Superman as American Alien: Redefining The Iconic Superhero for the 21st
Century
Daniel J. O’Rourke
Abstract: This paper analyzes the series, "Superman: American Alien.” In 2016, Max
Landis authored a seven-issue story depicting critical moments in the life of Clark
Kent. The dialectic of “American” and “Alien” is explored as a means of examining
this contemporary vision of Superman and its deviation from historic portraits of
the Man of Steel. The author fears that the choices offered by this dialectic diminish
the heroic potential of Superman and may be contributing to a darker, more “Batcentric” portrait of superheroes in the DC universe.
Keywords: Superman, American, Alien, superhero, dialectic, hope, division
Superman is the most important superhero in the history of American comic
books. Created by two teenagers in Cleveland, Ohio, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, he
is the standard by which all subsequent characters are measured creatively,
financially, and legally (following a series of strenuous copyright claims by DC
comics in the 1940s). (Tye 2012, 54 – 55) The Man of Steel graced the cover of
Action Comics in June of 1938 and within a year he became the first character to
have his own book. (Weldon 2013, 34 – 35) “Superman” was first comic book to sell
one million copies a month and launched the career of the first superhero to
conquer all media of the twentieth century – comic books, newspaper comic strips,
cartoons, movie serials, radio, television, live action movies and the internet. The
science fiction writer Harlan Ellison once suggested that there were five literary
figures of the twentieth century that transcended the written page. He believed that
even people unfamiliar with Shakespeare or Cervantes would recognize the image
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of or know the name of: Mickey Mouse, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Robin Hood, and
Superman. (Superman at Fifty 1987, 11) This is how a character becomes an icon.
Numerous authors have noted that a comic book as successful as Superman
cannot remain stagnant or unchanging if the story is to remain relevant to readers.
(Duncan and Smith 2009; Fingeroth 2004; Wright 2001) For more than seven
decades in multiple books each month, writers and artists have re-shaped and reenvisioned the Man of Steel to adapt the character to cultural/social changes. Some
characters, such as Batman, have a timeless origin narrative. The tale of a child
witnessing the murder of his parents and vowing to become an advocate for justice
could be a Greek tragedy, a modern crime drama, or a science fiction tale set in a
galaxy far, far away. However, the simple story of a rocket ship sent from the planet
Krypton has suffered some scientific/technological setbacks in recent years. In the
twenty-first century, it is not unreasonable to ask: How did a rocket enter Earth’s
atmosphere and crash in a Kansas cornfield undetected? Or, how could a young boy
with impenetrable skin receive the inoculations and vaccinations necessary to
attend public school? Finally, one might wonder how a young man developed one
extraordinary power after another without being noticed by anyone in his small,
rural community? In 2016, Max Landis offered his interpretation of the Superman
origin in the series, “Superman: American Alien.” The purpose of this paper is to
explore the seven-part origin story and offer two perspectives on what it means for
both the character and contemporary readers of this latest interpretation of the
Superman story. First, I will examine the series and explore the dialectical meaning
of what it means to be an “American” and an “Alien.” Second, I will argue that this
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new origin story reflects a shift in the foundation of the DC comic empire and that
we now live in a “Bat-centric” universe.
The “American … Alien” Dialectic
Max Landis, the son of motion picture director Jon Landis, is the author of the
seven part series “Superman: American Alien.” Previously, he produced a popular
YouTube video entitled “The Death and Return of Superman” that received over 3
million views. (www.youtube.com ) The success of the video led DC comics to invite
Landis to write an Action Comics Annual. (www.comicbookresources.com,
10/6/2015) In his second comic book venture, “American Alien,” Landis proposed a
series that would look at seven events in the life of Clark Kent. Each issue was to be
drawn by a different artist to offer stylistic variations that captured the moment. In
an interview with the website, Comic Book Resources, Landis jokingly referred to
his narrative as “the anti-All Star Superman” because he believes that Grant
Morrison’s story was a classic, larger-than-life portrait of America’s favorite
superhero. “Mine is not mythic.” Landis clarified. “Mine is about a guy named Clark
Kent from Kansas.” (www.comicbookresources.com, 2015) This shift from a mythic
to the realistic perspective can serve as a means to introduce the dialectic as a
critical tool for the analysis of “American Alien.”
