Why is Superman never consistently portrayed in animation or film? Or he forgets his power abilities at times?

Question

Superman I mean in Justicce Leauge cartoons, sometimes gets his but kicked by someone who shouldn't be able to like a saticfield or something insane like that and then in another scene no one can take him down without Kryptonite or magic, or an alien like himself....no one else should be able to match him anywhere else anyone else notice that? Are they watering him down to be defeated and out smarted by a human L.L over and over again for some insane reason?

Answer 1

Well there are a few parts to your question.

Superman's variance in powers can be written off in a lot of ways. He holds back sometimes maybe out of fear for injurying somebody or so he does not outclass his team mates. Just like an older brother holds back sometimes when playing with a younger one.

If there was an inconsistancy between cartoon series versions of Superman (1940's, the Filmations series, the short lived 1980's solo, 1970's Superfriends and the early 2000's Justice Leauge and solo series) you could rectify it by saying each was its own reality version where in some realities he is more powerful and in some he is not.

Superman is a person and sometimes his game is "on" so to speak and sometimes he is distracted. There is also the possiblity that his Kryptonian powers go through cycles where sometimes he is stronger, sometimes weaker. He is dependent on the sun and our sun runs through cycles.

As for being defeated by Luthor. Luthor is intellengent in a way Superman is not. Superman has powers, Luthor does not. So Sueprman falls into traps due to Luthor's superior ability to plot and plan and manipulate him emtionally.

To summarize Luthor is proactive (plans in advance) while Superman is more reactive (responds to situations as they come up).

Hope this is satisfacatory.

Answer 2

The original concept, and one that has been returned to on occasion is that Superman is simply stronger, faster- etc., then "normal humans".

Later he became invulnerable- it made him a much "weaker" as in interesting character.

It's the weaknesses and how to overcome them that makes a character interesting, or his/her inability to deal with or handle their normal relationships leaving them more frustrated then powerful.

Perter Parker a/k/a Spider man is a perfect example- and frankly a much more interesting character as a result.

If you take Superman's story at face value- he was taught all the know information from multiple Galaxies- so he should be smarter-better educated at least than anyone. Nothing-relatively speaking harms him- he's...boring.

It's the weakness that make it interesting. The comics went too far making him unbeatable- and then tried to back peddle- also several changes occurred in the writing staff as well as his popularity dropping.

The series Smallville is a good example of making the Superman character interesting, he's only developing- from mostly human to not, and it's totally screwing up his personal life. Hence, it's interesting. (I actually prefer the evolving evil-fought along the way- of Lex turning to the dark side.

Anyway, psychology is always the interesting basis for a good character. It's the cost of power that fascinates, that and the willingness of paying that cost and dealing with the results.

Answer 3

I know what you mean.

I feel the same way about all those horrible X-Men movies.

Answer 4

It is not his fault. He has humans for writers.