This page is divided into the following sections:
- Introduction / Superman's religious affiliation
- The religiosity of Clark Kent on the 1980s Superboy TV series
- The religiosity of Clark Kent on the Smallville TV series
- More about Superman's Kryptonian religious beliefs
- Additional published excerpts from Superman comics illustrating the character's religious background
- The wedding of Clark Kent and Lois Lane
- Batman asks Superman about his death and subsequent resurrection
- Additional articles about Superman's Jewish roots
- Superman as Nietzsche's Ubermensch
- Additional articles about Superman's religious affiliation
- Superman's politics
- Discussion and opinion
- Related Articles on Other Websites

Introduction / Superman's religious affiliation

Superman is the archetypal costumed super-hero. He is clearly the most influential character in the comic book super-hero genre. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster [often mis-spelled "Joe Schuster"], both of whom were Jewish. The character of Superman, however, has always been depicted as having been raised with a solidly Protestant upbringing by his adoptive Midwestern parents - Jonathan and Martha Kent. Of Clark's parents, Martha is the more devout churchgoer.

Clark Kent was raised as a Methodist. While growing up in Smallville, Kansas, Clark Kent attended Sunday church services at the local Methodist church with his mother, Martha Kent, every week until he was fourteen years old. These aspects of the character are not speculative, but are canonical - established by in-continuity published DC Comics. Action Comics #850 (August 2007), for example, identifies Methodism by name as the denomination that Clark Kent and his mother attended.

Jonathan also raised his adopted son with staunch Protestant values, but Jonathan has never been much of a churchgoer. Clark stopped attending church services when his super-hearing, X-ray vision and other super senses began developing. As Clark later told his wife, Lois Lane, he stopped attending services becaues he "knew too much about their lives -- their problems -- their lies... [he] was afraid" that he might lose his faith in people. So he decided to distance himself from such close-contact, frequent congregational worship and put his faith in "the best that humanity has to offer" (Action Comics #849, July 2007).

As shown in a number of published comics, including Superman: A Man For All Seasons, the adult Clark Kent continued to visit and consult with the minister at his family church, even after he had begun his career as Superman. This does not mean, however, that the adult Superman attends weekly church services (he does not). If asked if he is a Methodist, the adult Superman would not answer "no," but he would defer answering such a pointedly denominational question by suggesting that he respects people of all faiths and backgrounds and considers himself a servant of all humanity.

Superman's Moses-like origin and his Midwestern WASP-ish (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) persona are widely regarded as a symbol of Jewish assimilation. Children of immigrant Jews, Siegel and Shuster were not unlike many in their generation in their desire to fit in to the general goyim population. The creation of Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent was a manifestation of the desire by Siegel and Shuster to "pass" in mainstream population and also to assert control in a world that had often left them feeling powerless, such as when Siegel's father was murdered.

As is often the case with a character or franchise of extraordinary longevity, Superman has been reconceived multiple times ("retconned" in comic book parlance). Throughout all of his incarnations, Superman has maintained his rural Midwestern Protestant upbringing, although rarely have the words "Protestant" or "Christian" been explicitly attached to his background.

Superman is sometimes spoken of as being "Jewish." This may be an attempt to honor the fact that the writer and artist who created the character were Jewish. However, no textual support exists in any of the published comics, novels, films or TV series episodes to support the notion that the character of Superman is actually Jewish.

Above: Influential Superman writer/artist John Byrne rather overtly invoked the character's strongly Protestant Christian background in this scene. Jonathan Kent, the father of Superboy, tells his son that he prayed for him during a recent crisis. The father and super-powered son are framed in front of a Christian church (note the cross on the tower or steeple in the background). Later on this same page, Superman mentions "the solid, moral foundation my foster parents gave" him.

Elliot S! Maggin, an observant Jew who is one of Superman's most popular and influential contemporary chroniclers, stated in a 1998 interview that Clark Kent and the entire family are Methodists. Although possibly not "canonical" at the time that Maggin gave this interview, this notion appeared already to have widespread support and subsequently grew in popularity. Many writers and fans believed this denominational affiliation best captures and explains the character as he has been portrayed over the years. For example, popular comic book writer Mark Millar (Superman Adventures; Superman: Red Son) has written that Superman is a Methodist. Curt Swan, one of the best-known and most influential Superman artists, was raised Presbyterian but also attended Methodist churches while growing up (see: http://theages.superman.ws/swan.php). With the publication of Action Comics #850 in June 2007, the Methodist denominational affiliation of the Kent family was explicitly and overtly established, if it had not already been so.

Above: Superman with artist Curt Swan. From: "I Flew With Superman!", published in Superman Annual #9, DC Comics: New York City (1983), page 7; written by Curt Swan, Cary Bates and Elliot S! Maggin; art by Curt Swan.

Maggin also said that Superman adheres to "a Kryptonian-based belief system centered on monotheistic philosophy." There is widespread agreement that, based on the lack of any depiction of congregational membership or church activity in his comic stories, Superman has not been a regular churchgoer as an adult. Superman has, however, occasionally visited clergymen of various Christian denominations for purposes of counsel, guidance, or confession. As an adult, Superman has been depicted many times praying.

Action Comics #s 848-849 (June-July 2007, written by Fabian Nicieza) proivde a good overview of many of Superman's feelings about religion in contemporary comics. Not only does this two-part story explicitly point out that Superman attended weekly church services with his mother at a Protestant church in Smallville until the time he was fourteen years old, this story also reveals many other thoughts Superman has about religion. In battling "Redemption (a.k.a. Jarod Dale, a super-powered Protestant missionary), Superman thinks to himself (Action Comics #849, page 6):

I would really rather not turn this into me vs. God. I don't like those odds. This is about a good -- if misguided -- young man who needs to control his actions. . . even if those actions are guided by his beliefs . . . No. I have no problem with relgion. I have a problem with abusing one's power in the name of anything.

Later in this same story, Superman seeks advice from an old friend: Barbara Johnson, a devout Protestant woman who runs the Community Angels Outreach Center in Metropolis, and he prays that Jarod Dale and his family will make the right choice about what to do next (Action Comics #849, pages 10-11, 16). In talking with Barbara Johnson, Superman explains how his experiences has shaped some of his thinking about faith:

...religions have different tenets of belief... The things I've seen . . . The places I've been . . . It enables me -- forces me -- to put certain things into perspective... [things such as] the beliefs of one faith over another. Out there was a planet named Tamaran. They worshipped the goddess X'hal. There is a planet called Rann. They believe science answers all questions. I've fought against and alongside beings who call themselves "New Gods" as well as "old gods" of Greek myth . . . Ares and Zeus. The very gods who were worshipped for centuries by countless thousands . . .

Above: Superman leads a prayer and reads from the Bible at the funeral of a friend: "Into thy hands we commend his spirit!" (This funeral is for Larry Lance, who was the husband of Superman's JSA teammate Dinah Lance, a.k.a. "Black Canary." Larry was killed trying to protect his wife from an attack by the space-creature Aquarius.) [Image source: comic book panel posted at http://www.superdickery.com/oneshot/7.html.]

From: Bruce Bachand, "Interview: Elliot S! Maggin", published in Fanzing (The Independent Online DC Comics Fan Magazine) Issue #9, August 1998 (http://www.fanzing.com/mag/fanzing09/iview.shtml; viewed 6 December 2005):

Elliot S! Maggin was the principal scriptwriter for DC Comics' Superman titles during the 1970's up until the mid-1980's. He has written two Superman novels (Last Son Of Krypton and Miracle Monday, both which are currently out of print) as well as numerous other stories, articles, interviews and projects. One of his most recent publications is the novel KINGDOM COME (which is available through Warner Books) which came out in February 1998. It is based on the very successful DC comic book mini-series KINGDOM COME by Mark Waid and Alex Ross. (It is well worth mentioning that Ross contributes a number of new painted illustrations to the Maggin novel!). Sales have been steady for the Maggin novelization. It is over one hundred thousand words full of action, characterization, and plot sculpting.

BRUCE BACHAND [interviewer]: Do you see Superman as a man who prays and/or worships God regularly? If so, what would the Man of Steel pray about from your perspective?

Elliot S! Maggin: I give all my characters religions. I think I always have. It's part of the backstory. It's part of the process of getting to know a character well enough to write about him or her. Jimmy Olson is Lutheran. Lois is Catholic. Perry is Baptist. Luthor is Jewish (though non-observant, thank heaven). Bruce and Batman are both Episcopalian and I said so in the text though it was edited out erroneously. Clark - like the Kents - is Methodist. Superman is something else, but I never did buy all that Kryptonian "Great Rao" nonsense. I do think Superman essentially adheres to a kind of interplanetary-oriented Kryptonian-based belief system centered on monotheistic philosophy, and I've got some ideas about it that I haven't yet articulated other than as backstory. I think Superman is too humble to ask for things in prayer, but I think he prays by rote, and constantly, the way some of us talk to ourselves in the shower.

From: Mark Millar, "Superman: Red Son", published 27 April 2003 in Sunday Times in Scotland (http://toothwatch.tripod.com/redson1.html; viewed 10 January 2006):

Mark Millar wrote a feature article about his upcoming three part prestige format Elseworlds mini series Superman: Red Son, published by DC Comics.

I started at the beginning and went straight for the jugular. Instead of Superman's rocket ship crash landing in the wheat fields of Kansas, Superman: Red Son details his landing on a Soviet collective farm somewhere in Ukraine. Instead of being raised by simple, Methodist farming folk, he is raised during the cold war with an appreciation for Karl Marx and a devotion to Comrade Stalin. Instead of making his big trip to the fictional New York of Metropolis, he makes his way to Moscow to become not only the darling of the 1950s communist elite, but also the country's primary defence initiative...

Writing such a story, which starts with a simple high concept in the 1950s and brings us up to date (where Superman narrates the whole thing shortly before his suicide), was always going to be a laugh. Playing around with reversals on this kind of scale was really my only original intention, but events in the real world were having a bigger influence on my plans. People say that all the best science fiction is really a commentary on how we live today, so this alternate history I was creating was becoming more and more about what America was becoming, particularly in light of a few hanging chads in a Florida polling booth. Here was a country that had become an empire. Like Superman's fictional Soviet Union, it was making pre-emptive strikes on infinite targets until the whole world bowed before the orthodoxy of its single religion and nobody was powerful enough to stand in its way. Just as Superman's existence causes Stalin to proclaim that there was only one real superpower now, events in the real world created a hyper-powered America, which, I fear, might only just be beginning to flex its muscles. The more I was writing, the more I realised this was a cautionary tale for America... Superman: Red Son had become an Orwellian fable of what happens when too much power ends up in one pair of hands and when huge power goes unchecked. In the series, we lament the cold war stalemate because the zealotry of an individual nation was always neutralised by the nuclear triggers of the enemy. But how do you stop a man who could take a Polaris missile on the chin? Similarly, how do you stop a man who declares a war on evil when he's backed up by more weapons than the rest of the world combined?

From: Joe Williams, "A Super Symbol", published 25 June 2006 in St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertainment/stories.nsf/movies/story/8618BC11277299708625719600324FB8?OpenDocument; viewed 25 June 2006):

Like Elvis Presley, he's a pop-culture icon that can be stretched to fit different points of view. Because Superman was created by two Jews, and the character fought against the Nazis before the United States officially entered World War II, some academics have interpreted him as a modern Moses or a golem, a mythical creature that will rise up to save the Jewish people from annihilation.

Others counter that Superman is the very embodiment of Midwestern values and probably a Methodist.

