Superman Has Returned To The American Way
A year after removing the "The American Way" from Superman's iconic catchphrase, a DC animated film has brought it back.
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DC Comics has issued a course correction (of sorts) in its depiction of Superman, a year after it changed Superman’s motto from “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” to “Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow.” A new DC animated film, Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons, has reportedly restored the motto, as it is uttered by Superman himself in a scene. The motto change ignited a controversy among fans, who argued that the Superman mythos should adhere to a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” rule, and should not be swayed by current political and social trends, according to a report by Bounding Into Comics.
In the scene, in which Clark has revealed his true identity to his son Jonathan, he explains to him what it means to be a hero. “My job, my real job, is helping the world,” he tells him, as he flies through the clouds with Jon on his back. “Standing for truth, justice, and the American way, wherever that takes me.”
DC officially changed the motto last year, when writer Tom Taylor used it in his book, Superman: Son of Kal-El. DC Comics also incorporated it into their promotional material for the character, and when Hershey candy bars were issued earlier this year with DC comic characters on them, the “Better Tomorrow” catchphrase was included on the wrapper. The Son of Kal-El comic was cancelled last month by DC.
Superman fans are sticklers for tradition, and dislike major changes to the character, whether in comics, on TV, or the big screen. There are fans who are still upset that the “New 52” continuity reboot by DC Comics changed Superman’s outfit so he no longer wears red underwear on the outside of his suit. As you might expect, changing his beloved catchphrase was not well received.
The catchphrase has been part of the Superman mythos since the 1940’s, when it was first used in the Superman radio series and it entered the American lexicon when it was popularized in the George Reeves TV series The Adventures of Superman. It was also uttered by Christopher Reeve in the iconic 1978 film, in a memorable scene, further solidifying it as part of who Superman is.
Part of the backlash came from long-time Superman fans who openly wondered why DC felt the need to change the slogan in the first place. They argued that Superman, as a timeless icon, is above the petty politics of the time, and Taylor, an outspoken critic of then-President Donald Trump, appeared to make the change as some sort of political protest. Even in the 1978 film clip, Lois (Margot Kidder) acknowledges the idea of the “American Way” would be at odds with many politicians at the time, so the two were not mutually exclusive.
It was one of many changes, political and non-political, that Taylor made on his Superman stint that rubbed some fans the wrong way. It also seemed to signal a shift in tone for the character that seemed to come from the top, as several DC employees at the time quit the company over the direction the publisher was taking. DC Comics colorist Gabe Eltaeb was among them, and directly cited the slogan change as the last straw for him.
However, the use of the old slogan in a single animate production does not indicate a full change in direction in how DC treats the character. In fact, the new phrase is likely to remain as well, as DC Comics chief Jim Lee endorsed the change last year, but it seems like DC is conceding that fans like tradition. The return of Henry Cavill to the role of Superman in Black Adam may be part of a company-wide attempt to win back those fans, but that doesn’t mean the changes are permanent.
