Steve Skelton, author of a book drawing parallels between Superman and Jesus, said that: "It is so on the nose that anyone who has not caught on that Superman is a Christ figure, you think, `Who else could it be referring to?”
Superman, a character first penned in the 1930’s, has over the past seven decades changed with the times. Tom de Haven, who has written a book on Superman as an American icon (as well as a novel about Superman’s high school days), spoke of how back in the 1930’s Superman was a hero fighting the Great Depression, cleaning up slums and aiding the destitute.
De Haven claimed that by the 1950’s Superman’s role changed. Instead of saving people from the Depression, Superman took to the task of solving the post-war urban lawlessness. Superman became a crime fighter and his earliest television incarnation was that of a perfect father figure.
In a more recent analysis of the Superhero, Quentin Tarantino in his recent hit “Kill Bill: Vol 2” had the final villain in his film contemplate Superman saying: "Clark Kent is how Superman views us... Clark Kent is Superman's critique on the whole human race."
The comparisons between Jesus and Superman are not recent, beginning almost with the character’s creation in 1938 according to Skelton, author of the book “The Gospel According to the World’s Greatest Superhero.”
Parallels have been drawn between the story of Superman being sent to Earth by his father to that of the New Testament. It has even been suggested that the “El” in Superman’s Kryptonian name Kal-El and that of his father Jor-El is similar to the Hebrew word for God. Other theological comparisons have also been made.
The upcoming film “Superman Returns”, which premiers on the 28th June, also has a number of parallels to the Bible.
The preview trailer shows Superman, eyes closed, listening to the voice of his father (Marlon Brando from the 1978 film “Superman”), saying that he has been sent to Earth because humans "lack the light to show the way."
He continues saying, “For this reason, I have sent them you, my only son.” The similarities to the Bible have quickly been picked up by online message boards and Web logs. Tom Gilson a Christian blogger said that: "The allusion to Jesus Christ could hardly be accidental."
One contributor to Urban Honking, a Portland based blog site asked: "Is this a new Superman for the new Evangelist red state America? Superman as Jesus?"The story of the new film in which Superman returns to Earth after a long absence, is one which has been likened to the biblical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
