Who doesnt love Superman? For over 75 years now, the Man of Steel has been defending humanity from earthquakes, tsunamis, evil scientists, alien dictators, and even each other. Hes one of the most famous icons of all time, and easily one of the fiction loving world's most beloved characters ever. Over the course of his entire history, there have been hundreds of Superman stories told by hundreds of different authors. Is it even possible to distill this huge, iconic character down to a reflection of his essential moments? That's not just his "landmark" events - "The First Appearance of Supergirl!" or "Superman's First Battle With Brainiac!" - but rather the important story moments that fall into two categories: exemplifying everything we know and love about Superman, or granting us some greater insight into the character himself. The agenda here is to compile those scenes that all combine for fans to make Superman... well, Superman.
10. I Never Refuse A Cry For Help Superman: Red Son #1
Superman: Red Son is a story from DC Comics Elseworlds imprint. Its a simple and fiendishly clever concept: what if Superman, an all-American icon, belonged to Soviet Russia? What if baby Kal-El had grown up in the USSR instead of the American heartland? There's a moment in issue #1 where Superman hears an American voice shout out in panic. Theyre not my people, he notes, but I never refuse a cry for help." With nary another thought, Supes swoops in to the rescue, saving Metropolis from the crashing Soviet satellite Sputnik 2. The following splash page shows Superman effortlessly holding aloft the Daily Planet globe in one hand, while using his other hand to return a balloon to a smiling child. It's a symbolic representation of what makes Superman such a touching and heartfelt character; he has all the strength in the world and he uses it to make a little boy smile. He might be lacking his trademark "S," but this is Superman through-and-though. Oh, and if by some chance you hadn't noticed, this page is of course a homage to Leo O'Mealia's iconic cover of Superman #1.
Spencer is a Film Studies major at the Rhode Island College in Providence. He is a professional video editor, hopeful screenwriter, aspiring director, and prays that his ambitions aren't just starry-eyed daydreams. Follow him on twitter @NotSpencerSerra
