Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DC Comics Reminds the World That Superman Is a Refugee
Comic Book ^ | June 20, 2018 | Nicole Drum

Posted on 06/20/2018 6:32:45 PM PDT by EdnaMode

If you're a fan of comic books then you likely know Superman's story. Sent to Earth as a baby by his parents just before his home planet Krypton was destroyed, he was raised by a kind couple on a farm in Kansas and grew up to be the world's greatest hero.

It's a classic tale. It also means that Superman, one of our most iconic heroes, is a refugee. That's why, for World Refugee Day, DC Comics is reminding fans of Superman's origin and urging people to "be like Superman and stand up for what's right" in a post to their official Twitter account today, tagging the International Rescue Committee in the post. Check it out below.

DC ✔ @DCComics Superman stands up for what’s right. Did you also know he’s a refugee? This #WorldRefugeeDay, be like Superman and stand up for what’s right. #StandWithRefugees and @theIRC. 1:00 PM - Jun 20, 2018

The International Rescue Committee is an organization whose mission is to "respond to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control over their future." It's a mission -- and a call to action by Superman himself -- that is more timely now than ever. Globally speaking, the United Nations estimates that there are currently over 65 million displaced people around the world. Specifically, the migrant crisis in Europe and family separations at the southern border of the United States are two situations that are many are most familiar with due to increasing public outcry and debate over the matter.

While there may be many fans who have questions about today's Twitter post calling for people to "#StandWithRefugees" it’s important to note that this isn't the first time that the comics company has had Superman address the issues of immigrants and discrimination. In Action Comics #987 last fall, Superman was depicted protecting a group of immigrants from a hate crime when an angry, armed unemployed American opened fire on the group after broad stroke painting the group as having stolen from him -- the implication being jobs. The Man of Steel disarms the gunman, turning him over to the police before asking that they ensure the immigrants are safe and cared for, thus treating all involved humanely.

While that example is a more contemporary one, DC and Superman's efforts toward a just, equitable society have an even longer history. Last summer, DC Editorial explained the history behind the digital restoration of a 1949 book cover that featured Superman urging people -- specifically children as the cover was distributed to schools -- to stand up to those speaking ill against others because of religion, race or national origin.

World Refugee Day is an annual event established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000. Observed on June 20th each year, it is commemorated with a variety events in more than 100 countries worldwide. Individuals are encouraged to mark the day by attending local World Refugee Day events, watching and sharing videos, and raising awareness on social media -- just like DC Comics and Superman.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Chit/Chat; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: boycotttimewarner; childabuse; dccomics; refugee; superman; unsexscandals; virtuesignaling; workoffiction
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last
To: BenLurkin

Well, he did wear tights and put his undies on the outside...


21 posted on 06/20/2018 6:47:21 PM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

But unlike modern refugees, their home country still exists. If Krypton didn’t blow up, don’t you think Superman would be living there instead?


22 posted on 06/20/2018 6:48:39 PM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

No, he’s an American citizen. His pathway to becoming a citizen may have been somewhat questionable, as there was no easy way to explain his presence, but he did become an American citizen.


23 posted on 06/20/2018 6:49:02 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death by cults.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode
Good thing he landed here rather than in Germany (which seems open to anyone now).

SNL: Übermann

24 posted on 06/20/2018 6:50:16 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (I can't tell if we live in an Erostocracy (rule by sex) or an Eristocracy (rule by strife and chaos))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rey

Truth, Justice And The American Way Has Deep Roots: Superman And The Klan

 Last updated Apr 3, 2018

Recently, I was listening to one of the episodes of the new podcast Capetown, which features many of the same personalities that were involved in the too-short lived It’s A Bird, It’s A Plane, It’s a Podcast that focused on Superman.

Now, it is easy in our modern world to dismiss Superman, in large part because we all think we know and understand the story of the guy who is the strongest on Earth. But in the midst of that current knowledge, we lose sight of his origins in a much different time politically that still has ramifications for us today.

 

Jerry Seigel and Joe Schuster were two Jewish kids from Cleveland who created Kal-el as Clark Kent in the era of rising antisemitism across Europe and the rise of Hitler, even as America tried to hold itself out of the conflict. The story goes that the Superman story and his standing for justice didn’t escape the notice of the Nazis, as he was discussed among the propaganda leaders of the Nazis as American GIs carried comics with them once America entered into the war.

But even beyond the comics, Superman quickly became an icon, and took over nearly every form of media that existed at that time. And by 1946, Superman had a radio show that needed villains now that the Nazi and Japanese threats had been ended. They found their muse in a rather unusual place: the Ku Klux Klan!

