Why SUPERMAN is AWESOME

[@davidgranados1608]

I choked up a little when Christopher Reeve appeared on screen.

[@ShockyD]

It was really good to see him, I miss him so much, also his words were so inspiring and comforting. dude was a legend.

[@myusername3689]

Done dirty by life

[@syahmieshahar1679]

It's not the "SUPER" that makes a hero, it's the "MAN".

[@geraldburke5147]

Bravo, his greatest power is his sense of right and wrong. My hero since I was little. And still is..

[@friedfrog5447]

@@geraldburke5147 Supermans sense of right and wrong is too simplistic and it's his own standard

[@Gamebuilder2000]

@@friedfrog5447 not really, as in it's not really too simplistic

[@cj-clarkjoseph_gtasa]

*"ma MAN!"* 🎩

[@KingOfMadCows]

The main conflict with Superman is "how do you use power wisely." Superman can crush all his foes. He can be cynical. He can view all humans as inherently bad, and use his powers to spy on everyone, violate their privacy and personal freedoms in order to stop crime before they happen. He can create a perfectly safe society with no crime, poverty, hunger by using his power to make everyone afraid of doing anything bad. A perfect society without freedom or choice. But he chooses to give people the benefit of the doubt, he chooses to believe in people and give them the chance to learn from their mistakes and become better people. He chooses to use his powers to inspire and help rather than oppress and crush.

[@jizl.penacho7889]

In a JLA story the team ponders if they should police Humanity and intervene , in which Wonder Woman asks what happens when people fall, at which Superman answers: "To help them to pick themselves up"

[@warlord8106]

@@jizl.penacho7889 name of issue please

[@justinbeaver8015]

I would also be bored to spy on every person on the planet. Also i wouldnt want to be the Omega-creep for my own sake

[@majin_supervegeta6248]

He did in injustice

[@poisonousv3nom230]

But thats the thing humans accepted him so he has no reason to look down upon humanity. Superman is a symbol of Hope

[@michaelfraser1073]

I think JLU did the best version of Superman’s power. That monologue he gives to Darkseid in the final episode illustrates how that Superman carefully regulates his power because he knows he could destroy an entire city if he looses control for even a second. It’s a really clever writing technique and a great moment. One of the moments that just summarises Superman (the other being the ‘maybe he’s just a guy trying to do the right thing’ from BvS).

[@michaelfraser1073]

Also dude that ending monologue. Purely incredible.

[@michaelfraser1073]

Also, shocked you didn’t touch on this: there’s actually a really simple reason why nobody guesses Clark is Supes. Superman is tall, proud. Clark Kent is a bumbling buffoon who sometimes actually is a bit hunched over (he is at times in All Star Superman). Chris Reeve illustrates it in the 1978 movie in one shot without ever uttering a word.

[@Kujakuseki01]

Ah, just commented the same above! One of the best Supes scenes!

[@L-eye-t]

@@michaelfraser1073 Except, Reeves' version acts so outlandishly to the point of turning heads and attracting attention that it destroys the importance of maintaining a low profile. He acts nerdy in the least subtle ways possible. If people keep taking glances at Clark's silly behavior, it becomes all the easier to recognize him. When it isn't, it makes the characters around Superman (even reporters) look stupid and inattentive.

[@galactic85]

That line of dialogue ISN'T from BvS. It's just another random observation about Superman that snyder appropriated from decades of comics. Same with the "MUST there be a superman?" line.

[@lazyotakuandfangirl]

Thank you for this. You clearly understand his character when so many don't. People often look at me weird when I say Superman is one of my favorites. The All-star Superman comic helped me through a tough time in my life and he's been in important to me ever. His goodness and optimism is so important and many people don't get that most of the time. Great video.

[@RowanJColeman]

All Star Superman is the best Superman story ever written as far as I'm concerned

[@speeddemonji9547]

Clearly you’re a lazy otaku & fangirl

[@joebres3491]

Hot take about the glasses - it's rumored Charlie Chaplin, one of the most handsome/famous men of his time, once entered a Chaplin lookalike contest and LOST. Henry Cavil stood below a BvS billboard in Times Square and NO ONE NOTICED. Ever taken an extra minute to recognize someone when you see them without makeup the first time? People are much worse at facial recognition and passive perception than they think. Couple that with huge differences in body language and character - when I was a kid I genuinely thought supes and CK were different actors in the 78 movie, and don't tell me an actor has never made you believe they're a different person. Imo CK is that riddle so insanely obvious once you know the answer, and you feel stupid because you somehow took forever to figure it out. And remember, it's an answer to a question no ones even asking - people know Batman has a secret identity, but most people assume Kal-El is just flying around saving people 24/7. Why would anyone suspect this godly heroic alien who lives in an ice fortress and shows his face spends half his time struggling to pay rent and getting shit on for being pathetic? Now I don't always buy the glasses how they're executed, but when done right I think it's the single MOST convincing superhero secret identity of all time, but I'd love to discuss with anyone who disagrees. Anyway, fantastic video man, couldnt agree more and especially loved the end. Stay hopeful.

