September 14, 2010 29 Comments

How to Be Superman

I Am Superman One way to be Superman is to realize the nature of the story: a boy arrives in a new setting, falls in love with his family, and realizes that he must use his gifts to help those around him.

Another way to be Superman is to realize the nature of the story: a boy grows into a man realizing that he doesn’t fit in, that he’s different, that he’s foreign to even the simplest of notions, though he’s lived his life among people that believe they’re just like him.

Another way to be Superman is to realize the nature of the story: a family sends the embodiment of their hope for a better future into a world of violence and chaos, where he must then struggle to grow up and live up to the hopes and dreams of parents that never got to see him succeed.

Another way to be Superman is to buy his costume and do what he does without understanding any of it.

For the record, I much prefer Batman. Also for the record, that picture is of Steve Garfield and is one of my favorites.

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  • http://twitter.com/deannie Deanna McNeil

    Batman has all the cool shiny toys :)

    • Timothy ODell

      They aren’t really shiny… they are sorta matte black

    • Timothy ODell

      They aren’t really shiny… they are sorta matte black

  • http://twitter.com/matt_houston Matt Houston

    I like Spiderman, because he pretty much always got his butt handed to him, but he kept getting up again and again….plus the fact that he ultimately beat them with friggin’ silk and never hurt them unnecessarily, even after they wrecked him. Class.

  • http://twitter.com/matt_houston Matt Houston

    I like Spiderman, because he pretty much always got his butt handed to him, but he kept getting up again and again….plus the fact that he ultimately beat them with friggin’ silk and never hurt them unnecessarily, even after they wrecked him. Class.

  • Anonymous

    Sometimes you hit the nail on the head.
    Another way to be Superman is to realize the nature of the story: You meet the love of your’ life and she falls in love with something you’re not… but you are and you just lack the stones to tell her.
    I think that’s a more pervasive theme among comic book readers ;-)

    Seriously though, we all take something different from a well told story. Tell the whole story and see what grows out of it. Brilliant as always Clark Brogan

  • http://cashwithatrueconscience.com/rbblog Ryan Biddulph

    Chris, I’m more of a Batman guy too but another great lesson here. The second story resonates with me.

  • http://thoughtwrestling.com/blog Mark Dykeman

    One way to be Batman is to never really get over the tragedy of your parents’ murder. And then you go take out all that pain on the bad guys, scaring the crap out of them so they don’t bother other people.Another way to be Batman is to study hard, train hard, think hard and compensate for every weakness you have.Another way to be Batman is to conduct a brilliant marketing campaign to scare the crap out of your city’s criminal element. Plus actually deliver against the campaign.And yes, another way to be Batman is to have all the shiniest, coolest gadgets. But to be any good at being Batman, you have to know how to use those gadgets effectively.For the record, I kind of like Green Lantern, too, but that’s a whole other story…. willpower and the biggest, baddest gadget of all.

    • http://kaplancopy.com/blog Jodi Kaplan

      +1 :-)

    • Robjcaldera

      Green Lantern rocks!

      • http://thoughtwrestling.com/blog Mark Dykeman

        Yup!

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      Okay, I used to HATE green lantern, but the New Frontier series got me totally into him. I’d never seen him in the light of the fearless test pilot, where courage and willpower were what drove him. For the record, I’d be a crap green lantern.

  • http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

    So you is debating who to be fer Halloween?

    I’m not that impressed with Super Man.

    A) The people around him were DAFT. “Hi, I have glasses on, I’m Clark.” “Hi, I took my glasses off and put on blue tights. Now I am Super Man.” “Oh, okay. If I took my glasses off and put on blue tights people would probably say, “Hey Margie, ‘sup?”
    B) Well, no…that’s really my biggest beef.

    I’m not really a fan of super heroes as they appear in the comics. Too many tight-fitting outfits, masks that have to be really hard to see out of, and it gets so complicated to explain to your significant other what you are up to. That would stress me out.

    Me, I like my super heroes like I like my coffee – eye opening, good, and a little sweet.

    With a couple of good buns :D

    Oh yeah, almost forgot…I liked this post a lot. Well said.

  • http://reallifemadman.wordpress.com Marjorie Clayman

    So you is debating who to be fer Halloween?

    I’m not that impressed with Super Man.

    A) The people around him were DAFT. “Hi, I have glasses on, I’m Clark.” “Hi, I took my glasses off and put on blue tights. Now I am Super Man.” “Oh, okay. If I took my glasses off and put on blue tights people would probably say, “Hey Margie, ‘sup?”
    B) Well, no…that’s really my biggest beef.

    I’m not really a fan of super heroes as they appear in the comics. Too many tight-fitting outfits, masks that have to be really hard to see out of, and it gets so complicated to explain to your significant other what you are up to. That would stress me out.

    Me, I like my super heroes like I like my coffee – eye opening, good, and a little sweet.

    With a couple of good buns :D

    Oh yeah, almost forgot…I liked this post a lot. Well said.

  • http://pickingdaisiesinpurgatory.com/ Colleen Clifford

    Too many people go for the store-bought costume. A *real* superhero creates his own, a unique visual embodiment of his true self.

    Got it – no?

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      Not even visual. They just are.

  • http://www.danieldecker.net Daniel Decker

    This post is deep on so many layers. Well played. Me thinks you’re not that object to parable types after all. :)

    • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

      Shhh. Don’t tell people.

  • http://www.social-discomfort.com Pam Komarnicki

    I prefer Batman as well, because as a superhero he had zero super-powers (unless insane amounts of money counts as a super-power). He elevated HIMSELF to the rank of superhero, through determination, hard work, and lots of cool toys. Superman was a superhero by being himself. Batman was a superhero by pushing himself to be more.

    Great post!

  • http://frugalfamilylife.com Merlene

    I prefer the newer super hero type.

    Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She had special powers but still needed to learn and improve her skills. Her mentor told her how things were always done yet she found new ways that worked for her. She assembled a team of trusted friends to help her instead of trying to save the world alone. When she was told the world was divided into only good and evil she learned that at times you can find the good in anyone (even a vampire). She believed in giving people (and demons) a second chance. She kicked ass without hiding behind a mask or a costume – usually in heels ;)

  • http://chrisbrogan.com Chris Brogan

    I knew you’d bring perspective. I love when I get you to nerd out a little. : )

    • http://www.RoninMarketeer.com John Wall

      Thanks, but you are right, Batman is better.

    • http://www.RoninMarketeer.com John Wall

      Thanks, but you are right, Batman is better.

  • Pingback: I feel like Superman! | god is my Fullstop.

  • http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

    Yeah, I’d like to purchase one of his costumes. With that I think I can feel the pressure of solving such problems that might not even concern me.

  • http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

    Yeah, I’d like to purchase one of his costumes. With that I think I can feel the pressure of solving such problems that might not even concern me.

  • http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

    Yeah, I’d like to purchase one of his costumes. With that I think I can feel the pressure of solving such problems that might not even concern me.

  • Makana

    can you tell me the real cheat code for super man for gta san andreas for xbox.

  • Makana

    I need it. all the cheats i do dont wok.

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