Superman’s All-American Power Called Disturbing by MIT Professor Junot Diaz

In a thought-provoking guest essay, MIT professor Junot Diaz has stirred the pot with a bold critique of Superman, the quintessential American superhero. Diaz, reflecting on his childhood as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, finds the Last Son of Krypton's all-American power not just unrelatable, but downright disturbing. Why? Because to him, Superman’s star-spangled patriotism feels like a relic, disconnected from the gritty, complex reality of his own 'landfill America,' a place he likens more to supervillain turf than the shining city of Metropolis.

Diaz admits he should’ve been drawn to Superman, given their shared immigrant roots. After all, the Man of Steel is a refugee from a doomed planet, sent to Earth to survive. Yet, for Diaz, even this connection falls flat. He sees Superman’s overwhelming might as a reminder of the unchecked power he witnessed in his homeland under dictatorship and during the U.S. invasion of 1965, experiences that left his family on the receiving end of America’s heavy hand.

Fast forward to 2025, and Diaz argues it’s an especially awkward time for Superman’s return to the big screen. With a new film directed by James Gunn hitting theaters, featuring David Corenswet as the caped hero and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Diaz paints a grim picture. He suggests that in today’s climate, someone like Clark Kent—an undocumented, liberal-leaning journalist—could easily find himself snatched by shadowy government forces, beaten, or deported without a whisper of due process. It’s a stark contrast to the hero’s traditional image as a beacon of hope.

Superman, born in 1938 from the minds of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, both from immigrant families, has always carried layers of contradictory stories. For Diaz, those contradictions don’t inspire; they rankle. As this iconic character launches a new cinematic universe for DC, the question remains: can Superman still symbolize the American way in a nation wrestling with its own identity?

Editor's Comments

Well, isn’t this a kryptonite-laced hot take? Junot Diaz calling out Superman’s all-American muscle as disturbing feels like Clark Kent getting mugged in a dark alley by his own cape. But honestly, in a world where ‘truth, justice, and the American way’ can feel like a punchline, maybe Diaz is onto something. Here’s a joke for the Man of Steel: Why don’t some immigrants vibe with Superman? Because his idea of ‘faster than a speeding bullet’ is just another reminder of dodging border patrols! Let’s see if this 2025 reboot can leap over these tall cultural buildings in a single bound.