Its a Bird! Its a Plane! ItsEdward Cullen?

A denouncement of Edward Cullen as a vampire in an attempt to place him among similar fictional characters: superheroes.
By Justin Wigard

I can't always be Lois Lane," I insisted. "I want to be Superman, too. - Bella Swan to Edward Cullen.

Table of Contents
1. 2. 3.

Whats with Vampires These Days? How to Reclassify a Vampire p.4

p.3

A Discussion of Scholarship Surrounding Edward Cullens Position within the Western Literary Vampire paradigm p.5

4. 5.

Evolution of the Western Literary Vampire (1819-1976)

p.8

A Comparison of Edward Cullen Against the Western Literary Vampire p.11

6.

Superheroes and Sun Gods and Saviors, oh my! An introduction of Superman, Sun Gods, and Superhero Definitions p.15

7.

The Analogous Relationship between Superman and Lois, Edward and Bella p.20

8.

The Analogous Relationship between Edward and Jacob, Superman and Lex p.28

9. 10.

Closing Remarks p.30 Works Cited p.34 p.32

11. Footnotes

12. Acknowledgementsp.35

Whats with Vampires These Days? While Stephenie Meyers protagonist in her debut novel Twilight may have sparked a new vampire craze among young girls in 2005, one thing remains: based on a number of unique physical, mental, and personal characteristics, Edward Cullen is not a vampire, at least not in the Contemporary Western literary sense (Sommers and Hume 153). The question then needs to be asked: If Edward does not fit that vampire mold, then what is he? As Meyer herself says, Ive always loved superheroes, so the vampires I created actually have a lot more in common with superheroes than with horror-genre vampires (Guide 73). This presents a problem, because the vampire craze that ensued after Twilight was published is essentially breaking away from the Western literary vampire cosmology that has existed for nearly 190 years (with the publication of John Polidoris The Vampyre in 1819), popularized with the publication of Bram Stokers Dracula in 1897. In fact, Edward defies many of the standards by which the vampire is grounded: the predilection towards being a love-filled vampire, as opposed to the lust-filled vampires prior; the aversion to light (and often fatal exposure to sunlight); nightly coffin sleeping (to both escape sunlight and to circumvent unwanted attention or to get around running water); the susceptibility to religious artifacts, such as crucifixes and holy water; even the thirst for human blood (he refuses to drink human blood, instead sticking to the blood of animals) and the abhorrence to garlic is downplayed by Edward. Its no surprise that Cullens entire nature violates so many of the Western vampire paradigms, as Meyer says The only time I really did any research on vampires was when the character Bella did research on vampires. Because I was creating my own world, I didnt want to find out just how many rules I was breaking (Guide 79). If the author herself has not done any research to find out just how many rules she broke, then this

essay and discussion will do just that. Edward Cullen is by no means a vampire according to traditional Western literary standards, but is really a superhero constructed in the tradition of the comic book hero in the footsteps of Superman based on a number of moral, physical, and psychological similarities between the two beings. How to Reclassify a Vampire In order to reclassify Edward Cullen as a vampire, a discussion will be provided of what critics have written and published on Twilight and Edward Cullen concerning moral, physical and psychological traits. Next, I will attempt to discern a concrete definition of the literary vampire's traditional physical characteristics by dissecting quintessential vampire fiction, and giving a brief history of the Western literary vampire through certain landmark vampire short stories and novels. I will next apply this definition of the literary vampire to Cullen from Twilight, and systematically examine how he does not fit into the literary vampire paradigm by comparing and contrasting his traits with those of the Western literary vampire. From there, I will examine just what abilities and traits Edward Cullen does have, and explain how and why he is better suited to fit in with superheroes. The relationships between Edward and Bella, and Edward and Jacob, must be examined against their DC counterparts Superman and Lois, and Superman and Lex Luthor respectfully, to further cement this analogy. Finally, I will discuss why this misconception that Edward presents is problematic for the future of the literary vampire, and why the comparison between Edward Cullen and Superman, and subsequent relocation of Edward into the comic book superhero category, will serve as a panacea for the pollution of the Western literary vampire..

A Discussion of Scholarship Surrounding Edward Cullens Position within the Western Literary Vampire Paradigm Though many scholars have written upon Twilight, few have actually come to any sort of agreement on where Edward Cullen stands within the expanded vampire cosmology since Bram Stokers Dracula, amongst others of his kind. Essentially, the discussion surrounding this confused caricature of a vampire surrounds three topics: his physical traits, his psychological traits, and what, if anything, Edward actually stands symbolically represents. Nicholas Michaud poses some interesting theories about Edward Cullen's morality in Twilight that suggests Cullen is a person, and not only a person, but a better person than most humans (Michaud 47). In his essay entitled Can a Vampire be a Person?, he examines the actions and humanity with Edward Cullen and suggests that he falls within five criteria defining a person (which is to be noted is altogether different than being a human), as proposed by Mary-Anne Warren (Michaud 41; Warren 53-61). Michaud claims that in many ways vampires are superior to humans, suggesting that the human is elevated to a new status upon becoming a vampire (Michaud 44). Upon becoming a vampire in the Twilight saga, a number of physical, mental and emotional changes occur, including many that go against the Western literary vampire cosmology. Julia Pearlman asserts that the vampires of Twilight (especially Edward) are designed to be immensely attractive to both the humans within the book and to the reader herself in order to idealize conservative beliefs. She states that: Meyers vampires subvert the conventions of this specific literary figure; she redefines a centuries-old tradition and thereby makes use of the cultural fascination with the vampire (who traditionally represents sex,

death, and 15).