In the field of Communication, particularly the study of rhetoric, the dialectic
is a classical component of the study of argumentation. Aristotle wrote that the
dialectic is the counterpart of rhetoric (Rhetoric www.classics.mit.edu) in that it
analyzes the meaning of a term in relation to a second term. For example, if one
hears the term “silence,” they might think of a calm, peaceful environment. But if a
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poet enjoins “silence” with the paradoxical word “thundering,” the environment
changes to a more ominous mood, one of foreboding. It is the task of the reader, or
audience in a spoken argument, to resolve the potential conflict. Over time,
dialectics may change as people and civilizations evolve. A century ago, no one could
have imagined pairing the words “disabled” and “athlete.” To be disabled was to be
“broken,” limited in mental or physical ability. No one would subject such a person
to rigorous athletic competition. Today, with improved technology, medicine, and
changing attitudes toward persons with disabilities, the Special Olympics flourish
around the world in local, national, and international competitions. A second
example would be the dialectic of gender roles. Once “male” and “female” were
absolute categories of differentiation. In modern society, we are rethinking the
possibilities as medical, psychological, and personal narratives define more points of
personal identification along the continuum of gender roles.
To consider the dialectic of “American” and “Alien” for the character of
Superman, a little history is in order. Few superheroes have been more associated
with America and American culture than Superman. The uniform of Superman was
painted in the primary colors of red, blue, and yellow to reflect the heroic character
of the Man of Tomorrow. The costume might as well have been red, white, and blue
as Superman was often seen standing with or holding an American flag as the
country entered World War II. The editorial staff of DC Comics decided that it would
be impossible for Superman to intervene in human military conflict with his
extraordinary powers. (An imaginary tale, “How Superman Would End the War,”
was crafted by Siegel and Shuster for Look magazine in 1940 in which Superman
5
captured Hitler and Stalin and brought them before a League Nations tribunal in
Switzerland. (Wallace 2013, 77) To rationalize their decision, writers had Clark Kent
fail his military entrance exam by accidently reading the eye chart in the next room
with his x-ray vision. (Wallace 2013, 76) Throughout the war, Superman aided
American troops in training exercises and professed his admiration for the courage
of the nation’s soldiers. My first memory of Superman was the opening of the weekly
television show in the 1950s. Clark Kent was transformed into Superman standing
before flag as the announcer read: “ .. fights a never ending battle for Truth, Justice,
and the American Way.” (The Adventures of Superman” www.youtube.com) Even
as a young child, I knew that Superman was an American.
Students and scholars of the history of comic books know that attitudes
toward superheroes have changed since the Golden Age of comics in the 1940s.
More recently, heroes have been cast as vigilantes who operate outside the law.
Darker comics such as “The Watchmen,” “The Punisher,” and “The Dark Knight,”
have questioned the morality and tactics of masked crime fighters who operate
under the cover of night. Marvel’s post 9-11 series, “Civil War,” labeled superheroes
as “Weapons of Mass Destruction” and debated the need for heroes to surrender
their secret identities and register with the government. (Marvel Comics’ Civil War
and the Age of Terror 2015) In this environment, the definition of the superhero as
“the other,” one who could become a threat to humanity, warrants the counter-term
of “Alien.” Thus, the dialectic of “American” and “Alien” is reasonable and represents
two eras and audiences in the extended history of the Superman comic book.
American Alien
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Landis begins his series with an image of the young Clark floating away from
Earth. His mother, Martha, is holding on to him for dear life and trying to offer help.
The gift of flight has just been granted to Clark but he has absolutely no idea how to
control his trajectory. When he finally crashes to Earth, he apologizes repeatedly to
his parents. A few days later, Clark and friends are watching a drive-in movie, “E.T.
the Extraterrestrial.” When one of the boys asks how the creature performed an act,
Lana Lang responds: “He’s an alien – he has special powers.” Clark then asks Lana:
“Do you think they would really take an alien and lock him up like that?” Lana looks
at Clark puzzled. Clark replies defensively: “Cool movie.” Then, it happens again.
Clark begins to float upward. From the screen, Elliot cries: “You’re scaring him.
You’re scaring him!” Friends and neighbors rush to help Clark as he quickly falls
back to Earth. Clark runs off, frightened. When he reaches a restroom, the young boy
looks in the mirror and sees himself as the extraterrestrial. He lashes out in anger,
destroys the mirror, and leaves a gaping hole in the wall. When his father finally
arrives to drive him home, Clark says: “Dad … I’m so unhappy. I want to be myself. …
I’m scared. I just want to be normal. I’m not normal.” Jonathan Kent hearing the
anguish in his son’s voice replies: “ … Maybe that’s good. … Who needs normal.
