Mario

It’s Simple – A Writer Writes

 Posted by on Sun, 11/20 at 10:35pm  ideas, something else  No Responses »
Nov 202016
 

I’ve kinda read all I can read at this point, so I think I’ll talk about writing this week. More specifically, writing as it relates to me recently, and the doors that have opened for me as a result of writing constantly.

Writing has always come easy to me. I can’t recall a single instance in which I’ve had trouble writing a paper. Sure, I’ve had those 15 to 20 minute sessions of staring at a blank page with that damned text cursor mockingly blinking, trying to formulate the right way to open the paper and smoothly transition from a broad statement to a thesis, but who hasn’t? I don’t proclaim to be a writing superstar. To do that would give myself way too much credit, but I do, on occasion, acknowledge the praise others have given my work. I’ve found that even partially believing the things people have said about my writing has helped me immensely in that it has pushed me to do more than just write college papers every couple of weeks.

I mentioned early in the semester that I write for The Superman Homepage. I currently write reviews for the New Super-Man comic book. It’s a book about a kid in China getting Superman-like powers and operating as a member of a government manufactured Justice League of China. Before I landed that gig, I had submitted a book review for 100 Things Superman Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die. After that, I submitted a roughly six to eight page paper discussing Superman’s popularity. It was something that I had wanted to write about for a long time, and at one point, was even the focus of a film that I wanted to make for a documentary filmmaking class I was enrolled in. The film never got made, but I was still interested in the idea. One day, Steve Younis – the owner of The Superman Homepage – posted on Facebook that he was looking for some new submissions for the site. Keeping the positive words of friends and professors in mind, I decided to throw my hat into the ring. I pitched him my essay idea, and he loved it.

I wrote the paper in a week, juggling three other papers for school. Even still, there are areas that I feel could have been stronger or more in-depth, but never being completely satisfied with your work is all part of being a creator. The essay received a lot of praise from users of the site. Around the time the piece was posted, it had received over 2,000 reads, and quite a large number of comments from people I had never met telling me how much they enjoyed my piece.

Skipping forward a semester, I decided to take a journalism class. Even remotely knowing about my interest in Superman, the reason why I signed up for the course is obvious – I wanted to be like my hero. After the first two assignments and several quizzes, my professor pulled me aside one day and asked if I would like to write for the University Press.

I said yes now I write for the student paper. I’ve already got a piece ready to be submitted for publishing, and when it hits, you can bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be framing it. It’s not just about having my name in print, or on a website. To me, it’s much larger – it’s about taking those first steps into the larger world of writing. I have a lot of directions I’d like to go in, but whichever path I take, I know that writing is going to be heavily involved. And I’m okay with that.

I’ve Become Your New God Now: Superman As Religion

 Posted by on Sun, 11/20 at 9:14pm  proposal, Uncategorized  No Responses »
Nov 202016
 

For years, millions of people have looked up to Superman as the epitome of human and moral perfection. Countless scholars and fans have claimed that the character is an allegory for Jesus while others believe him to be a Moses allegory. However, during his inception, creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster drew inspiration from a variety of sources, ranging from religion to Greek mythology to science fiction pulp magazines, and novels like Philip Wylie’s Gladiator. Regardless of the character’s potential for interpretation, his adventures in the comic books, films, and numerous television shows have become their own sort of religious text, with readers and viewers clinging heavily to established canon as indisputable fact. The character’s adventures and morality have further been used to reshape peoples’ way of living life, as well as prompting many to pursue lines of work that they previously would not have considered without the character’s influence.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which Superman’s tales of triumph in the struggle of good versus evil have generated a devout fan following and initiated discussions of allegorical meaning. Further, this paper will seek to examine the myriad sources from which the character of Superman was derived. Finally, this paper will argue that Superman and his lore have created a new type of mythology, and remolded The Man of Steel into a modern day god on par with ancient mythological and biblical heroes such as Samson and Hercules.

My Answer is Simple

 Posted by on Sun, 11/13 at 11:52pm  ideas  1 Response »
Nov 132016
 

At this point, I feel like I’ve read everything that there is to read about my topic. The conversations that are being had have been going on for a very long time, and I feel that as an insider, I’ve heard them all. Especially since the negative conversations and comments have been directed at me on occasion. It’s often difficult to be a Superman fan. Many times, the powers that be don’t understand him, and write him so completely out of character that I feel like I’m just buying the name on the cover, instead of the adventures of my hero. Other times, simply wearing a Superman shirt is enough to garner ridicule from passersby. I’ve received stares and scoffs simply by purchasing Superman memorabilia. Far too often, the character is perceived as “childish.” I’ve been told countless times that Batman’s better, and that Superman is lame. I don’t have enough fingers to count all of the times that I’ve seen “Superman is stupid because he wears underwear on the outside” comments. Side note: they are not underwear, they are traditional Kryptonian garb. I’ve got my “Why Superman is My Favorite Superhero” speech practically memorized because I’m asked why every time I make a new friend.

