Is he Christ? Is he Moses? Superman’s religious and ethical undertones add to his mystique

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A relatable superhero

But Superman has cemented his place in pop culture not just as a beacon of hope, but also as a character relatable to many, regardless of race or ethnicity.

Gene Luen Yang, who has written several Superman comics, is best known for his 2020 graphic novel “Superman Smashes the Klan,” a story about a Chinese American family moving to Metropolis in 1946 and facing discrimination from the Klan. The story follows the Lee family as they confront the white supremacist group with Superman’s help.

Yang sees his own experience as a Chinese American mirrored in Superman’s story.

“The idea that you have to hide who you are or that you’re caught in between cultures,” he said. “Superman has two names — Kal-El, his Kryptonian name and Clark Kent, his American name. I had a Chinese name at home and an American name in school. So even though I’m a practicing Catholic, I was more drawn to his Jewish roots because that’s where I could relate more.”

Yang sees Superman as the original superhero who inspired almost religious fervor in the geekdom, featuring cosplayers who reenact scenes as a Christian might reenact biblical episodes around Christmas or Easter. A trip to a comic convention is like a pilgrimage where followers collect original art and “all kinds of relics.”

Stories in pop culture also draw from older storytelling traditions, often rooted in religions.

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“In some ways, you can think of religions as communities that are built around stories that last centuries,” Yang said. “The idea of self-sacrifice, the idea that you do good deeds without the desire to gain recognition. That’s the whole point of secret identities.”

While his Catholic faith is an important facet of his life, Yang said he never forced religion into his Superman comics.

“I write more about my life and my lived experience of faith, with the doubts and the ragged edges,” he said.

Characters like Superman, while not themselves religious, provide a portal to the sacred through the profane, said A. David Lewis, a Boston-based graphic novelist and comic book writer.

“I love that people take something from popular culture and find some level of spirituality or find a greater connection to some divine source through it,” he said. “But I would never say Superman is just of the Jewish or Christian people. Like some of the best narratives out there, Superman gives us access to something transcendent.”

Superman’s strong Jewish roots

Samantha Baskind, professor of art history at Cleveland State University, is Jewish; she sees numerous parallels between Superman’s story and the history of Jews. Superman’s solitary flight from Krypton in a little spacecraft is reminiscent of how Moses’ mother placed him in a papyrus basket and left him on the Nile, seeing it has his best chance of survival.

Some also compare Superman’s backstory to the Kindertransport, she said, referring to a rescue program that transported nearly 10,000 children, mostly Jewish, from Nazi-controlled territories to Great Britain in 1938 and 1939.

In Superman’s Kryptonian name, Kal-El, chosen by his original Jewish creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the “El” in Hebrew connotes God. In DC Comics, Superman also frequents the “Bottle City of Kandor,” a Kryptonian city shrunk down and placed in a bottle, representing a fragmented piece of Krypton’s history. Baskind said to her it is reminiscent of how diaspora Jews visit Israel.

“There’s also the thinking that Siegel and Shuster created Superman because they were these two, skinny, young Jewish men who couldn’t go out and fight Hitler, but Superman fought Nazis on the cover of their comic books,” she said. In some early editions, Superman held Hitler by his Nazi uniform as he begged for mercy.

Appeal to the religiously unaffiliated

Despite the religious undertones, Superman’s appeal to those growing religiously unaffiliated remains strong, said Dan Clanton, professor of religious studies at Doane University in Nebraska. He says it’s because Superman’s story “truly encapsulates American civil religion.”

“This idea that there are practices and beliefs that provide all, regardless of religious identity, with a sense of being part of something bigger than themselves,” he said.

Neal Bailey, a contributor for over a decade to Superman Homepage and an atheist, believes Superman at his best is a “philosophical pragmatist” solving the most complex problems with the least amount of harm.

“He actually goes beyond religion to see our commonalities,” he said. “Superman wouldn’t care about people’s religious beliefs. He would care more about whether they are living up to their human potential.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

“}]] Superman remains a symbol of hope and transcendence for all.  Read More