Last week Fox News posted an article which claims the recent issue of Action Comics (42), “has been making waves for its controversial theme as the parallels to the riots in Ferguson and St. Louis are impossible to ignore.” Making, what Fox contributor Brian Henry sees as, a departure from Superman's traditional foes, this new issue sees the Man of Steel squaring off against police in his home town of Metropolis. Intrigued by this accusation, I did something I have not done for more than a decade; I purchased a copy of Action Comics.
This was the first DC comic I have read since their relaunch a few years ago. While it is true Superman has abandoned the cape and tights in favor of a t-shirt and blue jeans, as well as having his identity revealed to the world and powers diminished, I don't think it will shock anyone for me to say I don't believe that much has changed when you get down to the character's core. I'm going to summarize the two issues I read to provide context, so if you have any intention of reading them and do not wish to be told what unfolds, consider this your spoiler alert.
Picking up the story with issue 41, I found Superman stumbling through the wilderness, weakened and trying to get home. He stops in a small Alaskan town to find food, clothing and transportation. From there we travel cross country in a montage/ map sequence to Metropolis. Upon arriving home Superman is met by a xenophobic police force who reluctantly allow him to enter the city. Clark bumps into his dear friend, Jimmy Olsen, who escorts him back to his neighborhood, which is now dubbed “Kentville.” People have swarmed to the area to show support for Superman, decorating the streets with lights, balloons and a giant banner that reads, “We Stand With Superman.” Fire fighter, Lee Lambert, greets Clark, confronting him with the realities of what has happened since his identity was revealed. Their conversation is cut short as a “Shadow” begins attacking a nearby pier. Superman leaps into action to fight off the creature as the police march down the street to Kentville, intent on breaking up the mob.
Issue 42 picks up with the police confronting Superman's supporters as Clark finishes off the shadow thing. Tension builds as the cops demand the assembly disperse. A tear gas canister is accidentally fired into the crowd and deflected by an agitated supporter, named Dante. Superman returns just before things turn ugly, using an anchor and chain to create a physical barrier between his supporters and the police. As he tries to talk them out of what they're doing, a sergeant, named Binghamton, steps forward to threaten the Man of Steel, ordering a power-armored S.W.A.T. team to beat him down. Superman takes the beating on behalf of the crowd, until the police resume their assault. The issue ends with Clark dramatically punching Binghamton.
First, let's address the accusation that parallels to Ferguson are “impossible to ignore.” I would never have drawn that conclusion from this issue. I don't think anyone would have made a connection to the protests in Ferguson, let alone the riots, unless they were looking for it. In my view, it would be far more accurate to compare Superman's supporters in Kentville to protestors from Occupy Wall Street. The events in Ferguson were far too somber to be inspiration for this fictional assembly of people. I will, however, grant that Ferguson was the catalyst that recently drew national attention to abuses of authority perpetrated by law enforcement, which could accurately be identified as a theme for this story. Having said that, there's a world of difference between the Fox headline that reads, “Superman fights the police in new comic paralleling Ferguson riots,” and something like, “Superman defends protestors from riot police in new comic.”
The article goes on to quote Patrick Colligan, president of the New Jersey State Policeman's Benevolent Association. Colligan was, understandably, frustrated at seeing law enforcement portrayed in this negative light, especially considering recent media attention on police corruption and abuse of power. “We are, once again, painted with the very broad stroke nobody wants to be painted with," he told Fox411. He went on to say, “Comic books are taking on social issues lately and maybe they should get back to taking on superheroes and making people laugh.” This second statement, an ironic “broad stroke,” characterizes an entire medium of storytelling as being incapable of addressing serious issues, which is as illogical as believing a story about Superman standing up to corrupt police is an attack on all police. Besides, comic books addressing social issues is hardly a recent trend.
Superman has fought everything from Nazi's...
...to racism...
...to world hunger...
...he paid tribute to police and fire fighters in the wake of 9/11...
...and took a stand against radical Islam.
Okay, I'm just kidding about the last one, but my point remains, comic books have a long standing history of addressing social issues. In fact, I would argue that is when comics are at their best and, regardless of whether Colligan likes it or not, law enforcement abuse of authority is a hot issue right now. Beyond Ferguson, MO and the death of Michael Brown we have the deaths of Akai Gurley, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott, Freddie Gray, Samuel DuBose and Sandra Bland, just to name a few. Upon reflection, I would say not a week has gone by all summer in which I did not see at least one news story regarding some form of police abuse of authority. In light of these tragic events, is it any surprise police corruption has manifested itself in the popular culture?
This week, Newsarama released a preview of Action Comics 43. Bleeding Cool News was quick to point out the situation unfolds in a way that may surprise those looking for the Ferguson connection.
So, did Fox News just bite the hook on an Action Comics cliffhanger? I cannot help but be reminded of Solon's advice to Croesus, "Look to the end, no matter what you are consdering."
Finally, I've tried in vain to discover with whom this issue, “has been making waves for its controversial theme.” In fact, the only source I can find for this statement is Fox News itself. Every blog or news article I have read that casts these recent issues in negative light quote from the Fox article. I'm left to conclude the entire premise of this argument is a Straw Man, an informal fallacy which seeks to create a false position for one's opponent with the purpose of easily defeating it. In his long history Superman has fought Nazis, bank robbers, giant robots, super-powered aliens, Lex Luthor, Doomsday and even Muhammad Ali, I'm confident it will take more than Straw Man to stop him from defending Truth and Justice.
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