How to make Superman's rogues the best

The best thing about the Golden Age Superman was the potential for social commentary.

(I'm about to piss somebody off) Since fans want Superman to be unchanging in his seemingly "old-fashioned" values, I would make Superman embody those values.............and be a conservative. Many of his enemies would thus be metaphors for certain socio-political ideologies and problems and both sides.

Lex Luthor: as in the Byrne era, he would essentially be the "Stock evil rich guy", as well as a seeming embodiment of the "pick yourself up by the bootstraps" rags to riches story.

Zod: embodies a highly militarized mentality, as on Krypton he unleash Doomsday to scare the planet back into a state of perpetual war mindedness. Allegory for war profiteering and somewhat of the Bush administration.

Metallo: a literal dark mirror of Superman, having a twisted version of what Superman is. Superman is seemingly a patriotic character, while John Corben would be jingoistic and racist. Superman belongs to no government, whereas Corben is the worst of the American military. Superman is born with the capacity for his powers, whereas Corben takes steroids for his muscles and is later turned into a cyborg. Superman is a gentleman, Corben is a chauvinist. He would later cause an Abu Graib like controversy and make the U.S. army look terrible. You can see the socio political elements right?

Parasite: an "evil poor guy" who steals people's identities, he would be a parasite before he even gets powers. He also collects several benefits due to stealing identities, mooching from the system. Compare Superman (was "given" his powers for free but uses them to help others) with Parasite ("works" for the powers that he steals but uses them for himself). Essentially a commentary for liberal "charity" mindset.

Livewire: a liberal dyke feminazi shock radio host, she hates Superman for obvious reasons.

I think just doing this alone for these villains (i.e. in a Superman universe by a talented writer........such as myself) would help elevate many of these characters from beyond just being people that Superman punches.

In a Superman universe with a talented writer...such as myself

Do Batman's villains next!

Cool.

Interesting...

Why are all those Superman threads in General Discussion?

If it is because of the vine's bugs. Use "Full Edit" and change the forum.

Morgan Edge would use the media for liberal propaganda

I'd definitely read that! Great post!

On a side note, I prefer Golden Age Superman to a lot of modern interpretations. It's probably my second favorite version of the character under the John Bryne era.

Superman is called "The Man of Tomorrow", being a right-wing goofball who is opposed to change doesn't make a great deal of sense. Superman wants the world to be a better, more inclusive place. I never liked "the American Way" part of Superman's motto and am glad they got rid of it because he represents the entire world. He respects authority, but he isn't afraid to make a stand against injustice, outside of the authority or within.

I was loving your ideas but then you lost me at Parasite and Livewire in terms of what they're supposed to represent

@lensnart: lol y

I think you have interesting ideas but some good old exposure can never hurt with any of these characters, say what you will about MoS but so many people I know loved the Zod interpretation and wanted to know more about him.

You lost me at conservative Superman.

@squalleon: why?

Goes against the character's main elements.

@squalleon: conservatives can't be good people?

I'm not saying that he would be executing gays or heat visioning people who have sex before marriage.

Τhen what you mean.

A am not from the United States so I don't have an exact definition of the conservative party but from what I know, I know that most are pro-gun and have a more capitalistic mentality(feel free to correct me if I am wrong). I hardly see Superman in those traits. Luthor on the other hand, sure.

@squalleon: pro-gun? I don't see y that's bad, nor capitalism. Doing for self doesn't negate doing for others. In fact, true charity empowers PPl to do for themselves so that they don't have to rely on others. Superman wants PPl to c the heroes in themselves, as opposed to them worshipping him

And that's why we will end this convo right here :) No offence. But this convo enters politics. And those discussions tend to never get anywhere.

@squalleon: I'm just saying. That's part of the characters. Superman wants to empower others, while Luthor wants them to rely on and worship himself.

how would incorporating misogyny, homophobia and a bunch of other ideas that seem pretty repugnant to any capable hero be a good idea

@willienotwilliam: ok, so maybe I went a bit crazy with livewire (although Whedon's spousal abuse from feminists says differently) but come on!

