海角大神

As the new Superman movie 鈥淢an of Steel鈥澛爌repares to land in theaters this weekend, it鈥檚 easy to wonder if, indeed,聽audiences really need yet another spandex-clad,聽costumed superhero in a big budget summer movie.

But, as fans and pop culture pundits are quick to point out, Clark Kent and his nearly聽invincible alter-ego are the first, the biggest, the granddaddy of聽superheroes 鈥� and one that retains an enduring appeal for each聽generation.

The character's basic story doesn't change over time, says Brad Ricca, author of 鈥淪uper Boys,鈥澛爄n an e-mail, 鈥渂ut its place in our collective cultural mindset does.鈥�

Studios understand the need to freshen up a franchise, points out Ricca, who聽teaches at Case Western Reserve University in聽Ohio. "There is a kind of dark marketing origin to these endless new versions of Superman," he acknowledges, but "the end result is that each new generation gets a new version that they can claim as theirs.鈥�

Producer Christopher Nolan鈥檚 brooding take on the baby聽from an alien planet聽who goes from the US heartland into the global consciousness is just the latest聽retooling聽since this tale聽first appeared in 1938.

鈥淪uperman in the 1930s was idealistic 鈥� a super New Dealer,鈥� says Prof. Peter Coogan, who teaches a course in comic book studies at Washington聽University in St. Louis.

By the 1950s the caped crusader was a stolid, dependable establishment figure, says Professor Coogan, who adds that in 鈥淪uperman: The Movie鈥� in 1978 he served as an antidote to the disillusionment of the 1970s. This latest Man of Steel positions Superman as a realistic figure, he says. 鈥淗e does not immediately know how to use his gifts and needs a period of searching in order to gain the life experience to understand how to use his powers.鈥澛� Like the Superman of the 1930s and early 1940s he adds, this 2013聽hero 鈥渋s greeted with official skepticism by the authorities.鈥�

Even his superpowers adapt to different ages, points out CarrieLynn Reinhard, assistant professor of communication arts and sciences at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois.

He started as having some powers, she notes in an e-mail, such as being 鈥淔aster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!鈥澛燼s at least one generation of TV watchers can recite.

鈥淭hose powers have grown, changed, weakened through the years 鈥� at one point, he was living energy!聽But what remains at his core is the idea of the ultimate immigrant 鈥� an orphan of an entire planet arriving in rural United States and being able to become successful, as both a reporter and a crimefighter,鈥� she says.聽聽

Beneath this constant reinvention lies聽the key to his enduring appeal 鈥� he is us, the聽prototypical American, says Villanova University鈥檚聽Susan Mackey-Kallis, author of 鈥淭he Hero and the Perennial Journey Home in American Film."

鈥淎s an immigrant and an orphan he is iconic of what makes America, to many, so special. Unapologetic and without a shred of irony in his demeanor he is a throwback to a more unselfconscious era when America, for many, was the shining city on the hill and the battle lines between the good and evil seemed clearly drawn,鈥� she says via e-mail.

Superman also speaks to the Judeo-海角大神 roots of the US, points out Tom Morton, a pop culture strategist for the New York ad agency, Goodby Silverstein & Partners. The boy who flies from Krypton to Cleveland is like Moses, the boy in the bulrushes, he says, adding in an e-mail that he鈥檚 also 鈥渁 secular Jesus figure: not only does he stand up for good, he stands for good.鈥�

And as a Christ-figure, adds Professor Mackey-Kallis, 鈥渉e represents the hope both that we are not alone in the universe and that there is meaning and destiny for America once again.鈥�

However, she adds, Nolan鈥檚 darker take on the tale may be appropriate. 鈥淚s such a vision still relevant in today's age, an age of satirical, doubtful, even dark heroes, and battles with shifting battle lines, changing allegiances, and unclear moral objectives?鈥澛爏he asks.

This tweaking around the edges of the character鈥檚 psyche is fundamental to聽feeding the future of a long-lived franchise, says Rob Weiner, popular culture librarian at Texas Tech University. In this version, Superman will be viewed with suspicion because he is 鈥渘ot of this earth鈥� and 鈥渁ll powerful,鈥澛爃e says via e-mail. 鈥淭hat is the direction the franchise should take to relate to audiences in 2013 since we are more cynical.鈥�

Despite that darker national mood, however, the appeal of the superhero endures for a good reason, says Allan Austin, professor of history at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa.

鈥淪uperheroes, even if often dismissed as nothing more than low-brow entertainment, are powerful representations of who we think we are and who we want to be,鈥� he says.

Adds online advice columnist April Masini, the costume聽itself tells a story. 鈥淎nyone wearing a Superman costume sees himself 鈥� or wants to see himself 颅鈥� as the guy who'll save you from evil and enjoys his day job at the equivalent of The Daily Planet,鈥� she says.