 

Stetson Kennedy was an American born and raised in the South who after the war managed to infiltrate the Klan in an effort to undermine them and their actions. He ultimately began to feed the information he was collecting to the proper authorities and also the writers of the Superman radio show. And over the course of 16 episodes of Superman and the Clan of the Fiery Cross, they managed to do some significant work in undermining the Klan, particularly among the younger people who were Superman’s biggest fans! (You can listen to the whole radio drama at the link above, but in particular, the last episode, where the leader of the Clan is revealed to just be a money hungry charlatan stands out. Honestly, the words we hear would still do us well to listen to them today, which is both illuminating and sad. You can hear more about this where I first discovered it, on the introduction of this episode of This American Life, #205 Know Your Enemy.)

 

With that history, it isn’t surprising that DC and other entertainment companies want to tell the story in a new way.  Two movie studios are at work trying to bring Kennedy’s personal story to the big screen, in particular his leaking of Klan secrets to the radio show and authorities.

And DC Comics recently announced an effort that seems to be dealing with this story as well: Gene Luen Yang’s Superman Smashes the Klan, which is a part of its recently announced DC Zoom line, which will target middle school aged readers. He is a particularly excellent choice as a creator because he has received strong marks for his own works, like American Born Chinese, as well as his work on the Avatar comics based on the Nickelodeon television show and his New Super-Man title at DC, where a teenage boy from Shanghai inherits Clark Kent’s powers.

But above all, all of this reminds us of something that most comics fans have tended to suppress or misunderstood. Comics have always been a commentary of what is happening in our world. Certainly, the Superman radio series of that day wasn’t subtle about it. And today, we have creators being just as vocal and to the point about what the changes that they need to see in the modern world. Art will always be a commentary on the world it is made in and the world that it wants to exist in. Comics are no different, for good and bad.

 

25 posted on 06/20/2018 6:51:42 PM PDT by Bratch ("The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode
Get back to me when Juan and Muhammad stand-up for 'Truth, Justice, and the AMERICAN way'
26 posted on 06/20/2018 6:55:02 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

I can use the force and send him back. See how fiction works. Now the virtue signalers use fictional characters to “support” their madness?


27 posted on 06/20/2018 6:57:47 PM PDT by Chipper (You can't kill an Obamazombie by destroying the brain...they didn't have one to begin with.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

A hero with cool superpowers is different than hordes of homicidal savages.


28 posted on 06/20/2018 6:58:41 PM PDT by Architect of Avalon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Well only one Superman arrived here. Not two thousand of them everyday demanding to get welfare. Superman assimilated immediately and learned English.


29 posted on 06/20/2018 7:01:40 PM PDT by Flavious_Maximus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Back to Krypton for you.


30 posted on 06/20/2018 7:02:15 PM PDT by Captain Compassion (I'm just sayin')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Technically an illegal alien child adopted by us foster parents.


31 posted on 06/20/2018 7:04:24 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Someone remind DC Comics Superman is a cartoon character.


32 posted on 06/20/2018 7:05:38 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

He was an illegal alien.


33 posted on 06/20/2018 7:06:55 PM PDT by SkyDancer ( ~ Just Consider Me A Random Fact Generator ~ Eat Sleep Fly Repeat ~)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30

His earth parents would have to have stated that he was their natural son. So he was an illegal alien, with no citizenship rights

So as an earlier post stated Superman is a refugee therefore we must accept all refugees. BTW an illegal alien is not necessarily a refugee.


34 posted on 06/20/2018 7:08:03 PM PDT by dirtymac
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Bratch

I still have a giant-sized issue of Superman vs Muhammad Ali. In it Superman teams up with “The Greatest” to fend off an illegal alien invasion.


35 posted on 06/20/2018 7:08:34 PM PDT by LeoTDB69
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Superman is a fictional depiction of a refugee.


36 posted on 06/20/2018 7:12:01 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Spygate's clock began in 2015 - what did President Obama know and when did he know it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KarlInOhio

Knew somebody was going to post that.


37 posted on 06/20/2018 7:19:07 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Superman is a Comic book character ,he’s not Real ,D’oh


38 posted on 06/20/2018 7:22:04 PM PDT by butlerweave
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Hitler was a refugee, too. He snuck into Germany during WWI from Austria to fight in the German Army.


39 posted on 06/20/2018 7:23:19 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EdnaMode

Yeah, but so was Zod, so what’s yer point?


40 posted on 06/20/2018 7:23:36 PM PDT by Texas Eagle (If it wasn't for double-standards, Liberals would have no gstandards at all -- Texas Eagle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson