Hi, I’m Felix, a movie critic who, you may know, has been a hardcore Superman fan since before I could read. Superman is a character that’s meant a lot to me over the years, and I take great humor in folks who pay homage or poke fun at the character because Superman is a versatile creation that’s ripe for any context. “The Asian Superman Myth” is a mock documentary that begs the question: Is Superman really Asian? It’s possible, is it not? Claveria makes a great case for the notion. In Claveria’s film, the world shown is a world where Superman exists, and Superman is not only just a popular comic book character, but an anomaly that may or may not exist among us.
Sightings allegedly began in the thirties, and an esteemed doctor explores the transformation of Hitler’s Uberman, who was shipped through Japan, and fell in love with another Asian woman eventually giving birth to a baby boy named Kal El. Meanwhile, an avid comic book lover explains that Superman has always had a bit of an Asian tone to his features. The concept is so absurd, but surely enough it will invite so many interesting arguments and debates among fans. Claveria treats Superman as an urban legend and it works very well as the alleged footage of Superman stopping a plane from falling keeps Claveria’s world guessing and debating. With interviews with different specialists, including a couple named Mammy and Pappy Kent who explain Clark’s perils as a superhero being discriminated against by the people of Kansas due to his race.
Claveria creates a wry and slick mock documentary further elevating Superman above fictional status and really adding a brilliant twist to the lore. Superan as an Asian entity is a stroke of unusual creativity, and “The Asian Superman Myth” is a treat for this lifelong fan of the character. The message Claveria perpetuates is that Superman is a character that is many things to many people, and he’s a genuine symbol of a different race learning to live among others and continuing to inspire. Is Superman Asian? Claveria’s movie makes such a good argument, and it’s difficult to offer a rebuttal. It’s possible. In one fell swoop, G.R. Claveria offers a brand new and original twist on the Superman origin, and provides a great argument as to why he may be Asian. “The Asian Superman Myth” is a funny, unique and original little film.