[@lanagievski1540]

To jump off this, there was a video I saw recently where someone showed a recent photo of an actor with their fringe out of their face and since they’re exclusively seen with the same haircut and fringe no one recognised them and they were in disbelief when told who it was

[@nicholashodges201]

There's another actor or actress from Chaplin's era that happened to, they made a habit of entering contests just to lose. As further evidence, Cillian Murphy came into my work, a guy I've seen dozens of times in Back to the Future, and was in there for 30 minutes before somebody realized who he was. We really suck when it comes to recognizing something completely outside of it's normal context.

[@Kb-xq2ry]

Could not agree more with everything you said

[@user-uo8mx3cv5k]

That scene in Superman: The Movie where after Supes & Lois fly & he dresses up as Clark and show up a minute after Supes leaves, then he almost convinced himself confess to Lois that he is Supes and takes off the glasses, then backs off and puts it on again. That back & forth between Supes & Clark was godly acting by Reeves and proves his disguise is very possible, cause it's not just his glasses, it's everything about him, personality, mannerisms, posture etc. that fools people

[@myzimensi]

You're not wrong at all on many points, the humble farmboy trying to make a living and do good, is a good deal more relatable than the multi billionaire. I'm also a big fan of the idea that he is 'too good', some people like that do exist and I think it's something that should be acknowledged more in the world today, have more aspirational characters than gritty or 'realistic' ones.

[@jizl.penacho7889]

As Kal -El once said: "Clark Kent is who I am, Superman is what I can do"

[@southwest2915]

You’ve convinced me

[@BlaQGhoste93]

Ladies and gentlemen..... WE GOT HIM.

[@r520jr8]

Superman is my favorite fictional character of all time. Superman comics have literally helped me get through crippling depression. He represents everything a “superhero” should represent. Even though he’s an alien with borderline godlike powers, he is still one of the most human DC characters. Even Batman said Superman was more human than he was. All-Star Superman has my go to example of what makes Superman great. When there was a teenage girl who was at her whits end and was about to jump off a building, Superman was there. He was there to talk to off the ledge, and let her know that there will always be someone there for her. And he ends with her in his embrace. That’s what Superman is

[@micshork]

4:13 - 4:42 Perfect transition. Zack Snyder never truly understood Superman.

[@bhuvaneshs.k638]

Superman is timeless character... He represents best of our humanity.

[@bemasaberwyn55]

God I hate the secret identity argument. I hate it because I have actually tested this one out. Surprisingly, NO ONE recognized me with the glasses

[@Syryu]

Yeah the people who say they would instantly recognize Clark Kent as Superman are giving themselves way too much credit. Henry Cavill walked along Times Square with a Superman shirt with no mask or glasses and no one approached him. His face was even on a billboard not too far away. When he had his infamous mustache, he went to a comic-book store to sign a few comics and only two people knew who he was. It can totally work because people hardly pay attention or look at people twice.

[@BP-dn9nv]

If Clark Kent had the level of fame as Bruce Wayne it wouldn't work, but an average person could do it fine. I do have a hard time believing his friends wouldn't figure it out though.

[@robertoneill1979]

OMG I've never seen that interview with Christopher Reeve before... tears popped into my eyes when he said "A friend".

[@RaymondConlon25]

"This man is not our enemy." "...Thank you, Colonel."

[@LazarusRemains]

Many of the criticisms of Superman, or Captain America, are also what you hear about Star Trek, i.e. "Starfleet is too good", and the same counter-arguments you mentioned apply - there are other ways to generate interest in a character, and showing innocent high ideals is a powerful story tool in it's own right. Also if this approach was so bad for drama, why are they beloved?

[@RowanJColeman]

Exactly, how do people think the character has lasted this long? It's bizarre

[@LazarusRemains]

@@RowanJColeman I agree, it is bizarre. It seems this is the very source of their inspirational effect on people. So remove the inspiring ideals, as people always seem willing to argue for, and you remove the thing that caused their lasting devotion to begin with.

