In honor of James Gunn’s reboot of the adventures of the Man of Steel, Superman, released this week.

We have our tickets for next week and we’re not affected by the obnoxious teeing off of this being a “woke” Superman movie. Superman has always been a story of an immigrant coming to America, all the way back to the World War II days. Created by Jewish immigrants, Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, Superman’s purpose in American culture has always been to raise the country’s morale along with the stakes of its own purpose and evolution. Superman is the best of us, the American dream splashed across a blue and red scheme uniform. Only Captain America serves as a better emblem of an earthbound, flag-waving superpatriot.

Yet Superman is the OG flag-waving superpatriot for the comics, t.v. and movies, helmed upon the heroic shoulders of Kirk Alyn (1948-1950 Superman serials actor) and the iconic George Reeves and Christopher Reeve, most especially.

So just let it be. Let Superman be who he’s meant to be, serving as a symbol of hope to his adopted land, not just the United States but Planet Earth itself. A stranger in a strange land from an entire cosmos away, orphaned through destruction. Despite this trauma and bearing the responsibility of keeping unearthly power in check for good, Superman heaps the entire world’s stress, plights and potential devastations upon his square, brawny posture.

Superman doesn’t know “woke.” Superman doesn’t have time to be “woke.” Superman always was, not just for the white privileged and middle-class male. He’s for everyone, of all races, religions, sexes and sexual preferences. He is the emblem of perpetual hope for all generations, no matter your walk of life. I’ve read Superman comics most of my life and can prove my point if you have the time and wherewithal to prove there is no stupid “woke.” Superman could own us all, but he chooses the righteous path. Sorry, Dean Cain, former Kal-El, with all due respect as one of the better Superman actors.

So let’s go, James Gunn and David Corenswet. There’s been way too much drama already for what is just a frigging popcorn superhero film going back to its roots instead of dwelling in the butt ugly miasma of the Zack Snyder era. There’s just Superman. Period.

–Ray Van Horn, Jr.