Above: Although he comes from a Protestant background, Superman is apparently flexible in his Christianity. In the story arc "Superman: For Tomorrow," which appeared Superman issues 209 through 215, Superman spends considerable time visiting a Catholic priest for confessional and later returning to further counsel with the clergyman. The image on the left above, depicting Superman standing before a statue of Jesus Christ on the cross in a Catholic church, is from Superman issue #209, published by DC Comics: New York (2004), page 13. The issue was written by Brian Azzarello, with pencils by Jim Lee and inks by Scott Williams. The image on the right, depicting Superman with the priest he has come to confide in, is from page 28 of the same issue. From: Action Comics #591, DC Comics: New York City (August 1987), written and illustrated by John Byrne, page 20; reprinted in Superman: The Man of Steel, Vol. 4 trade paperback, DC Comics: New York City (2005), page 133.

Superman's religious affiliation was mentioned in Newsweek. (Steven Waldman and Michael Kress, "BeliefWatch: Good Fight", published in Newseek, cover-dated 19 June 2006, page 12):

From: Jake Tapper, "'How Gay is Superman?' Or Jewish. Or Christ-Like. The Battle to Claim Superman as an Icon", published 19 June 2006 on ABCNews.com website (http://sendtofriend.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=2094503; viewed 20 June 2006):

...truth be told, Superman in the comics has always been vaguely Methodist, recently marrying Lois Lane in a church.

From: Julia Baird, "A Sunday sermon from Superman", published 22 June 2006 in The Sydney Morning Herald (http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/a-sunday-sermon-from-superman/2006/06/21/1150845241006.html; viewed 21 June 2006):

Some say [Superman] is Jewish, as he was created by two Jewish cartoonists and could be viewed as part of the golem myth...

The scholarly consensus, though, seems to be that he must be Methodist, largely because Clark Kent was brought up in the American Midwest...

Like Maggin, John Byrne is one of Superman's most popular and influential chroniclers. It was Byrne who was charged with the re-creating Superman from the ground up for post-Crisis continuity. Byrne's take on the character is an influential one. Byrne's description of Superman's religiosity is an attempt to distill how this aspect of the character has been portrayed over many decades, and not an attempt to inject anything new or different. From: "Religious Beliefs of Marvel Characters" forum discussion page, started 20 October 2004, on Comic-Forum.com website (http://www.comic-forum.com/marvel/Religious_beliefs_of_Marvel_characters_397905.html; viewed 10 January 2006):

John Byrne
14 May 2004 at 4:31 am

There are no specific editorial instructions, that I am aware of, dictating the religiosity of characters -- but I would assume the populations of the imaginary worlds are religious in the same numbers, the same faiths, as here. Superheroes would therefore be no different.

Raised in the Bible Belt, for instance, I always imagined Superman to have a fairly matter-of-fact attitude toward faith -- he believes in God, but he does not make a big deal about it. Wonder Woman obviously believes in her gods, since she has met them! (That is a central theme of my novel, Wonder Woman: Gods and Goddesses.)

From: Michael C. Lorah, "Doug TenNapel on Black Cherry" (interview), published 16 May 2007 on Newsarama (http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=112821; viewed 28 June 2007):

NRAMA: Faith and mentors seem to be big themes in much of your work, and it looks like Eddie has both in Father McHugh. [Editor: "Eddie" and "Father McHugh" are two of the central characters in Black Cherry] Why do find these themes continually inspiring?

DT [Doug TenNapel]: Ask any person about what they think about God and you will get an amazing story. It won't just be any old story either, it will likely cut straight to the core of who that person is. It's so bizarre to me that this most personal, dramatic, amazing story device is getting pressure to be removed by story-telling industries... including the supposedly progressive comics industry.

The fact that Superman was born and raised in Kansas by conservative farmers yet he never even talks about the Bible stinks to high hell to me. It's idiotic and it ends up making these characters less human instead of more. Superman has exactly dick to do with any "Smallville" I've ever been to. This is why I actually LOVED the Red Son Superman so much; they finally gave us a contrast of what would happen if Superman didn't carry Kansas in his worldview. More of this! Less of draining worldviews and philosophies out of comics! Especially worldviews that are considered "anti-comic" like certain conservative ones.

It is the pulp nature of comics that makes is such an incredibly powerful medium. I don't think you could get funding to make a Red Son Superman movie with a 250-million-dollar budget, but you could do a limited-run book series to explore a philosophy... no harm done.

It's why I laugh so hard at a vocal minority in comics that just freaks out if my characters bring up Jesus Christ. They don't freak out if a character says the word "____" or decides to be gay in a series, but if Spiderman ever converted to Christianity these critics would have a period. I thought we were farther along than that in the discussion and debate department of comics. I'm shocked at the level of groupthink within a medium that should be anything but a monolith of worldview. There should be a robust debate of worldviews within comics... it's why I so look forward to Frank Miller's Batman vs. Islamic terror. That kind of material should be the norm not the controversial rarity that it is.

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[From reader comments section:]

05-16-2007, 06:15 PM
grayhulk76

Doug wasn't saying Supes should be preachy or something, just some small acknowledgement by those who produce his works, that Christianity plays a part in his upbringing, especially being from where he was raised in Kansas, and since we know he never had issues with the beliefs of his human step-parents. I thought Superman for all Season was cool in this respect, showing Supes at church and getting help from a preacher. Is it a sin for Supes to be shown once in a while carrying or reading a bible for instance? I think ASM 3 as well as in the previous two showed good scenes incorporating religion, so its not all hopeless.

I mean, what's so bad showing a superhero of reciting the Kaddish at a funeral, or a Roman Catholic Latin Rite Mass, or a Moslem during daily prayers, and prostrating himself, or a Buddhist performing his rituals and burning insense...

So many superhero stories take place in Tibet, yet no one ever goes to a temple to take part in ritual. Ironically the Dalai Lama has been forced out of Tibet by the communists and yet no comic book stories ever address this fact. very sad that this is so ignored. All religions practice a form of meditation yet one mostly sees eastern forms of meditation and never western forms of meditation.

What the heck is everyone so afraid of anyway? That's what the BIG PICTURE is folks.

From: "Doug TenNapel on Black Cherry" forum discussion, started 16 May 2007 on "The Engine" website (http://the-engine.net/forum/lmessages.php?webtag=ENGINE&msg=8767.1; viewed 28 June 2007):

[Discussing the interview conducted by Michael C. Lorah with comic book writer Doug TenNapel for Newsarama, 16 May 2007, posted here: http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=112821]

From: ivan brandon
16 May 17:39

...in general I think he's [Doug TenNapel] right on most of it, otherwise. I'm not religious, but people get ridiculously uncomfortable with Christian anything in comics, which is odd. I can see being anti-propaganda, but why a character shouldn't have different religious views than a reader... I dunno - Superman probably WOULD be raised Christian. But the other side to that, which he's not taking into account is, not everyone raised Christian IS Christian (or whatever else) forever.

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From: CaseyMoore
16 May 18:06

I think he [Doug TenNapel] makes some valid points there.

As for Superman though, it reminds me of a friend of mine. He grew up in a very small town in Wisconsin. When he took me there I was amazed at how small and redneck the place was. But, unlike a lot of his friends from there who are the typical small town types, my friend's parents took him around the world (his dad was from India to start off with, so that alone set him apart from everyone). Superman is the same way, while he may have a conservative Christian background, traveling around the world and the cosmos would change one's "worldview."

But, I would like to see a character go the complete opposite. Say Reed Richards coming out as an atheist. Would TenNapel be willing to accept that is what I wonder?

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From: Skipper Pickle
16 May 18:59

re: Say Reed Richards coming out as an atheist. Would TenNapel be willing to accept that is what I wonder?

Given that he [Doug TenNapel] professes an appreciation for Superman: Red Son [which depicts Superman being raised as a devout Communist], I would think so.

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From: Rantz Hoseley (RANTZ)
16 May 20:24

...Yeah I agree in that it depends on how it's done. I grew up in a nutjob extreme fundamentalist environment, with all of the horrors that implies, so I tend to have a admittedly knee-jerk reaction when it comes to Christians as an organized religon.

That said, Terry Moore's depiction of David in Strangers in Paradise struck me as well done because his fath was simply an aspect of who he was. It wasn't a screed bound for converting the masses, and it didn't make him perfect, or unable to have the pleasures of the flesh be appealling... it was 'organic' for lack of a better word. So many times, these things get made into issues that it BECOMES the character, rather than adding a facet to him/her/it.

I agree that it is very odd that in Superman's upbringing in rural America, there's no church potlucks, no church on Sundays... that's part and parcel of small town life in America. And, like I was saying, faith could be yet another layer of naturalistic realism, rather than being a propaganda tool.

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From: Jonathan Hickman (JHICKMAN)
16 May 20:35

Well, considering he's a Christ archetype to begin with, those small town churches better be glad he didn't show up or he'd have eyebeamed that place sraight to hell... MONEYCHANGERS!

And I was raised Southern Baptist, so I got the good stuff early on. LOL.

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From: Russell Lissau
16 May 20:43

Stories waiting to be told, I suppose...

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From: Matthew Craig
16 May 21:05

...There's a difference between Survivor's Guilt ("I shouldn't be here") and Catholic Guilt ("Everything's My Fault").

Hasn't six years of "Spider-Man: Addle-brained Prophet Of The Spider-God OMM" taught us ANYTHING?

Isn't it ENOUGH that these characters - and I include Uncle Ben, Pa Kent, Martha Wayne, etcetera etcetera etcetera in this - are great humanitarians? Great believers in the brotherhood of Man?

I mean, surely some of them - and yes, I'm thinking of Spider-Man in particular, and I'm aware of the irony in being evangelical about the character - are ALL THE BETTER for not being tied down to narrow notions of - of - of ANYTHING?

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From: Chris Farnsworth
16 May 21:37

There's a great sketch (somewhere, I can't find the thing now) of how Superman started out as Moses/David in the Golden Age -- Jewish orphan becomes warrior-king -- and by the Silver Age, had turned into Christ -- Jewish child of foster parents becomes savior of the world.

But I would say it's not too surprising that you don't see more of Superman's Christianity because of his upbringing. As WE remarked with The High in Stormwatch, people forget that farmers are political, too. There was a very strong progressive streak in rural politics, and it still comes out occasionally. (My grandfather, for instance, was a rancher and cattleman, and yet was a committed progressive in a town of fewer than 100 people.)

That said, there are some stories from the 70s and 80s -- Sword of Superman comes to mind -- where the connection between Superman and the Judeo-Christian God is made explicit.

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From: Alex Cox
17 May 1:30

Er, having come from Smallville (and one even deeper in the Bible Belt than Kansas), I have to take issue with the assertion that everyone who grows up on a farm is supposed to walk around talking about Jesus all the time.

Even if he was raised in a church, there's a nice tradition of not evangelizing (or discussing faith at all) among a lot of rural folk.

You can use me as an example of that phenomenon.

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From: Jared Good (JAREDGOOD1)
17 May 16:41

I'll second that. I grew up on a family farm in Wyoming with the nearest town's population being just shy of 500. Most of the neighboring farmers were not the stereotypical rural church goers. I think the main reason for this is that Sunday is just another work day for most farmers. We really couldn't justify losing much of the work day to church.

The town folk were another story. They fit much more into the rural stereotype then the farmers/ranchers (but that's something you can do when you have a 9-5 Monday-Friday job).

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[http://the-engine.net/forum/lmessages.php?webtag=ENGINE&msg=8767.21]

From: Jason A. Quest (JAQ)
17 May 2:56

Coincidentally, there's a bit in today's issue of a certain long-running series [referring to Action Comics #849], in which the hero [Superman] and his mother talk briefly about when he stopped going to church with her and his father, at the age of 14. Also a bit of bland ecumenical "all faiths are true if you're true to your faith" pablum.

