The Birth of Superman

The idea for the comic book hero, Superman, was a revolutionary idea and one that would change the magazine, TV and movie industries forever. Take a look at that super day now!

## Transcript

Whitney: Alright, boys, I found us a publisher. So if we can solidify this character, we'll be good as gold. So the character's name is *Superman*. He's a superhero of some sort, I just don't know what sort of powers we should give him.
James: Maybe he has super strength like he's incredibly strong, and he can fly.
Whitney: That's a good idea.
Aaron: And unbreakable skin, like invulnerability.
Whitney: Oh, well, that's maybe a little too much, but we can stick with those.
Aaron: And super speed.
Whitney: That could be a separate character.
Aaron: And super breath, like he can make tornadoes with the power of his lungs.
James: I think you're going a little too far.
Aaron: That's not all his breath can do. He can also freeze things with it, like super frost breath. And he can hear anything from space.
Whitney: That seems like a lot.
Aaron: And he can bend light with his eyes at will.
James: What does that mean?
Aaron: Oh, like laser vision, x-ray vision, telescopic vision, microscopic vision, infrared, sepia...

Whitney: Alright, alright. Let's say we go with this. With all this power, maybe he has a moral issue.
Aaron: Nope. He can only tell the truth. He never lies, ever. And his brain can operate at the speed of a supercomputer because he has a flawless memory.
James: Why would he need that?
Aaron: Because he's an expert in martial arts, and he has to remember all those moves.
Whitney: With all his power, why does he even need martial arts?
Aaron: ...I don't understand the question.
Whitney: At least it has something to do with fighting, I guess. I thought you were going to go in a different direction.
Aaron: Good idea! If his brain is that powerful, maybe he has a super-heightened sense of smell and vocal abilities.
James: You mean like, he can sing?
Aaron: Yes. And he can raise his voice to the level of a loudspeaker, and he can access radio waves with his voice, and he can perform super-ventriloquism.
Whitney: When would that ever be used? No, let's just stick with super strength and the flying ideas.
Aaron: Good call. He can fly so fast that he can control the orbit of the earth.
Whitney: What the...?
Aaron: And he can fly in space, to the sun. That's where he gets his power.
James: He can fly to the sun?
Aaron: Yes, and Pluto, in a matter of seconds.

James: Does he have a weakness?
Aaron: Yes, rocks.
James: Okay, I mean, there are a lot of rocks, right?
Aaron: ...from a planet a million miles away. And the planet was destroyed.
Whitney: No one is going to relate to this character. He's not even remotely human!
Aaron: And he's not human.
Whitney: What? How is he going to blend in?
Aaron: Maybe he grew up on a farm?
Whitney: No, no. He has to have a secret identity.
Aaron: Okay, he wears glasses... and that's it.
James: Okay, so where does he live? United States, Europe, China, the Soviet Union?
Aaron: You gave me another idea!
James: Oh boy.
Aaron: He can learn any language he comes in contact with, and his costume is so colorful that he can blend in anywhere.

Whitney: Okay, just for brainstorming, why don't we try something opposite of this guy. A superhero with no powers.
James: Yes, no powers.
Aaron: Fine, no powers, no growing up on a farm, no colors on his costume, no sunlight, no parents, no happiness, no friends...
James: He's got to have at least one friend.
Aaron: Okay, a creepy butler named Alfred. And no rules, or actually, one rule, but it can't match the rest of his personality.
Whitney: Actually, I think this just might work. Not eccentric, relatable, human...
Aaron: And these are all of his gadgets. Like a grapple, and a self-driving car, and razor-sharp boomerangs, and...