Superman isn't a boring character, he's a man who because of how he was raised, uses his gifts positively and carefully. Kill Bill's speech about Clark Kent being Superman's critique on the human race and Superman being who he really is hasn't been true for decades. Clark Kent, though biologically an alien from the planet Krypton, is a Kansas farm boy with a heavy sense of doing what's right thanks to his parents, a lover of writing and journalism, and pines for the witty and unflappable Lois Lane(until the New 52 shot that in the head, but that's another story).
Imagine if you had the powers of a God, and all you wanted to do was enjoy your life, pursue your journalism career, write stories in the newspaper and enjoy the simple pleasures of life. That's Superman. He doesn't want to be a conqueror, that would hurt people, in more ways than one, but since he can detect when people are in trouble, and he knows he has the power to stop it, he does so. Some of the best Superman stories show him falling short, because he doesn't know if he's doing the right thing, and as said above, if he steps out of line, that he'll break the world.
Alex Ross is a writer and comic book artist, and perfectly captures the feeling of the world on Superman:
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This is from a book wherein Superman tries to solve world hunger. He tries really hard, but its a problem that he himself can't seem to solve, not alone, not without becoming something he isn't. He's the iconic fireman, putting out the fires, and at the end of the day, tired, weary, but still not sure if he's done enough.
People dislike him, its because people can sometimes hate the idea of something better than them in whatever media platform, as it would offer reflection into their own lives, and where they fall short. There's this web creator on youtube called
It's just some random guy, who makes these little DC and Marvel dramas with action figures. Despite the obviously low production quality, he does discuss themes and issues of superheroes and comic books quite well.
He has Lex Luthor give quite a rant on people's boredom with someone 'too perfect' like Superman
here, but I'll give everyone a text version:
Superman: What could possibly make you think I would help you destroy an entire universe?
Lex: Because it's the right thing to do.
Superman: You're insane!
Lex: Because the Marvel Universe has corrupted everything you stand for, all in the name of high drama. Think about it, Kal-El! Your job is to be an inspiration for people. Someone they can look up to, someone they can aspire to be like. In steadfastness, in character, in ideals, and what did Marvel offer? They said "Don't worry, you don't have to aspire to anyone in our books. You just have to relate to them." And now we have an entire culture that thinks that who they are is just fine, and how dare anyone suggest that they could improve themselves! Why aspire to be Superman when it's so much easier to relate to Spider-Man? No one wants to look up to you anymore, Superman. They don't want to strain their necks. Instead, they look straight ahead at the compromised heroes in front of them and say, "That'll do just fine." Don't you see? We have the power to put it all back the way it was! The way it should be! You can still be the inspiration you once were! You can still make a difference. Isn't that why you became a hero in the first place?
Superman: I also became a hero to stand for certain principles. And this thing you're suggesting, for better or worse it would be a lie. And of all the things I stand for, truth always comes first.
And aside from Captain America, that is the majority of Marvel superheroes, very flawed people who stay flawed so that readers can connect to them, and tie themselves to that one special character.
For a lot of people the idea of someone that good is too far fetched, too impossible, so they don't wish to see it. But I personally think we need the idealism. There's a reason we need heroes like Superman, Captain America, President Bartlet, Jean Luc Picard, etc. It's nice to have role models, someone we could be aspire to be, if we tried hard enough.
However, this kind of character is also really easy to screw up if you lack the understanding of the character. Make Superman too much of a idiot, too 2-dimensional, too cardboard, and you'll get an audience who don't read his books because of the perception that its the world's most boring human with the powers of a god. But when done well, it's a well meaning man who is using the gentle touch, and is just trying to do the right thing.