My answer is simple: Superman inspires me to be a better version of myself. The character has been there with me in good times and bad, and has even kept me from going off the deep end. It sounds really stupid to an outsider, but to me, it makes sense. The character embodies everything that I believe in: truth, justice, equality, honor, respect, and hope for a brighter tomorrow. I like other superheroes just fine, and some more than others, but for me, Superman is tops. He’s the one that started the superhero genre, and his story served as a template for every character to come in some form or another. He’s not just a drawing on some stacks of stapled paper, or a man in a colorful costume rigged with wires earning a paycheck. To me, he’s so much more. He makes me feel good, and that’s all the reason I really need. I shouldn’t have to justify my love for the character to anyone, because the character himself should be enough. He’s Superman. He’s the pinnacle of strength and honesty. Some people see fault in this. But if people are unwilling to appreciate a character that represents the best in humanity, doesn’t the real fault lie in them?

Superman is Real

 Posted by on Sun, 11/13 at 10:42pm  reading  No Responses »
Nov 132016
 

Why Superman Always Mattered…

 

One of the articles that I read this week isn’t particularly hard-hitting, but I’ve found its message to be profound. It’s an essay about an author’s experience as a boy, and reflecting on his father’s influence. The author’s father was a well-respected man, and his father clearly influenced him to be the person he is today. As a fan of comic books, the author makes a connection: it’s easier to be a symbol of fear than it is to be one of hope. Superman is a symbol of hope, while Batman is more or less a symbol of fear (or at least he uses fear to accomplishes his goals).

The author argues that hope is much harder to stand for and represent because people have become too jaded and cynical. Superman will always matter, despite how dark times get. After the events of the recent election, I’ve seen nothing but vitriol coming from both sides, and it’s depressing. People proclaim that the world is coming to an end, and others use backwards social values to excuse their actions. Instead of succumbing to the chaos and joining in the hysteria, I’ve chosen to do what Superman would do: inspire hope, encourage unity, and promote rationality. It’s easy to become pessimistic, but to rise up and say that things will be better takes some level of strength, especially when people are being beaten down or into submission for stating their opinions.

The character means a lot, not just to me, but to many others like me. The author is clearly one of those people. I’ve said in the past that Superman is a character that you understand once you’re older. Not older in the sense that you are jaded and cynical to the world, but older in the sense that you stop focusing on the negative and how things directly affect yourself, and instead impact others. The author’s father, though it is unknown if he was a Superman fan, clearly understood these things. He made friends with anybody he could. It sounds really stupid, but there’s a bit of Superman inside all of us. There’s always going to be light that shines through and hope and aspires for the best. Superman will always matter because there will always be some desire to reach the best in human potential. There will always be people who want to help simply because it’s the right thing to do. There will always be people who fight to preserve the rights of the oppressed and the downtrodden. That’s what Superman is all about, and that’s why, despite corporate attempts to change him, the character still endures. He’s the shining example that we should all strive to achieve.

 

It’s All in the Presentation

 Posted by on Sun, 11/6 at 10:40pm  ideas  No Responses »
Nov 062016
 

Despite the reintroduction of the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earth Superman, there are some comic fans that are not pleased. Some people feel that bringing back this version of Superman is a step backward on DC’s part. There are people who were legitimately upset that DC killed off the New 52 Superman instead of trying to fix his character, and replaced him with a safe option to get the company back in good graces with readers.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and my opinion is that these people are wrong.

There are also people who sincerely like the DC Cinematic Universe version of Superman. They find that the moodier, more realistic take on the character works and makes Superman’s story more compelling. Meanwhile, there are people who adore Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal of Superman. Others criticize this portrayal of Superman and the people who like him because they feel the only reason people like this Superman is because “he smiles and winks.” Rather cynical way of looking at things.

The general consensus is that the comic books and the two episodes of Supergirl featuring Superman are the best representations of the character that the fans have gotten in years. There is a great divide regarding the DC films. Many people dislike them, others find them to be serviceable, and a relatively small group find them to be brilliant. It is relatively taboo to say that you enjoy the current DC films in comic shops and comic book communities. There are always arguments with each side insulting the other. It can get rather intense.

