« Al Gore's Attempt to Suppress Science | Main | Can we question his patriotism yet? »

June 25, 2006

Is Superman Gay, Jewish, the Messiah?

Browsing around the internet looking at pictures of the new Superman Brandon Routh (like South) when I came across several articles discussing the size of Brandon's package:

The new Superman is giving movie bosses a headache - because of the size of his bulge.

They fear Brandon Routh's profile in the superhero's skintight costume could be distracting, reports the Sun.

Hollywood executives have ordered the makers of Superman Returns to cover it up with digital effects.

The Sun's source said: "It's a major issue for the studio. Brandon is extremely well endowed and they don't want it up on the big screen."

Well, well, well! I don't believe it, however, because there plenty of sites out there that refute this with pictures of his bulge.

What do you think? The guy is HOT, but I don't see anything below the belt to write home about.

But driving this morning, I heard other interpretations regarding Superman's appeal and identity. The one getting most play is Superman's attraction to gay men. Superman is not gay, per se, but gays identify with his double life--his secret identity. I personally believe its the blue leotards.

I think this is true of all superheros and not specifically Superman. You have discussions of Batman and Robin that ultimately led to the SNL parody of Ace and Gary, the ambiguously Gay Duo.

The next interpretation is that Superman is Jewish. He flees certain destruction as a baby in a basket (like Moses). And the name Kal El sounds like Hebrew for Voice of God:

• Superman was created by two nice Jewish boys Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster in 1930s post-depression middle America. The comic book industry was dominated by Jews.
• Superman’s arrival and subsequent success is the story of Jewish immigration and achievements into the US. He is taken in by a kind couple in a strange land and given a chance to make good.
• His story is also the Moses story. Moses is rescued from the waters in a basket. Superman is rescued from a field in a basket-like spacecraft.
• He never forgets who he is: he is being a stranger and being at home simultaneously. This is the heart of Jewish tradition, where every Jew is a boundary crosser and Jews remember the stranger and themselves as strangers.
• The Jewish answer to Nietzsche’s superman who was above moral issues; Superman in contrast is immersed in moral issues.

Most recently, many people are asserting that Superman is also a metaphor for Christ. The radio played a clip of Superman's father saying, "I send them you, my only son." I did get goose bumps when I heard that.

Many simply see the story of a hero sent to Earth by his father to serve mankind as having clear enough New Testament overtones. Others have taken the comparison even further, reading the “El” in Superman’s original name “Kal-El” and that of his father “Jor-El” as the Hebrew word for “God,” among other theological interpretations.

“Superman Returns,” which premieres June 28, has been drawing its own comparisons to biblical accounts, especially after the appearance of its trailer earlier this year.

The preview shows the hero with his eyes closed as the voice of his father — Marlon Brando’s, courtesy of 1978’s “Superman” — tells him he was sent to Earth because humans “lack the light to show the way.”

“For this reason,” continues the voice, “I have sent them you, my only son.”

Online message boards and Web logs quickly latched onto the biblical resonance of those lines.

“The allusion to Jesus Christ could hardly be accidental,” wrote Christian blogger Tom Gilson.

“Is this a new Superman for the new Evangelist red state America? Superman as Jesus?” asked one contributor to the Portland-based blog site Urban Honking.

The poster is also getting a lot of attention as well. The caption from canmag.com is:

Look at this image... they might as well of placed a cross behind him.

I just think it is really great when you have a character that can be so much to so many people. Ultimately, I believe Superman's appeal is his goodness and sacrifice. Who cannot like that?

Posted by Aaron at June 25, 2006 02:47 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.lifelikepundits.com/cgi-bin/mt3/mt-tb.cgi/2519

Comments

Posted by: DANEgerus at June 28, 2006 06:46 PM

Posted by: laptop battery at September 27, 2008 09:23 PM

Posted by: warhammer at November 26, 2008 01:23 AM

Post a Comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: