In 2002, Mark Millar, Grant Morrison, Tom Peyer and Mark Waid pitched a never-published reimagining of Superman, painting the Man of Steel as a stronger, more alien superbeing. In the pitch, Superman’s pure spirit and remarkable intellect have given him an almost Eden-like perspective on earth, and he devotes himself to creative pursuits. Superman becomes the hobbyist par excellence, the polymath who’s interested in EVERYTHING.
“The Fortress becomes trophy room, laboratory, gymnasium, observatory—the perfect hangout for the ultimate being. Let’s see the Fortress stuffed with incredible artifacts from all space and time. The Titanic hangs from the ceiling (Supes and Lois dine in the great staterooms, overlooking the wonders of the Fortress).”
What I love most about this version of Superman is how inherently Christ-like he becomes. For, if Christ is indeed the Second Adam come to inaugurate the New Creation, then he must be guided by many of Adam’s impulses like vision, creativity, and ingenuity. Perhaps this explains why Jesus never performed a miracle the same way twice, or why there are variations in his parables, or why he refused to answer questions directly, or why he repurposed the scriptures of the First Testament to suit his needs in the present. Maybe Christ did all of this because he wanted to, because it satisfied him to apply his mind, and because he, too, was looking to explore the wonders of this world as both an inhabitant and creator in the same way Adam and Eve explored Eden.
Adapted from the upcoming book Then. Now. Next, about the future of the Church. When published, the book will be available at David’s Amazon author page.