Fairy tales

[Genis Vell]

I don't know how the situation is in the USA, but in Italy the pre-Crisis is not well known. That long period has been published badly (if someone asks, I'll tell you the Italian history of the Man of Steel! Is anyone interested?), so there are a few readers who know the character and his older stories.

During these years, I have heard a lot of people tell a lot of wrong things about Superman... Here you are some of them:

- Superman has not problems.
- Superman is invincible, so noone can identify with him.
- Superman's stories are always happy and unrealistic.
- Superman's stories haven't continuity.

And so on...

When I didn't read Supes yet, I believed on those things, but when I became one of his more faithful readers I discovered the truth... The pre-Crisis Superman is a truly complex character, human and interesting and what people says about him are only fairy tales, not the real story.
In Italy Marvel heroes are the most popular because they have Superproblems that make them more human. But Superman has Superproblems, too!

He is an orphan (twice), he cannot love a woman because his responsibilities, he is alone, his former best friend hates him since they were boys. There is something tragic in being Superman, behind the smiles and the heroic actions.  Smart writers like Moore or David have understood it.

Only in Italy we have this problem or that is a common opinion in the USA, too?

[ShinDangaioh]

It's common here in the US as well.

Too add to it:

He's boring, because he's a big blue boy scout.


The continuity one, I'd love to go back to the Silver Age way of doing things.  self contained stories and a soft reset each year to allow kids to access the character easier.

[Super Monkey]

Thanks for describing the American Opinion of Superman Genis Vell.. hey wait a second...

Very little difference here I afraid.

However, most non comic book fans like the Pre-Crisis version better since for them that is the ONLY true Superman. Thanks to older TV shows and Films.

[Genis Vell]

It's common here in the US as well.

Too add to it:

He's boring, because he's a big blue boy scout.

Right, how could I forget it? Obviously here is the same.
Classic, good heroes like Superman and Captain America are considered boring because they don't kill or use violence. I love such characters, because it's good to see someone that try to do the right thing...
Even if they are only fictional characters, they're a sort of "comportamental model", and I suppose that they can have a greater impact on American readers.
Sometimes, there is who considers them fascists! What a shame.