In 1953, Tara Terruna, the Wonder Woman of Earth-59, was the first character to represent the concept of the multiverse in comics. Since her debut, DC has gone on to establish infinite variations of its cosmos populated with endless iterations of its heroes and villains as a fundamental hub to its storytelling. It has provided a plausible mechanic to reimagine the DC Universe on an atomic level.

Though Marvel has relied on the abstraction of parallel or multiple mirror worlds to a far lesser degree, it’s arguable that it has been more successful in honoring iconic mainstays of Earth-616 with nuanced, compelling and indispensable trans-dimensional counterparts, including Miles Morales, who in recent years has burst into the mainstream. What's become obvious in that time is that Miles opened the door for new takes on iconic characters, even some of the biggest names in comics. With that said, as the world engages with the lack of Black representation in media, especially in seminal roles, it's clear that it's time for a cinematic Superman, depicted as a Black man, to grace the big screen.

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Miles Morales hails from Earth-1610, a reality where Peter Parker dies (temporarily) and Miles takes up the webhead mantle after similarly being bitten by a radioactive super spider. In broad strokes, the two are very similar. They are both witty, STEM proficient, honorable young men with blue-collar upbringings. Peter Parker always struggled to make money and his part-time job as a local super-powered crime-fighter was always juxtaposed with the realities of paying for web cartridges, supplementing Aunt May’s fixed income, having enough finance for romance and saving just enough time to excel in advanced academics.

Miles’ character deals with similar challenges but the inclusion of his experience as a Black Latinx male isn’t simply aesthetic. He is steeped in the specifics of that identity and how it presents to himself and to the world he occupies. His rendering as a teenager who navigates homelife in a diverse urban setting isn’t condescending or paternalistic, but rather like Peter, a relatable distillation of a lived experience shared by many that look like him.

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At every level on every platform, this nurtured authenticity has been wildly successful. Miles was so popular with readers of the comic that his entire universe was essentially destroyed so that he could join the mainline Earth-616 continuity. A game focused on him PlayStation 5 is in production after his appearance in the groundbreaking Marvel’s Spider-Man for the PlayStation 4 garnered such critical and commercial success. Even Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, with Miles in the lead role, won an Oscar, made $375 million dollars at the box office and has a sequel slated for October of 2022.

What Marvel did with Miles was validate a proof of concept that provides Superman with an amazing opportunity. When Henry Cavill stepped away from the role of Kal-El initially, there were rumors of Michael B. Jordan donning the shield of hope crest and crimson cape. Jordan shot down the reports but expressed eagerness to take on the role of Calvin Ellis, a version of Superman inspired by Barack Obama and Muhammad Ali. This concept of Superman is the President of the United States on Earth-23 who fights for truth, justice, liberty and equality. His laurels also include being the leader of Justice Incarnate, a collection of the mightiest heroes from across the multiverse who are charged with its protection.

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Calvin Ellis is the best because he's also president.

Superman has always been a paragon of paradox. He is the ubermensch of Nietzsche’s most ambitious musings who lives as a mild-mannered investigative journalist dedicated to compassion and honor. His most significant stories glorify his limitless abilities but are rooted in the doctrine of selflessness integral to his being. He is the antithesis to the human weakness that absolute power corrupts absolutely.

What Calvin Ellis does is provide a big screen adaptation with a canvas that has a much richer palette. Not only is he all-powerful and seemingly immortal, but he bears the responsibility of diplomacy, equanimity and the tools of war for an entire nation. He serves as a shepherd to humanity in both facets of his life with the jurisdictional province of the chief elected official of a sovereign commonwealth as well as a defender of all known realities.

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Though there have been good-faith arguments that painting established characters with revisionist brushes dilutes their fan appeal and rings hollow, these well-intended debates miss the point. During Superman's eight-decade existence, his powers, origin, relationships and personality have changed drastically, but what has remained is the lack of imagination that only a white male could bear the burden and privilege of being the Last Son of Krypton. Icon, Cyborg, Black Lightning, Static and Mr. Terrific are incredible characters with deeply developed stories but will always inhabit a lower tier than the characters that were conceived of during a time when Black and power were inconceivable bedfellows.

The systemic levers of racism often begin with restricting what society is allowed to imagine. In a universe of infinite possibilities, perhaps this crisis on our finite Earth is one we can avoid by showcasing that there is no correlation between being super and simply being white.

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