The co-creator of one of the most iconic Superman stories airs their thoughts on what it is that makes the Man of Steel work. Clark Kent has been around for nearly a century and few have been able to properly elucidate the magic behind the iconic hero.
That is, except for Grant Morrison, writer of the critically lauded All-Star Superman. Nearly 20 years ago, Morrison helped craft one of the greatest tales featuring the Man of Tomorrow and a re-discovered quote from them has put into words what they believe has made the hero work for so long.
Grant Morrison Believes the Myth Makes the Man
Superman’s Wild History Made Him the Icon He Is
In a Reddit post, a quote from Grant Morrison from their 10-part interview All-Star Superman with Newsarama was posted by user Lucky_Strike-85. It’s a long, engaging response where Morrison reveals their creative process while working on their epic Superman story. Morrison reveals that before they started writing All-Star Superman, they spent quite a bit of time re-examining the character to see what it was that made the character work. They admit that everyone gets drawn in by the Man of Steel for different reasons, but what ultimately defines Superman for Morrison was the mythology behind him.
Morrison firmly believes that the best writers who ever worked on Superman were in the ’50s and ’60s, largely during the Silver Age, saying that this period is when Superman’s mythology was built. Morrison specifically credits writer Otto Binder, who added numerous things to Superman’s lore such as Supergirl, Brainiac, and Jimmy Olsen (Morrison even has an aside revealing their love for Olsen’s wild, silly adventures during this age). Morrison was also fascinated with Binder’s contributions like the Phantom Zone and the Legion of Super-Heroes, saying it’s no shock he was famous for his work with Captain Marvel as well.
Morrison reveals they weren’t just infatuated with Binder’s writing, they were envious of Binder’s imagination. Morrison goes on to say that their All-Star series attempted to re-create what creators like Binder and his peers were doing at the time while also taking a look at Superman’s mortality. They even claim that All-Star Superman isn’t a wholly original tale, saying that it wouldn’t have existed without the mythology to draw from. Morrison ends the quote with a special acknowledgment of Binder, saying he “deserves a lot of credit for making Superman so special”.
Superman’s Mythology is His Greatest Asset
Creativity is the Key to Making the Man of Steel Work
Morrison is not wrong, as the Silver Age of Comics was a wild time for Superman. Superman was developing new powers with every issue and was fighting some of the most ridiculous threats imaginable (and that’s not even getting into the antics Jimmy Olsen came across). But it was because Otto Binder and his fellow writers and artists were willing to take risks that they wound up creating a mythology that ultimately stood the test of time, with lore that’s still inspiring creators working on Superman stories to this day.
Morrison’s tongue-in-cheek comment about being envious of Binder’s imagination downplays their own contributions to the franchise, as All-Star Superman is widely regarded by many as one of the greatest modern Superman stories. That story alone was full of creative ideas that would have fit right in with any Silver Age comic, like Superman’s lost ancestors Bar-El and Lilo, or Zibarro, the ‘Bizarros’ Bizarro’. But that all goes back to Morrison’s point, in that the Superman mythology that was created decades ago can still inspire the comic creators of today.
That’s not to say that Superman only works when creators make things inspired by the characters and locations of the past. However, things like the Phantom Zone and the Bottle City of Kandor or characters like Supergirl and Krypto have become just as much a part of Superman as his powers or his love of humanity. One simply can’t make Superman in a vacuum. Creators have to touch on and acknowledge this mythology in some way as it’s a crucial part of what defines Superman.
Superman’s Mythology is a Shining Example of Pure Creativity
The Lore Invites Forward Thinking for the Man of Tomorrow
Can Superman be a hard character to write? Absolutely. But one only needs to look back on the wild additions during the Silver Age to see that creators like Binder worked best when they just had fun. Creators would take big swings when adding things like a miniaturized city or a dog with superpowers. But those additions became solid parts of Superman’s mythos. Morrison’s observation is astute when they claim that the mythology is ultimately what makes Superman a phenomenal character.
Source: Reddit
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
