Old Superman stories are filled with strange moments that, when viewed in a modern context, are downright eerie in retrospect. However, there is a moment that tops them all when Superman once said to a giant version of his father “Punish me, Dad! I deserve it!”
The heyday of comics was full of quirky moments, but they’re outdated. These include Superman fantasizing about hooking up with Supergirl, Superman filming a sex tape with Big Bada, and Superman having the ability to shoot miniature versions of himself out of his hand. A notorious group from the early 1970s is perhaps the worst offender, even if it’s never explained the way it is.
Magnetic control panel World’s Best #201 Created by Danny O’Neal, Dick Deering, and Joe Gila, Green Lantern and Superman had a violent conflict after saving a plane hit by a meteor. As the two talk, a Guardian of the Universe appears and suggests that they hold a contest to determine who will save the Earth from alien danger. With the help of Dr. Fate, the Guardians of the Universe hold a contest – the first to reach the enchanted purple dragon wins. It’s not a clear path to dragons, however, as the two heroes’ greatest fears have come true: Green Lantern confronts a giant golden spider, while Superman meets a giant version of Jor-El, his Kryptonian father.
Frustrated that Superman’s father wants him to be a scientist instead of a superhero. Joel decided to punish his son by spanking his butt. At that moment, Superman said “Punish me, Dad! I deserve it!” In this context, Superman just accepts his punishment. Right now, however, the group is buzzing. Thankfully, the punishment didn’t last long (despite Superman’s pleas), and he managed to escape. When Kal-El and the Green Lantern find the dragon, they discover that it was all a trap carefully planned by the disguised Felix Faust. The story ends with Faust being captured, and the two heroes realizing that jealousy will get them nowhere.
The panel and the words “Punish me dad! I deserve it!” always fun, although it was certainly not intentional when it was written. Thank you Superman for facing his biggest fear first-hand and finally coming to the fore. While the race against the Green Lantern was exciting, for better or worse, this manga will forever be remembered for taking the plot out of context.