Superman is one of the first superheroes introduced into comic books, making his debut in 1939. That also makes him one of the longest-lasting heroes still in print, over 80 years later. While Superman is widely considered the greatest superhero of all time, there are many readers who are not big fans of the Man of Steel.
Many comic book readers have unpopular opinions about Superman, which they often share in Reddit threads, picking up lively debate among the DC Comics faithful. These opinions about Superman ranged from his power levels to his supporting cast to his worth as a character in the DC pantheon.
Clark Kent Is A Bad Reporter
When Superman left Smallville for Metropolis, he got a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet. He has been working as a reporter ever since, alongside fellow journalist Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. The fact he kept his job for so long and wrote some good articles didn't sway all Superman comic fans.
In a Reddit thread, @Braveson posted that he thought it was "dumb that Clark Kent is seen as a great reporter. Makes more sense to me that he would be sloppy and bad at his job, partly bc he's in disguise and partly bc he isn't investigating so much as illegally snoopy."
Jon Kent Was Superman's Best Addition In 20 Years
When Jon Kent arrived, it was a shock to many fans, seeing Superman and Lois Lane with a child. It took a while for fans to warm up to him and then it was only when he began to team up with Damian Wayne that fans started to buy into him.
However, according to @Aramis14 on Reddit, "Jon Kent was the greatest addition to Superman mythos in the last 20 years." That is big talk, but with Jon now aged up and taking on the role of Superman on Earth, he is at least the most important addition.
Superman's New 52 Death Was Better Than Death Of Superman
One of the most successful Superman comic stories in history was The Death of Superman. This brought DC worldwide mainstream attention and was one of the best-selling comics of all time. While the Superman death story itself was not that great, the follow-up with his funeral was iconic.
However, @Prestigious-Angle-56 posted on Reddit that he believes that "his death in the new 52 was better than the original Death of Superman from '90s." In that story, he died from Kryptonite poisoning and his body turned to ash and stone.
Wonder Woman Was His Best Love Interest
Until the New 52, Superman had had two major romances in his life. His first was his childhood sweetheart Lana Lang. However, when he moved to Metropolis, he met Lois Lane and this couple ended up as one of the most memorable in comic book history. Not all comic fans agree with this.
In an unpopular opinion on Reddit, @Loquatorious posted that "Diana is my favourite love interest for Clark (oh boy here they come) not because they are both the most powerful heroes of their gender, but for literally everything else." Superman and Wonder Woman dated in the New 52, and that ended in Rebirth.
Superman Should Keep The Red Trunks
One of the things that a lot of people like to make fun of is the red trunks on the outside of his pants. However, while the entire aesthetic makes no sense, it has a long history and is part of his iconic look. With that said, DC has worked to eliminate them in a lot of recent comics to make it look a little more normal.
According to @KingofZombies on Reddit, that was a bad idea. "The red trunks make perfect sense for the character. And saying they're 'outdated' is a ridiculous argument."
Aging Jon Kent Was A Good Thing
In recent issues of Superman, the Man of Steel is off-planet fighting in a war and his son Jon remained on Earth to become the new Superman. For those not keeping up, this is because Jon left his home and traveled to the future where he trained with the Legion of Superheroes. When he returned he had aged into young adulthood.
While most fans lost out on the great Jon Kent and Damien Wayne relationship, some felt it was a good idea to make him grow up fast and take his dad's place. @Tacotolstoy posted on Reddit that "Aging Jon Kent was a good thing long term."
New 52 Superman Is His Best Origin Story
There were a lot of complaints about the DC New 52. While some of the books had interesting stories and new ideas, Superman took a bashing from fans. Most disliked the new version of Superman and felt that it betrayed what made him a great character.
Still, there were some fans of the new Superman. @Loquatorious posted on Reddit that he believed "New 52 Action Comics vol 1 is the perfect Superman origin story." This puts it above the original origin, John Byrne's rebooted origin, and the popular Birthright from 2003.
The John Byrne Reboot Was Not Good
After the Crisis on Infinite Earths event, all DC Comics rebooted and refreshed every hero's origin and current place in the universe. For Superman, DC brought in legendary writer/author John Byrne to retool the Man of Steel, and his work was considered the seminal Superman origin for years.
It was Byrne that made Superman's coolest comic book villain Lex Luther into the character he is today and he brought back Pa and Ma Kent, showing their importance to Superman. However, @SomeLoser12092 poster on Reddit that "The Byrne reboot is in its own way just as dated as anything pre-crisis and in a lot of ways in direct contradiction of what people love and take as given for the character."
People Love Superman Because He Is Overpowered
One of the biggest complaints about Superman from most fans is that he is too overpowered. There are seemingly just as many people who hate Superman as there are who love him. The detractors don't hate him as a character, but they hate him because he is not a superhero you can become invested. No matter how cool his comic book villains are, when Superman is in trouble, DC just boosts his powers.
Some people believe being ridiculously overpowered is what makes him so popular though. According to KingofZombies on Reddit, "A big factor of Superman's appeal is that he is OP."
Superman Should Have No Vulnerabilities
While people hate that Superman is overpowered and there is never a reason to fear for him in battle, DC tries to give him some weaknesses. If not for things like Kryptonite and magic, there would be no reason to ever invest in a Superman battle with his comic villains because he has nothing to fear.
However, @TrashHazard posted on Reddit that he thinks Superman having any vulnerabilities is "super dumb." He continued by saying, "Exploiting these weaknesses doesn't make him a more compelling or interesting character. They're just a cheap cop out more than anything."