Regardless, readers generally enjoy the new Superman comic books. He smiles, he’s chipper, and he inspires others to be more than they are. These are all things that make Superman who he is. Superman shouldn’t be written as a brooding, grim, and glum hero reluctant to help. He’s been written that way for close to a decade, and this dour version of the character very rarely gels with the audience. DC has been learning from their mistakes and have been making solid attempts to listen to fans and right the wrongs. Additionally, DC has been making Superman an important part of the DC Universe again. He shows up in other characters’ books, and characters, concepts, and events introduced in his titles are starting to affect the DCU as a whole.

As a reader of the comic books, I couldn’t be happier. Superman is back, and he’s the same guy I remember instead of the mopey, angry guy I had been reading for almost six years. Tying this post into the cultural artifact, the current comics should hopefully influence the direction of the films. While I don’t expect them to have a universe-altering event and replace the current Superman with another, brighter Superman, I do expect the writers of the films to take a brighter, more hopeful approach to the character. Superman is a character that embodies hope. The symbol on his chest is the symbol for “Hope” on Krypton. The writers of films tend to draw heavily from comics, and with the comics being more light-hearted and fun, hopefully the films will be, too.

Writing a Better Superman

 Posted by on Sun, 11/6 at 7:39pm  reading  No Responses »
Nov 062016
 

http://www.dailyuw.com/arts_and_leisure/article_60d47812-9cb1-11e6-9ce7-13455ec0fd6d.html

The article above describes why Henry Cavill’s DC Cinematic Universe does not work while Tyler Hoechlin’s portrayal does. The author’s main point is that Hoechlin’s Man of Steel does not focus on trying to make the character relatable. It’s a silly notion trying to make an alien with the ability to fly relatable. What the author believes to be the key to successfully writing Superman in modern times is to make him likable. Superman is a likable guy. He smiles, he’s charming, and he’s always willing to lend a helping hand. Hoechlin’s version of Superman on the Supergirl TV show is older and more mature. He has faced trials and tribulations and come out on top.

Meanwhile, Cavill’s Superman is young, sometimes naive, and doubtful of himself. He is introspective and wrestles with himself over whether he should continue fighting for good. Fans of the character and moviegoers have had a hard time liking this version of Superman, and even more so in Batman v Superman where he is painted by almost every character in the film to be a force to be feared. The author writes that Superman shouldn’t be written this way as it completely undermines the core of the character and makes him less super than he really is.

http://io9.gizmodo.com/what-dc-is-doing-right-with-the-new-versions-of-superma-1783294742

In this article, the author explains everything that DC had been doing wrong with Batman and Superman in the year leading up to 2016’s Rebirth initiative. Batman had been taken out of the Batsuit and replaced with Gotham City Police Department Commissioner Gordon. Fans did not like that change, but fans hated the changes to Superman even more. Superman had been de-powered and reduced to an angry punching machine distrustful of his closest friends. Social commentary was forced and plot points were bland and uninspired.

With DC’s Rebirth, the Superman from the previous continuity was brought back and the New 52 Superman was killed off. The Superman from the Post-Crisis on Infinite Earth continuity was accompanied by his Lois Lane and their son Jon Kent. The Post-Crisis Superman has had years of experience. He knows how to control his powers and keep his emotions in check. The New 52 Superman had trouble doing both of these things. His lack of control regarding his powers is what led the character to discover that if he used his heat vision and applied enough force, he could create an explosion of heat powerful enough to incinerate everything within a mile radius. The use of this super flare resulted in his Kryptonian cells being depleted of energy. Because Superman is powered by the light from a yellow sun, Superman would need to wait 24 hours for his cells to recharge.

Bringing back the Post-Crisis Superman was the best move DC has made in nearly a decade. Post-Crisis Superman is a fan-favorite, and many of Superman’s most iconic stories focus on the Superman of that continuity. This change has been widely praised by Superman fans and DC fans alike. Sales for the Superman comic books have risen drastically, and it is now one of DC’s best-selling titles.

Hey, Kids! Comics!

 Posted by on Wed, 11/2 at 11:59am  artifact networks & relationships  No Responses »
Nov 022016
 

1. My chosen artifact is…

 

For my artifact, I have chosen the Superman comic books. The comic books are significant in that they have influenced peoples’ perception of the character, and in turn, the style and tone of the films. Additionally, each different era of comic books has its own fanbase, which often pride themselves on the comics of their era.

2. How do you classify your artifact? In what groups can you place your artifact? What connections can you make to other artifacts in the group?

The comic books can be classified as an ongoing chronicling of the character’s history. They can also be classified as societal studies, as many stories and issues reflected at least some part of the culture when they were released. For example, there is an issue that was written and drawn before, but released after JFK’s assassination in which Superman promotes the Presidential Fitness Test on behalf of the fallen president.