Maybe weird is better.” Issue number one ends with Clark gaining a measure of
control over flight and growing excited about the prospect of flying his family to
exotic locales. (Landis/Dragato 2016)
The second issue moves forward a few years but also addresses Clark’s
struggles with his newfound powers. A troubled young man returns to Smallville
with two companions and initiates a crime spree. A Sheriff’s deputy is killed. Four
7
more people are shot in a gas station robbery. Nothing like this has ever happened
in Smallville, so the Sherriff reaches out to Clark to seek his help in finding the
criminals. It is clear that the Sherriff knows that Clark has some special abilities.
Moments before, Pete Ross and his friend Kenny were calling Clark “the worst Alien
ever.” It would seem that Clark’s secret identity is not the best-kept secret in this
small town. Clark tells the officer that he cannot help him. The Sherriff leaves and
Pete begins to goad Clark into helping: “What if it was your Ma and Pa? … What if it
was me?” Later that evening, the three criminals are seen terrorizing the troubled
young man’s family. “Well, who’s in control now, huh?” the young man asks. “Who’s
Got the Power Now?” Suddenly, Clark appears outside the door. The young man
exits, hears Clark say: “Listen, I …,” and shoots him the face. Clark rises, bloodied,
and throws the young man back through the door. A second gunman appears. He
fires and reloads. Clark’s eyes glow and then he burns the man’s arms off. Clark
nervously responds: “You made me - You made me do that!” When the young
woman threatens Clark, Pete Ross sneaks up from behind and hits her with a shovel.
Later that evening, the Sherriff addresses Clark at the police station and says: “You
have really screwed up. … We have three criminals in intensive care, say they were
attacked by a demon.” When Clark gets home, his mother is irate. Ma Kent yells:
“You’re lucky that he let you go at all! What if he had turned you over to someone to
… “ Clark responds: “Who the ‘Alien Police?” … Are they gonna take me away and
dissect me? … They were killers, Ma! You can’t just expect me to just sit by and … “
Ma Kent replies: “Act like a human teenager?” Clark leaves to go sit on the roof.
8
Martha joins him and the conversation continues until sunrise. (Landis/Edwards
2016)
Issues three and four can be reviewed together. The focus of the third
installment is Clark impersonating Bruce Wayne. Clark wins a vacation to the
Bahamas and on the flight down the small plane crashes. He rescues the pilot and
they swim to a nearby yacht. He is greeted on board by Oliver Queen, the soon-to-be
Green Arrow, and is mistaken for Wayne. A twenty-first birthday is in full swing for
the reclusive billionaire. Another guest, Minerva, grabs Clark and says: “No one has
seen Bruce Wayne since he was 12 years old.” She encourages Clark to play the part
of Wayne and tells him: “You can still be yourself, while being someone else. Hell, it
might even be easier.” The seeds for a secret identity have been sown. In the course
of the charade, we learn that Clark plans to be a veterinarian, to help creatures that
cannot help themselves. Clark opines: “Natural selection is garbage once you
introduce compassion.” The third volume ends with a scene of Bruce Wayne in
battle training with Ra’s al Ghul. Security cameras on the ship have revealed Clark’s
impersonation, leading Wayne to ask: “Who Are You?” (Landis/Jones 2016)
Issue four finds Clark beginning a journalistic internship with the Daily
Planet in Metropolis. An economic summit has been planned between three young
entrepreneurs: Oliver Queen, Bruce Wayne, and Lex Luthor. Two interns, Clark and
a woman named Lois Lane, have been charged with covering the event. Once again,
Oliver mistakes Clark for Bruce Wayne and grants him an interview. Queen has been
changed by a near death experience on a remote island. He tells Clark: “I was sitting
on all this agency, all this power, all these tools … And I let them gather dust. I didn’t
9
make anything. I didn’t help anyone – I was exactly who people thought I was.”
Queen continues: “You can be more than you are. … I think that is what growing up
is … becoming a greater version of yourself.” Oliver Queen then introduces Clark to
Lex Luthor who begins his own exposition to the journalistic intern: “Whatever
happened to the Man of tomorrow? Why are we so convinced there aren’t those
among us who could solve these problems that seem so insurmountable to the
pseudo-intellectuals who pose them. … Everyone runs around like they got a Big S
on their chest for “special.” … I am one of the chosen few … because I am truly,
indisputably exceptional.” One might think that Clark would have figured out the
message by now yet there is one more voice that weighs in. As he is exiting the
building, Clark stumbles upon the “Kids Zone,” for children of Lexcorp employees.
