The Late Show host Stephen Colbert defends Superman and his new slogan.
Colbert opened the latest episode of The Late Show with a monologue discussing and critiquing the reaction to Superman's new motto "Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow." The comedian joked that it was much better than saying "wearing underwear on the outside since 1938," before getting serious and exploring the history of the phrase.
Colbert explained that "the American Way" was not part of Superman's original catchphrase and that it was only added during World War II for the Adventures of Superman radio show. He then declared his support for the change, pointing out that a lot of things have changed with Superman over the last few decades. Colbert even mentioned that "Back then Superman was also doing ads for cigarettes." And though the graphic Colbert used for that joke was fake, he isn't completely off-base. Both the 1978 Superman film and its sequel, Superman II featured heavy product placement from the tobacco industry, including Superman flying through a Marlboro truck.
DC Chief Creative Officer/Publisher Jim Lee announced the change to Superman's motto at DC FanDome, stating that it was being done to "better reflect the storylines that we're telling across DC, and to honor Superman's incredible legacy of over 80 years of building a better world." And though this isn't the first time that DC has changed Superman's motto, it has proven to be contentious nonetheless.
The change to Superman's signature slogan is the latest in a string of controversies surrounding the franchise. DC recently announced that Superman's son, Jon Kent, will be coming out as bisexual in Superman: Son of Kal-El #5. That revelation inspired outrage from a wealth of public figures, including Arizona Senator Wendy Rogers and former Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman actor Dean Cain. However, many celebrities have also rallied behind DC's decision, including Star Trek actor George Takei, who publicly mocked Cain's response.
Colbert ended his commentary on Superman by pointing out that his new slogan sounds awfully similar to the one used by The Late Show host himself. Over a decade ago, Colbert launched his own Super Political Action Committee (PAC), commonly known as "Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow." The campaign was created to increase public awareness towards Super PACs and raised over $1.22 million between 2011-2012 before being dissolved, at which point the remaining funds were donated to charity.
Source: YouTube