Continuing our list of the things that D.C. Comics and screen producers are doing that tend to sabotage the fortunes of the man of steel.

The final item is:

3) Compromising Superman

One thing Superman can't be is compromised but that's what film creators and comic artists have done.

A couple key issues illustrate that.

First, in 2006 movie, Superman Returns, rather than standing for, "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," Superman was said to stand for, "Truth, Justice, All that stuff."

Defenders of the producers were quick to point out that Truth, Justice, and the American Way were not part of the original Superman credo. Originally, it was "Truth and Justice." During World War II, the American Way was added in and it was done again in the 1950s during the Cold War.

This was true as far as it goes, but I'd suggest that there are two ways it compromises on Superman mythos.

The first is that American Way was far more ingrained into the Superman ethos. It was used in the 1988 Ruby-Spears Superman Cartoon series. As recently as 2001, Action Comics #775, one of the greatest Superman stories of the modern age was entitled, "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?" 2001 is long after the cold war. More importantly as Superman Returns held itself up as a sequel to the original Superman movie from 1978, the phrase was used there.

The second point is that it lacked any sort of principle. Consider the times when Superman didn't stand for "The American Way" specifically. In the post-war radio series Superman stood for tolerance, in the 1960s cartoons, he stood for, "Trust, Justice, and Freedom." In the 1990s TV series, he stood for "Truth and Justice."

All of these are real ideals. "All that stuff" isn't an ideal. It's a marketing ploy to make the movie appeal to international audiences and others who are uncomfortable with patriotism. The result? Superman Returns was out grossed by every flag-waving Spider-man flick. Having a Superman movie that uses something other than "the American Way" as a credo could work? Having a Superman movie that compromises itself to win box office approval? Not so much.

Another example is the issue of sexual integrity. Throughout the Superman mythos, he's been a character whose primary concern has been others. Most of the time, there was simply no time for serious romance. In the last few decades,that's changed. In many cases, this added to the mythos and complexity to the character.

However, it can also have some negative consequences when premarital sex is introduced to the scene.

In Superman II, Clark Kent gives up being Superman so that he can be with Lois Lane and has sex with her. A bad move. Only when the world faced really serious danger did he come to his senses and take up his responsibility. If nothing else, that certainly warps the Messianic imagery so central to who Superman is.

Of course, the sex scene in Superman II ends with Superman having an illegitimate son in Superman Returns that he doesn't see until the child is several years old. Yes Superman Returns dares to feature a Superman who is an absentee father who abandoned the world as well as his son.

However, in the 1990s Superman TV show saw a reversal. The issue of sex was broached in that show and Lois finds out as she and Clark are making plans for their wedding that Clark/Superman has saved himself for marriage.

Then of course, we have Smallville which features Clark Kent having premarital sex with both Lana Lang and then Lois Lane. The series ends with Clark and Lois still unmarried but forever in a relationship.

Now clearly even in Smallville and the Superman movies of the 1980s and 21st Century, Superman certainly is not as promiscuous as your average man, but that misses the point of the Superman character.

Superman is not a little bit better than the rest of us. He's a character whose supposed to embody moral excellence and virtue. He's supposed to be someone who is too good to be true-but actually is.

What is most often presented is a compromised character who is defined by other characters such as, "Superman is less dark than Batman." "Superman is more decent than, more noble than other characters."

Yes, if we're grading on a curve than that's enough. But Superman is supposed to raise a high standard not jump over the low hurdles laid out by other characters. Sadly, when Superman is just "Other heroes lite," he's fails as a character.

The answer to the problem with Superman may be simple, "Let Superman be Superman." Not dark, brooding, chained up, cynical, or any of the rest but optimistic, decent, honorable, and principled.

The power of the first Superman Movie was that it succeeded in restoring in adults, the wonder of childhood and the optimism and integrity of a simpler time of life.

And if Superman's ever going to come back, it will be because comic and film writers decided to let the Man of Steel be the hero he's meant to be.