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From: Tom Muller (HELLOMULLER)
17 May 15:53

Not to sound rude or anything... But How would Superman be a Christian when he's an alien that crash landed on earth? Surely if his parents were Christian, the simple fact that an ALIEN FALLS IN YOUR BACKYARD is reason enough to go "waitaminnit! This wasn't in the Bible!"

And besides - there's been enough Superman comics where Kryptonian legends/religions are mentioned, which he's more likely to believe...

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From: Jack Feerick (JACKFEAR)
17 May 16:49

re: Surely if his parents were Christian, the simple fact that an ALIEN FALLS IN YOUR BACKYARD is reason enough to go "waitaminnit! This wasn't in the Bible!"

Some other things that aren't in the Bible: democracy, the internal combustion engine, sushi, grand pianos, SCUBA gear, the printing press, microscopes, performance art, antibiotics, transistors, mass communications, TNT, lacy underwear, Texas barbecue, and comic books.

The existence of these things, and countless others, doesn't seem to shake the worldview of most Christians. Might I suggest that perhaps they're a bit less fragile than you've been led to believe?

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From: Tom Muller (HELLOMULLER)
17 May 17:07

Yes. But now add alien beings to that list, and then it gets interesting. As far as the Bible is concerned we're all alone. [Editor: The Bible doesn't say this at all. This poster seems to have an extremly limited knowledge of the Bible and Christian belief.] The insertion of an alien kind of undermines that idea, no?

I can understand talking about Spider-Man or Daredevil being religious, but Superman - how messianic he might seem as an alien from another planet.

I'm just asking myself (out loud on the engine): If Ma and Pa Kent were Christian and all of a sudden they find an alien, how their religion would cope with that?

And yes, Red Son is an excellent "What If?" story that somewhat addresses these issues.

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From: Mike Tymczyszyn (MIKETYMCZYSZYN)
17 May 17:32

I think if they were going to introduce any sort of religion into the Superman mythos, it might be simply the "Church of Superman." He's already fairly messianic, running around saving the world over and over, didn't they point to this in Kingdom Comes? What's to prevent someone, good intentioned or otherwise, from creating a faith based around Krypton's favorite son?

The issue of whether he was raised Christian or not is possibly interesting territory for a story, but to have him espouse right wing views at every turn would be a marked departure from his belief that everyone is worth saving, not just the members of a "Terran" belief construct.

I was raised Christian (or at least my mom tried) I don't consider myself to be one any longer, in truth I don't think I ever did, and I haven't seen a fraction of a percentage of what Kal El sees daily. Belief in an archaic control mechanism (my personal view of all organized religions) would have to be shot to hell by being able to fly, wouldn't it? He might believe in a higher power, but certainly I think planting him within an established religion, any religion would sound phoney. Agnostic views are probably as strong as he can get, given that he must have some idea that he suffers from a Savior Complex. Unless he wants to start thinking Jor El was God, he has to see some problems with these notions.

I mean to offense to anyone on this board, and certainly do not hope to instill any personal bias I may have on anyone else. Just wanted to toss in my 2 cents.

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From: Jason A. Quest (JAQ)
17 May 18:16

re: I'm just asking myself...: If Ma and Pa Kent were Christian and all of a sudden they find an alien, how their religion would cope with that?

The same way earlier Christians coped with the discovery of people living on the other side of the world, who seemingly could not have descended from Adam. Or archaeological evidence that humans were descended from ape-like creatures. Or that the Earth was a 4-billion-year-old rock orbiting a star. Or that most diseases were caused by microorganisms. Or that recently-dead people could be revived. Or that people can be inherently homosexual. Or any of countless other discoveries that were alien to their pre-existing worldview.

Historically, they've either accepted new information and incorporated into their concept of a universe that God created, or they've denied that it was really true. Christians (and Muslims, Jews, Hindus, etc.) are all pretty good at coping with challenges of this sort to their faith. And I have little doubt that many Christians would respond to the discovery of intelligent alien life with an expanded admiration for the wonders of God's Creation, and a fervent desire to share with these people the good news of His promise of salvation. It might shake their beliefs, but it wouldn't necessarily break them.

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From: Alex Cox (ALEXCOX)
17 May 19:58

I'm gonna have to bust out a serious nerdgasm on y'all, but Superman, for the better part of the fifties up through Crisis, worships the Kryptonian Sun God RAO.

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From: Garrett_Farrelly (GARRETTFARRELLY)
17 May 20:11

Here's the thing about superhuman characters and religion. By their very nature as "more than man" I think they'd develop religious followings. Why pray to some ancient god of the Old Testament when Superman is saving you RIGHT NOW? I know there's occasionally some story about some misguided soul founding a "Church of Superman" or whatever in the comics, but they're always portrayed as complete crazies. There would be a religion devoted to Superman.

And not just him. Look at urban legends, urban mytho-constructs like "Bloody Mary" and the homeless children's religions in Miami. You think there wouldn't be mystical devotion and focus around a character like Batman?

If more superhero stuff dealt with those topics as well as approached religion, and the lack thereof, in mature ways I'd be more inclined to read it.

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From: Bru (EDBRUBAKER)
17 May 20:26

Having actually lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere for years, I call bullsh--.

Being a farmer from Kansas doesn't automatically mean you grow up Christian. Most of the farm kids I saw were growing up a--holes, honestly, and just wanted out of [that small town]. There's a lot of religion out there in the sticks, for sure, but it's not as pervasive and crammed down your throat as you'd think.

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From: seangrimm
18 May 7:04

I only skimmed through the comments here. Sorry, I'm a lazy reader. So excuse me if anyone brought up anything I say below.

There seems to be some kind of separation put between Gay and Christian by TenNapel. It isn't a choice of one or the other, you can be a homosexual and love Jesus. Albeit a character in a comic book with superpowers that is a gay Christian is less likely to receive the same level of damage their real world counterpart gets. Sexuality and Religion are forever linked by this Red and Blue mentality where one this is right, one thing is wrong and there exists no compromise.

I wouldn't have a problem with a comic character being Christian. What I'd have a problem with was a comic character being the type of Christian that forces it down your throat. An example would be if Superman went around quoting scripture before he punched out a bad guy and while said bad guy is lying limp on the ground he would crack a one-liner such as, "If you had believed in Jesus this would have never happened." Something of that zealous nature would make me throw up a little in my mouth and go back to the comic store demanding a refund. If Supes walked into a church and prayed in a pew, or if it was revealed he prayed to Mecca that wouldn't bother me one bit.

Bringing something to public discussion by way of a comic storyline is fine, but what it should not be is active recruitment propaganda as if preaching one right answer to the question of religion. A lot of people seem to think there is one right answer, and that is when trouble starts.

Just to frame my comments my own religious background is that I was raised Christian. Sunday school and church every week, all the way up to Confirmation. However by that point I had developed into ever the cynical little bastard and was muttering to myself throughout the ceremony what a crock this was and wanted to get home to play video games and out of the stupid robe. It should be obvious at that point I switched into Atheism but I owe some percentage of my moral values to Christianity. I'd say only 3% the other 97% was shaped by my mother.

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[http://the-engine.net/forum/lmessages.php?webtag=ENGINE&msg=8767.41]

From: jason (JASONACASKEY)
18 May 10:07

I remember that in the Byrne-run of Superman the theory the Kents had formed was that the baby in the rocket might be an alien, or it might actually be some sort of sick Soviet experiment, so I don't think that such an incredible event would nessesarily cause them to question whatever faith they held.

I live in a tiny Midwestern town in Iowa, very much like Smallville. I can say with authority that while many people here are Christian, its not so strange to find someone who isn't. It's kind of narrow minded to assume that if we live in the Midwest we MUST be Christian.

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From: Justin Jordan (JUSTINJORDAN)
18 May 13:03

It'd make sense that people would establish the Church of Superman, absolutely.

"I haven't seen a fraction of a percentage of what Kal El sees daily"

See, there's a thing about religion and the DC (or Marvel) universe; Superman has gotten in fistfights with Angels. Reed Richards has stormed Heaven to grab his buddy.

While there's an argument to be made that the individual characters might not worship a particular god, they'd have to be reasonably mental not to believe they exist.

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From: Ken McFadden (CAMYNNEK)
18 May 13:53

I always enjoy TenNapel's work and will be picking this [Black Cherry] up when it comes out, regardless of Superman's religious leanings.

From: Steven Waldman and Michael Kress, "Beliefwatch: Good Fight", published in Newsweek, 19 June 2006 issue (posted online on 12 June 2006: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13249146/site/newsweek/; simultaneously posted on BeliefNet.com under headline "Holy Superheroes": http://www.beliefnet.com/story/193/story_19306_1.html; viewed 14 June 2006):

[Sub-heading:] With a new Superman movie due out soon, the pressing question is: What faiths do our comic-book heroes practice?

June 19, 2006 issue - Is the Man of Steel a man of faith?

The upcoming "Superman" movie has sent fans picking over primary sources. Jews have often claimed the archetypal superhero as their own. Superman sprang from the imaginations of two Jewish cartoonists, and scholars have compared him to the golem myth -- the supernatural creature who vanquishes the Jews' enemies (early on, Superman battled the Nazis directly).

Most fans believe the man from Krypton is a Methodist, an opinion divined from Clark Kent's Midwestern upbringing. But there's another possibility. In the original 1978 movie and the new one, the superhero's father tells him: "They can be a great people ... They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all -- their capacity for good -- I've sent them you, my only son."

Yes, Superman is a Christ figure.

"A heavenly father sends his only son to save the Earth; in his mission or ministry, he will fight for truth and justice; he will die and be resurrected; he will ascend into heaven, and now is the time of his second coming," says Stephen Skelton, author of a new book "The Gospel According to the World's Greatest Superhero." "This is the story of Superman."...

[Photo Caption:] Super Religious: Some say Superman's a Christ figure ... or Jewish

It should be emphasized that the classification of the "Superman" character as a Methodist is in no way based on the fact that actor Brandon Routh, who played "Superman in the 2006 feature film, is a Methodist. This is simply an irrelevant coincidence. The most one could say about this is that director Bryan Singer sensed in Routh a person with the same vibe or essence that he felt when reading about Superman in the comic books. The identification of a comic book character's religious affiliation is never based on the religious affiliation of the actors who portray the character. Nor is the religious affiliation of the writers who chronicle the character's stories a determining factor, although it may be informative.

Above: Scene from Action Comics #1 (June 1938), page 4. It is interesting to note that the very first comic book ever to feature Superman - Action Comics #1 - features a Christian clergyman. The clergyman appears in one panel in a scene in a prison where Superman has managed to get the governor to stop the execution of an innocent woman. Although there are no recorded cases of an innocent person being executed by the U.S. legal system in the 20th Century, this was clearly a topic on the mind of Siegel and Shuster. It is not clear whether Superman can be considered a death penalty opponent here. He might be, or he might simply be preventing the execution of an innocent. Incidentally, there were no Jews (rabbis, clergy or otherwise) depicted in Action Comics #1. Even Jewish names were studiously avoided in all of the early issues of comics featuring Superman. Siegel and Shuster instead populated these comics with characters with Italian, Irish, Christian, English, Protestant, Scottish, German, Catholic, etc. names.

From: Christopher Sannes, review of Superman for all Seasons (written by Jewish writer Jeph Loeb, art by Tim Sale), posted on "Christopher Sannes' Virtual Reading List & Blog" website (http://www.chris.sannes.net/posts/00000035.html; viewed 1 December 2005):

Superman for all Seasons delivers on this promise surprisingly well, granting the reader an inside look into the tale of a superhero who comes of age, told from the point of view of Jonathan Kent, Lois Lane, Lex Luther, and Lana Lang. The graphic novel is divided into four parts, named after each season of a year, and metaphorically representing the seasons of our lives.

