Superman where are you now? Can the iconic Superman figure be accredited to Friedrich Nietzsche, or was it a creation which evolved over a period of time? Nietzsche does supply humanity with the Übermensch concept in his 1883 book Thus Spoke Zarathustra, rated often as the philosopher’s magnum opus.
The reference points to humanity in general. Nietzsche’s idea of Übermensch was a new way of thinking; an aspiration to be higher, instead of becoming a couch potato. Should we inquire with Manfred?
To be more specific, Nietzsche does NOT see Übermensch as an evolutionary goal, as discussed in What Nietzsche Really Said (Rumor # 27), by Robert Solomon and Kathleen Higgins.
If we examine the origins of Superman, we find that Nietzsche’s Superman is probably the opposite of today’s Superman SuperHero, the latter possessing supernatural or superhuman powers. Yet we find both versions to be very intriguing.
c. AD 125 – AD 180 The Books by Lucian, of Samosata
Let’s examine The Books by Lucian. Was Lucian’s Kataplous or Downward Journey the source of Nietzsche’s Übermensch? Lucian was wildly popular in antiquity and more than eighty writings attributed to him have survived to the present day.
The Downward Journey or The Tyrant: A group of dead people, including the tyrant Megapenthes, are carried to the Underworld in Charon’s boat. Only the cobbler Micyllus accepts his fate with resignation.
1905: Shaw Employs The Term Superman In Man and Superman
May 23, 1905 cues the premier of Man and Superman, a play based on the famous Don Juan theme and written by George Bernard Shaw.
“Although Man and Superman can be performed as a light comedy of manners, Shaw intended the drama to be something much deeper, as suggested by the title, which comes from Friedrich Nietzsche’s philosophical ideas about the Übermensch“.
Shaw distances himself from Nietzsche by placing the philosopher at the very end of a long list of influences.
Nietzsche’s theme that mankind is evolving is used by Shaw, through natural selection, towards superman, and he develops the argument to suggest that the prime mover in selection is woman. This is based on The Revolutionist’s Handbook and Pocket Companion, as the plot centers on the character John Tanner.
1933: The First Superman Is A Bald-headed Telepathic Villain aka Bill Dunn
In The Reign of the Superman, the title character of the story is a telepathic villain, unlike the physically powerful and altruistic entity known as today’s Superman. This was the first published use of the name Superman, created by the dynamic duo of Siegel And Shuster.
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster can be credited with today’s version of Superman, the first of the great comic book superheroes. Both artists come from Cleveland, Ohio.
The Boys of Steel Sell Rights Of Superman For A Paltry $130
“That $130 contract signaled the beginning not just of the Superman character but of what would become a multi-billion dollar industry: comic book heroes,” as attested in Superman: The High-Flying History of America’s Most Enduring Hero.
The publishers gave up the rights, the power, and everything to the buyers.
More:
1. Genius Of The Modern World ➟ Friedrich Nietzsche
2. Superman ➟ The Comic Strip Hero
Good article. I must say, I believe the scenario of Ideocracy (though comedically exaggerated) seems more likely to me. After all, humans can procreate, even if they are supposedly “inferior”. Maybe that is a question better answered with reliable statistics…