Fans of Superman have gotten themselves riled up whilst debating the character’s inherent American values, with some saying that the idea of “the American way” presents Superman as a nationalist. Something the franchise should be steering away from in 2023.
A user on the DC Cinematic subreddit shared a description of the upcoming Superman: Legacy project which describes the hero as an embodiment of the American way. They took issue with James Gunn’s decision to keep the tagline for the hero despite the negative connotations it may have. This was branded as tone deaf in the current year, most likely due to the political and social climate in the states right now.
Whilst they have raised a somewhat interesting point, a large chunk of the replies disagree with the post. Other members on the subreddit pointed out that the American way is a set of values that are held by many.
There were some fans who agreed with OPs post, with many taking issue with the fact that the phrase is quite hypocritical considering the country’s history. Many say that the American way is based on false virtues and straight up lies.
It really all comes down to how you interpret the phrase “the American way”, as for some, it has negative connotations due to the history of the country. Others say that it means one should strive for freedom and equality for all. Now that does sound like something Superman would stand for.