[@KevinACarroll1996]

@@LazarusRemains I have to admit, I am one of those people. I grew up watching Superman the Animated Series and he is my favorite superhero for all of the reasons listed in the video, but I have just had such a hard time getting into Star Trek. I got into Stargate a few years ago and absolutely loved it, but Star Trek has always been something I have tried, but just could not really get excited for.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

I'd dicker about the inclusion of Starfleet in there, because Trek has always been super-didactic, bordering on preachy, whereas Supes and Cap haven't ever really been. It's also a bit apples-and-oranges to compare an organization with an individual, but that's a quibble and your point is still a good one. Good people bring forth goodness from what is inside them. If that's ever seen as a bad thing, the world has come to a sorry pass.

[@LazarusRemains]

@@KevinACarroll1996 Yeah, I find some shows hard to see the appeal of too. I'll try to offer my perspective on Trek, as it's a broad franchise and some episodes are less than ideal introductions: When looking back on the original series, one thing that's worth remembering is how they tried to create 'realism' on par with a serious police/war drama, and included realistic science (plausible FTL engines, antimatter, correct SI units, real astronomical objects) at a time when many others treated sci-fi as magic, i.e. like Lost in Space. So part of the appeal was it had world building far in advance of other shows (most of which up until the 90s didn't even acknowledge the need for FTL, let alone predict a realistic theory). This is more common now thanks to Babylon 5, Stargate, The Expanse, etc, but it was in a league of it's own for 20 years. The politics was also realistic with an implied Cold War between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. They created a plausible 23rd century multi-planetary civilization. One that was unexpectedly visionary, predicting broad technological changes, and suggesting that it was possible an ancient Greek type reliance on reason could unite Earth as a species. It made science fiction novel readers take notice. All of this world-building was then expanded on by reference materials, novels, video games, etc, which was unheard of at the time, it was basically the first shared universe. Then another aspect was that each episode was a hidden philosophical tale, restating important arguments from the history of civilization, like individual rights vs. collective responsibilities, or whether certain virtues made for a better leader, or what happened to a society that rejected fact in favor of delusion, with Kirk, Spock and McCoy being a representation of logic, emotion, and their synthesis. In later Trek an emerging trend was the exploration of human nature by disarmingly honest and likeable characters like Data and Seven of Nine, each of who were in some way trying to become human. Data ironically ended up being a paragon of humanity due to his capacity for consideration and honesty. It's not just liked for deep intellectual reasons or anything however, but also just because pouring over starship charts like a military nerd, or imagining wars and battles, also has always made good entertainment too. :-)

[@brendenmiles8564]

4:13 - 4:44 Never have I ever seen such a satisfying clap back.

[@Kujakuseki01]

The Justice League final episode is what really, truly sold me. When Supes, while fighting Darkseid, talks about how his challenge is that he’s too powerful for the world and has to use all of his strength constantly to NOT just destroy everything or hurt anyone. It’s an incredibly good scene in an excellent series.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

I was a little surprised you didn't mention the famous Neil Gaiman comment: Some Warners suit was kvetching about how difficult it was to make Supes relevant to a modern audience, and Neil (Vaguely angry in some tellings) said, "You don't make him *relevant,* you make him *inspiring.*" (And it was at that moment I finally decided I like Gaiman, who's always been slightly offputting to me. For the last 20 years or so I've felt like I should like him, but never quite could. Then he said that, and it clicked.)

[@KenLantern]

Gaiman understands its always bathling that Captain America is accepted but Supes gets heat they have the same core values and are the Superman of their respective clmic universes a beacon of Hope.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

@@KenLantern Yep. I would say Superman fills that role a little better than Captain America (Mostly because of the immigration/assimilation subtext inherent in Superman), but that's a quibble. You're right. It's interesting - and a bit sad to me - that a British guy gets that, whereas the entire American movie industry apparently does not.

[@Razorgeist]

Well my respect for Gaimen just went up 10 fold.

[@Zod.the.Merciless]

So well said. I honestly feel it's a poor reflection on our modern world that a character whose chief superpower is goodness is seen as uncool and childish. I love Superman when he's done right, and I hope one day Henry Cavill gets a chance to play him as the inspirational figure he should be than the angsty reluctant hero we've seen.

[@GoblinLord]

what hurts is that Cavill has the charisma to pull it off, the writers just strip that away for their stoic and brooding vision of the Man of Steel

[@greggeverman5578]

12:55 I never knew Cristopher Reeve was so deep, smart, and understanding.

