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Superman: A Romantic Journey

Smallville, Kansas 1978, as a frightened small boy looks up at the nurturing figure of Martha Kent, a romantic journey between an alien and the human race begins in earnest. It’s through the life and times of an immigrant from Krypton and his passion for understanding and becoming part of mankind that we truly learn the importance of love and life that we all take for granted.

Clark Kent, the aforementioned alien, grappled with his powers from an early age. On top of that he had to deal with the harsh realties of being raised as a human teenager in a small American town. His hormones raced just as much as the next boy and his lust and love would turn their attentions to the sweet, angelic girl next door, Lana Lang.

Lana was the quintessential all-American farm girl: beautiful, smart, innocent and a big believer in destiny and romance. Clark’s wholesome upbringing, thanks to parents Jonathan and Martha, meant he always treated women with the utmost respect. However,  Lana was no ordinary girl and Clark put her on a pedestal from the first time he laid eyes on her. Awkward and unsure what to do about his new-found lust for Lana, Clark loved her from afar and became her guardian angel, using his powers to protect her from the evils of the world. Clark went to great lengths to conceal his powers from Lana but she became his best friend and confidante by the time he finally plucked up the courage to tell her how he really felt. Lana was the first person outside his parents to learn his true abilities and she did not run away as he feared. Lana was Clark’s first true love and their relationship blossomed and the two romanced their way through their idyllic teenage years until the time came for Clark to answer his true destiny…

That destiny would greet him in the bustling and vibrant Metropolis and goes by the name Lois Lane. If it wasn’t enough that Clark could fly and routinely saved millions of lives by donning his cape, he also wanted to work for a living. He earned his crust side by side with mankind in a subservient capacity as a journalist.  Think Hemmingway, Fitzgerald, Kent!  Yes, Clark is a true romantic, taking on the role of writer, wooing the ladies with his prose rather than his powers.

Like any great relationship worth having, Lois and Clark’s is a fiery one. Lois is a fearsome, hard-nosed, seasoned journalist that would stop at nothing to get what she wants, whereas the mild-mannered Clark hammed up his ineptness at every opportunity to throw Lois of the scent of his true identity. For Clark it was love at first bump, when he “accidentally” knocked into her whilst leaving the office. Quickly dismissed as a bumbling idiot, Clark was playing the long game as he had an ace up his sleeve and what an ace to have. Such is the modesty of the man, he would rather be thought of as a complete fool by the woman he loves rather than compromise her in any way. His chivalrous behaviour really shines a spotlight on the rest of us mere mortals. Who among us men folk would choose not to tell the object of our affection that we could fly. It would literally be my opening gambit, “excuse me can I buy you a drink, by the way look at this- I CAN FLY!” Not Clark, no way, he is all about the long game.

Superman’s reputation for putting out forrest fires with his breath and catching tumbling airliners with one hand became legendary. Lois Lane, in turn, fell hard for Superman and Clark used his “special relationship” with the Man of Steel to grab Lois’s attention and she realised, albeit painfully slow, that the super man of her dreams was right in front of her the whole time.

Theirs is the perfect love story: boy meets girl, boy loves girl, girl ignores boy, boy saves the world and literally sweeps girl off her feet. Clark Kent is the benchmark for any budding romantic, the perfect gentleman, the nice guy that actually got the girl.

About the author

Darren Pattison