 

3. Identify points of similarity between your artifact and others. Then identify points of difference with other artifacts. How is it similar? How is it different?

 

The Superman comic books are like the Bible. Many parts of Superman’s story are taken to be absolute truths about the character, while other sections are more or less ignored either because they weren’t memorable, or horribly represented the character. The comic books are taken almost as seriously as a holy text for some people, with certain issues and stories being memorized or re-read on special occasions, almost as a ritualistic act (i.e. The Death of Superman is typically read in November in remembrance of the anniversary of the character’s brief death).

4. What metaphors or analogies suit your artifact? (Explain if needed)

The comic books act as a biography for Superman. Each issue threads together an ongoing narrative that details every aspect of his life from his birth on the planet Krypton to his arrival in Metropolis and beyond.

The comics, to readers, present “facts.” The content between the covers is taken to be factual about the character. However, continuity-altering events can change the facts to streamline the stories, in which case the changes are also taken as fact.

 

5. How is your artifact characterized? (How do people/media/groups characterize it?)

Most people are surprised that comic books are still in publication. Because the character originated in the comic books, my artifact is considered source material. However, outsiders looking into the world of comic books typically don’t understand the intricacies of the comics, and how some sections of stories are no longer cannon. Reality-altering events are over-looked, and stories from 40 years ago are thought to be cannon. To many outsiders, everything ever published for a character is cannon.

Further still, many people believe comic books to be nothing more than stacks of paper for overweight, balding, middle-aged men. Either that, or for children. There is no middle ground for a lot of people. In reality, a wide array of people read comics.

6. What cultural narratives govern your artifact?

Right vs. wrong. Social perceptions and notions (although Superman has always fought for equality and morality).

7. What assumptions, stereotypes, habits, social practices, and institutions frame your artifact?

People collect comic books. People who read comics collect them. People who think that a particular issue will increase in value collect them. Some people think all comics are inherently valuable, and buy everything, particularly variant covers.

Comics are traded, sold, and bought. There are community clubs at comic stores dedicated to discussing comic books. Longboxes and protective sleeves are essential tools for comic book collecting and preservation.

Even further, there are some comic readers who exhibit a sense of elitism to those new to comics (though many comic fans heavily dislike those elitists).

8. What doctrines or practices affect your artifact? (Or, what doctrines or practices you’re your artifact affect?) Political parties and platforms? Religious? Ideological? Which ones? Are there cultural “rules” and practices? Which?

Comic books don’t particularly affect political parties or platforms, though a lot of publishers tend to publish books focusing on more diversity (sometimes well-done, other times, heavy-handed and forced). Comic books were almost destroyed in 1954 after Dr. Frederic Wertham published a book entitled Seduction of the Innocent in which he claimed that comic books were responsible for the rise in delinquent behavior and health problems. Comics were thrown away or destroyed. This led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority as a means of self-censorship.

Several Superman stories were delayed by the US Government during WWII because, in their science fiction storytelling, the writers had developed tales featuring atomic weapons. DC had to postpone the stories because the Government didn’t want their development of the atomic bomb. The writers had no idea about the development of the atomic bomb when writing their stories.

9. How does your artifact affect culture? How does culture affect your artifact?

Superman comic books affect the way that he is portrayed in the media. When Man of Steel was released, the comic books featured a younger, more brash Superman who was new to the job of saving the world. The film reflected that. The New 52 Superman doubted himself and questioned his place in the world, and the current DC films have reflected that. In the 70s and 80s, Superman was written as a bright, cheerful character and the Christopher Reeve films adopted that style.

Culture affects the comic books in that the notions and ideas held in society are mirrored in the stories. In the 40s, the covers for the Superman comics featured Superman taking down Nazis. In the 80s, there were several stories both cannon and imaginary focusing on the Cold War. After 9/11, stories were written that focused on the repercussions. When comics became ultra-violent in the 90s and early 2000s, Superman writers wrote stories that proved Superman’s way of solving problems was the best way (see Action Comics #775).

I’ll Never Stop Doing Good

 Posted by on Sun, 10/30 at 10:44pm  reading  No Responses »
Oct 302016
 

Superman is probably the most morally-upright character in publication history. He strives to always make the right decision, and usually always does. Because of the character’s actions, he has come to be representative of absolute morality, and has become a moral compass to many. His example is so great that the Christian acronym “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do?) has been appropriated and altered to read “WWSD” (What Would Superman Do?).

