2. Superman's Concealing A Different Secret Identity
Fredric Wertham's 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent was mostly full of quackery clap-trap, anti-comics propaganda masquerading as deep psychological analysis. It suggested that comic books were turning children into sex-crazed criminal delinquents and, as a result, the form was heavily censored for the better part of half a century. One of the claims Wertham made in his book was that Batman and Robin were clearly engaged in a homosexual relationship, and that this was brainwashing kids into thinking such a thing was okay. Which it is, but Wertham also came very close to uncovering the real gay icon amongst DC's flagship characters. Superman's potential for camp humour has been so overused over the years that it's not funny any more - if it ever was - with everything from a storyline where (sigh) Pink Kryptonite causes Clark Kent to (bigger sigh) be interested in fashion and decorating, to a spoof trailer for Batman vs Superman where the former outs the latter. Still, Superman can be taken as a more serious allegory for LGBT people and issues, in both the comics and Zack Snyder's recent Man of Steel film, which has a scene where a young Clark literally hides himself in a closet. Then there's the whole secret identity thing. There isn't any real reason that somebody with the powers of a god should choose to conceal himself amongst humanity, and yet he does. Partly to become sympathetic to the people he protects, but also because he's worried those same people will reject him for who he is, for being different, as people do with things they fear and hate. Not to mention he grew up in a small hick town where people are even less accepting of those who are "different", meaning he has to totally hide his true self for his whole childhood. Sounds familiar...
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
