Why Superman?

As I shared with everyone at my last Blog Party, Spider-man is my favorite Marvel hero and Batman is my favorite DC hero. Why then, when Jerry posed the question of what comic hero I'd want to be, and wanted the first name that came to mind, did I choose Superman?

As directed, I went with my gut. My old music teacher told me I wasn't Superman whenever I was discouraged about not being able to play a difficult part, or shared my frustrations about keeping up with band and schoolwork and my parents wishing I was involved in more activities like some of my classmates. “Are you Superman? No, so don't think you have to do everything all at once. Do one thing at a time, and the rest will come.” Christopher Reeve was awesome in his films, especially Superman II, a film that would rank in my top five comic book movies of all time. I liked that he was something MORE than what he appeared to be, that while he could be practically invisible to Lois, at any time he could step out a window of the Daily Planet and soar across Metropolis. Who wouldn't want to fly? In high school when I had to run through a park to catch a train while kids from a neighboring school taunted me, I often wished I could fly or at least run fast. Many was the day I'd arrive as the train was leaving, and have to wait an hour for the next one. It took twenty minutes to get to the train station from my high school easily, and school ended exactly twenty minutes before the train arrived. My last period of the day was band, so I couldn't even go back to my locker. I had to take my bag to band with me and leave right from there, some days bringing my instrument home as well. One day as I ran two older kids ran laughing maniacally and kicking my case. I've always loathed bullies. If the General Zod scene in Superman II is my favorite, the diner scene is a close second. For a portion of the film, Clark gives up his powers for the woman he loves. For the first time in his life, when confronted by a bully, he doesn't have to pretend he's weaker. He is, and is humiliated defending himself and his woman in a diner. Later, after his powers have been restored, he returns to that diner and settles the score. The guy takes a swing at the Man of Steel, hurting his hand. Clark spins him around in his chair, lifts him up, and slides him across the counter into a pinball machine. Leaving money to pay for the damages, he notes the stunned looks on the faces of the waitresses and other patrons. “Oh I've been uh, uh working out.” he explains, making a geeky pumping gesture with his arms.

I love that.

Flying would be great, having superspeed so I could spend less time on work and more time on life would be swell, and I don't need to extol the virtues of x-ray vision. But I always wished I could defend myself the way Reeve did as Kent, to let my enemies see that beneath the surface, I had hidden powers and deserved respect. I could list other examples from the comics or cartoons or various television incarnations, but that one scene I think truly captures the essence of why I personally would choose to be Superman if I could.