[@irishdc9523]

"It is a remarkable dichotomy. In many ways, Clark is the most human of us all. Then... he shoots fire from the skies and it is difficult not to think of him as a god. And how fortunate we all are that it does not occur to him." :- Batman

[@absdyna]

People not recognizing Clark as Supes is probably the most realistic aspect lol Henry Cavill actually went around times square in a Superman t shirt and no one recognized him. Plus, I think it's always a given or at least implied that in Supes' universe, everyone thinks he is JUST Superman. He's always flying around saving people everywhere. After all, it's not as if there's a shortage of people who need saving.

[@chibicelina]

This was beautiful and you made me cry. Thank you.

[@EndoScorpion]

Often times, the people making claims that Superman is too powerful and too good, tend to be the same people saying Batman is more relatable because he is human, and is a better superhero because he can literally beat anyone with enough planning, and that he is incorruptable.

[@TevyaSmolka]

This is why I love Superman because he’s a great character and human especially with him raising his son Jonathan Samuel Kent superboy as his little 10 year old self was fantastic and a great story at least in my opinion.

[@rkirk]

Finally! Some love for the Big Blue Boyscout! A little bit of idealism/optimism is not a terrible thing, especially in today's jaded and cynical world. 13:46 "We all need Superman because we all need hope." The wisest and most honest thing I've heard in quite a while!

[@KennethKralyJr]

Great video !!! Superman is my favorite Superhero of all-time. He will always be my favorite DC Comics Character and comic book character overall. He always stands for Hope for Truth Justice and The America Way and stands up for what is right !!! Love Clark Kent and Superman he's awesome !!!

[@JackKirbyFan]

That was so wonderful. It's how I always felt about Superman and I'm so glad you did this. It gave me some hope because if someone out there writes about hope, it means it's not lost.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

DC has failed the branding of this character. Owen Likes Comics has no idea how his powers work. The average person thinks he is a god. He's an alien, people! And too powerful? Uh, no one thinks that about Silver Surfer or Dr. Strange or Hulk or Firestorm or Captain Atom or Flash. But no one thinks of such an obvious thing. Also, people say Superman is too good? No one says that about Spider-Man and he's practically a labrador retriever. Thank you Rowan for pointing out his many weaknesses, too.

[@rippspeck]

I'm not a comic book guy, but hasn't Superman always been "too powerful" while the other characters you mentioned have gained their power via decades of stories? Flash didn't start out being able to turn back time but Supes has always been invincible. I hope you can follow me.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

@@rippspeck No. Supes began with two powers: Super Strength and Slight Invulnerabilty. In the original 20 years of stories, Superman could be easily hurt by a bursting shell. Says so in Action Comics #1. His strength enabled him to only jump and run. Jump at 1/8 of a mile and run about 60 mph (like the $6M Man would later on). Meanwhile, other heroes would fly and have X-Ray vision, Heat Vision, etc before him. When the John Carter "inverse gravity" explanation could not account for these new powers, it was officially dropped and replaced with yellow sunlight as the power source and cause for the whole entire power set which has been set in stone for decades. Occasionally, he would get mutated or altered temporarily with additional powers but they never became official and were just plot gimmicks. Other times he has used his set powers creatively. The temporary gimmicks and creative uses of actual set powers is the core of confusion regarding what little people know about his abilities.

[@cpaliulis]

@@DCMarvelMultiverse Well said.

[@Revkor]

the issue is some comic writers jsut went crazy with his powers. Hence my issue with the Goku vs Superman death battle fights. they combined every version of Sueprman vs a guy that has had only two.

[@Mirrorcomics24]

Owen likes comics is fine

[@quatreraberbawinner2628]

I can't believe we live in an age where you have to argue why super man is awesome

[@tylerbrown5526]

You mentioning Krypto reminds me of the wild-ass scene in Titans where he catches an RPG and throws it back at a guy lol

[@Noone-vz6ye]

I hate it when people say Batman is more relatable than superman.. so a billionaire who is trained in every skill imaginable and dresses up a bat to fight crime is more relatable than a farm boy from Kansas who likes helping people?

[@user-cg6uc8sy3g]

That was a great vid. People need to understand Superman is and will always be limitless. He is always around, and will be as strong as he needs to be. Big superhero fan Dc/Marvel. You did a really great video. Grew up Marvel, but grew to relate to Superman more as I became an adult. Named my kids after "The Superman Family". Keep up the great work, please stay healthy and safe. Thank You.

[@Outlawstar79]

I'm just happy somebody addressed how they only make Superman movies dealing with Zod or Luthor. He's got a wonderful rouges gallery to pull from. I agree we always need hope, I'll say without a doubt.

[@charlesgorman4919]

Superman is an excellent character. He is meant to embody the best of humanity. That's what makes Superman the legend that he is. As far as I am concerned, he is the greatest superhero of all time.

