What’s more patriotic than Superman?
Yes! Superman!
Okay. Probably many things are more patriotic than Superman, but he has to be up there in, oh say, the top 1,000 most patriotic things ever. Right?
Work with me, People.
I was recently flipping through the June/July issue of AARP Magazine… Stop it right now. I can hear your eyes rolling and your snickering. This magazine is for wise aging Baby Boomers who, so far, have screwed upΒ influenced the past, present and the future. Plus there are some very interesting articles in this magazine about how to stop getting older than we already are. You should check it out.
Anyway. In their patriotic edition, they included a little feature on Superman, so they must think he’s pretty pro-American.
Personally, I’ve never been a big fan of superheroes. They don’t seem to have much time to pay attention to my specific and multiple personal needs. But I can see why people like them, what with all the crime stopping and world saving they do. I suppose in an indirect way, Superman takes care of me. But I like a man who I know will be home every night. But that’s just me.
I’m getting off track.
I wanted to share with you the five things I learned from the AARP feature called “Five Things You Never Knew About Superman.” Maybe if you are a Superman nerd geek expert, you’ll know this stuff, but I didn’t. And maybe if you read this in time, you’ll have something interesting to talk about while you’re waiting for the fireworks to start. You know me, I’m always thinking of you.
1. Superman has a Social Security number. That makes him 100% American, so he has a good chance of being patriotic. Clark Kent’s SSN is 092-09-6616. The number belonged to real live New Yorker named Giobatta Baiochhi who died in 1965, a year before the 1966 Action Comic editors revealed the number. I’m sure Giobatta was very patriotic.
2. This superhero fights more than just fictional bad guys. In 1940, Look Magazine commissioned a story where Superman hauled Hitler and Stalin before the League of Nations war crimes tribunal. He also duked it out with the Ku Klux Klan in an 1946 radio show. A fictional character willing to risk his pretend life to stand up for American justice has to be patriotic.
3. He failed is Army physical during World War II. It was a technicality. Because of his X-ray vision he read the eye chart in the room adjacent to his, which had different letters than the chart in his exam room. So the doctor failed him due to poor eyesight. Many patriotic people can’t see a darned thing without their glasses.
4. Superman is probably Jewish. His creators were Jewish, so he was probably raised Jewish. No. That’s not the reason. Superman’s Kyrptonian name is Kal-El (Hebrew for “vessel of God”). The story of his origin is taken right out of Exodus–Moses’ parents launched him to safety and he was adopted by gentiles. Plus my mom is half Jewish and she is the most patriotic person I know. So if Superman is Jewish, and he’s anything like my mom, he’s patriotic. (To be fair, my mom and Superman really don’t have much in common: she’s from France, he’s from Krypton; she’s real, he’s not. You get the picture.)
5. He has a middle name. It’s Joseph. I wonder if that means it’s Clark Joseph Kent or Super Joseph Man? The AARP article was unclear. With a name like Joe, you have to be a flag-waver.

Yo. I’m Joe. I left my flag on my motorcycle. You gotta problem wit dat? Dey call me Super Joe, Man.
So there you have it. My case that Superman is one patriotic superhero. Plus he’s white, has a blue body suit, and a red cape. Case closed!
Aug 27, 2013 @ 13:45:43
The article I read didn’t say, but if I had to guess, I would say Reform. He was all about reforming the world from bad to good. π
Aug 27, 2013 @ 13:42:22
Good question. And when have we NOT needed him? π Thanks for popping by and commenting! π
Aug 26, 2013 @ 20:12:20
I love Superman! (But where is he now that we need him?)
Aug 26, 2013 @ 20:05:48
I was Pleased AS Punch to learn Superman was (probably) Jewish!
-But is he Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform?
-The article didn’t say.
Jul 17, 2013 @ 11:20:13
Aw, come oh, Harry. YOu can be more creative than that. After all, you ended up in my spam can. Spam is usually a lot more exciting and hard to decipher! π
Jul 16, 2013 @ 14:46:20
Test comment only Lorna π
Jul 14, 2013 @ 11:05:43
Thank you so much. I am discovering that magazines are providing excellent fodder for my zany imagination! π
Jul 11, 2013 @ 10:09:57
π
Jul 11, 2013 @ 09:41:26
I thought it was fun. I loved watching the old Superman TV show…
Jul 11, 2013 @ 09:40:52
Yes, we were!
Jul 11, 2013 @ 09:38:34
Hey, thanks! I appreciate the exposure…well, you know what I mean! π
Jul 11, 2013 @ 09:37:56
Thanks. I’m finding that magazine rich with possible blog post materials! π
Jul 09, 2013 @ 22:21:20
I love my bi-monthly AARP magazine (I think I only get it every other month!) Anyway, it led me to the article in question and it did inform me! I mostly like when they promote “elderly” movies and new careers for over fifty. I loved watching “Quartet” directed by Dustin Hoffman with my mother over my recent vacation up on Lake Erie. She cried because of all the famous musicians featured and the love story. This was interesting how you presented the facts of Superman!
Jul 09, 2013 @ 22:00:13
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
SUPER BLOG POST!!!!
Jul 09, 2013 @ 20:32:12
Hope yours was good, Lorna! Always enjoy the fireworks we see from the US across the bay, prettiness… we were neighbours before we knew it, lol
Jul 08, 2013 @ 18:17:12
What a fun post, Lorna. Superman is about the only superhero I recognize. Okay, and Spiderman. Just not my thing. But loved the little tidbits you shared. Very cool.
Jul 08, 2013 @ 12:25:55
Another excellent post.
Jul 08, 2013 @ 12:12:20
Big hug back! π
Jul 08, 2013 @ 09:49:59
Once again you have stimulated my cerebral cortex into functioning data collection. Big hug. π
Jul 06, 2013 @ 16:07:37
hahaha …. ahhh … the warped twist on our super hero. Poor Superman just trying to be a hero, now, his past is exposed. The www is always doing that.
Jul 05, 2013 @ 07:53:56
Thanks, Peter. I just can’t help but to share meaningless information with my readers. Maybe I should become a journalist… π
Jul 05, 2013 @ 07:52:38
I’m beginning to suspect that a lot of pretend people are not from Earth. What do you think? π
Jul 05, 2013 @ 07:51:05
I’m glad! Keep smiling! π
Jul 05, 2013 @ 07:50:33
Nor will I. Oh wait, I don’t watch supermen films. But I used to love the TV series… π
Jul 05, 2013 @ 04:50:50
I will never watch another superman film in the same light again. π
Jul 04, 2013 @ 19:00:32
Like your post Lorna –thanks for the smile. Needed it today.
Jul 04, 2013 @ 16:59:46
And just think, he’s not even from this planet!
Jul 04, 2013 @ 13:32:45
You just learn something every day, and often from this Blog. I hope you and yours have a really enjoyable 4th July.