10 Things Everyone Always Gets Wrong About Superman

3. He's All American

There was a story in Action Comics #900 (ironically written by Man of Steel writer David S. Goyer) where Superman renounced his American citizenship since he was angry over his actions being labeled as U.S. foreign policy. Of course, this caused a lot of controversy and it was immediately retconned by DC to being a standalone story. However, was it wrong for Americans to get upset over this? There's no doubt in anyone's mind that he is a cultural icon in the United States given his role in basically jump-starting the superhero movement; heck, he even wears American colours. But what makes Superman distinctly American? Both his creators were Jewish immigrants, and he himself was by no means a natural-born citizen. Not only that, but If you think about it, none of the many origin stories in Superman's canon (The Man of Steel, Birthright, Secret Origin, New 52) detail how Ma and Pa Kent got him naturalised (the non-canonical television series Smallville had them making a deal with Lionel Luthor). Superman is sometimes viewed as the embodiment of the American dream - an (illegal) immigrant that rises to the top, much like Andrew Carnegie. Let it be known, though, that the "American Way" has since been open to a much different interpretation than what it was originally conceived to be and that Superman is meant to represent the good in all of humanity, not just 'Murica.