The column, published in The Hollywood Reporter, argues that Superman, the iconic superhero created in 1938 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, has always been a political figure due to its immigrant backstory. The writers claim that the character’s existence is contingent on the American system of birthright citizenship, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the United States. This has led them to label President Donald Trump as a supervillain for his attempts to challenge this system.
James Gunn, the director of the upcoming Superman film, faced backlash for describing the character as an immigrant and for framing the movie as political. Gunn stated that Superman’s origin as a child from Krypton who is raised in Kansas represents a story of immigration and the values of kindness and justice. The column’s authors, Andrew Slack and Jose Antonio Vargas, defended Gunn’s position by citing examples of Superman’s past political engagement, including his opposition to Hitler, the Ku Klux Klan, xenophobia, and his defense of protesters in Ferguson.
The column further connects Trump’s immigration policies to the superhero’s narrative, arguing that without birthright citizenship, Superman could not have existed. They highlighted the historical context of the Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, which established birthright citizenship. The writers expressed concern that Trump’s executive order targeting birthright citizenship could threaten the very existence of Superman and the superhero genre as a whole.
The film’s release is set for 2025, and the controversy surrounding Gunn’s portrayal of Superman has sparked a broader debate about the political nature of superhero narratives. The column’s authors are not only defending Gunn but also criticizing the current administration’s stance on immigration, which they believe undermines the values that Superman represents. They liken Trump to the comic book villain Lex Luthor, who in some versions of the Superman story becomes a presidential figure with an anti-alien agenda, mirroring Trump’s policies.