There he encounters a young Dick Grayson. The final actor in this trilogy of future
superheroes and villains sizes up the young reporter and a third interview begins.
Dick adds one particularly piece to the conversation when the topic of the Batman is
raised. Grayson states: “So I think Batman needs a counterpoint. … Darkness needs
light. Fear needs Hope.” In one afternoon, Clark has the mission of a superhero
defined for him again, and again, and again. (Landis/Lee 2016)
It would be appropriate to pause here and reconsider the dialectic of
“American Alien.” The choice presented to readers of this series is one of identity. Is
Superman an “American” or an “Alien?” Our inquiry might begin by asking: “Who is
doing the naming?” Peter Coogan (2006) notes in Superhero: The Origin of A Genre
that the codename and costume of a superhero are emblematic of the mission and
identity of a superhero. (30 – 39) Heroes walk among us in all shapes and sizes – a
10
nurse, a teacher, or a volunteer at a homeless shelter may all selflessly serve others.
However, one of the generic distinctions of being a superhero is donning a costume
to draw attention to one’s deeds. A superhero defines herself to act as a symbol to
the community she serves. In this way, the larger-than-life character may inspire
hope, optimism, or fear among the mere mortals in her universe. For me, one of the
maddening things about the series “American Alien” is that everyone around Clark
Kent seems to have a better idea of what a superhero is than Kent does. The Sheriff
of Smallville recognizes something special within Kent. Oliver Queen, Lex Luthor,
and even the young Dick Grayson know what it means to become a symbol for the
people. In issue five of the series, Clark asks Lois what she wants “the flying man” to
be. Lois responds: “What do I want? I want to believe there is someone out there
who doesn’t suck Clark. … I want him to be someone who believes in something and
stands for it. … I want Hope, damn it.” (28)
On the other side of the dialectic, an “Alien” is one who is defined by others.
The powerful and entrenched decide who is or is not a part of their community.
Aliens are different because of their place of origin, religion, or some other
disqualifying characteristic. I find it disheartening that anyone who would serve
others would be admonished by such a label. In our complex world, it is often fear
that marks the identification of “the other.” We know that in the political world, one
may renounce their citizenship in one society to become “naturalized” in another
community. It is an odd word choice. How could it be “natural” to reject one’s place
of origin. In the series “American Alien,” Clark knows nothing of his home world. In
issue six, two members of the Green Lantern Corp inform him that he is a
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“Kryptonian.” In issue seven, a supervillian named Lobo, taunts Superman for
knowing nothing of the destruction of his home planet. (10) In the end, Superman
defeats Lobo saying: “I’m not from Krypton. … I’m from Kansas.” (31) Realistically,
he has no other choice.
The second counterpoint I wish to examine is a visual image. Jim Lee, a noted
artist for both Marvel and D.C. comics, created a drawing of Superman and Batman
standing in opposition. I first saw the image in Michael Smith and Randy Duncan’s
book, The Power of Comics. I was so taken by the image that I replicated it in my
own office. To me, the drawing represents the Big Two of D.C. Comics Universe,
Superman and Batman, and recalls a bit of their history. Superman was created first
in 1938 and Batman followed a year later in 1939. Superman stands on the left side.
A tall, powerful, almost god-like figure, he watches over his city of Metropolis in the
light of day. Superman is powered by Earth’s yellow sun. He wears no mask and
stands as a symbol of hope and optimism. On the right side is The Batman. Bruce
Wayne chose the symbol of the bat to strike fear into the hearts of criminals. Batman
is a creature of the night. He wears a mask and cowl to hide his identity and appears
from and disappears into the shadows. He has no extraordinary powers; he must
rely on his unshakeable resolve, extraordinary mind, and years of physical training.
For the better part of the twentieth century, Superman ruled the DC Universe. He
was the foundation upon which the DC empire was built. Batman benefitted from
association with Superman in the World’s Finest Comic and the Justice Society of
America but he was the “junior partner” in the pairing. In recent years, however, it
would seem that The Batman has surpassed his counterpart. The landmark Frank
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Miller series “The Dark Knight,” followed by Christopher Nolan’s Batman film trilogy
have spawned an increased interest in the Caped Crusader. So much so, that when
the sequel in the Superman movie series was offered it required the addition of
Batman to promote the film. If this shift in popularity were in doubt, one need only
consider the cover of the fifth issue in the “American Alien” series.