[@jizl.penacho7889]

Loved it!!!! Not only Kal-El was the first superhero in the comic book genre, he was MY first superhero; my Dad (a member of the Greatest Generation) took me to see Superman: The Movie when I was 5 years old, and from there I became one of his biggest fans. I have watched ALL the cartoons and movies, and read most of the comics and graphic novels. He became my role model, and my moral compass that has guided me to this day (just as Star Trek has; yes, also I am a Trekkie) I agree that we ALL need Superman, because as Batman often states, he is the best of us. He embodies everything we aspire to be: a better friend, a better neighbor, always continue to be a better Human Being, to leave a better world for future generations. Truth and Justice is something that should NEVER be mocked or ridiculed. We must always do the right thing, and try to make our world a more humane, just and inclusive place. I congratulate you on this video, and I hope you will make more Superman related themes in the future.

[@Medraut00]

LOVE this. superman is my fav super hero!!

[@rachagainstthemachine.]

I've always loved superman and u hit the nail on the head in ways even I hadn't thought of. An amazing and insightful video. Well done x

[@leslauner5062]

Hi Rowan. I grew up watching reruns of the George Reeves tv series and was 10 when "Superman The Movie" premiered. To say I'm a fan of Superman is an understatement. Every argument I've ever had with anyone over why Superman is my favorite superhero had points you addressed so brilliantly. Thanks for the video, my friend. Peace.

[@jba2048]

My favorite Superman villain is Brainiac. They did a really good job with him in Injustice 2. I’d love to see him in a movie. Oh and yeah Superman IS cool, but he’s not as cool as Booster Gold who definitely needs a movie.

[@vernonhampton5863]

I actually agree with you. Booster Gold could be the Ant-Man of the DCEU. I honestly wish that DC would stop overexposing Batman, Superman and the Joker. Cheesecake is good, but a steady diet of it would kill you or kill it for you.

[@Br-kc2jy]

Never gonna happen, WB and DC only care about exploiting Batman. We barely got a Superman movie, we ain't gonna get a Booster one

[@bambubambubambu1194]

10:39 YEEEEESSS!!!!!!! Finally someone agrees with me! Krypto is awesome!

[@galactic85]

I'm no the first person to point this out, but if you want to make Superman 'relatable' then letting him have a dog in a movie seems like it should be a pretty obvious choice.

[@RacerMcJack]

Well guess what ?! We have krypto in our new future of the DCU

[@khalelchristiandeleon3973]

10:41 you aren't gonna believe this

[@theju1603]

I think that the best interpretaion of superman is from superman and lois. When i saw this show, i got a feeling that i havent got in a long time. I felt the care, the warmth, and the amazing goodness i saw in the comics and dcau. This is what superman is. Superman is only boring if u think being good is easy.

[@michaellewis1545]

Excellent video. My favorite stories of Superman are when we get to see his humanity for all the good and bad that means.

[@letosgoldenpath1993]

You must love the new Superman and Lois show! It captures all the qualities you mention here.

[@HeresWhyItsCool]

I cannot like, or even love, this video enough. Especially those Christopher Reeve interviews.... Thank you for this.

[@luisrivera797]

10:41 you must be very happy

[@richardcoulson6027]

If you haven’t already, check out Adam Hughes’s Superman/Gen13 crossover.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

Amen, brother! Preach on! I am *completely* with you in this. Superman is awesome.

[@JairBPena]

4:17 ICONIC

[@starclone4]

He's always been my personal favorite !!!!

[@ShockyD]

Excellent video! I've got nothing to add, you hit it out of the park and nailed every point. Your closing was great dude. Superman is hope and truly awesome. Cheers!

[@joonaspenttila201]

I discovered your chanel because im getting into star trek and superman already is my fav superhero so im looking foward to watching this video😎

[@ThegreatHera420]

I want to say more on the too powerful part, I have no idea why most writers don't think about how difficult it would be to fight someone of matched power anywhere. You have to make sure of a lot of things. Like have you ever been in a hurry while you had something delicate in your hands. That's what he has to go through, if the villain hits there, he has to stop it. If the villain fires there, he has to stop that too. He can't move too fast in the city as he will harm a lot of people. He can't punch villains anywhere as he has to take care of where they will fall. Seriously I can go on forever

[@scifieric]

Well done, Sir. I've watched a lot of your videos, and while I have done so because of some similar interests (Science Fiction, Star Trek, Superman, etc.) you did a spectacular job of focusing on why Superman is worth watching, reading, and experiencing. Well done.

[@priscillamontoya]

Thank you for this video! I love Superman so much and love hearing when others do too.

