Superman Ramblings

Im sitting here at work and listening to an interview with the new Superman, Brandon Routh. (If you havent taken a look at the trailer or the pics, GO NOW. http://supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/) Listening to him talk about the movie, I am getting all excited for the millionth time. While talking about Christopher Reeve, Routh said it was very special to him what he might have thought, because "he was my Superman." Amen, brother. Because, you know, even though he's a fictional character, and in comics (where every artist and writer has a new vision of him), whenever I read a Superman comic, I see Christopher Reeve. He really captured the innocence and protectiveness that Superman means to me.

I have moved back and forth with my comics; sometimes I like gritty crime drama, sometimes a regular superhero story, sometimes horror stories about zombies and such. Superman has always been a constant for me.

A lot of people ask me about my tattoos, and what they mean to me. I have a Superman S on my right shoulder, and I put it there because, sophomoric though it may be, he is everything I want to be when I grow up. Not just a savior for the weak, but a beacon of value and conscience. TRUE value. He doesn't save someone because they are white, or straight, or christian, or rich. He saves everybody, because he knows we are all in this together, and we must never lose our capacity to pick up our fellow man when he falls.

I guess Im rambling again, but I will give you the text from the trailer (spoken by Superman's father, Jor El) that explains what it means to me.

Even though you've been raised as a human being you're not one of them. They can be a great people Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son.

I am so excited about this summer, and the return of my hero.