Part 1, Spring is narrated by Pa Kent and outlines his struggle in coming to terms with his special adopted son. In this version Clark slowly comes into his powers and is actually relatively normal until his senior year of high school. Thus it's a slow discovery that the whole family learns to cope with. Like in the Smallville TV series, Clark learns of new abilities rescuing someone from a tornado.

After the twister, Clark feels he should have done more to save the town from destruction. He talks to his pastor, Pastor Linquist, posing the question --"Pastor, what if one man --just one man-- could've stopped all this destruction? And he didn't..." (p. 41) His pastor somewhat dismissively replies that we each respond according to our gifts, but that in the end when God sets a course no one can stop it. This provides a rare glimpse into the spirituality of the Kents, and paints a kind of generic Protestant religious background. Slightly earlier in the narrative, we find out that Martha is the devout one in the family, while Jonathan "didn't put too much stake in being a churchgoing sort." (p. 29)

Spiritual or not, Clark really grapples with the question of how best to use his gifts. In this story, Clark confides in Lana and tells her of his super-powers. The revelation is bittersweet however, since Clark's conviction that he must use his gifts for good means that he will leave her, and leave Smallville...

In [the Part 2, Summer] section of the story, we discover that Clark's Fortress of Solitude is Smallville. He flies home to spend time with his parents and regroup. Ironically, Clark is famous in Smallville for being Clark, not Superman. As Pastor Linquist relates to Clark in a kind moment, "We're probably the only town in Kansas that gets The Daily Planet every morning at the general store... Nobody from Smallville has done what you've done." (p. 92)...

Part 4, Winter is told by Lana Lang. In this chapter we discover that Lana's dream had been to marry Clark --finding out his secret and his plans to leave crushed her dreams. Having previously left home to wander the world alone, she returns to Smallville and helps Clark come to terms with his limitations and his gifts. The graphic novel truly transcends the genre here as the real struggle is won when Clark takes action to save his parents and Lana from a flood that hits Smallville. Adding a spiritual dimension, the family attends a vigil where Pastor Linquist reflects on the seasons of a life, their meaning, and how our choices define our lives...

PUBLISHER: DC Comics, New York, 1999. ISBN: 1-56389-529-3.

One of the few instances in comics in which Superman has been explicitly shown to be a Protestant Christian was in the influential "Superman For All Seasons" story. From: Terry Mattingly, "Comic book visionaries", nationally syndicated "On Religion" column, 5 November 2003 (http://tmatt.gospelcom.net/column/2003/11/05/; viewed 1 December 2005):

"Anyone who knows where to look can find plenty of examples of faith in the comics and the culture that surrounds them," [Leo Partible, an independent movie producer, graphic artist and writer] said. "There is darkness there, but lots of light, too."

Thus, in the influential "Superman For All Seasons," a young Clark Kent turns to his pastor for help as he struggles to discern what to do with his life and unique abilities.

...merely by observation you cannot deduce Superman's politics. On the one hand, he comes from a two-parent churchgoing family in the midwest, reared with love for mom, the flag, rhubarb pie and hot dogs...

Superman, for the record, is probably Methodist, while Batman is most likely a lapsed Catholic or Episcopalian.

From: Ted Olsen, "Weblog: Sure, Superman's Protestant, But What's Batman", published in Christianity Today, 7 February 2000 (http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/106/13.0.html; viewed 3 June 2006):

Is Batman Catholic, Episcopalian, or Presbyterian? [link to news article in Houston Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/religion/446482.html]

Superman is most assuredly a Protestant, writes Andrew Smith, who pens a "Captain Comics" column for the Scripps Howard News Service. But there's a lot of debate over Batman (I've read enough of his pontificating over man's fallen nature to swear he's some breed of Calvinist). Overall in Smith's rundown of superhero religion, Judaism comes out on top. "Captain Comics" doesn't note that this makes more sense when you consider the "fathers" of the modern comic superhero, Superman's Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were both Jewish.

From: Andrew A. Smith (Scripps Howard News Service), "Comics superheroes of many faiths", published 3 February 2000 by The Houston Chronicle (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/religion/446482.html; viewed 30 November 2005):

So, if you were going to dress up like a bat and fight crime, what church would you attend?

That was the question put to Captain Comics a few weeks ago, and after much thumb-sucking, he decided Batman was probably Catholic. His reasoning was (A) Bruce Wayne's parents were accepted readily in wealthy East Coast social circles; (B) Batman's sense of guilt; (C) Superman, his polar opposite, is likely Protestant...

Elsewhere in funnybookland, Clark (Superman) Kent of Smallville, Kan., and Wally (Flash) West of Blue Valley, Neb., are almost certainly Protestants.

From: Paul O'Donnell, "Look! Up in the Air! A Methodist!" posted 28 April 2006 on "Idol Chatter: Religion and Pop Culture Blog" website (http://www.beliefnet.com/blogs/idolchatter/2006/04/look-up-in-air-methodist.html; viewed 12 May 2006):

A Jewish comedian claimed not long ago that he grew up thinking that all the comic-book superheroes were Jewish, because, like, say, Goldman and Federrman, all their names end in "man": Spiderman, Batman, Superman...

A report on MSNBC [link to: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12376831/] this week examined more seriously the topic of religion in comics, which are growing more concerned with faith, according to the story. The American superhero's origin in Judaism have been explored, both in fact (click here [http://www.ariekaplan.com/kingscomicspart1.htm] for an essay on Superman and the Golem) and fiction, most famously in Michael Chabon's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "The Adventures of Kavalier and Klay." MSNBC's reporter interviews several academics who point out the growing interest comic-book writers have taken in religion, to gratify an their audience that is increasingly adult, and, like the country as a whole, increasingly religious.

The theme pops up too on Progressive U., a national student blog, in an interesting essay [http://www.progressiveu.org/023135-on-the-importance-of-comic-books] about the essential religious nature of comics. The author portrays comics as modern pop mythologies--you know, the boogie-man stories equivalent to cave paintings that we flatter ourselves our society doesn't indulge in anymore. Comic books, the essay claims, allows us to feel awe--mostly concocted but sometimes taking a share of reality, as in the nearly wordless 9/11 installment of "The Amazing Spiderman."

For the record, with due respect to my Jewish brothers and sisters, Batman was an Episcopalian, and Superman a Methodist, as you can read here [http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/comic_collage.html].

From: Tom Heinen, "God comics: Illustrated fiction spreads word on religious ideas", published in Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 11 March 2006 (http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=407297; viewed 8 May 2006):

Delve more deeply into comic book metaphysics, and you can explore the actual or surmised religious affiliations of dozens of superheroes by clicking on the "Comic Book Characters" link at www.adherents.com. Or visit its image-packed companion page, www.ComicBookReligion.com.

Superman is a Methodist and Jimmy Olsen is Lutheran? The Thing is Jewish? Elektra is Greek Orthodox? The X-Men's Nightcrawler is a devout Catholic who once wanted to be a priest? Batman is either a mostly lapsed Catholic or a mostly lapsed Episcopalian?

Yes . . . or more often, maybe.

There have been reverent comic books about Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa, but secular publishers - especially the two dominant ones, Marvel Entertainment and DC Comics - have often avoided or only hinted at their superheroes' faith lives.

From: Soleine Leprince, "Discussing the origins of religious belief" in Daily Princetonian, 13 March 2007 (http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2007/03/13/opinion/17697.shtml; viewed 23 April 2007):

Even comic-book heroes are painted as religious: Suppositions have been made that Superman Methodist, Spiderman is Protestant, The Thing is Jewish...

The religiosity of Clark Kent on the 1980s Superboy TV series

The 1980s Superboy TV series does not measure up to the later Smallville TV series in terms of writing, production values and other qualities. Yet it was a remarkably successful series which would have lasted longer than its mere three years except for the fact that there were legal entanglements with ownership of the film and TV rights to the character.

The Superboy TV series begins in its first season with Clark Kent, Lana Lang and Lex Luthor all as college students at Shuster University in Florida. (The series was filmed at the Disney Universal Studios location in Orlando, which is why the stories are set in Florida.) The moral values of Clark Kent in Superboy are closer to the way Clark Kent was depicted in comics. Rather than losing his virginity to Lana Lang soon after high school graduation, Clark Kent maintained his moral purity in his college years, apparently intending to wait until marriage before having sex. This is exactly what Clark Kent did in the DC Comics depiction of the character as well as on the TV series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.

Episode 2 of season 1 of Superboy pointedly addressed the topic of just how far Clark Kent was willing to go in sexual matters: not very far. Beyond a "passionate kiss" at her door, Clark Kent simply does not fool around, even with his Mafia princess girlfriend on the night of her 18th birthday when she begs him to go to bed with her.

Clark Kent's desire to remain morally chaste as a college student Superboy can be explained by his conservative Protestant Christian upbringing.

Superboy Season 1: Episode 2: "A Kind of Princess"
Original airdate: 15 October 1988
Story by Howard Dimsdale
Teleplay by Michael Morris

[Timecode: 41 seconds. Immediately after the opening credits. College student Clark Kent (who is secretly "Superboy") is having lunch in a nice outdoor cafe with his beautiful blonde girlfriend, Sara Danner (played by actress Julie McCullough). The location is on the college campus or near campus. Sara is not a recurring character. This is the only episode of "Superboy" she appears in. But as this episode opens, it appears that Sara and Clark have been steadily dating at least for a little while. The couple appears to be quite comfortable as they eat lunch.]

Sara Danner: Daddy wanted me to have the party at the Olympia Hotel. Now that would have been a bit much. But a little birthday celebration in the school gym . . . It's so modest it's almost tacky! [Smiles and snickers slightly.]

Clark Kent: I'm sure it'll be a neat party.

Sara Danner: Ah, if it's neat I'll kill myself. I want it to be unique and thrilling and exciting. Eighteen is a special year for a girl. And I'm looking forward to a very special present from you.

[Sara reaches over the table and takes Clark's hand in her own. Sara seems to be implying that she hopes there will be some sort of sexual intimacy between herself and Clark on 18th birthday - something that has not yet happened between them. Clark smiles shyly but in a good-natured and innocent way. Clark may very well not know what she means.]

Clark Kent: I put a money down on a two dollar birthday card. If I can make the payments, it's yours.

Sara Danner: Clark, the only thing that I want from you . . . is you.

[Clark smiles shyly and looks away slightly.

New camera shot: We see Clark Kent's friends Lana Lang and T.J. observing Clark and Sara from a slight distance.]

Lana Lang: Look at Clark! Is that enough to make you sick?

T.J.: What, the tuna melt?

Lana Lang: Not what he's eating, dummy. What he's looking at, and how.

[T.J. walks up to the table that Clark and Sara are sitting at.]

T.J.: Hey, Clark! Hi.

Clark Kent: [Smiles at T.J. and presumably sees Lana a ways back as well.] Dudes.

[T.J. chuckles, seeing that he would be interrupting Clark's conversation with Lana. He walks away without saying anything else. T.J. sits down at the table next to Clark's. We later can see that Lana Lang sits down next to T.J.]

Sara Danner: I really like Lana.

Clark Kent: Yeah, she's great.

Sara Danner: But she sure doesn't like me. It's too bad. My daddy always said that if you wanna be somebody in this world, you have to make everyone you meet either love you or hate you.

[The look on Clark's face indicates he's not sure what to make of such a statement. He's not sure he agrees with it. An outdoor bell chime can be heard, indicating the time.]

