Résumé
This paper explores the use of soft power in US comics to promote American ideals by focusing on the narrative shift in Superman’s motto from “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” to “Truth, Justice, and a Better Tomorrow”. Through an analysis of Action Comics #775 (2001) and Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #1 (2020), this study examines how Superman’s evolving identity through both issues reflects a broader reimagining of American values for a globalized world. In Action Comics #775, Superman defends the traditional “American Way” against the Elite, a group of ruthless antiheroes who challenge the relevance of his idealism in a modern, pragmatic world. Conversely, The Man of Tomorrow positions Superman as a global icon, shifting his mission to “a better tomorrow” and emphasizing universal ideals of hope, justice, and progress that transcend national boundaries. Despite this shift, a rhetorical analysis unveils how together, these issues reveal how superhero narratives such as Superman conceal ideologies of American exceptionalism under the name of globalization. The choice of these comics highlights critical junctures in Superman’s ideological journey. This offers a unique lens through which we can explore the intersection of nationalism, globalization, and cultural hegemony. By framing “A Better Tomorrow” as an ideal, the motto shift appears to shed its nationalistic roots. However, the idea of a “better tomorrow” significantly remains shaped by the cultural and political context of its origin, that is, America. Indeed, a contrast between the two issues suggests that Superman’s ideals, actions, and moral framework were forged within a distinctly American tradition of justice, liberty, and individualism. In this way, the motto shift might be less about abandoning “The American Way” and more about rebranding it in a palatable, globally appealing package. In comics studies, this shift could be analyzed as a form of “soft power” where American values are subtly introduced under the guise of universal human ideals. Even as Superman becomes a global symbol, his representation of progress, hope, and morality might still implicitly reinforce American-style democracy and individualist ethics. By examining the tension between Superman’s traditional and modern identities, this study contributes to comics studies by demonstrating how superhero narratives function as tools of cultural hegemony and ideological propagation. This analysis also ties directly to my broader research on the concept of shapeshifting, the dual identity of superheroes and the ways their narratives embody shifting ideological and psychological frameworks. Just as anti-heroes from the Dark Age of Comics challenge the boundaries between hero and villain, Superman’s motto shift plays with the boundary between national and global identity. Arguably, this could be framed as a kind of “shapeshifting” of ideology where the superficial narrative as “global unity” masks an underlying continuity of the American ideals, hence prompting a kind of resistance against non western ideologies.