@gjgp27 i dont see why an outcast alien that fights extremely successful businesman and a miliatarist who wants to eradicate races would even be conservative and not directly opposed to conservatism. if anything making his enemies conservative in nature would make sense ...granted they sorta already are extreme variations of rightwing politics(militarism,capitalism,genocidal)

@willienotwilliam: by that logic batman should be opposed to cats, penguins, circuses, penguins, riddles, and mexican wrestlers

@gjgp27: logic isnt your strong suit i see

@willienotwilliam: seriously, why is this supposed paragon of old ways being a conservative such a strange concept

@gjgp27: beause most of those conservative values are opposed to things superman represents but also things any hero should actually represent(such as caring for humanity)

@willienotwilliam: lies And slander

@gjgp27: truth and justice(things conservatives dont really care for im afraid)

@willienotwilliam: thats a freaking lie. Also if I said liberald were a bunch of godless sex crazed dyke disingenuous harpies and jews out to con ppl of their money hey you'd be offended, so.........

@gjgp27: thanks for proving my point

Superman is also anti-weapon and Superman hopes for an equal society. Don't get me wrong. But an alien, immigrant, with Super-powers, can hardly be a conservative. He is not here to oversee people's life (ex. Conservatives and homosexuality) and neither forces them how to live. He leads by example. He is open to ideas as it has been seen throughout his career. He wants progress, but values morality more, but he wants people to reach that point themselves as opposed to be forced to (another element of conservative government).

Again, I hope you understand I speak only from what I have heard, since I haven't lived in the US society to get clearer definitions.

...The words..."Can you not" come to mind.

@squalleon: he can't b anti weapon though, because he i owe PPl need weapons to protect themselves

Unfortunately for you, he is :P

He has been for many long years. We all remember the scene from the infamous Superman 4, or more recently injustice. You consider a guy who was born from a scientist father, whose main nemesis was a General in the Kryptonian army, someone who would like guns :P. I know I cherry pick but it doesn't go far and it definitely make sense for Superman. If you can't accept that, fine go ahead, but as I said before, that's why I didn't want to do a political convo. Because it never leads anywhere for both sides :P

@squalleon: superman 4 is also universally hated. But seriously, lois carried a gun when they were married in case he wasn't around, his dad is a farmer and they usually have guns. Also, his powers are some of the greatest weapons imaginable, and he's not a pacifist either. Plus Diana has weapons and he never gets on to her for that. If he has no problem with a super powered demigod Amazon having weapons, he wud have no problem with average joes protecting themselves. Plus he is friends with Dan Turpin and Maggie Sawyer, who are police officers.

Just because someone has weapons doesn't mean that they are war mo here or work for Mongul or Ares. I know you said that you did not want a political debate, but I would look at this conversation as showing that many of the "hateful" things about conservatives are simply not true, and that if ppl shud respect different opinions, then they should at least look at them for what they are and not what people say they are. Because of this, I would see no problem with Superman standing for that.

• Αnd Clark hated that. That is canon, and I have scans to prove it.
• You must be joking. Because that is hardly an argument.
• You are reaching to incredible heights to try to prove a basis for your argument :P
• A pasifist isn't someone who wouldn't fight for his beliefs. Superman, is someone who clearly fits the word. He believes in second chances. He never goes for a fight first. He does never misuse his powers.
• Does your liberal friend come to your house and takes away your guns? Then why should Superman go to Diana.
• WHO ARE POLICE OFFICERS!!!!!!!! I am friends with police officers too and I HATE GUNS! But they are police officers!
• I don't hate conservative's since I don't know any :P

• Yet, you are proving the opposite. You are trying to fit a fictional character, into a role he doesn't fit, just because you relate/like it :)

Please don't reply to me again, I feel obligated to answer if you do and I don't like it.

I don't see superman as a conservative. Especially when his archenemy is a huge corporate Business man(these are the people that give conservatives wet dreams). His New 52 version seemed very liberal to me. Clark was fighting for the poor and targeting corrupt big businesses as a reporter for a large newspaper. Nothing about that sounds like something a person with stereotypical right-wing views would do

Quoted for comedy.

A good way to improve his rogues gallery would be to bring back the Prankster as a humorous villain, but of the civilized kind you'd expect to be in Metropolis fighting Superman, ie not just a second-rate Joker but a more sophisticated wit and deadpan snarker who uses irony and sarcasm in his MO, closer to Riddler than Joker but like a combination of the two. It would reflect a contrast in the lives of Superman and Batman and the nature of their cities' characters that Batman gets slapstick and death while Superman gets satire and sabotage. In fact the version of Lex Luthor played by Gene Hackman would be more like Prankster. That would be much better than the half-arsed comedy-ninja (or whatever he is meant to be) they brought back to fight Nightwing.

@thearistocrats: my idea for the prankster takes the idea of him being a game show bist of a sort of ninja warrior for superheroes, and superman is the first star. Less of a villain and more of an obstacle