DC Comics Published the Perfect Superman Story

A couple of days ago, a friend texted me. “Have you read Superman #39?” She’s a fan of superhero comics, but is not a regular reader. However, she was moved by the one-off story about the Man of Steel taking some cancer-stricken kids on the adventure of a lifetime. No doubt, she also remembered the story about John Rossi, the Salt Lake City photographer who had dressed up disabled and sick children as members of the Justice League, and then put them on posters.

With the latest issue of Superman, we have a case of art imitating life. Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s “Goodnight Moon” is an old-fashioned Superman story aimed at kids of all ages. A self-contained adventure, it gives us a Man of Steel who is unabashedly good, and a true symbol of hope.

Drawn by Barry Kitson, with additional inks by Scott Hanna, and colors by Gabriel Eltreb, Superman #39 represents a good jumping-on point for casual fans who may only know the character through DC’s cinematic outings, including Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

I have to admit to a certain fondness for Snyder’s filmic take on Superman. The idea that Clark isn’t perfect and has to grow into the role works well within the narrative structure of a motion picture. The fact that he must deal with the consequences of his powers, and the aftermath of murdering Zod, on his way to become a beacon of hope, lends a real world feel to the character. That people have misgivings about Superman in Snyder’s films also adds a touch to reality to the story. After all, history shows that humans don’t take kindly to difference, and that we tend to tear down those who offer us hope.

But then again, Superman doesn’t exist in the real world.

Still, Snyder’s take on Superman is only one of many interpretations of the hero. It isn’t as extreme as Frank Miller’s idea that the Man of Steel is a “boy scout,” and therefore boring, but it is somewhat critical of the mythos.

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In Superman #39, Tomasi and Gleason serve up an unabashedly positive take on the Man of Steel. They give us a Superman who exemplifies the legacy of hope and optimism trumpetted by Geoff Johns as the core of DC’s Rebirth initiative. The exploration and the deconstruction that characterize, say, Tom King’s take on Batman are absent here. Instead, we are presented with a précis and a mission statement of Superman, as envisioned by his creators.

This is Siegel and Shuster’s Superman writ large. If you recall those early adventures, the Man of Steel was all about doing right by ordinary folks. In his Action Comics debut, he rescued a battered wife from her abusive husband. In issue #8, he foiled a robbery by four teenage boys to prevent them from being arrested. Once he learned of their squalid living conditions, Superman then used his powers to destroy the slum they lived in. As a result, the community was rebuilt, and the substandard accommodations were replaced by modern and safe affordable housing.

If you do see some comparisons here with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, I should point out that Supes evacuated the residents before pursuing the wanton destruction of their homes. Nevertheless, he was still seen as a menace by authorities, while he was celebrated as a hero by everyday folks.

“Goodnight Moon,” however, dispenses with the fighting early on, and focuses on Superman doing good.

After making easy work of the Demolition Team -- a group of construction-themed bank robbers that includes an inept take on Rosie the Riveter -- Superman turns his attention to the young patients of the Children’s Cancer Center of Metropolis, who witnessed the battle from their hospital rooms. With the help of the Justice League, he takes the kids on an adventure of a lifetime.

The thrill ride starts with the sort of pure fantasy every child knows well. The children are whisked away in a space shuttle constructed by the Green Lantern. In orbit, they experience zero gravity before being whisked to to the Watchtower. Once aboard the satellite, they have some fun with their heroes, and embark on a scavenger hunt that requires them to find various Justice League paraphernalia, including Wonder Woman’s lasso and Superman’s cape.

As they often have, Tomasi and Gleason play Batman for laughs. The toughest item on the children’s list is a picture of Batman smiling. How this is obtained provides one of the most poignant moments in a story full of emotional scenes.

The adventure concludes on the moon, with the kids watching the Earthrise after leaving behind mementoes of their passage.

The story is heartrending. Gleason and Tomasi make it clear that some of these kids won’t make it. Superman knows it, too. He is not a Deus ex machina coming to an eleventh hour rescue. Instead, he offers compassion and a temporary respite from their pain. As he gazes at the Earth with the children, Kitson draws him as reverent, and saddened, yet awed. These are some of the gentlest images of Superman ever committed to paper.

“Goodnight Moon” is a beautiful story. If you aren’t reading Tomasi and Gleason’s Superman run, this is a good place to start.