Superman, happy or sad?

[Kid Kyoto]

Superman's origins are rooted in tragity. Planet blows up, last of his kind, never-ending battle, you know the drill.

For Silver Age Superman add dead foster parents (for all my power I COULDN'T SAVE THEM!), intentionally acting like a klutz and a fool, and a crippling isolation since he refuses to take any of his friends into his confidence or to marry his one true love.

But he's usually a happy guy, smiling and flying and such. Especially now that he's married to his one true love and all that.

So... would Superman benefit from a bit more of a tragic attitude? Wasn't part of the original myth that conflict between his miserable Clark Kent life and his heroic identity? And wasn't the theme of how for all his powers Superman could never get what he really wants part of his drama?

I dunno.

Thoughts?

[Ekko]

I don't think he really needs a more tragic attitude. I look at him as the exact opposite of Batman, who is the king of the of the tragic attitude. His optimism, and almost childlike naivete are refreshing in an age where there is so much cynism in comics. That said, it wouldn't really bother me if they added a little more pepper in Superman's outlook (I just wouldn't prefer it) as long as they didn't overdo it.

[NotSuper]

Superman has tragedy in his past and it most likely gets to him at times, but most of the time I think he would be very happy. He seems like a man that would look at the positives instead of the negatives. He's optimistic despite his hardships.

[BoosterBronze]

Superman has tragedy in his past and it most likely gets to him at times, but most of the time I think he would be very happy. He seems like a man that would look at the positives instead of the negatives. He's optimistic despite his hardships.

I agree. Superman has a tragic past, and his share of bad things inhis life, but I hate it when someone writes a sad, complaining, or brooding Superman.

Aunt May in the Hospital Bed talking to Clark: "Cheer up, you're not Spider-Man you know."

[Kid Kyoto]

I doesn't have to be all moaning and drama but I would like some of that. I miss a Superman who was well aware of his limits and concious of his failures.

Supergirl's another intestesting case, she should be even more depressed than superman. unlike him she saw her whole world destroyed as a teenager and then arrived on Earth to be rejected by her one surviving relative and put in an orphanage. While there she had Superman constantly telling her to hide who she is, not tell anyone she even exists and not to get adopted. But she kept up a posative Pollyanna attitude the whole way through. Maybe she was on kryptonian valium.

Anyway, I'd like to see ma and pa die of natural causes to remind everyone that for all his power superman cannot save the ones he loves.