Superman comics are not overtly religious. Yet faith and morality have been baked into this superhero character who was born Kryptonian, raised Methodist and created by two young Jewish men in 1930s Cleveland.

Superman’s character has been portrayed in the mold of Christ and Moses given how he constantly upholds the ideals of self-sacrifice, powerful leadership and compassion.

While scholars, comic book writers and fans alike are struck by the religious undertones in Superman comics, they all agree that what sets Superman apart is his ability to bring hope in a hopeless world.

Friday (April 18) marks the 87th anniversary of the original superhero’s birth. It also is the date Superman made his debut in an Action Comics issue.

There is much excitement in the Superman fanverse this year because of the much-anticipated ‘Superman’ movie directed by James Gunn, starring David Corenswet, the first Jewish actor to play Superman in a major film.

On his Instagram page on April 18, 2024, Gunn shared a photo of himself, Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan who plays Lois Lane in the upcoming film, reading among several comic books, a reproduction of Action Comics #1 — the very first one featuring the Man of Steel.

In his Instagram post, Gunn also paid tribute to the superhero, saying: “He gave us someone to believe in, not because of his great physical power, but because of his character and determination to do right no matter what.”

Gunn’s film promises a return to a version of a vulnerable Superman who is rooted in values espoused by most faiths — goodness, compassion and hope.

Samantha Baskind, professor of art history at Cleveland State University, is Jewish and sees numerous parallels between Superman’s origin story and the history of Jews.

She says Superman’s solitary flight from Krypton in a small spacecraft is reminiscent of how Moses’ mother placed him in a papyrus basket and left him on the Nile, seeing it as his best chance of survival.

Some also compare Superman’s backstory to the Kindertransport, she said, referring to a humanitarian rescue program that transported nearly 10,000 children, mostly Jewish, from Nazi-controlled territories to Great Britain in 1938 and 1939. In Superman’s Kryptonian name, Kal-El, chosen by his original Jewish creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the “El” in Hebrew connotes God.

“There’s also the thinking that Siegel and Shuster created Superman because they were these two, skinny, young Jewish men who couldn’t go out and fight Hitler, but Superman fought Nazis on the cover of their comic books,” Baskind said.