Why can superman not go back to being a symbol of hope?

I am not just talking about the cinematic universe as that would be easy to pick on since it came out in the US last night. I am talking more as a whole. I don't understand why he has to be a brooder. Landis and jurgens whom are writing completely different supermen have the right direction for how superman should make you feel. Today's audience is smarter and yes I get that superman just being able to end all problems physically makes it hard for lazy writers to come up with stories. The superman I love always had those problems but yet writers still were able to make him the symbol of hope the dc universe needed and make him a compelling character. I am the only one that feels that way? do you guys like the sad superman?

,,Still the little boy scout,you think you can come to my world and play some savior ,you don't have what it is like to bleed like a man.'' - I'm joking (but this is better then ,,do you bleed you will'').Are you talking about New 52 Superman?

Unfortunately, the world and audiences are cynical which means Superman's boy scout personality seems too unbelievable. Shame really.

@krleavenger: all current versions minus Landis and jurgens

No matter what you do with him. There will always be the crowd that says he's lame or boring or some such other.

well then that crowd can always read batman if they can't accept that superman is supposed to be hopeful

@darthaznable said:

Funny i just watched Angry Joe's review & one of top comments is that "Superman is lame. Always has been & always will be" with 430 Likes lol. Thought in 2016, more people would have read Superman comics by now or the guy would have less hated by now.

We live in pretty hopeless times.

@newecho: I love New 52 Superman because he isn't invincible and is more realistic (because he became a superhero after his parents were killed and he found out that he can't do anything).You know I don't really care sence I'm not a Superman fan but the thing that you are talking about is the one thing that makes Superman fans angrier then the Hulk lol so yeah,I agree.

He is...in the comics.

Because being a good person and having morals isn't 'cool.'

he will, but the longer the prolong it, the more stories they can write.

by the end of the movie he was people were crying over him even though they hated him at the start

Because, as said by Perry White in the film, "it isnt 1938 anymore". In the modern world, I don't think Superman CAN be a symbol of hope. He is too powerful, and power corrupts.

I agree with this thread.

Let's make Superman a Blue Lantern.

Did you even understand BvS at all? Superman was trying to be as hopeful as he could despite all the hate and cough*bomb blast*cough in front of his eyes. If it were comic or movie, Superman would have given up.

I think MoS Superman is more realistic and better symbol of hope than any other movie superman

I remember people crying in my theatre(in both times when I watched) so it does become more hopeful by the end

"If you seek his monument, look around you."

@soldierofel: I was about to say the exact same thing. Most mainstream audiences just are not into that type of thing and are way too cynical to respect what Superman represents.

LOL.

Part of having hope is overcoming struggles. He is a symbol of hope by example.

He`s still a symbol of hope.

Never was a symbol of hope to me. I don't understand how he symbolizes hope to someone who lives in the real world. He's a great superhero and comic book character who in this day and time isn't relevant to a lot of people and not just the younger generation. People don't rush to the big Boy Scout persona anymore because the world we live in tells us it's not realistic and some people are going to reject him and call him lame because of what they see outside of comics. It's not 1938 and he doesn't necessarily fit in with the mindset of today's average joe let alone comic fans.

No, that's crap.

I'm so tired of fans of this bleak iteration of Superman)by way of Batman using that excuse.

Look at Captain America.

A bright Supes who wasn't a dick, and inspired hope would definitly work, and would make more sense in this bleak times.

Totally and in my opinion Superman is even more compelling than Captain America in the whole morality department because as it stands now cap will always be that man out of time who retains those old sensibilities but Superman is constantly updated as the times go on and imagine a being like Superman being raised by humans to just be a good, altruistic person in this day and age. I personally think that's very compelling and has more to say about the good nature of humanity.

@muyjingo: I agree with you but with the way the DCEU is going, it's clear they're afraid of introducing light and respecting tenants of their chracters. There's no way they'd ever make a good Superman film where he is a symbol of hope and a beacon of light. They're so concerned with being gritty and dark, that they are willing to sacrifice characters for it. I really hope they can do a better superman film, hell maybe even put him in a team up with Shazam, an equally light character and do it properly. But at this point in time, I don't see it happening any time soon.

Yeah. It sucks huh. Justice League won't be getting my money, since apparently these cinematic incarnations don't match the personality of the characters I like, at all. I guess killing jimmy Olsen so blatantly shows what they think of that world of comics.

@muyjingo: Agreed. I would've thought that, since Batman is Snyder's favourite character, he would've respected the source material but no. He changed him and violated a core tenant of his character. An argument can be made that this isn't something new in the world of film but he could've struck out on his own and made Batman close to the comics. And from his comments, the Justice League film is going to be nearly silent since he doesn't like Superheroes conversing in costume. Oh and since secret identities are stupid I guess Barry won't be a CSI and Shazam won't be a child. Great, just great.

Yep. I agree completely.

Snyder sucks. I swear, the people that like BvS probably think Iron Man 2 was fantastic.

here is part of the answer. thank you good sir.

I guess they feel like people are tired of that but in reality a lot of people do want the traditional icon of hope that Superman is supposed to be. It's a lot like how the current Thor is going....sometimes people like a character for a reason and don't need ridiculous changes.

Even in these most recent works, many people still find hope and inspiration in him. He's just portrayed as being a little less cheerful and a bit more serious. It makes sense given how other people perceive him. It seems more interesting to see someone go through some inner, emotional turmoil than it is for them to just see someone saving the day all of the time. That's just not going to cut it anymore.

@ultimatesmfan:we're living in a time when captain america is a better superman than superman

@runoutofideasreboot: Really? A soldier who fights and kills is a better Superman than someone who saves and rescues? That's funny.

People need Superman to be a symbol of hope, both in the fiction and in our reality. However DC's customers largely want something more 'realistic' and gritty. Thus Batman sells more despite being depressing. DC for the largest part intends to make a profit (like any business), and thus gives the people more of what they want and less of what they need. Sad really, but I can't see it changing soon.

@muyjingo: iron man man 2 sucks.

The Flash gives people more hope than Superman ever will.

GIVE HIM THE SYMBOL OF HOPE BACK NINJA

This is a harder question to answer and I don't want to just tackle it and sound biased. IMO, the world doesn't want an icon anymore, and trying to present the public with just that is like trying to force a child to drink medicine. People bring up Captain America, but I disagree that he's an icon, and his boy scout personality makes his stories more compelling because he's a man from the past. His reason to be old school is more solid and it works in his stories because he is fighting the new world that he sees has taken a turn for the worst. Superman on the other hand, doesn't have that so it's like comparing apples and oranges. IDK, at the end of the day, what Clark needs is a cartoon or a video game to start to make audiences care again. I had hoped that BvS would continue Clark's journey from Farmboy to Icon, but his side of the story was an incoherent mess, and it seems like they put much more effort in Batman's storyline. Maybe they'll make some good Superman stuff down the road.... but we can only wait and see.

....

As for the subject of the PM, I can only speak personally, but people need to focus on the man and make him likable, before they try and force the Symbol of Hope on general audiences. Way I see it

1. Man

2. Sci Fi Action Hero

3. Symbol of Hope

@saintwildcard: Couldn't have said it any better.