I felt that the only reason the speech was in the movie was for QT to raise his geek flag.

What's so wrong about it? I don't think I agree with the fact that Clark is Superman's critique of the human race, but I can definitely see Clark being the disguise, rather than vice-versa.

Particularly since, in order to be Clark, he has to put on the zero-prescription glasses. The stuff about Clark being Superman's critique, blah, that's just taking stuff too seriously. But the idea that he is Superman more than Clark, I can go with that.

Mainly because he was Clark before he was superman. What, fourteen? fifteen? years of his life was spent as Clark Kent. That's formative, that's identity building. At the end of the day, when he wants comfort or to keep Lois safe or whatever, he goes back to the farm and Smallville. It's where he stashes Kon. He chose to become Superman, to use his powers for good and saving the world, yadda yadda, but I don't think he would ever lose himself in the ideology of Superman. It would destroy him on both ends if he did. He's Clark Kent, the guy who hides superman--not Superman, the hero that hides Clark Kent.

Either way I guess it's a matter of perspective. I think Clark became more of the disguise when he started developing his powers and had to maintain his identity behind his 'glasses'.

But the idea that he is Superman more than Clark, I can go with that.

See, I don't. But then, I don't think they're all that different, either. Hate to keep going back to JLA, but in the scene where Bruce and Clark reveal their IDs to the rest of the team (in Mark Waid's run)--even dressed as Bruce Wayne, Batman is definitely Batman, whereas Clark is terribly nervous and insecure about the situation.

And of course, the argument can be made that BOTH of those sides are the complete person, and that neither is entirely an act.

In the story following the aforementioned one, the JLA were seperated from their hero selves and their secret identitites. Clark's split was more along the lines of human and Kryptonian, whereas Batman's "hero" self was a sort of uncommunicative void, and Bruce Wayne was every bit the fop Bats' alter ego is, but with a deep-seated, near psychopathic rage that repeatedly bubbled up. Plastic Man (of all people) nailed him in one:

PLASTIC MAN: "Everyone figured that when you split Bruce Wayne and Batman, you get a fop and a lunatic. Which is true. But not like we thought. The murder of Bruce Wayne's parents--that's what created Batman. That's the memory that drives him. But it belongs to you."

BRUCE WAYNE: So ... so angry... at night...

PLASTIC MAN: And getting madder ... in more than one sense of the word. All that rage and no place to put it. No training to use it. So you it just just eats away at ya more and more until they lock you up.

It should be noted here that Plas, too, was suffering--separted into what he was, a cold, calculating gangster and basically a buffoon. Waid's story here showed that the splits weren't all that black and white, that the hero IDs were what allowed most of them to cope with their own damage.

PLAS (Continues from above): Until you and Rayner and me are fightin' over a pudding cup in the psycho ward.

I agree with SA. Clark Kent is a Kryptonian Kansas boy who loves his parents and likes to do good. Superman is who he is when he puts the cape on.

I don't believe the glasses are Clark Kent. I believe the glasses are protection for Clark, so he can continue to exist.

Clark is a pretty integrated hero. He's Supes, but he's also and always Clark. So Clark's not a disguise for Superman, and Superman's not a disguise for Clark so much as a facet of Clark.

Victor, who was it who said he thought that Superman was the smartest of all the heros, inclusive of Bats, because Supes had found a way to balance it all out? I keep thinking that's a Jack thing, but I'm too lazy to check.

In the story following the aforementioned one, the JLA were seperated from their hero selves and their secret identitites.

Woo! That's what I want to re-read! Thanks!

Victor, who was it who said he thought that Superman was the smartest of all the heros, inclusive of Bats, because Supes had found a way to balance it all out? I keep thinking that's a Jack thing, but I'm too lazy to check.

I'm unfamiliar. If it's a Starman thing, then it mightbe in the Starman/Superman story wich I've not read yet, as "m reading in graphic novel form and it ain't out. That being said, it would make sense, considering the Starman themes there.

Woo! That's what I want to re-read! Thanks!

Oh yeah. Waid had them all nailed, especially Bats and Plas.

Oh, dear. I went into the store to get The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe.

I came out with Fugitive 1 & 2 (there are only two, right?) two Y: The Last Man TPBs and one Fables.

I should go back for the novel, but I'm scared.