Though Superman has long stood for "truth, justice, and the American way," we may have to scratch that last bit now that the cape-loving hero has renounced his U.S. citizenship in the historic 900th issue of Action Comics. In a storyline by David S. Goyen — a screenwriter for the Batman film, The Dark Knight — the U.S. criticizes Superman, whom it sees as a representative for U.S. policy, for taking part in a nonviolent anti-government protest in Iran, and a fed-up Superman quits America. (See key panels below.) Should America be offended?
You go, Superman! When a superhero originally envisioned as "an American heartland warrior" ditches the American part, "it's a sobering moment," says Scott Thill in Wired. But it's also a heroic and obvious one. "The genius of Superman is that he belongs to everyone," not just America. And at a time when America is "rife with immigration paranoia," it's refreshing to see an alien refugee like Superman reject narrow nationalism.
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