I’m fine with the change, think its a positive with the times just like ‘American Way’ was something uplifting during war times I’m sure. Then again, I’m anti war and don’t appreciate propaganda, really but I don’t think this effects the character at all or means the motto will never be used again . It probably will be and when it is, people will make it a big story…
I just think its more of a broad marketing move than anything. I’m more… not concerned but like its more important that Superman show his values and what he stands for than having a motto to preach in narration and that should never be lost, his core character.
“My Grandpa almost died in World War II; we don’t have a right to destroy **** that people died for to give us. It’s a bunch of ******* nonsense,” said Eltaeb.
Personally I can relate with this. My Grandfather Rick was a solider in the Vietnam war, my Great Grandfather Richard was a solider in WW2, my Great Great Grandfather Frank was a solider in WW1, and my Great Great Grandfather Asa was a chemical weapons expert in WW1.
They all put their lives on the line for the American way and if any of them died I wouldn’t exist.
dude no disrespect to soldiers, with how the world wars were statistically I think the majority of us here had some relatives there. But what is the American way? its undefined and all the aforementioned wars were fought if not justified for different methods. Is it american to fight Nazis? I’d say yes. self-defense, again yes. But how American was a war over the assassination of a royal family(who far all known purposes seemed like a decent guy) and I would argue the policy of containment at use during the cold war was antithesis of so-called American values argued in the constitution and declaration of independence. My personal thought to many people died in wars. I’m glad your family didn’t die, but too many did.
Finally, I’d like to argue this, I think American soldiers fought for their country highly valued among that, the bill of rights. Superman has the freedom to say whatever he wants. People have the right of expression, including expression of thier sexuality. To deny the first ammendment, a human right of self-expression is as close to un american as you can get, again my ideas.
Allow me to correct a couple of glaring errors in this post.
Most scholarship puts the number of slave owners that signed the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution at about half.
The US Constitution does not mention voting eligibility at all. That decision was left to the states, where it remains to this day. The states in 1789 did mostly mandate that a voter had to be white, male, a landowner and in some cases a Christian. It is not until the 15th Amendment passed in 1870 that the Constitution says you can not limit the vote based on race. Southern states found a way around that by 1877.
The back half of your statement runs closer as to why DC is dropping the slogan. “American Way” is associated with American exceptionalism and working hard and you too will achieve the American Dream and other 20th Century notions that many in our nation today find out of date or worse.
Here is the most famous image involving the American Way taken in Louisville in 1937.
while not all slave owners a vast majority of the founding fathers were rich, or at least upper middle class (you had to be to get a good education) and benefited economically from slave trade.
and lets not pretend just cause the states did voting laws the constitution wasn’t racist. The three fourths clause legaly dehumanized the entire african american community
the ideas of American superiority are ethnocentric and can lead into racism and bigotry which superman has stood against since the 40s
Its not like Superman was shouting ‘the American Way!’ While kicking some villian’s ass every issue. Its a motto that was barely said by Superman himself (I know it has been said just not all the time)
We can’t speak for a fictional character but Clark being a proud American, proud of his values and his heritage as a Kryptonian as well havn’t changed.
If I recall, Supes never said “the american way” in the comics. It was birthed in the TV series in the 50s…during the Red Scare and stuff. New slogan seems more encompassing and global. Guy is literally an alien anyway and not really just protecting American-isms.
I think they changed the slogan to fit the times we’re in, everybody being more inclusive and all the other things this world “thinks” is unfair. Everyone is transitioning to fit in with this generation and the ones after. I don’t really care about the change, I liked the original “American Way” part, but there are so many changes happening to the things I’ve known for so long, it doesn’t really surprise me. I’ve always been more of a fan of the classics, and I’m gen Z, so maybe that says something, idk.
Yes this seems be a common theme but I view the American way as pride for being an American. DC strips it away to be “inclusive” as many suggest with the rest of the globe. However, the other forms of pride say LGBTQ+ also do not include everybody even though more acronyms are added by the year.
Therefore, I don’t think this is about being inclusive. Its about what they want to include vs what they want to exclude and American pride is at the bottom of the pecking order.
This is a general question, but is there a specific example that to you the reader, exemplifies Superman doing things the ‘American Way’ that will now be excluded because its not a part of the motto the character rarely says?
I’d think that, just Marvel as bends over backwards to show instances of Captain America rejecting the American government, there will be an editorial bent at DC that demands stories that go out of their way to show Superman rejecting American society or the American government.
Not that the American government always is always right or has consistently
made good choices, but that message comes off more believably from media outlets that aren’t transparently trying to cultivate their foreign readership
You could be right, Superman is a more global brand now but I don’t think its a drive towards foreign readership ( superhero comics are a largely North American product and that’s not changing ) but rather to have the message sound more inclusive to the times we live in now. Does that mean the ‘American Way’ is discarded? In name, yes but not in practice in my opinion. Superman is still going to fight for truth and Justice and he’s still going to be that farm boy from Kansas who was adopted after crash landing from Krypton. The American values that were instilled can still be very present
But I could be wrong…who knows what the future brings
