‘Superman: Up in the Sky’ & the Fight Against Mental Illness

Superman: Up in the Sky

Writer: Tom King, Artist: Andy Kubert, Inker: Sandra Hope, Colorist: Brad Anderson, Letterer: Clayton Cowles, Publisher: DC

Collects “Superman: Up in the Sky” #1-6, originally published in DC’s Walmart Giants

Growing up, “Batman: The Animated Series” sent the Bat soaring to the top of the list of heroes I wanted to be. A dark, brooding, undoubtedly cool character who didn’t need anyone’s help, the Batman I knew was very closed off to protect the people around him. I, too, thought doing that was the best way to get by.

Now, as an adult, I’ve come to realize Batman isn’t someone to emulate. The true beacon of heroism, and the archetype for a better tomorrow, is the big blue Boy Scout himself, Superman. As I read “Superman: Up in the Sky,” I see the traits I aspire to have myself. Tom King writes Superman in his purest form: an alien with nearly godlike powers who has empathy for every person around him.

“Up in the Sky” finds Superman traveling across the galaxy to save one scared child. He puts his entire life on hold because he won’t allow for that girl, Alice, to lose hope that she’ll be rescued, facing obstacles of strength, perseverance and humility in the process. In a world muddled with so much trouble, the story reminds us why we look up to these heroes and why they’ve stuck around.

In Part 2 of the story, Superman uses an alien supercomputer to try to track the path of the teleportation beam used to kidnap the girl. A scientist on Rann tells him that even their best computer could not do it. The computer creates a simulation in Superman’s brain to sort through the data. Before he ultimately finds the information, he sits with the simulation’s version of the girl. She tells him about an exhibit on Krypton she saw at a museum. The story of a baby being launched from Krypton to a strange world comes up. She says it made her afraid but then inspired her. That’s when Superman refuses to give up and gets what he came for.

Every one of us is born into a strange world with as much ability to change it for the better as Superman has. Superman’s origin isn’t that much different from our own. Everyone is born into an unknown world, and everyone has the ability to do great things, to be the Superman.

The only data obtained from the computer before it self-destructs is the phrase “I can’t,” which has been a common mantra to me for a long time. When you believe nothing you do can make a difference, it’s much easier to believe you shouldn’t even try. Instead of talking about how I feel or working to improve myself or the world around me, I’d rather just say “I can’t.” As I matured, I started to look at all those times where I said “I can’t” and how they affected other people. Instead of drowning in those feelings, I wanted to change. If a farm boy from Kansas could save the world, why couldn’t I?

In another step on his way to save Alice, Superman agrees to a boxing match against the intergalactic mercenary Mighto. Neither can use their powers other than their strength and invulnerability. It’s clear Mighto is stronger, and he even says he’d prefer it if Superman could use his powers. After trying to get Superman to give in, Mighto is shocked by how Superman keeps pushing himself past what he thinks is his limit. Eventually Mighto gives in, skipping the beating he could keep taking because his opponent won’t back down.

My entire life, I’ve listened to what other people told me I should be. The world told me I shouldn’t show my emotions, shouldn’t cry, shouldn’t be the way I am. As someone who struggles with depression, the world made me want to internalize everything. Talking to anyone about it would make me weak. Therapy or any sort of help would make me weak. I had no lifeline to deal with what was going on inside me.

Mental illness is an opponent that at one point had me down for the count, a voice that screamed in my face that I shouldn’t be alive. As I was down for the count, I realized there was so much more to live for. I started punching back, like Superman did. I started embracing my feelings. Instead of being a cold-hearted asshole to keep people at arm’s length, I started wrapping my arms around them. My adversary turned out to be the same one many were fighting. Instead of keeping it in, I shared and grew. I started therapy so I had someone in my corner to tell me how to keep fighting and win this slugfest against mental illness. I refuse to believe I have a limit. This metaphorical S on my chest helps me keep pushing back to live to fight another day.

Farther along Superman’s journey, he encounters a planet that ends up splitting him into two people: Superman, the powerful alien, and Clark Kent, the mild-mannered reporter. Superman doesn’t believe he can save the girl, and that being on Earth would be more worthwhile. After a verbal spat, Superman flies off but realizes he can’t get himself to leave. Clark convinces him they need each other to save Alice and get back to Earth. At the risk of death, the two take off from the planet to become one again.

Superman and Clark are two faces of the same person. One cannot exist without the other, but neither exists at the same time. Some people see the hero, Superman, who constantly saves the Earth. Others see the mortal, Clark, a wholesome reporter doing his best. There has always been the Dan the world knows and the Dan only few know. There was the funny, charismatic but apathetic Dan and the Dan who was struggling with his empathy and his battles with mental illness. It came to a head where both could not keep existing as they were. Being two people was too draining. I learned I could be the person everyone liked but without all the bad parts I put up as barriers. Instead, they’ve become one. I try to be the same fun person but a lot more genuine and compassionate. Sewing up that seam has allowed me to share those struggles and try to help others with theirs.

When I finished “Up in the Sky,” I sat in it for a while. Feelings flooded over me about what heroes mean to me, how they’ve affected me my entire life. While a young, angry, depressed Dan looked up to the Dark Knight as a sort of moral compass, now, Superman is the ideal I strive for — tearing down every barrier to a better world for everyone, working to show people how much good there is with a kind heart and honesty. As Superman has done many times, I stepped outside into the sun with my heart on my sleeve rather than lurking in the shadows closed off from the world.