Clark first presents himself to the city of Metropolis as what one call the
“Super-Bat.” Following the economic summit in issue four, Batman confronts Clark
Kent. He slams the journalist’s head into his computer keyboard and demands to
know why he previously masqueraded as Bruce Wayne and later spoke to Dick
Grayson. Clark quickly recovers and tears the mask and cape from Batman to reveal
his secret identity as Bruce Wayne. Batman momentarily blinds Clark and escapes.
Clark keeps Batman’s cape and stares at it longingly. The confused young man then
dons Batman’s cape and adds a pair of goggles to begin his career as a superhero.
There is no iconic costume, no sense of mission; in a conversation with Lois about
the new superhero Clark suggests that maybe he is “just a nice guy with a lot of
spare time.” (7) This hardly sounds like a superhero destined for greatness.
Conclusion
Danny Fingeroth (2006) writes in Superman on the Couch, that over the
decades, there have been “many Supermen.” (20) He suggests that each generation
has its own version of the great superhero that reflects the culture and issues of that
era. “Superman: American Alien” is a fine series that has received some success and
critical praise. It has resonated with modern readers. However, I find myself feeling:
“This is not my Superman.” The Superman of my youth did not struggle to find his
13
mission or let others define him. In the current political climate, the dialectic of
“American” and “Alien” invokes choices that seem to diminish the heroic nature of
Earth’s mightiest hero. Superman deserves better.
We live in fractious times. People and nations all over the globe are divided.
Fear of “the other” has been flamed by senseless acts of terrorism. Immigrants
fleeing political and economic oppression are being demonized by politicians, social
media, and frightened citizens because of the alleged threat that they represent to
safety and economic security. Heroes are becoming harder to find. In the United
States, the twice democratically elected President Barack Obama has been the target
of a small, but vocal group that has sought to “alienate” him. Critics have challenged
his citizenship accusing Obama of a Kenyan birth. Many of those same accusers also
believe the President to harbor “a secret Muslim agenda.” Suspicions have been
raised that these critics are more afraid of the color of his skin than his place of
origin or practice of religion. On the other side of the political aisle, Donald Trump
has declared the entire country to be in “crisis” and that he alone can solve it. David
Brooks (2016) of the New York Times characterized the rationale for Trump’s
candidacy to be:
Sometimes in that blood-drenched world a dark knight arises. You don’t have
to admire or like this knight. But you need this knight. He is your muscle and your
voice in a dark, corrupt, and malevolent world.” (1 )
This sounds like a dark knight that all comic book fans would recognize. Brooks
went on to challenge many of the facts upon which Trump built his case. Such a
vigilante superhero is compelling on the pages of a comic book, but in the world of
democratic politics, compromise is a far more practical tool than a “batarang.”
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Many would find the comparison of politicians and superheroes to be a bit
absurd. However, the great English writer, Thomas Carlyle (1968), once observed
that the roots of the words “hero” and “hierarchy” are related. (15) Carlyle believed
that those qualities we celebrate in individuals, such as strength, courage,
compassion, become the values upon which we build our societies. This is why we
need a better Superman today. In a world shading toward darkness and fear, we
need the hope of a bigger, more courageous, more inspiring Man of Steel. Debating
the foundations of “American” or “Alien” is both reductive and diminishing. We need
heroes, both real and literary, to bring us together. Global issues such as terrorism,
war, climate change, economics and disease are problems that transcend geographic
borders and require many hands and bigger ideas. We need light, not darkness;
hope, not fear. We need more Superman and a little less “Dark Knight” in our
pantheon of superheroes. In 1986, in his “Man of Steel.” John Byrne resolved the
“American/Alien” issue on the final page of the series. Superman stands alone on a
mountaintop, cape fluttering in the wind and says: “I may have been conceived out
there in the endless depths of space … But I was born when the rocket opened on
Earth in America. … It was Krypton than made me Superman … But is Earth that
makes me Human.” We need such a Superman for the 21st century, a hero who will
unite readers and viewers all over the globe. Our contemporary Superman should
not be an “alien” or an American, but rather a citizen of the world who could inspire
the heroic potential in all of us. What we need now, is a Superman who will
transcend borders and differences to fight for “Truth, Justice, and the Humanitarian
way.”
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