Alternatively, Superman’s unwavering morality has been the exact reason many people dislike the character and find him to be boring. “I just can’t get interested in a character that will always make the right decision. He’s too perfect.” This statement is echoed by many detractors, and often by ones who have never picked up a Superman comic book before.

In this week’s readings, I decided to take a look over at The Superman Homepage’s “Superman Philosophy” section. Over the summer, I had submitted my own essay regarding the character’s diminishing popularity and what it says about society. It was after writing my first essay for the website that I had discovered the section, but it was not until this week that I decided to read over a couple of the essays available.

The first essay I read was entitled “More Truth and Justice Than You’ll Ever Protect.” In it, the author writes about Superman’s morality, and how he acts as an inspirational figure more than a figure to relate with. The author additionally writes that a person’s capacity to do good does not determine their morality. Because Superman can lift tremendous weights and has powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary mortals, he is able to do more good because he is physically able to. However, people can learn skills that give them a greater capacity to do good. The author also brings up the debate among philosophers regarding morality and intention. No definitive answers are given, but questions are certainly raised.

In another essay, “Super Incongruity,” the author begins by stating that Superman has been their moral compass for many years, despite being flawed and occasionally making the wrong decision. However, the author then moves into a pro-vegan piece by criticizing Superman’s apparent hypocrisy. Superman is a character that fights to protect all life, but one of his favorite meals is beef bourguignon. The author argues that if Superman was truly a protector of all life, he would be a vegan, and that he would heavily oppose the consuming of animals for food.

These are only a couple of the conversations about Superman being had within the Superman fan community.

It’s Hard to Research a Subject You Know Inside and Out

 Posted by on Sun, 10/23 at 6:35pm  reading  No Responses »
Oct 232016
 

This week, my research was less text-based and more based on video presentation. One of the pieces that I watched was the 2006 documentary Look, Up in the Sky! The Amazing Story of Superman! I have seen this documentary many times over the years. It was part of how I was introduced to the character and his expansive history. The focus of the documentary lies primarily with the media’s representation of Superman. It covers the films, various animated series, movie serials, television programs, and radio shows. The character’s comic book history is briefly touched on, hitting big events such as Superman’s first appearance, the 1986 reboot, his death, and his marriage to Lois Lane. During the credits, behind the scenes footage and clips from the various incarnations of Superman are played. Each time I have watched this film in the past, I always watched those clips and ignored the scrolling text. This time, I decided to look over and I found something interesting. In the “Special Thanks” and “Additional References” sections, Steve Younis’ name appeared. Younis is the owner and founder of The Superman Homepage. The documentary is an officially licensed film put out before the release of Superman Returns. I found it interesting that DC Comics and the filmmakers involved with the project used The Superman Homepage as a source.

I also continued with my re-read of Larry Tye’s Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero. The book chronicles the history of Superman, both in media and the comic books, as well as the lives of his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. I am currently at the point in the book that discusses Superman’s popularity after the release of Action Comics #1. The book covers the frankly under-handed tactics utilized by Jack Liebowitz and Harry Donenfeld, the men in charge of DC Comics at the time, who managed to take Superman off of his creators’ hands for $130 and minimal pay. Because of this business deal, Siegel and Shuster were forced to eventually live in poverty despite creating one of the best-selling characters in the world. Donenfeld thought the character was ridiculous and ordered that Superman never appear on the cover of an issue of Action Comics again. That was until he saw how popular the character was and how much money the company made off of the books. Donenfeld also cheated Siegel and Shuster out of numerous ideas that they had pitched, with the most notable being Superboy.

 

 

It’s A Labor Of Love

 Posted by on Sun, 10/23 at 4:25pm  artifact ideas  3 Responses »
Oct 232016
 

The Superman Homepage 

This website, which was started in 1994 by Steve Younis, has grown to be the biggest and most reliable Superman fan site in the world. The site has since been used by DC Comics as a reference site, and as a place for fans to congregate. Additionally, op-ed essays about the character are able to be submitted for review and eventual posting.

 

The Superman Podcast Network 

This is a network of fan-made podcasts dedicated to Superman and his supporting cast of characters. The SPN was started by a guy who grew up reading comics in the 80s and decided to turn on a microphone and talk about comic books. The Superman Podcast Network has been responsible for the creation of numerous Superman-related podcasts.

Superman: The Movie 

This movie was released in 1978 because Superman was DC’s biggest seller. The film has since been deemed one of the most important super hero movies ever made. The special effects team made Superman believably fly on screen. Additionally, the film proved to be the first example of a super hero film that took the source material seriously. Without this film, super hero films would not be the way that they are today.

 

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