Superman, the 74-year-old paragon of masculinity, has undergone a dramatic makeover that's unnerving fans and critics. A new book, Superman: Earth One, portrays the Man of Steel as a lanky, brooding, shaggy-haired 20-year-old, clad in low-cut jeans and a hoodie — more downtown hipster than middle-of-the-road Clark Kent. Publisher DC Comics, says "We wanted to tell a story that's hip, sexy, and moody," and "show a younger Superman at the early stages of his career, struggling with his identity and his place." Is DC blaspheming an icon or offering an intriguing new take? (See more concept sketches here.)
Bad idea — hipsters are inherently un-super: This makes no sense, says Colleen Stufflebeem at Death and Taxes: "Just because American youth have become masochistic goth-nymphs turned on by death, blood, and sparkly vampire penises doesn’t mean writers and artists need to make all of their unsung heros [look like Twilight star] Robert Pattinson." I'd rather see a young Superman who is fat and has back acne, anything but this.
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