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On Superheroes

Superman is Superman, Clark Kent is the disguise. Everyone else grew into their roles. Superman was born Superman. If the above seems strange, imagine this. What would it be like if you had a predisposition towards something, an innate talent so to speak and you discovered it the moment you were born. Life would be completely different. You would look at everything through those lenses. (If you find this far fetched, imagine the difference between learning a skill as a kid and when you grow up).
Batman is a strange case though. I would argue that both Batman and Bruce Wayne are disguises. The real Batman/Bruce Wayne is the one in his secret lair applying his intelligence to the problems at hand. I suppose only Alfred ever gets to see the real Bruce Wayne.
People usually consider Superman to be the more genial of the two but I sometimes wonder if that is really the case. It is an easy characterization to make I suppose because of his methods. His gift of flight, his blue and red suit. Consider though that Superman has a fortress of solitude in Antartica of all places. and that he is always politically correct, careful with his words and unfailingly polite.
Batman is secretive but has always had a ready confidante in Alfred and when he does give an opinion he is usually blunt about it. (He also had a sidekick in Robin and even took a pupil under him (Batman Beyond anyone)). For all his obvious gifts Superman is the loner.
With regards to their methods it is assumed that they are vastly different but consider the fact that Superman has convinced Metropolis that he is keeping an eye out on criminals all the time and that the city is safe. This is exactly what Batman sets out to do to stem the flow of corruption. Both use fear as a weapon only Superman is more discreet about it. I suppose both are victims of their cities as well. Where Metropolis is a sprawling city with generally good people having Lex Luthor as the sole criminal mastermind, Gotham is a cesspool facing the bigger challenge of corruption where most people are neither all good or all bad. Fear is perhaps the only motivator for citizens in Gotham to do the right thing. (In other words Gotham is more realistic and Batman is obviously the hero Gotham needs.)

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