SURE, he's still faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But have you noticed that Superman's has seemed different lately?
We think it started when Christopher Reeve's Man of Steel and Margot Kidder's Lois Lane spent time snuggling in satin sheets in 1980's "Superman II." And ever since - through "Lois &Clark" and "Smallville" - Superman's just been getting softer and softer.
But just wait until you see "Superman Returns," which arrives in theaters on June 30.
The meaning of masculinity itself has been so redefined that the Man of Steel, and even his alter ego Clark Kent, seem positively unrecognizable to most contemporary guys.
Guys these days see themselves better reflected in the characters played by Owen Wilson - a slacker leading man whose most endearing quality is his passion for underachievement - than to earnestly patriotic, straight-arrow Clark Kent, or nearly invincible and never self-interested Superman.
Enter Brandon Routh, a practically unknown 25-year-old actor, who'll redefine the superhero for a new century as the star of "Superman Returns," the fifth big-budget installment of the franchise.
Superman may be an icon of masculinity, but he's also a brand - a brand in need of a serious makeover.
This is a fact that has not been lost on Bryan Singer, director of "Superman Returns."
Singer understands that when you're a superhero, there isn't much in the way of physical obstacles - providing you can steer clear of arch villains bearing Kryptonite - so he created the biggest sort of obstacle any guy can face: an emotional one.
In "Superman Returns," the squeaky-clean hero heads back to Earth after a mysterious six-year absence, only to find things have turned ugly. Worse yet, even his long-simmering romance with Lois Lane (played by "Blue Crush" star Kate Bosworth) has lost all its heat. Lois not only has a new guy - she has a child.
She realizes there's something to be said for loving a guy who's secretly not Superman. After all, if you're dating Superman, you have to compete with the whole world for his attention - and it's a needy world!
With an ordinary guy, at least there's a chance that he'll stop watching ESPN long enough for the two of you to nestle on the couch and get some quality time.
So this time around, Superman's not only got to reverse the darkness that has descended on the world - he has to seek some kind of emotional breakthrough, too. Can he find closure with the love of his life? Warner Brothers is betting nearly $200 million that this is the battle we really want to see.
After all, in a world filled with jihad, culture clashes and environmental catastrophes, being an emotionally remote, straight-arrow Man of Steel would be just as much of a problem as it used to be a solution.
So, Superman, welcome back to Earth, 21st century-style.
And before you put on that cape, can we just talk about your childhood for a while?
The trailer made me want to see this movie. This "preview" goes a long way to killing that desire.
