Thursday, June 14, 2012

Live Up To His Myth

Asmodel: Yield!
Superman: Never!
Flash: This is the guy who said he couldn't live up to his myth.
He's wrestling an angel...
- JLA #7
by Grant Morrison and Howard Porter

This is Superman fighting an angel. An angel of Heaven. Does this make much sense? No. But it sure is awesome!

The Flash is referencing an earlier conversation he had with Superman where the Man of Steel is concerned that people's expectations of him are too high. They expect him to be perfect and able to do anything. But Superman is well aware of his own limitations, be it physical, emotional, or personal. He doesn't think he can fully live up to the myth about him that's been generated.

The Flash finds irony in this when he sees Superman later fighting a literal angel and holding his ground. This is the beauty of the mythology of Superman: he can always live up to his myth. No matter what challenges he may face, Superman will always be Superman. In an interview with Wired, Grant Morrison described Superman in this way, "Somewhere, in our darkest night, we made up the story of a man who will never let us down..."

Even when it comes to battling rebellious supernatural heralds of the Divine.

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