Flashlight Mythology

Because I love my children, I have rightfully taught them to honor the Marvel universe above the DC universe. The reasons for this are obvious to the most casual observer. 

Until recently, the one and only exception to this rule was The Dark Knight. Batman, after all, has always been the most Marvel-like hero that DC has to offer. Is this a surprise? Of course not: Batman's story -- from top to bottom -- is the closest DC could ever come to the pathos, irony, and dramatic grit that Marvel's heros bring to the table. Wolverine and Batman could very easily spend a night closing bars together in a way that Aquaman and Iron Man never could. Marvel's evil has always been far more tempting and gray and empathetic than DC's; its good always far more conflicted, precarious, and morally tough. In short, Marvel's universe has always been far more difficult; in a word, real. A mythology that resonates because it knows, authenticates, and mirrors.

The weakest link (ironically) in DC's universe has always been Superman. Here you have an invincible being - impervious to all known weapons - imbued with all imaginable superhuman abilities. Can outrun anything. Can move any object. Can withstand any weapon. Can see, hear, do pretty much anything. A being of omniscience, omnipotence, and (for all practical purposes) omnipresence. His one weakness? Yeah. A green rock that shows up every now and then as the plotline demands.

So imagine my surprise when we watched "Man of Steel" tonight.

Here's a movie that gets very well how the humble comic book -- at best -- captures the flickering, fireside mythos of the ages. And does so without ever once winking at itself or us.

I don't know.

Maybe my expectations were so low that I couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised, but I found the whole exercise to be exhileratingly refreshing, and surprisingly moral.

Weakness as strength, strength as weakness. Grace in restraint, restraint in respect. You know, that sort of thing.