Social criticism in Superman

Stories from the Superman Chronicles amount to social and cultural criticisms regarding the issues of urban livelihood during the late 1930s and early 40s when these comics were first published. The artists appeal to the young generation of this era with colorful images as a way of commenting on the social corruption of urban life. Through these commentaries, the artists rapidly construct the persona of a hero with characteristics revered by the young readership of the U.S. Anecdotes of heroism through individual strength that captures the admiration of beautiful women – like Lois Lane – are a surefire way of convincing children to attempt imitating the personality of said hero in their own lives. With the noses of eager-to-impress youth buried in the pages of these comics, the social criticisms and innuendoes easily find their way into the consciousness of the youth.

A major social criticism that is visiting frequently in the Superman comics involves the corruption of rich men who take advantage of a helpless mass of lower class workers. As Clark Kent visits a shattered mine with an entrapped miner, he discovers that the endangerment of the miner’s life could have been avoided with better provisions of health and safety from the ore business whose owner is too wrapped up in his own selfishness to provide for his workers. In an unwavering pursuit for justice, Superman remedies the severed communication between worker and employer by ending the corruption of the rich man as he shows him what it is like to be trapped in a mine in fear of death. It is through placing the corrupt owner in the scenario of his workers that Superman forces the evil man to understand compassion toward the necessities of helpless workers. This situation is paralleled in a previous issue of the Superman Chronicles in which a corrupted lobbyist who sustains manufacturing of ammunition between countries for economic gain is forced by Superman to live as a soldier and understand the true fear of death faced every day on the battlefield. In this ultimate realization of the lives he affects, the lobbyist comes to the side of justice and changes his corrupt and selfish ways.

The criticism of social disconnect between classes is resolved by forcing upper class individuals to encounter the conditions of lower class life. The artists repeatedly express corruption of wealth as a dominion over the working class that can be alleviated through a union of social class. Richard Reynolds addresses this pattern through “Masked Heroes” in which he describes the context of a superhero that arose through the conception of Superman and other early comic characters. He mentions that the Great Depression was largely in effect while these comics were being published. The concern over economic progress was wildly present in the lives of working class citizens who were faced with the serious ramifications of an injured economy. Resolution for this fear is addressed in the Superman Chronicles, in which destruction of social class barriers is constantly implied.