ICE Superman or Immigrant Superman: Who’s your hero?

In today’s political climate, one person’s superhero is another person’s supervillain. Where you stand on the debate will come from the narrative that you believe in. 

Superman Being “Woke”

Former Superman actor Dean Cain made headlines last week after announcing that he would be joining the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with the goal of increasing recruitment to the agency. The announcement follows criticism of this year’s new Superman movie by Cain and conservative media as being “woke.”

Cain’s announcement was met with backlash from his counterparts in Hollywood who claim that by working with ICE, Cain is ignoring his own immigrant heritage. Cain is half-Japanese on his father’s side, given the birth name Dean George Tanaka.

Cain’s decision was also criticized as an attempt to gain publicity. John Oliver made jokes about Cain on his show “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” following Cain’s announcement.

“On the plus side, no need for that guy to wear a mask because the chances of anyone recognizing him are f****** zero,” Oliver remarked.

Many Americans have negative feelings about ICE, especially after a lawsuit stated that the group deported three children that are U.S. citizens, including a 4-year-old cancer patient, in April. The news sparked nationwide protests that have continued throughout the year.

Superman Being “an Immigrant” story

James Gunn, director of the new Superman film, said that the movie is about “an immigrant that came from other places,” leading to even more debate about the movie’s political themes. However, Superman’s canonical path to reaching earth is an immigration story.

Kal-El was born on a distant planet ravaged by war. Kal-El’s parents sent their child to earth on a spaceship to protect him from the danger present in his home planet. Kal-El arrived in Metropolis, USA, where his super powers, commitment to protecting people and earnest good nature earned him the earthly title of “Superman.” 

The creators of the first Superman comic, Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster, were both the children of Jewish immigrants, with Siegel being a first-generation American. It is reasonable to believe that their own experiences and those of their immigrant parents shaped the story of Superman.

Who is Your Superman?

Does Gunn’s “Superman” represent today’s America? Gunn described the new movie as “the story of America,” as well as “a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.” In reference to Superman’s and Lois Lane’s dynamic in the movie, Gunn stated, “It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”

Gunn’s Superman challenges today’s view of morality and calls into question American values because of who he is, an immigrant. 

Cain claims that the new movie undermines the original meaning of who Superman is and what he represents.

“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character… Why are they going to change these characters that exist for the times?” Cain asked. “For Superman, it was “truth, justice and the American way.” Well they dropped that. In fact, they let it go.”

“For me, Superman has always stood for truth, justice and the American way. And the American way is immigrant friendly – tremendously immigrant friendly. But there are rules.”

Cain’s version of Superman calls for a rigid interpretation of American values and policy, as well as a retention of old American beliefs. He thinks these traditional values must be sustained regardless of societal changes over time or issues American citizens, or immigrants, face today. To Cain, Superman would be an ICE agent.

Narratives Shape Beliefs

At Spotlight, we understand the power of narratives and how they shape the beliefs people have. The narratives created about this year’s Superman release have created a political discourse about the U.S. immigration system, but ultimately it is a story about a fictional hero who just wants to help people. 

If you want to help people, too, then Spotlight PR can serve you. To learn more, book a consultation with us today.

Andre White is the Digital Media Specialist of Spotlight PR LLC. Check out our other writings on our blog, The Pitch.