Sara Danner: Oops! Daddy will be hear any minute now. Ohh! And I'm in my leotard. It's so old-fashioned.

[Sara picks up the check for their meal, intending to pay. Clearly she comes from a very wealthy family. Clark stops her, taking the check away from her.]

Clark Kent: Oh, no, no. Let me take care of that. Come on.

Sara Danner: [Chuckles.] Well, tell you what. Give me 10 minutes, and send him over to the Siegel Center, and tell him I'll meet him there. Okay?

[Sara Danner points in the direction of a building on campus which is, of course, named after Superman co-creater Jerry Siegel, although she doesn't know that.]

Clark Kent: Okay, great. What does he look like?

Sara Danner: Um, just, he'll be in a silver limo, and that's my daddy.

Clark Kent: Okay, great.

Sara Danner: Thanks.

Clark Kent: Bye.

[Clark takes one last swig of his drink of pop as he stands up and walks away. While passing T.J. he hands his friend the check.]

Clark Kent: T.J., take care of that for me.

T.J.: What!? [Looks at the check.]

[The next scene involves some "Superboy" action. Clark is heading to meet Sara Danner's father when he sees a would-be assassin plant a bomb in a car parked on the street where he knows Matt Danner will soon pass by. Clark Kent turns into Superboy and stops Matt Danner's car, pushing it backwards away from the parked car so that nobody is hurt when the car explodes. After that, Clark Kent tries to get statements from people involved for the college paper. Police officer Detective Harris arrives and tells Matt Danner that he doesn't want him in his town. The detective tells Matt Danner that this is a college town and he doesn't want kids getting hurt in Danner's organized crime turf battles. When Clark Kent finally gets a chance to ask the detective what's going on, the detective asks, "And you call yourself a reporter." The detective explains that Matt Danner is head of one of the biggest organized crime syndicates on the coast. Clark Kent had NOT known that Sara Danner was the daughter of the famous organized crime boss Matt Danner. We see some other intrigue related to Matt Danner and his rival Casey, and their plans to kill each other.]

[Timecode: 7 minutes, 55 seconds. Next scene: the 18th birthday party for Sara Danner, held in the gym on the college campus. Sara's bodyguard, a 40-ish heavyset man wearing a suit, overlooks the scene. Everybody is dressed in clothes amazingly reflective of 1980s pouplar fashion. Well, except Clark, who just looks very much like . . . well, the stereotypical comic Salkind vision of nerdish, nebbish Clark Kent. This is very much pre-Smallville Clark Kent. He wears a barely-acceptable suit coat with a too-busy plaid pattern, white shirt, black tie and of course his thick, heavy-framed glasses.]

[Sara Danner, wearing a stunning red dress, sees Clark Kent before he sees her. She walks up from behind him and surprises him.]

Sara Danner: What's your name, good-lookin'?

[Clark grins sheepishly and apologetically.]

Sara Danner: It's been so long I almost forgot.

Clark Kent: Sorry I'm late, I had to put the paper to bed. You know, big-time reporter stuff.

Sara Danner: Ahh...

[Sara grabs Clark's hand and leads him to the dance floor. They dance and talk at the same time.]

Clark Kent: Who's that big guy over in the corner, uh, to my right?

Sara Danner: My bodyguard.

Clark Kent: Your bodyguard!?

Sara Danner: Well, what can I say? Every time there's an attempt on Daddy's life I always end up with a bodyguard.

Clark Kent: You never told me that your father is, uh, Matt Danner.

Sara Danner: So? I never told you that Roz Danner is my mother. Or that Gloria, Lavinia and Clare are my first cousins. I love my father and I'm proud of him.

Clark Kent: The paper paints a pretty grim picture of him.

Sara Danner: They call him head of a crime syndicate. You know what I think is criminal? Is people building a hydrogen bomb that can destroy the world. Or how about those creeps who are polluting our environment? Clark, my dad may bend the law every now and then, but what he does is nothing compared to the self-righteous, hypocritical politicans who rob us deaf, dumb and blind.

Clark Kent: I don't know. You're a great attorney for the defense, but . . . I have to think about it.

Sara Danner: Okay.

[Sara smiles broadly and puts her arms around Clark's neck. Cut to shots of Lana Lang dancing with some uber-80s "Miami Vice"-dressed guy and then a shot of T.J. dancing with some girl. Cut back to Clark Kent and Sara Danner, as they walk away from the dance floor to the refreshment table. Sara offers Clark a drink in a flute glass.]

Sara Danner: I could dance all night!

Clark Kent: I can't stay that long. I have a sociology paper that I have to write before I hit the sack.

Sara Danner: [shaking her head, a bit dismayed] I don't believe you.

[Clark Kent leans over and kisses Sara lightly on the side of her forehead.]

Clark Kent: Good night, Sara.

[Sara's face shows a bit of shock, disappointment and puzzlement. Clark turns and walks away. Sara walks after him.]

Sara Danner: Clark! Clark! [Sara grabs Clark by the elbow and turns him to face her.] Don't leave me yet. You still owe me . . . my birthday present.

[Sara smiles at Clark. She is clearly optimistic and hopeful about something happening between them. Clark grins and says nothing, but allows Sara to lead him off the dance floor. Cut to lobby of dorm bulding or small apartment building or something. Actually, it looks more like the lobbby of a dentist's office, but it isn't supposed to be. A small "Shuster U." banner indicates that this is a place where students from the college live. Sara is still holding Clark's hand, leading him through the lobby. Clark and Sara walk across the lobby and into a dorm hallway. Sara's bodyguard enters the lobby and sits in a comfortable cushioned chair in the lobby. Magazines are on coffee tables in front of the chair and a matching sofa. The bodyguard sits down. He can monitor access to Sara's dorm room from here. He pulls out a newspaper and pencil so he can work on a crossword puzzle. Cut to interior of the hallway.

We see Sara hurridly leading Clark down the hall to her dorm room door. Sara opens the door and starts to enter. Clark braces himself against the door frame, intent on getting nowhere even close to setting a foot inside Sara's dorm room.]

Sara Danner: Clark.

[Sara puts her arms around Clark's neck and begins to kiss him passionately. Clark quickly pulls away.]

Sara Danner: That was a C-minus. Think we can try it with your arms around me this time?

[Clark puts his arms on Sara's shoulders and allows her to kiss him again. He pulls away after a couple seconds.]

Sara Danner: [Smiling.] That was an A-minus. If you hold me a little tighter maybe we can get an A-plus.

Clark Kent: When I get passionate I'm an animal. I might cause you bodily harm.

Sara Danner: A little pain never hurt anyone.

[Clark kisses Sara on the cheek gently.]

Clark Kent: Good night, Sara.

[Clark turns and walks away. Sara stands there stunned.]

Sara Danner: I can't believe this is happening to me. Not in the 20th Century.

[Cut to lobby. We see Clark Kent exiting the hallway, a perturbed look on his face. He grabs the door knob of the door to the hallway as he passes, crushing it in his super-strong grip and tearing it from the door. He drops the deformed door knob in an ash tray on a coffee table as he passes the bodyguard, still doing a crossword puzzle. Clearly a part of Clark would have liked to succumb to his girlfriend's enticements. From what Clark said, we can infer that he was worried about actually harming her with his super strength. But is that really the only reason he didn't go along with what she wanted? Surely he has enough control over his own body, a body he can use to type and eat and dance closely with people, that he could have done SOMETHING with her and not been fearful of hurting her. In watching this scene, I believe there is a strong element of moral reticence on Clark's part. He knows what Sara wants and he knows that is not something he wants to do, on moral and religious grounds. Whether his concerns are purely for Sara's physical safety or are also for his own moral purity, one thing is clear: College-age Clark Kent in this TV series has almost no experience whatsoever with physical intimacy with a girl. He is a virgin and intends to remain that way.]

[After Clark leaves, men working for rival crime boss Casey knock the bodyguard out and kidnap Sara Danner. Much Superboy-style adventure and intrigue ensues. Superboy saves Sara Danner from being kidnapped and held for ransom and possibly blown up by her father's rival.]

[Timecode: 19 minutes, 16 seconds. Scene: Outside Sara Danner's dorm building. She is preparing to leave campus. She was saved by Superboy and now Sara is talking with Clark Kent again. She does not suspect that Clark is really Superboy.]

Clark Kent: I wish you weren't leaving school.

Sara Danner: I need to get away and get my head straight.

Clark Kent: I'm gonna miss you.

[Clark kisses Sara on the lips. A silver limo pulls up with Sara's father in it. He gets out.]

Sara Danner: What do you think you're doing?

Matt Danner: [To Clark] Please, leave us alone. Please.

[Clark walks away and walks over to a nearby suburban vehicle where we see Lana Lang, T.J. and T.J.'s girlfriend waiting.]

Matt Danner: [To his daughter] Sara, you can't leave me.

Sara Danner: You left me first. I was almost murdered. If it wasn't for Superboy I would've been dead.

Matt Danner: No, no, no. We-- We would have made some arrangement sooner or later.

Sara Danner: "Sooner or later". How comforting. I want you out of my life, Dad!

Matt Danner: Where-- Where are you going?

Sara Danner: Someplace. Any place. It doesn't matter. Goodbye, Dad.

[Sara looks over to where Clark is standing. She waves at him gingerly. He waves back sadly. Lana looks on. Sara gets in a waiting taxi and drives off. Cut to Lana and Clark, as they walk away from T.J. and his girlfriend.]

Lana Lang: You really liked her, didn't you?

Clark Kent: Yeah, I liked her.

Lana Lang: Did you guys, um, ever spend the night together?

Clark Kent: That's sick! What kind of question is that!?

Lana Lang: It's very rude. I'm sorry. You don't have to answer it.

Clark Kent: I won't. But if you really want to know--

Lana Lang: No, I don't!

Clark Kent: No, I'm gonna tell you any way . . . It never went beyond a passionate kiss.

[Lana, hearing this, looks relieved that Clark has not spoiled his moral purity. She gives him a friendly kiss on the cheek and then hugs him. End of scene. End of episode.]

Superboy, Season 1: Episode 11: "The Invisible People"
Airdate: 21 January 1989
Written by Mark Evanier

[Timecode: 7 minutes, 5 seconds. Scene: A makeshift community of tents occupied by homeless people, on a Florida beach next to a fancy restaurant and real estate development. College student Clark Kent and his friends T.J. White and Lana Lang are helping distribute food to the jobless people who are eking out a living on the beach while looking for work.]

Clark Kent: I know you don't have any money, but don't you have friends, relatives, somebody that can help?

Alice (a leader of the homeless community): None of us are from around here. We've come from all over on the promise of jobs.

Lana Lang: Obviously you didn't get them. Who promised these jobs?

Alice: Our "savior" Mr. Manfred. He was going to re-open a factory. Television sets. Tape recorders. That's what we all worked on before the industry went sour in America.

Clark Kent: What happened? Why didn't he open it?

Alice: He built a factory in Korea, instead.

T.J. White: Huh. So much for "made in the U.S.A."

Alice: Those of us who could went back home. The rest of us were so demoralized. And then Damon showed up from out of nowhere and said we had to fight, make Manfred come through with his promises. Keep sticking his nose in it until he makes restitution.

Young girl: [Voice heard from off-screen] Mama.

Alice: Excuse me.

[Alice walks away to attend to her daughter.]

Clark Kent: There but for the grace of God goes everyone's mother. Or father. Or us.

