Deer In Headlines II

By Gery Deer

(Editor’s note: This piece was originally published in print and online on Friday, July 11, the release date for Supeman.)

This week brings the latest film portrayal of one of pop culture’s most enduring icons: Superman. When the character first appeared in 1938, the world teetered on the edge of war. Hitler’s rise threatened Europe, and anxiety loomed large across America. In that uncertain moment, the country needed a hero—if not in real life, then at least in imagination.

Writers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster delivered just that: a strange visitor from another planet, with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. As the decades unfolded, it became clear that Superman’s true strength wasn’t found in feats of physical might. His greatest power was empathy—the ability to witness suffering and respond not with fury, but with compassion.

Even with unmatched power at his fingertips, Superman never acted to inflict fear or dominance. He led by example, embodying restraint, moral clarity, and unwavering courage—a reminder that heroism often begins not with force, but with heart.

Years ago, I wrote a “Deer In Headlines” column titled “Why the World Needs Superman.” The title was borrowed from a fictional article by Lois Lane in “Superman Returns.” In the film, Lane argues that Superman is not just relevant—but essential. Not because he’s perfect, but because of what he represents. Sometimes, hope isn’t found in the heroes themselves, but in the idea behind them—the symbols. I think we need those kinds of symbols again, maybe now more than ever.

From the disorienting echoes of artificial intelligence to the chaos of political extremism, the world feels more uncertain than it has in decades. We’re surrounded by noise, division, and anxiety. And while I know a comic book character can’t save us, the image of someone striving to do good—someone using their gifts to lift others—can still inspire. I believe that it’s not the cape that gives us courage. It’s the quiet decency of the person underneath.

If you’ve read previous editions of this column, you already know that my childhood wasn’t easy. I was born with a set of birth defects that made me feel like an outsider from the start. People saw me as “different,” weak, and sickly. That perception became a heavy burden. There were many things about myself I kept hidden—not out of shame, but from a fear of how others might treat me if they knew.

That sense of quiet isolation led me to feel a strong connection with the character of Superman—but more specifically, with his alter ego, Clark Kent. Like Clark, I grew up on a farm and carried burdens I couldn’t explain to my peers. He could blend in, unnoticed, among the crowds of Metropolis. I tried to do the same in my small corner of the world. Clark Kent was the mask that allowed Superman to experience life quietly, without ridicule. For me, it took a bit more than a pair of glasses. My disguise was silence, and I often looked to the stories of Superman for inspiration.

Becoming a writer helped exercise that isolation—the ability to give voice to what I once kept hidden. Through much of my work, I’ve been able to share parts of myself in the hope that my words might resonate with those of you carrying invisible burdens of your own. But Superman’s relevance goes well beyond the troubled emotions of a young boy.

Critics say he’s outdated, too perfect. But Superman’s enduring relevance lies not in his superpowers, but in his unselfish, unyielding commitment to do good. In a world rife with cynicism, Superman chose to blend in and understand us, to be one of us, to experience the best and worst of us. There’s humility in that—something we need more of today.

From comic panels to movie screens, Superman has become a global, unifying symbol of justice and truth. He is an immigrant – an alien – who came to our planet and our country to help us be better people. The continued stories of his heroics remind us that true strength lies in choosing compassion and service over vengeance and force. That said, I think America needs Superman now more than ever before. Up, up, and away.