[@caaltaes732]

All I can say is what a great video and I hope to find more content like this in your channel.

[@montithered4741]

They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son Superman is meant to inspiring, to lift us up from where we are, to where we could be, to where he is.

[@stile8686]

This video is AWESOME! Thanks for so carefully and clearly explaining why Superman is a great character.

[@aaronp6476]

After subbing to your channel for a while, I can't believe I've only just watched this. As a lifelong Superman fan I couldn't agree more. You've got this spot on. For me, Superman is a very complex character and to describe him as too "perfect" is missing the point. Considering he's an alien, he is the most human character in DC comics.

[@bryanwirthlin4444]

I'm only 4 minutes in, and it's clear that you understand the Superman is about. This video is so underrated I don't know why it doesn't have more views.

[@lanagievski1540]

Between Covid, medical problems, money issues, and moving places, diving into everything Superman when I wasn’t a fan in the past was the best choice I made. There’s something about Superman and his story’s that speak to me and make me feel something good

[@worlds_greatest_detective5198]

I love it so much that Snyder's quote of "You're livin' in a fucking dream world!" matches perfectly with that comic.

[@CharlesRengel]

13:46 Words that we all need to remember.

[@JimPlaysGames]

Damn it man you nailed it. Excellent stuff.

[@nick5661]

I think the problem move wise is that they haven’t treated the character as such, in man of steel we have his father telling him to let people die over revealing his identity and his dad dying in a tornado something that did not need to happen at all it was clearly done to give him that moment that Spider-Man and batman have, and look at how much of Clark we see in that and bats v sups very little and his dialogue is much less than those around him, hell there are moments in the justice league film which actually do have him more human and if those are missing from the Snyder cut that people have been banging on to see then it shows that wb just don’t get him anymore.

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

Rowan! You should write Superman! You even called Supergirl his sidekick. Should have been like that for years! I also think his inciting incident was invented by Smallville where he says to a villain, "I would stop people like you!" Perfect.

[@RowanJColeman]

Oh if I was ever given the chance I'd jump at it haha

[@EndoScorpion]

Regarding kryptonite, the way I see it is that kryptonians absorb excessive amounts of radiation (from the weaker sun of their home world) in order to gain enough energy to live. This, as we know, is why strong suns empower them more. However, when there is toxic radiation involved, it poisons them faster than humans. This is why I always liked that one time when Lex lost his hand because he wore a kryptonite ring too often. He was poisoned by the radiation.... it just poisoned him slower because humans absorb much less radiation compared to kryptonians.

[@ineptgamer3814]

Completely agree with you in everything you've said in this video. Superman has always been my favourite character, but it seems like his biggest detractors really misunderstand the intricacies and miss the nuances of his essence and what he represents. Thank you very much for the video and hopefully what you've said here can help to open his critics eyes.

[@jeremyleonbarlow]

If you don't understand that Superman's greatest character strength, the fact that he is the hokey naive Kansas farm boy who wears his heart on his sleeve and 100% in every way believes in the silly old notion of truth, justice and the American way wherein the American way means a level playing field, an unrigged game, genuine meritocracy, rewarding hard work and dedication, valuing loyalty, honor, and fidelity all of the old chilvirous code of ethics no one seems to play by, is also his greatest weakness because despite being overpowered and indestructible, he is easily crushed because he feels failure and loss to the core of his marrow, you don't understand the character and will never do Seigel and Shuster's vision justice. They wanted to create a character who hates bullies to borrow the parlance of Clark Kent's moral compass doppleganger from the Marvel universe, Steve Rogers, you don't get either of those two characters. Steve is less overpowered than Clark, but at their core they are nearly identical men. They are unwaveringly good men who will do whatever it takes to protect everyone from those who would do harm. That's who they are. The characters are spiritual twins. If you don't think that incorruptible men facing completely corrupt world are interesting may I direct your attention to Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War. Superman is capable of similar story arcs because his heart is not only his greatest strength, but also his biggest weakness. It's a characteristic Clark Kent, Steve Rogers, and strangely enough Peter Parker all share. The fact that all of these dark and brooding writers fail to see that the hope embodied within Superman being completely lacking in their works is why Superman isn't routinely in the billion dollar club as a film property, while Spider-Man and Captain America can join those ranks. Writing is vital, but the right man in the role is vital too. At his core, Clark Kent, the man inside Superman is very much the geeky awkward kid at the heart of both Peter Parker and Steve Rogers. Being the little guy who was bullied and picked on -despite that being the result of Johnathon and Martha Kent instilling inside Clark the need for restraint because with great power came the responsibility not to harm others, you don't have the character with the empathy necessary for Superman to work. Superman had to turn the other cheek from a young age because if he didn't he would have killed someone and that made him feign weakness often to avoid conflict, but he saw the effect genuine fragility had on those around him without his dilemma. Those forced to suffer at the hands of bullies because unlike him, they had no other choice. Clark chose peace over violence and it's his natural choice.