The religiosity of Clark Kent on the Smallville TV series

Jeph Loeb, a Jewish writer from Connecticut, was one of the principle writers and a supervising producer of the TV series Smallville. Jeph Loeb is also the author of Superman for all Seasons, which features one of the most explicitly Protestant Christian portrayals of Clark Kent/Superman anywhere in canonical DC Universe comics. The creators of Smallville said on a DVD commentary for the series that Superman: for all Seasons was the principle model for the Smallville series. It is therefore ironic that Smallville's most explicitly Protestant religious character is Lex Luthor. Clark Kent's strong moral values and family life clearly reflect a Protestant Christian background, yet the series seemed to shy away from ever including any explicit acknowledgements of Clark Kent's religious affiliation. In contrast with Superman for all Seasons, we never see the Kents at church in the Smallville series. (Aside from their values, perhaps the closest one gets to an explicit acknowledgement of the Kents' religious background is the fact that they celebrate Christmas by enthusiastically embracing Christmas traditions and decorations, including an angel atop their Christmas tree.) Lex Luthor, on the other hand, is revealed to have been baptized as an infant, has a Christian marriage, and speaks explicit references to Old Testament and New Testament stories, passages and characters at least a dozen times.

Season 1: Episode 1: "Pilot"
Airdate: 16 October 2001
Written by: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar

One subtle indication of Clark Kent's religious upbringing happens in the pilot episode of Smallville (Season 1: Episode 1, title: "Pilot"; airdate: 16 October 2001; written by: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar). Clark Kent is a freshman in high school when his father finally reveals to him that he arrived on Earth from space in a spaceship. Upset at hearing this news, and upset that his parents had never told him this before, Clark rushes away from the storm cellar where his father was showing him the spaceship. Clark wanders to a cemetary, where Lana Lang has gone to visit her parents' grave. When Lana first sees Clark Kent, he is standing in front of a large statue of an angel, so that the wings of the angel frame Clark's body and appear to be his own wings. The message is clear, Clark is an angel.

Clark proceeds to fill this role by consoling Lana, who is feeling sadness about her parents' death and her subsequent life as an orphan. Clark listens as Lana speaks aloud to her deceased parents, addressing their headstone. Clark tells Lana that she is never alone, and that her mother is always watching over. This concept that a persons's deceased ancestors and family members watch over them is shared by members of many faiths, including Catholics, various Protestant denominations, Latter-day Saints, Chinese traditional religionists, etc. Frequently this concept isn't explicitly delineated as official denominational doctrine, but is promulgated as "folk belief." Whether Clark actually believes that Lana's mother is watching over her or not, he is clearly familiar with and comfortable with the concept.

[Timestamp: 28 minutes, 22 seconds. In the previous scene, Jonathan Kent told his adopted son Clark Kent about how clark really came to be in their family. Jonathan showed Clark, who is now sixteen years old, a metal object with Krytonian writing on it, and then showed him the spaceship that brought Clark to Earth. The ship had been stored by Jonathan in a storage cellar all these years, and he had never before shown it to Clark. Clark is upset that his adoptive parents had withheld this information for so long. He storms off. It is night time. We now see Smallville cemetary. Lana Lang rides a horses into the cemetary. She dismounts. She is carrying a small bouquet of flowers. Her horse is spooked and makes a sound that indicates its surprise. Lana notices, and realizes somebody else is present.]

Lana Lang (not a teenager): Who's there?

Clark Kent (also a teenager): It's me. Clark.

Clark takes a step closer to where Lana is standing. He thus positions himself in front of a large, life-size statue of an angel, an ornate grave marker. The scene is purposefully framed so that Clark now appears to have wings. Clark is in front of the head and body of the angel statue, but the angel statue's wings appear to Clark's wings. The symbolism is clear: Clark is an angel. Or at least, for this scene, Clark will be as an angel to Lana.]

Lana Lang: Clark Kent? What are you doing creeping around the woods?

Clark Kent: You'd never believe me if I told you. Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.

Lana Lang: Clark, wait. Just wasn't expecting to see anyone out here. Are you okay?

Clark Kent: I'm hanging out in a graveyard. Does that strike you as okay behavior?

Lana Lang: Hey, I'm here too.

Clark Kent: Good point. What's your story?

Lana Lang: Can you keep a secret?

Clark Kent: I'm the Fort Knox of secrets.

Lana Lang: I... came out here to talk with my parents. You must think I'm pretty weird, you know, conversing with dead people.

Clark Kent: No, I-- I don't think you're weird, Lana. Do you remember them.

Lana Lang: They died when I was three.

Clark Kent: I'm sorry.

Lana Lang: It's not your fault, Clark. Come on, I'll introduce you. [Lana leads Clark by the hand, walking him over to her the headstone that marks the graves of her parents.] Mom, Dad. This is Clark Kent. Say hi.

Clark Kent: Hi.

Lana Lang: [Lana speaks directly to the headstone, pausing occasionally as if listening to her parents reply to her side of the conversation.] Yeah, he is kind of shy. [Pause.] How should I know? Mom wants to know if you're upset about a girl.

Clark Kent: [Clark shakes his head no.]

Lana Lang: Dad wants to know if you're upset about a guy.

Clark Kent: No, no.

Lana Lang: [Laughs at Clark's discomfort at that question.] He has a twisted sense of humor. Seriously, Clark. Why are you out here?

Clark Kent: Lana, you ever feel like your life was supposed to be something different?

Lana Lang: [Nods yes.] Sometimes I dream I'm at school, waiting for Nell to pick me up. But she doesn't come. So, my parents drive up and they're not dead, they're just really late. And I get in their car and we drive to my real life in Metropolis. That's usuallly when I wake up. And for a minute, I'm totally happy. Until I realize I'm still alone.

[Clark looks at Lana. He looks at the headstone. The top line reads "LANG". Beneath that are the names of Lana's parents, "LEWIS: 1957-1989" and "LAURA: 1959-1989". Below that the enscription reads, "Forever loved".]

Clark Kent: [Clark begins speaking to the headstone, as Lana had done.] What's that, Mrs. Lang? [Pause.] Yeah, I'll tell her. [Looks up at Lana.] Your mom wants you to know that you're never alone. That she's always looking over you. No matter what. [Pause.] What's that, Mr. Lang? [Pause.] Your dad thinks you're a shoe-in for homecoming queen.


Lana Lang: They really say all that?

Clark Kent: Oh, yeah. They're quite chatty once you get them started.

[End of scene. Timestamp: 32 minutes, 15 seconds.]

Further religious symbolism can be found in the pilot episode of Smallville when Clark Kent is tied to a cross. The Smallville football team, led by Lana Lang's boyfriend Whitney, ties Clark (incapacited due to a Kryptonite necklace they put around his neck) to the cross in a cornfield. This is part of a cruel "custom" that the football team has, in which they paint an "S" on the chest of an incoming freshman student and tie him to a cross. It is a somewhat bizarre and certainly unusual ritual. The writers' purpose for including this in specific "prank" in the pilot episode was to be able to feature the rather dramatic imagery of Clark Kent on a cross in a crucifixion-like pose.

Season 1: Episode 13: "Kinetic"
Airdate: 26 February 2002
Written by: Philip Levens

In "Kinetic" (Smallville season 1, episode 13), Lex Luthor warns Clark Kent that he can't save the world, and that if he tries to do so, all he will end up with is "a Messiah Complex and a lot of enemies." This line foreshadows Clark's eventual emergence as the superhero Superman, who literally does save the world many times. The "Messiah Complex" spoken of here can also refer to the adult Lex Luthor himself, who often views himself as the person who should reshape or run the world, if only Superman wouldn't stand in his way.

This line foreshadows what would become one of the adult Lex Luthor's primary motivations for wanting to destroy Superman: The adult Lex Luthor has sometimes been portrayed as wanting to destroy Superman because he resents the intrusion of Superman in the lives of normal people. This explanation holds that Lex Luthor believes having a super-powerful being constantly saving everybody lulls people into being idle rather than trying to save themselves.

"Messiah Complex" is certainly a term drawn from Judeo-Christian scripture, history and teaching. The Old Testament frequently refers to a Messiah who would come to save people, and the New Testament portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies. The term is used generally in psychology (and particularly in "pop psychology"), and its use here, while interesting, does not by itself indicate a Christian or even Judeo-Christian background for Lex Luthor. Nevertheless, Lex Luthor's reference to a "Messiah Complex" instead of the use of a more secular synonym is certainly in keeping with the character's persistent use of Biblical stories, imagery and references.

[Timecode: 30 minutes, 59 seconds. Scene: Night time in Smallville. Clark Kent and Lex Luthor just parked on a city street and got out of Lex's car. They just came from an incident in which Lex Luthor was supposed to hand over cash to a small band of thieves who were blackmailing him, threatening to release confidential business data that belongs to Lex. Whitney Fordman, the current boyfriend of Lana Lang, had become involved with this band of thieves. Worried about Whitney, Clark had followed him and had observed him joining up with the thieves and going to the meeting with Lex. Clark asks Lex why he was there, and Lex explained. Now Lex asks Clark the same question.]

Lex Luthor: The question is, what were you doing there?

Clark Kent: I was following Whitney. He's been hanging out with those guys. I wanted to help him.

Lex Luthor: Is this because of Chloe?

[Before the thieves recruited Whitney to join them, they broke into Lex Luthor's mansion to steal some of Luthor's valuables. Chloe and Clark were there to tape an interview with Lex Luthor. The thieves threw Chloe out a window, injuring her severely. Clark's strength was hampered by the Kryptonite tattoos the thieves were using to grant them phasing powers and super strength. Clark felt very guilty about being unable to stop the thieves from hurting Chloe. In answer to Lex's question about if his trying to help Whitney is about what happened with Chloe, Clark says nothing. He averts his gaze slightly.]

Lex Luthor: Clark, you can't save the world. All you'll end up with is a Messiah Complex and a lot of enemies.

Clark Kent: I saved you didn't I? That turned out all right.

[Clark here is referring to the time that Lex Luthor ran into Clark Kent with his car, careening off a bridge. Clark pulled Lex from the vehicle and prevented the unconscious Lex from drowning to death. This was in the first episode of Smallville. In response to this statement, Lex Luthor smiles and chuckles ever so slightly, but says nothing.]

Clark Kent: What's your next move?

Lex Luthor: They're gonna learn that it doesn't pay to rob Lex Luthor.

Clark Kent: What about Whitney?

Lex Luthor: A man is measured by the quality of his friends. If the quarterback's with them, he'll have to face the consequences.

Smallville Season 1, Episode 19: "Crush"
Airdate: 7 May 2002
Written by: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar

[Timecode: 36 minutes, 14 seconds. Scene: hallway inside Smallville High School. Clark just witnessed Chloe kissing Justin in the offices of the Torch (the school newspaper). Justin was a Smallville High School student who was in an automobile accident. He ended up being away from school for six months while he was in the hospital recovering. Clark is worried because he thinks that Justin may have been involved in the death of the doctor who treated him after his accident. In fact, Justin's accident and recovery imbued him with telekinetic powers, and he did cause his doctor's death. But Clark has no knowledge of all these details yet, only suspicions without proof. He tries to warn Chloe about Justin. Chloe has recently been more forthcoming about her romantic feelings toward Clark, but - finding him emotionally unavailable because of his fixation on Lana Lang - she is looking for love elsewhere: with Justin. The title of this episode - "Crush" - refers to the crush that Chloe has on Clark.]

Clark Kent: Don't you think this Justin thing is moving a little too fast?

Chloe Sullivan: We've been emailing back and forth for six months. I know him better than I know you.

Clark Kent: Did he tell you what happened to his doctor?

Chloe: No. But he did tell me that you were talking about him behind his back.

Clark Kent: Just looking out for you, Chloe.

Chloe: What's with you, Clark? You have some sort of a Savior Complex? If I'm in trouble you'll rescue me. But other than that you remain emotionally unavailable.

