10 Most Quintessential 'Superman Moments' In Comic Book History
6. Forgive Yourself Kingdom Come #4
When it comes to definitive depictions of Superman, Kingdom Come might not be the first comic that comes to mind. Its much more bleak than many stories featured in DC comics continuity, featuring a dystopian future and an older, more cynical Superman. In Kingdom Come, the all-powerful Spectre enlists a priest named Norman McCay to bear witness to the twilight of superheroes. Mankind commits an act of genocide against the worlds superhuman population. Overwhelmed by his own failures, Superman goes off on a roaring rampage of revenge. He's about to bring down the entire United Nations building, murdering countless innocent people Until Norman McCay breaks through to him, begging Superman to remember his greatest strength: his ability to determine right from wrong. They wont forgive you for this, Clark, says Norman. Forgive yourself. And Clark, as always, makes the right decision in the end. In the span of maybe three pages, this scene shows us two completely different sides of Superman: the red-eyed alien supervillain we all fear he could become, and the human being who cares enough to shed tears for his fallen allies. This scene sums up what an incredible contradiction Superman is: he's an alien with the power of a God, but deep down, he's more human than human.
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