[@tylerbrown5526]

You talking about Superman reminds me of why I don't dig Snyder's take. It just feels like such a shallow reading of the character. "He's a messiah. But how can he be good?" Because we need hope. It's that simple. I'm so tired of grim cynicism lol

[@iheartsupes]

I was already digging the Star Trek stuff, then I saw the "Why Superman is Awesome" video and hit the subscribe button so hard I think I broke my screen. Well done, sir!

[@Kusanagikaiser999]

Superman to me is not just the best, he is THE SUPER HERO, the one above all, just because he is the most human, Clark the the best of all us, and have all the same troubles we have, he is Spiderman, he is Captain America, he is BATMAN, he is Iron Man, he is ALL OF THEM COMBINE.....better say, all of them are part of SUPERMAN, they all took one element Superman did first and expand on that idea. One of the tropes people say is lame about Superman is why he is the most down to earth guy in any super hero roster......he taking down a cat for an old lady or a child from a tree.....that is freaking AWESOME, superman is literally a god in the eyes of many, how many gods have come to the help of a normal person in comics when they need a helping hand to do something that trouble them which probably is the most mundane thing ever, but Superman no matter how busy he is, if he see someone in need he will lend a hand, no matter of what, he will, and that is not lame, that is inspired and amazing, I never understood people who claim that Superman is only good when he is an evil dictator or a monster killing machine, quite honestly, those are all the lamest stories around SUPERMAN, I rather take stories like the Man who had everything, over any lame ass Injustice comic ever written.

[@pudlordtynan919]

Superman is the First Superhero, and among the pantheon of the best. He's hard to write because no matter who the wordsmith is. But from the that toughness one can bring out hope, honesty, sincerity and justice. Superman is a hero that is needed, as an example of being optimistic and kind despite the world being decidedly the opposite. He's a hero who embodies the idea that "everything is fine, I'm here", by smiling. To the Boy Scout.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

Ever seen/read "My Hero Academia?" The World's Greatest Hero in that one, Almight, is very clearly a pre-flight 1930s superman analogue, and his whole shtick is that he's *ALWAYS* smiling, specifically for that reason: So people won't be scared, and they'll know everything will be ok.

[@WhoIsCalli]

Nice vid. Great breakdown. Felt happier after watching this

[@squashmallow2006]

The thing is, even when Superman does face some kinda tragedy his backstory, almost 90% of the time, it's caused by something completely out of his control. Case in point, Jonathan Kent, in some specific adaptations, where he dies, not from being gunned down, or in some brutal act of inhumane cruelty... or a stupid tornado, but because of a heart attack. Alternatively, another good one is Sam's Story, where Clark's school friend Sam succumbs in his battle with cancer. Despite all his abilities, he can't save everyone. It's not some horribly dark moment. It's.... just life. Losing a loved one by natural causes. It's a common thing that each and every one of us face at some point. And that moment taught him the fragility and priceless value of human life. It humbles him to appreciate the people around him, to show kindness, to help people, to spread hope, while he still lives.

[@nachovichoZX]

4:13 That scene almost fucking killed me XD

[@hamletprimeiro]

What a wonderful video. Thank you!!!

[@henrylazarus19143]

Hollywood doesn't want hope any more

[@andreamiller3578]

Thank you so much. Superman has always been my favorite, and it's annoying when the Batman fans act like he's so much more of a shallow character than their favorite.

[@franl155]

I used to read Superman comics decades ago - it was hard cos there was no regular supply in the UK, so I'd get parts 1+2 of a story, but not part 3, or parts 1+3 but not part 2. I remember the furore when Kryptonite was removed - rather, its half-life had expired so it was no longer a threat. Apparently it had become too much of a plot device.

[@jacobclark6002]

For all the powers these characters have, the only possible way for them to have any effect on the real world is through how they inspire people. Superman makes me want to be a better person. That matters more than anything else.

[@Torus2112]

For what it's worth us 90s kids who watched Superman TAS definitely know a thing or two about what Superman can do.

[@RichO1701e]

I think my favourite Clark Kent disguise excuse is that his eye glasses are hypnotic, that he uses them to hypnotize people who figure it out into forgetting what they've figured out. It's a hell of a stretch!