Clark Kent: I just don't want you getting involved with Justin because you're mad at me.

Chloe: Believe it or not, Clark, my world does not revolve around you. Why can't you just accept the fact that I found someone special, and unlike you, I'm willing to take a chance.

[The school bell rings. Students start coming out of classrooms into the hallway. Chloe turns and walks away from Clark. Clark stands in the hallway looking perplexed and confused. End of scene.]

[Timecode: 54 minutes, 26 seconds. Outside at the Smallville Cemetery on a dark, stormy day. In the previous scene we learned that the father of Lana Lang's boyfriend, Whitney Fordman, died. Now we see the funeral of Whitney's father. The scene opens with Whitney's mother placing a bouquet of flowers on the casket. Mournful music plays: a version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." Whitney's mother buries her face in Whitney's chest and cries. Whitney turns to Lana for comfort. Clark Kent looks on. Lana Lang is sad. An Episcoplian clergymen conducts the ceremony.]

[Lana Lang looks meaningfully at Clark. What does this death mean for the relationship between Lana and Clark? Will the death of Whitney's father give Whitney some finality in his life, and let Lana feel like she no longer needs to stay with Whitney because she feels sorry for him over how he has to deal with his sick father? Or will this mean that Lana Lang moves closer to the grieving Whitney? Right now, Lana feels a sense of duty toward Whitney, and she leaves the funeral with him and his mother.]

[Clark is framed is shown standing next to a statue of an angel, perhaps the same angel statue he was shown in front of in the pilot episode of the series, when we first saw him interact with Lana Lang. Chloe sees Lana and Clark exchanging looks. Chloe is jealous of Clark's feelings for Clark, but what can she do?]

[Clark Kent walks away from the funeral alone, in a scene framed such that a large Christian cross grave marker is on one side of him and the statue of the angel is on the other side. The image is full of symbolism. Clark Kent's powers and sense of responsibility really do mean he has something of a "Savior Complex." He saves people, but he is also very alone. This closing scene illustrates that Clark Kent may be angel and a savior for others, but this leaves him emotionally isolated. This is the last shot of the episode.]

Smallville Season 2, Episode 1: "Vortex"
Airdate: 24 September 2002
Story By: Alfred Gough and Miles Millar
Teleplay By: Philip Levens

[Timecode: 23 minutes, 7 seconds. Scene: Interior of "The Talon," the coffee shop in downtown Smallville. Lana Lang runs the coffee shop and she has turned into a temporary resource center for emergency services in the aftermath of a devestating tornado that hit Smallville earlier. Lana Lang and Martha Kent are organizing boxes of donated food. Lana Lang watches television footage about her own story of tornado survival, a story that reminds her of how she was featured in the media after Smallville was hit by a freak meteor shower many years ago (as shown in the pilot episode of the Smallville TV series).]

TV News Anchorwoman: Here we see a terrifying example of the tornado's fury.

[On TV screen we see a pickup truck towing away a stripped frame of a pickup truck or farm truck that had been destroyed and blown around on a farm. The scene is in the middle of a corn field.]

TV News Anchorwoman: This truck was literally ripped apart. Incredibly, the young driver, Lana Lang, survived, reminding us that even in the midst of utter devestation, miracles can happen.

[Martha Kent walks up from behind Lana Lang. Martha Kent sees the tail end of this news story. She puts down the box of food she is carrying.]

Martha Kent: It must have been awful for you.

Lana Lang: Yeah . . . uh, I don't think I've ever been that scared in my entire life.

Martha Kent: I'm glad you're all right.

[Martha Kent and Lana Lang embrace each other in a warm hug.]

Lana Lang: Thanks for all your help, Mrs. Kent. I know it must be hard for you right now. [Martha Kent's husband, Jonathan Kent, is still missing in the aftermath of the tornado.]

Martha Kent: [joking] I'm a Saint. [serious] I just can't believe how familiar all of this feels.

Lana Lang: The meteor shower?

Martha Kent: Yeah, I remember it like it was yesterday.

Lana Lang: Yeah, me too.

Martha Kent: Oh, I'm sorry. I-- I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories.

Lana Lang: It's okay. For so long it seemed to define me: that fairy princess picture on Time Magazine.

Martha Kent: Well, if it makes you feel any better, you made one wish come true that day. Jonathan and I were in Nell's, buying flowers, right before the meteor shower, and you were sitting on the counter with your wings and wand. And you asked me if I wanted ot make a wish. So I did. And not long after that, Clark came into our lives . . . I've never even told Clark that story.

Lana Lang: Clark is so lucky to have you and Mr. Kent as parents. I've always been kind of envious. You seem so open.

Martha Kent: I'm glad that you and Clark have become close.

Lana Lang: Yeah. Me too.

[End of scene.]

Season 4: Episode 5: "Exposed"
Airdate: 3 November 2005
Written by: Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson

In this episode, Jack Jennings, an old friend of Clark Kent's father comes to visit the Kent farm. Jennings is an incumbent state senator preparing to run for re-electon. Lex Luthor has put his hat in the ring as a candidate trying to unseat Jennings. A stripper is found murdered and evidence points to a connection between the murder victim and Jennings. Jack Jennings is somebody that Clark Kent looks up to. Apparently Jennings has in the past been so close to the Kent family that he is like an uncle to Clark. Clark investigates this murder, thinking that Jennings is innocent of all wrong-doing and that maybe Lex Luthor is the architect behind an elaborate plot to defame Jennings, ensuring a Luthor win in the election. Lex Luthor proclaims his innocense and tries to help Clark's investigation.

[Timecode: 33 minutes, 13 seconds. Establishing shot: outside of the castle in Smallville where Lex Luthor lives. Cut to inside, in Lex Luthor's office within the castle. A campaign staffer is holding up a large campaign poster featuring Lex Luthor's face and the slogan: "Looking to the Future: Lex Luthor." Two other campaign staffers stand nearby. Lex has been meeting with these three campaign staffers, going over details of his fledgeling campaign for a state senate seat. Lex notices that Clark Kent is standing at the door to the office.]

Lex Luthor: [To his campaign staffers] We'll finish this later.

Clark Kent: I just wanted to say 'thank you.'

Lex Luthor: Y'know, when I asked you to stay out of trouble, I kinda thought that might include, uh, being caught under-age in a strip club, using my membership while I'm gearing up for a political campaign.

Clark Kent: I didn't mean to drag you into this.

Lex Luthor: C'mon, Clark. Who are you kidding? You had me masterminding this whole Jennings plot before you walked through those doors.

Clark Kent: I didn't think he was lying to me.

Lex Luthor: But you assumed I would.

Clark Kent: I can't believe that I looked up to Jack.

[Long pause.]

Lex Luthor: Tell me what you remember about King David. Humor me.

Clark Kent: King David. Slew Goliath. Saved his people.


Lex Luthor: And afterward, he saw a beautiful woman bathing and fell madly in love. Problem was, she turned out to be his best friend's wife. So you know what our great hero did? He sent his best friend off to die in battle so he could have her to himself.

Clark Kent: Kinda leave that part out, don't they?

Lex Luthor: We all need to believe in heroes, Clark. And even the best ones are far from perfect.

[End of scene.]

Superman actor also a Methodist

Though Superman may not actually be a Methodist, at least Brandon [Routh] may probably be one. His parents Ron and Katie Routh are actively involved with Norwalk United Methodist Church in Norwalk, Iowa (www.no-nukes.org/viapacis/nov02/nov02thankyou.html), and his sister, Sarah, used to direct four church choirs at Immanuel United Methodist Church in Urbandale, Iowa (http://www.sararouth.com/bio.html).

The following excerpt comes from the blog of a United Methodist clergyman. The comments about Superman being from Iowa are not meant to be taken seriously, but are simply a way of observing that two of the major actors who have portrayed Superman are from Iowa: George Reeves and Brandon Routh. This post also confirms that Brandon Routh ("Superman" in the 2006 feature film) comes from a devout Methodist family. From: John Battern, "Superman is an Iowan", posted 15 June 2006 on "Out the Door" blog website (http://outthedoor.typepad.com/out_the_door/2006/06/superman_is_an_.html; viewed 20 June 2006):

I bet you always thought that Superman barely escaped Krypton in a rocketship which his parents sped on its way to Earth landing in a Kansas field. And that this "strange visitor from another planet" got his superpowers from Earth's yellow sun.

I recently learn the truth. Superman is actually from Iowa. The small town of Woolstock is hosting a festival in honor of Superman (George Reeves, the original Superman) this coming weekend, June 16-18.

If that's not enough proof that Superman's an Iowan, here's more. In Superman Returns, Superman is another Iowan, Brandon Routh.

It's not the rays of the sun that give Superman his power, it's being raised on good corn-fed Iowa beef. So the next time you need a superhero, don't go looking for one in a big city, check out the great state of Iowa.

As an additional note, Superman is also a Methodist. This is according to Elliot S! Maggin, an observant Jew who is one of Superman's most popular and influential contemporary chroniclers. This is further confirmed by Rev. Charles Curl, pastor of the Norwalk, IA UMC, where Brandon Routh and his family have been faithful members for years.

More about Superman's Kryptonian religious beliefs

Prior to the 1986 "retcon" by John Byrne, Superman was imagined as having lived many years on Krypton before the planet of his birth exploded. This allowed for more Kryptonian cultural and religious influence on the character than has been seen since the 1986 Byrne version, which re-imagines him leaving Krypton in a "birthing matrix," remaining yet "unborn" until he arrived on Earth. Recent depictions of Superman have made no mention of Rao.

From: E. Nelson Bridwell, "The Krypton Glossary", 1981, posted on the "K-Metal" website (http://theages.superman.ws/Krypton/glossary.php; viewed 30 November 2005):

RAO - In the mythology of ancient Krypton, the sun-god, who was deemed the chief of all gods. So great was the respect for the red sun of Krypton that any soldier of Erok's time automatically became an officer if he had red hair. When Jaf-El preached the worship of the One god, he gave Him the name of Rao, though no longer identifying Him specifically with the sun. Note that in the wedding ceremony, the phrase used was "Rao, who kindled the sun," showing Him to be the sun's creator, but not the sun itself.

From: Elayne Riggs, "Things I hate in Superman stories", posted 4 February 2005 on Loonyblog blog website (http://www.loonyboi.com/blog/archives/000774.php; viewed 30 November 2005):

When Superman refers to Rao: Oy is this one ever annoying. It's been toned down in the last few years, but for a while there...yeesh. If you're unfamiliar, Rao is the Kryptonian sun god. Somewhere along the line (and it crept up so gradually, I never even noticed it until it was too late), Superman became a Raoist. Or something. Basically this resulted in things like "Great Rao!" as an exclamation. At least he's never said, "Rao be praised!" or "Blessed Rao!" or anything like that. I don't have a problem with depicting Superman's spiritual side, but it seems to me like it was tacked on a bit late, and never really seems to have developed into anything more than a goofy sounding exclamation.

A pre-Crisis "Superman" story from before the 1986 retcon involves a group of Kryptonians who worship Rao in an unorthodox way. From: Wallace Harrington, review of Superman Annual #11, cover date 1985, in "Mild Mannered Reviews - Classic Pre-Crisis Superman Comics" section of "Superman Homepage" website (href="http://www.supermanhomepage.com/comics/pre-crisis-reviews/pre-crisis-mmrs-intro.php?topic=c-review-pc-sa11; viewed 30 November 2005):

The next day, Kal-El visits his father, and is surprised to find Jor-El associating with the Sword of Rao sect, a group supporting the Old Krypton Movement. Bitter at being forced to resign from the science council for predicting the end of Krypton, the bitter man sees Krypton torn by drugs and racial strife and argues that the only solution is to return to the ways of "Old Krypton". Kal is so disappointed by his father's fatalistic beliefs that he can take no more. Turning to leave, Kal sighs. "Father, sometimes I wish you were right. I wish Krypton had exploded after all." In response, Jor-El angrily smashes one of the crystal trees growing on his balcony.

