http://www.comicbookresources.com/columns/index.cgi?column=thecolumn&article=1376

“So whatever happened to the Man of Tomorrow? My theory is, like all pop icons, his time just came and went. Like Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan, his relevance expired. Because so few of us can remember a time when Superman DIDN’T appear in Hollywood movies and multiple titles every month, we’re fooled into thinking that things will always be the same. But they aren’t. Times change and, like Atari games and winkle-picker shoes, Superman only exists for a dwindling number of followers and the occasional kitsch revival.”

For a Pop icon that just expired, he sure gets his logo tattooed on a hell of lot of people. I don’t see too many Captain America logo’s on T-shirts, but a hell of a lot of people wear that “S” as jewelry, clothes, etc.

Though, I think this was just Mark Millar’s friend trying to explain how Superman just doesn’t matter anymore, but *hint* *hint* Mark Millar would get the character and he would make him relevant again.

That post he did on Mark Millar’s board is eerily similar to a column Millar did on Comic Book Resources.

See, Superman’s catchphrases have insinuated themselves into the public consciousness. Everyone knows them. If you say “Look! Up in the sky!” any American and most other people will be able to finish the comment. But ever since Underdog slipped “It’s a frog!” into that familiar line, writers of Superman (and his parodic progeny) have put little twists on that line, and other lines, for humor value.

It’s true, people can and do take those familiar phrases and put different spins on them in order to make a point. When Thomas Jefferson reworded John Locke’s famous statement of the essential rights–”life, liberty, and property”–substituting “the pursuit of happiness” for the last item, he was making a point, that freedom of personal choice was more important, more unalienable, than property.

But that’s not how it’s been for the last several decades of Superman’s history, and why would it start now? Instead, they’ve done it for humor value. There’s a term (probably a French term) for the humor derived from the tension of an unfinished line, and that’s precisely what Singer & co. did there, just as it’s precisely what the Smallville writers did in the series pilot.

If you’re going to read anything into it, read what Singer explicitly stated: that it was part of a conscious effort to make the movie appeal to more than just Americans.

But to condemn the film for something that’s been done since the ’60s is absurd. I don’t see anyone making the same complaint about the “up in the sky” line, or about Smallville’s frequent use of the same technique, even though it’s the same type of joke. People are reading insult and political commentary where there’s only an attempt at humor. Methinks some dost protest too much.

But, it did make more money than Batman Begins (worldwide) and trailed the last X-Men movie by less then 75 million (worldwide). It only trailed “Last Stand” by roughly 35 million dollars domestically.

Those DVDs of entire seasons of Adventures of Superman, Lois & Clark, and all those cartoons have done quite well for Warner.

As it’s already pointed out, the character has had a hit TV show and is currently starring in a potentially popular cartoon show.

The next Superman movie will have more action and will do blockbuster numbers because of it.

BTW, that character’s books are selling better and generally smoke Captain America, Iron-Man, Thor, and a whole lot of other Marvel characters that “matter more then he does.”

Isn’t Superman also the source for two recent hit TV series that were, at some point, one of the top audience draws on their network? Maybe the problem with Superman isn’t the “ontinuing debasement of the moral and idealistic heart of America” but that audiences want Superman stories that offer something new from the ones they’ve already seen?

And in recent years, I’ve developed a whole new appreciation of Superman. And for his portrayal of just being a plain good guy who just does what needs to be done, I will always have a special place in my heart for Routh’s Superman. He’s the only superhero ultimately untouched by cynicism, and even a cynical curmudgeon like myself appreciates that.

Millar’s Ultimate Cap is almost an indictment of the Bush Administration’s policies. Meanwhile, Civil War has turned 616 Cap into an insurgent.

Superman is the American Dream. Immigrating, assimilating and succeeding.

Don’t confuse an “ok” movie and couple of crappy creative teams on Action Comics with utter irrelevancy.

F’reals.