[@michaeljw3602]

Excellent video .. totally agree with the ending

[@StareachValcin]

Superman really is awesome. Not just because of his incredible powers, but because of how he uses them to help others, despite the problems in the world. Zack Snyder just doesn't understand Superman and most likely never will. The world needs Superman and the ideals he stands for.

[@Noone-vz6ye]

Christopher Reeves really understood Superman.. I really miss him

[@geraldburke5147]

Well said. And if that isn't enough to convince then a reading of Grant Morrisons All Star Superman or Alan Moore For the Man who has Everrything are excellent examples of Supermans importance. Reeve understood the essence of Superman that is why his iteration is a powerful example and the benchmark of the last son of Krypton. And for batman its Keaton, but I digress.. Superman is hope.. And the world is more hopeful by his example. Superman isnt just necessary, he is essential. Thank you for your time.

[@chrisstevens2]

I would totally love to see Krypto in a movie!

[@michaelgustafsson5920]

if I remember correctly, did not crypto appear in the last season of Titans.

[@JaelinBezel]

We already have that movie except they misspelled Krypto and ended up calling it Underdog instead.

[@JaelinBezel]

People shouldn’t be critical of heroes like Superman and Batman for never killing people like the Joker or Lex Luthor, they shouldn’t be wondering why the state never executes them.

[@JaelinBezel]

*they should be wondering

[@Syryu]

That's pretty much what I always say. Neither Luthor nor Joker are bulletproof or immune to capital punishment. If society really wanted them gone, Joker's insanity plea should have been thrown out ages ago (because he in no way fits "unaware of actions" portion of the plea) and thrown in Federal prison and executed alongside Luthor whose assets should have been seized upon his first arrest. Superman and Batman do their jobs properly. It's the state that keeps dropping the ball.

[@RadeFoxxy]

Hope....indeed. 🙏🏽

[@Jtbradbury12]

Kryptonite was originally created for the radio only to explain why the voice of the actor was different for an episode because he was sick that week they did the episode. So it wasn't made to give him a weakness.

[@mahatmarandy5977]

In a lifetime of reading comics, only two have ever made me cry. One is "Superman: Peace on Earth," which ends with him realizing that Superman can't end world hunger, but Clark can help a bit. It ends with him taking some inner-city troubled kids out and teaching them to farm, with Jesus' "Parable of the Sower" as a sort of overt theme: He can't save everyone, he can't even save most, but the few he can will ultimately make the world a better place, one at a time, just like he's doing." The other was the famous one where he talks a suicidal jumper off a ledge, not with his powers, but just with his kindness. No other superhero in any universe or company or whatever, has that kind of emotional heft, that connection. The idea that the important part of his job is to bring out the best in people around him, that everyone has something decent in them, too, and all the fighting and superheroics are just to keep them safe until they can find that part of themselves. Mythologies outlive countries. We're standing at the end of the American century, and whichever way we go from here, good or ill, no matter if we chug along for a few more centuries or only a few more generations, eventually we will end, as does everything. I do take some consolation in knowing that in three hundred or a thousand years, people will still know who Superman is, long after the US is just a chapter in a history book, and they'll still be able to glean some sense of our better selves through him. Thank you very much for making this video. It genuinely moved me.

[@TomGallagherSuperboyBeyond]

Rowan did you ever watch the live action Superboy tv series that aired from 1988 to 1993? If not, watch from season 3 onwards. there are a few characters that require prior knowledge. But once you watch those last 2 seasons you'll appreciate it enough to make the first two seasons tolerable. It's easily the most underrated Superman show ever made. Dealing with everything from superpowered villains and aliens to alternate timelines/universes. The live action Bizarro is amazing.

[@RowanJColeman]

I've seen the odd episode yeah :) Quite entertaining from what I saw

[@DCMarvelMultiverse]

@@RowanJColeman Watch Season 2 onward.

[@scififantasyfanatic6536]

I absolutely agree with you sir! 👍🏻👍🏻

[@JackWard66]

YES. YES. YES. AND MORE YES!

[@biguy617]

Nicholas Hoult will be awesome as Luthor and I hope we get to see him in the Luthor armor.

[@JairBPena]

Christopher Reeves making the DVD comments shirtless, with a towel in his shoulders and with his hair wet while being laser focus in the questions asked is why he is the Chad of the actor who have played Superman

[@Razorgeist]

Excellent excellent video Rowan! Thank you for being one of the most unflappably reasonable youtubers there is. I have the exact same thoughts when it comes to Superman. now Im generally positive when it comes to Zach Snyder (I loved MOS thought his cut of JL was great) but oy that clip @ 14:40 yikes.

[@michaelmitchell4989]

I LOVE this SO much!