In "Endless Nights", an issue of the DC comic book series Sandman (set in the same DC Universe as Superman) there is a story about Rao. This Kryptonian god is depicted in this story (as elsewhere) as the personification of the Kryptonian sun. This particular story hints that the Kryptonian race and the survival of Kal-El (Superman) was not a mere coincidence, but was planned by Rao himself. On a related subject, the Superman comic story titled "Superman: The Last God Of Krypton" featured a battle between Superman and Cythonna, the Kryptonian Goddess of Ice. The story reveals how when Krypton was a primitive planet, there was a war between Rao and Cythonna, which was later known as "The Wars of Fire and Ice". Cythonna lost, and was imprisoned by Rao. In contemporary times she escaped her ancient imprisonment, and looked for Kal-El, "The Last Kryptonian" (and arguably a direct descendant of Rao himself). Cythonna intended to destroy Kal-El (Superman) in order to have her revenge against Rao. In a final battle between Superman defeats Cythonna during a battle in the sun, in which Cythonna is trapped. [See: http://forums.comicbookresources.com/archive/index.php/t-48463.html]

Additional published excerpts from Superman comics illustrating the character's religious background

As part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover storyline, DC Comics revamped and streamlined the entire DC Universe. The character of Superman was rebooted and streamlined as well, led by popular writer/artist John Byrne. As part of this storyline, Superman's history was re-written so that he had never donned his famous costume and made his existence known to the world until he was an adult. Yet even after this new history was introduced, stories were published featuring Superboy, i.e., Superman's costumed identity from when he was a teenager living in Smallville.

In order to deal with this obvious incongruity, a story arc was created in order to explain the presense of Superboy in many previous stories, and also eliminate the character from the DC Universe. This story arc centered on the future-based Legion of Superheroes (of which a time-travelling Superboy was a longtime member). The story explained that the Superboy who the Legion of Superheroes had encountered was not actually the younger version of the mainstream universe's Superman, but was in fact a denizen of a pocket universe created by the Time Trapper in order to fool the Legion. In Action Comics #591, written and pencilled by John Byrne, this "pocket universe" Superboy met the "real" Superman.

In one scene in this issue, Superman's strong Protestant Christian upbringing is rather overtly invoked. Standing in front of a Christian church with a cross on its tower or steeple, Superboy's Pa (Jonathan Kent) tells him that he prayed for the youth during a recent crisis. The mainstream Superman then mentions the "solid, moral foundation" that his foster parents gave him. From: Action Comics #591, DC Comics: New York City (August 1987), written and illustrated by John Byrne, page 20; reprinted in Superman: The Man of Steel, Vol. 4 trade paperback, DC Comics: New York City (2005), page 133:

Superman: It's all there, Superboy. I'd even be willing to bet you knew, somehow, that this Kryptonite wouldn't work on me. Am I wrong?

Jonathan Kent ("Pa"): Is he, son? Or . . . Or . . . Your Ma and I have prayed, every day since this madness got started . . .

Superboy (young Clark Kent): He . . . He's right, Pa. I fixed the stasis ray so it wouldn't last on Superman. I wanted him to come after me. It seemed like the only way I could escape from this nightmare! The only way I could save the Legion . . . without sacrificing everyone I've ever loved! If Superman could only defeat me in battle . . . But . . . How could you guess my plan, Superman? How could you be sure?

Superman: It wasn't all that hard. Once I had the chance to think about it . . Clark. Meeting your Ma and Pa Kent was really the clincher. They're not quite the same people who raised me, but they're from the same stock. I knew they'd have given you the same solid, moral foundation my foster parents gave me. I could never betray my friends. I knew you couldn't either.

Now we have some Legionnaires to defrost!

Below: Pages 6 through 13 from Superman issue #209, published by DC Comics: New York (2004), written by Brian Azzarello, with pencils by Jim Lee and inks by Scott Williams. The Catholic priest that Superman is shown visiting in these pages is featured prominently throughout the rest of this issue, and throughout the rest of the "Superman: For Tomorrow" storyline in Superman issues 206 through 215.

The interaction between Superman and the Catholic priest in the Azzarello/Lee "Superman: For Tomorrow" storyline is interesting. The super-hero and the priest have relatively involved, extensive discussions about religious and ethical topics in this storyline. A single excerpt of the text is below. This scene is particularly illustrative not of any specific theological beliefs on Superman's part, but on his clearly defined humility and willingness to submit to normal human authority. These are longstanding traits in the character, and are far more an overt, important part of his character than any specific religious affiliation.

From Superman #209, written by Brian Azzarello, pages 6 through 26:

[Father Daniel Leone is in the sanctuary of the Sacred Heart Church in Metropolis, the Catholic church at which he is the pastor. He looks up startled to see Superman floating in the air in the sanctuary above him. All around Superman one can see symbols of Catholic Christianity adorning the sanctuary: crosses, angels, candles, etc.]

FATHER DANIEL LEONE: Oh... My-- [Father Leone begins to kneel, perhaps out of a combination of shock and reverence toward Superman's majestic image.]

SUPERMAN: I don't think you want to do that.

[Superman lands and helps Father Leone back to a fully standing position, apparently uncomfortable at the priest's instinctive genuflection.]

SUPERMAN: Why am I here?

FATHER LEONE: You . . . can read minds too? ["Why is Superman here?" is exactly what Father Leone had been thinking at that moment.]

SUPERMAN: I'm not bad at reading expressions.

FATHER LEONE: I imagine the one you see most is fear.

SUPERMAN: Not enough . . . at least in the faces I'd like to see it in. And too much . . . in faces that have nothing to be afraid of. Do you know how many times I've flown over this church?

FATHER LEONE: More than you can count?

SUPERMAN: No. . . I must say, it's more impressive on the inside than the out. But then, anything full of secrets usually is.

FATHER LEONE: What secrets are you referring to?

SUPERMAN: The ones you keep.

FATHER LEONE: Me? I have secrets you're interested in?

SUPERMAN: Don't you? I thought it was part of your vocation. Other people's secrets.

FATHER LEONE: You mean confessions? . . . Jesus . . . If you're asking what I think you are--

SUPERMAN: --can you read minds?

FATHER LEONE: --to divulge any--

FATHER LEONE: --you won't?

FATHER LEONE: I can't. Not even to you. It's not about secrets--It's about trust--And I can't betray that.

[Long pause.]

SUPERMAN: Then I can trust you?

FATHER LEONE: You mean, you're here for . . .

[Father Leone at first thought, as Superman had intended him to think, that Superman was here to ask the priest to divulge some piece of information from a parishioner's confession. Father Leone now realizes that Superman had been testing him. When the priest made it clear he would not divulge any information from a confession, not even to Superman himself himself, he has passed Superman's test. Superman now knows he can trust in Father Leone to keep his confession secret. Upon realizing that Superman has come here to confide and confess in him, Father Leone is shocked once again. He feels suddenly weak and inadequate to the task, and falls to a sitting position on a pew.]

SUPERMAN: Can I get you some water?

FATHER LEONE: I'm all right.

SUPERMAN: Good. Is the world?

FATHER LEONE: What? Good?

SUPERMAN: No. All right?

FATHER LEONE: What kind of question is that?

SUPERMAN: That question is the reason I'm here. Is the world a better place than it was a year ago?

FATHER LEONE: You mean, since-- [Father Leone's unspoken reference is to "The Vanishing," an event in which one million people suddenly disappeared form the Earth without a trace. Nobody really knows yet what happened. Superman's response to this event, and his subsequent involvement in with the people and machinery that caused it, forms the rest of this issue and the rest of the "Superman: For Tomorrow" story arc.]

SUPERMAN: Of course I don't. I know the world is much worse off. I know that. I know mine is. [Superman's own wife, Lois Lane, disappeared during The Vanishing.] What I meant is . . . after. I wasn't responsible for what happened, but there have been events since . . . [Superman inadvertently was directly responsible for causing a second, lesser vanishing in which 300,000 people vanished from the Earth without a trace. Although not yet revealed in the storyline at this point, one of the reason's Superman has come to this priest is to confess this action. First, however, the priest asks a question about why the first Vanishing took place, and Superman recaps the event from his viewpoint, including explaining his frustration at having been unable to event it. Superman also expresses the nagging guilt he feels that maybe if he had been present at the time, he might have been able to do something about it, although, intellectually, he knows this is probably not the case at all.]

FATHER LEONE: Wait. Why did it happen?

SUPERMAN: You're asking, where was I?

FATHER LEONE: Are you sure you can't read minds?

SUPERMAN: I was a million miles away . . . chasing my holy trinity. Three words . . . "Superman . . . save me." [When Superman states these words, the panel shows a statue of Jesus Christ in the background. The visual metaphor inference here is that whereas the priest worships a Holy Trinity of the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Superman's "holy trinity" (i.e., that which is most important to him and which most motivates his actions) is helping people in need, symbolized by the three words: "Superman, save me."] When I heard them, I was in bed.

FATHER LEONE: You sleep?

[Superman pauses, looking down at the ground, thinking. He does not confirm that he was sleeping or that he sleeps at all. He simply restates that he was in bed. The most likely interpretation of this scene is that Superman was recalling to himself, but not divulging to the priest, the fact that he was not sleeping in bed, but was in bed with his wife, Lois Lane. This is a painful point for him to consider when he decides to not answer the priest's question, because his beloved wife was one of the people who disappeared during The Vanishing. Furthermore, Superman's dismay at her disappearance and his subsequent extreme and ill-fated actions are among the reasons he feels guilt and has come to counsel with the priest.]

SUPERMAN: I was in bed. And then . . . I was in the stars. If you ever get the chance . . . It's truly breathtaking . . . even though it's impossible to breath. "Superman, save me." The only thing I could hear. I imagine that for you it would be like a gnat, flitting just outside your ear. Barely a sound, but deafening. "Superman, save me." It was the Lantern. [Superman recalls how fellow super-hero Green Lantern was caught in some sort of alien trap out in space.] He's like me . . . with abilities . . . Actually, he's more like you.

FATHER LEONE: You mean human.

SUPERMAN: No. . . I left him there [after rescuing him from the trap or predicament he was in], free to fight his battle. He didn't need my help . . . and I came home. As I entered the atmosphere I gradually let myself hear what was being broadcast. To see if I was needed . . . If there was something I'd missed . . . And let me tell you, it's just as chilling for someone like me as it is for you. When every signal-- in every language-- is reporting exactly the same thing. I listened and I heard it all. The panic in the voices, the anguish in the sighs, the uncertainty in the calm . . . but I couldn't hear what I needed to. And for the first time, I was really afraid. Lost, without my rhythm. I searched everywhere, believe me . . . everywhere twice. But still, it was still. No rhythm. No heartbeat. None. My wife . . . was gone.

FATHER LEONE: I never knew you were [married]. . . But, was she . . . ?

SUPERMAN: Part of the Vanishing. What turned out to be a million people on earth . . . disappearing without a trace. And I was a million miles away when it happened. That's symmetry for you.

FATHER LEONE: But . . . You can't blame yourself. You asked me to hear your--

SUPERMAN: I asked you to listen. I regret I wasn't here when the Vanishing happened. I might have been able to prevent it. Might. But after . . . what happened. After what I did . . . My sin? Was to save the world.

[Suddenly, Superman hears something - a crisis he must leave to avert.]

SUPERMAN: I have to go.