A piece of Superman fan art is taking the internet by storm with its ardent defense of Clark Kent. Comic artist @butajape posted a webcomic positing that the Man of Steel is more relatable than his critics may give him credit for.Despite the place Superman has cemented himself in the superhero genre, the comic book medium and, arguably, all of pop culture the hero has had more than a few criticisms leveled at him over the years. One of the biggest issues people seem to take with Superman is that he lacks the relatability that grounded heroes like Batman or Spider-Man seem to possess. While the Man of Steel has proven himself to be a warrior for the common man, it seems that Superman has experienced a waning of public support. A growing number of comic book fans struggle to identify with him and many go as far to say a powerful alien just isn’t relatable.Related: Superman’s Real ‘Greatest Power’ Is the True Reason He’s a Cultural IconBut one super fan isn’t letting that argument go any further. On Twitter, artist @butajape posted a strip contrasting two different perceptions of the Big Blue Boy Scout to prove that the powerful Kryptonian is as relatable as any other hero. @butajape’s comic features Lex Luthor and Superman and was posted with the message “‘Superman is unrelatable,’ is Luthorian propaganda and I will die on that hill.” The top half of the comic theorizes why people don’t relate to Superman by showing Lex scowling at the hero and dismissing the idea that anyone with as much power as Superman could ever be good. But the bottom half is a counter to the previous point and suggests that Superman is relatable and proves it by showing Clark’s inner thoughts on not wanting to disappoint those who depend on him.
@butajape instantly connected with users who shared the comic’s opinion of Superman. The post received over forty thousand likes and several thousand retweets. Comments under the comic overwhelmingly supported @butajape’s argument that people can still connect with Superman in spite of the perception that he holds with a number of comic fans. It’s no wonder the strip resonated with so many fans as it cuts to the heart of what Superman is really all about.
Do many of Superman’s stories feature a display of his amazing powers? Absolutely. And if all Superman comics were just exhibitions of power, maybe the unrelatable argument would have some merit. But beneath Superman’s many powers is a man who simply wants to do good. Not to mention, the hero faces pressures from the huge expectations put on him from people who love and need him. These are very familiar concepts all wrapped up in a being who can do amazing things. But just because Superman can fight universal threats on the regular, that doesn’t mean his anxieties and fears are anything unlike an average person’s. @butajape’s fan art reminds readers that beneath the heat vision and frost breath, Superman is just a guy trying to do his best.
Source: @butajape
