A Friend of mine lamented over her main character that "he wasn't flawed enough" My advice was not to make him more flawed but to bring on more pain. Pain leads to growth. This is where magic happens with-in a reader. When we can 'feel' for the character then we become emotionally involved with them, then as they grow enough to solve their problem, we grow along with them. Hope is then transferred into us "If this character can beat the odds, then so can I" Superman's story as a whole doesn't have any of this.
While sitting with my daughter a felt a challenge fall upon my shoulders 'Stop complaining! and find a way to make superman relate-able!' (easier said then done). After researching his history and back ground story I found I needed to do a few things. I needed to take away his 'powers' and justify the natural abilities of his genetically superior alien anatomy. I needed to justify the conditions for his being sent to earth. And I needed to show the conflicts in what its like to be a genetically superior alien being raised as a Kansas farm boy. What was my answer? To go into Krypton history and readdress a few things.
What was Krypton Like? What were the People like? What were some things that defined them as a people? Why Did the planet explode, and why didn't a race of advanced scientific minds do anything about it? And finely, why did Jor-EL send his only son to earth alone.
What are your thoughts?
I often wondered what it was about this character that earned my resentment? After careful consideration I've concluded that its every thing. Superman is just too super. His superness and his upbringing, his alien heritage, and his 'alter ego' just don't work together very well. A good example would be that everyone I've ever known, who was raised on a farm, is really tough, not the goof Clark pretends to be at the Daily Herold. This example is only 'one' of many other complaints that I have with Supermans mythos as a whole.
In my opinion a good story is about pain. Why do we care about the main character? Because he hurts! A Friend of mine lamented over her main character that "he wasn't flawed enough" My advice was not to make him more flawed but to bring on more pain. Pain leads to growth. This is where magic happens with-in a reader. When we can 'feel' for the character then we become emotionally involved with them, then as they grow enough to solve their problem, we grow along with them. Hope is then transferred into us "If this character can beat the odds, then so can I" Superman's story as a whole doesn't have any of this.
While sitting with my daughter a felt a challenge fall upon my shoulders 'Stop complaining! and find a way to make superman relate-able!' (easier said then done). After researching his history and back ground story I found I needed to do a few things. I needed to take away his 'powers' and justify the natural abilities of his genetically superior alien anatomy. I needed to justify the conditions for his being sent to earth. And I needed to show the conflicts in what its like to be a genetically superior alien being raised as a Kansas farm boy. What was my answer? To go into Krypton history and readdress a few things.
What was Krypton Like? What were the People like? What were some things that defined them as a people? Why Did the planet explode, and why didn't a race of advanced scientific minds do anything about it? And finely, why did Jor-EL send his only son to earth alone.
What are your thoughts?
