Hello -

I get your newsletter and have written you several emails. I thought I'd tell you about a vintage Superman cartoon I just saw on the net which had a storyline that disturbed me, and which I thought you would also find disturbing.

It starts with a Native American man arriving at City Hall to make the point that Manhattan island was stolen from, and thus was owed to the Native American people. The people he makes this announcement to say they are not sure this is the correct way of thinking about it, but the Native American man leaves determined to do something about it. The people he talks to comment that they are a bit shocked.

(You have to remember this is the 1930's so it's a bit dated, but still disturbingly similar to present-day reactions, I think).

So the Native American man proceeds to be cast as a villain who has a secret machine which he uses to initiate earthquakes that will level the city so that he can start it anew under Native American leadership. But of course Superman stops him before it's too late. The last scene is Clark Kent on a ferry with Lois Lane saying how great it is that Manhattan is "back to normal" again. It's called "Electric Earthquake" if you're interested in checking it out.

I heard that the concept of Superman is based on the Wagnerian/Nietschian concept of the Aryan protypical "Ubermann" which was an idea implicit in the Nazi propaganda, and I saw the cartoon as communicating a similar, although not as simister, message. What do you think?

Take care, Laura

Actually, there was supposedly another vintage Superman cartoon that did not portray Native Americans as villainous. Perhaps you could find it.

Also, a point I was making was that, in a sense, the "villain" here was not so much of a villain, in that he was making a rather good point about how Manhattan was deceptively stolen from the Natives, that they had a right to be upset. I was pointing out how the story seemed to be twisting this whole thing around to make us focus on the wrongdoing of the Native, rather than on his original point of the wrongdoing of the colonists. I.E., at the end, Clark Kent says "Isn't it great that things are back to normal?" (thus perpetuating idea of normalcy as domination by non-native culture).

Superman: Electric Earthquake (1942)

A mad scientist attempts to blow up Manhattan. Lois Lane investigates and Superman saves the day. Animation by Steve Muffati and Arnold Gillespie, story by Seymour Kneitel and Isadore Sparber, music by Sammy Timberg. Produced in 1942.

Director: Dave Fleischer
Producer: Max Fleischer
Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Action Comics & Superman Magazine

Reviewer: George_Kaplan — 5 out of 5 stars — September 29, 2005
Subject: Best of these Fleischer Superman cartoons

This is for my money the most entertaining of these old Superman cartoons. Really fascinating because of its Native American villain, who terrorizes Manhattan (not yet Metropolis) in order to get the land back for "my people." The white folks at the Daily Planet call his belated desire to decolonize Manhattan "fantastic" and "ridiculous." By having us side with Superman, flying white guy from another planet, as he defeats this villain, the cartoon reaffirms & naturalizes the "right" of white Americans to possess land appropriated from Native Americans by previous generations of white Americans. Interesting stuff.

Reviewer: Gman — 5 out of 5 stars — July 25, 2005
Subject: An Alien Vs. The Indigneous

What I like about these Fleischer Supermans is that he is animated as a super man. There's a real feeling of weight and strain behind each feat. Objects do not "feel" like styrofoam as in some recent CGed super hero live action films. I would say these are greatest film incarnation of the character, in my humble opinion. All deserve 5 stars.

What is interesting to note about this one specifically is that the antagonist, while a Native American, is not the Hollywood stereotype nor a Tonto-like "noble savage". He's evil but he's a genius....he's an evil genius...on par with a Lex Luthor or Joker. Perhaps a backhanded progress but nevertheless progress for Hollywood (Yes, I know it was made in Miami).

Gee..all he wanted was Manhattan...he has a point...wasn't like he was trying to take over the world. ;)