rebellion) to enforce a conservative viewpoint (Pearlman

Pearlman also talks about Bram Stokers Dracula (the quintessential vampire) which establishes a sort of paradigm for the vampire genre (16). Going on, Pearlman asserts that Twilight positions itself in opposition to the stock vampire story; sexual appetite is curbed, true love and virtuosity triumph over evil, suggesting that Meyer's vampires are not only in opposition personality-wise, but that they also stand in direct opposition to Dracula (Pearlman 16). Edward is temperamentally the opposite of Count Dracula, as he respects women (well, respects Bella), he wants to curb his thirst for blood, and genuinely fights against his nature, rather than thriving on it. Throughout the Twilight saga, if Edward essentially breaks almost every established rule set for the vampire genre since Dracula, then can he really be labeled a vampire without featuring most any of the established vampiric traits? Eveline Brugger attempts to answer this question by examining the historical background and origin of the vampire in order to find a place for Edward Cullen within the vampire cosmology. In discussing and researching the Western literary vampire, she states: The Vampyre led to the development of an entire genre - a genre that produced literary works of all levels of quality, from the trashy gothic tales of Varney the Vampire (1845-1847) to Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla (1872), the finely crafted portrayal of a female vampire with strong lesbian overtones. (Brugger 235) It was only through [Bram Stoker's] novel, first published in 1897, that legends about the fearsome, yet historical, fifteenth-century Wallachian prince, Vlad III Dracula, were linked with (more Slavic than Romanian) vampire lore, thus fusing folklore with a real, but totally unrelated,

historical person to create the character of the vampire Count Dracula (Brugger 228-229). While asserting that Edward Cullen does fit the definition set forth by Voltaire of being an undead human that feeds on blood, Brugger points out that the facets of the Twilight vampire that do not fit in with the vampire paradigm (Brugger 239-240; Voltaire 304). He mentions the diet-based changing of the vampire's eyes (human blood results in red eyes, animal blood results in golden eyes, absence of blood results in black eyes), the venom within their bodies, the fact that Edward is able to have a child with a human mother, and of course, Edward's tendency to sparkle when exposed to sunlight (Brugger 239-240) Lord Ruthven and Count Dracula certainly do not drink animal blood, nor do they feature a venom-like fluid replacing all of their own fluids, nor do they sparkle in the sunlight. It is these aspects that both define Edward as a character and set him apart from other vampires. Eric Silverman's does not give a definitive diagnosis of Edward Cullens vampiric condition either, but he does examine Cullen's mind-reading abilities. This mind-reading ability is a superpower akin to Supermans x-ray visioni, and a strong similarity between the two figures that needs to be examined to open up further lines of comparison between Superman and Edward Cullen. Silverman states, While most vampires at least fear that being discovered could force them to leave an area, Edward's mind-reading abilities allow him to do whatever he wishes with near impunity (Silverman 94). It is Silverman's assertion that Edward exercises great control and benevolence with the use of his power with regards to his family and friends. However, as with any other sense, Edward can try to avoid using it or ignore it, but he cannot simply turn it off (Silverman 101). Edward is not always able to exercise control, nor does he always want to. Silverman states furthermore, there are plenty of times when Edward is willing to violate others' privacy (Silverman 100). Through Silverman, one gains insight into Edward Cullen's moral

dilemmas and battles as a vampire by plumbing the depths of Cullens mind. More importantly, we gain an intimate knowledge of Edward Cullen as he struggles with his supernatural power, an insight into what it is to be a supernatural being with a superpower. Finally, Edward Cullens decision to be a vampire masquerading as a human must be examined. Pramod Nayars initial argument that Edward Cullen represents a supernatural masculinity in drag provides the foundation to connect Cullens blending in with humans alongside Kal-El (Superman) trying to fit in as well (Nayar 62, 72). Nayar writes about Edward functioning in the realm of the humans because his vampiric abilities work for him, not against him. He writes: His [Edwards] superior speed, strength and senses, all attributes of being a vampire, enable him to perform the traditional functions of the human male. He mimics the human male with his clothing, protector role, self-control and rationality despite being a vampire with heightened abilities (Nayar 62). It is this decision of Edwards to hide within the human race that parallels Superman masquerading as Clark Kent. The question is, how did the vampire get to this point in time, a point where it is not feared, but loved? Evolution of the Western Literary Vampire (1819-1976) To attempt to answer this question, four landmark vampire stories (John Polidoris The Vampyre; Bram Stokers Dracula; Richard Mathesons I Am Legend; Ann Rices Interview with the Vampire) will be examined for similarities and differences in how the vampire is portrayed. These vampire tales have introduced new traits with each literary incarnation of the vampire, and each author has contributed in some way or another to the evolution of the Western literary vampire. The construction of the vampire in the Western Tradition is largely responsible for the publics image of the vampire prior to Stephenie Meyers Twilight; not only did it first become

popular when John Polidori published his Gothic short story The Vampyre in 1819, but the traits of the Western vampire began to take shape as well. Physically, Lord Ruthven (the vampire) has a beautiful face, pale skin, a persuasive personality, and hypnotic, piercing eyes (Polidori 7). This short story establishes the vampire as a nocturnal being, with Greek villagers who warn the protagonist to be back before dusk, ere night allowed the power of these beings to be put in action (Polidori 14). In an earlier passage, the vampire is described as [passing] years amidst his friends, and dearest ties, forced ever year, by feeding upon the life of a lovely female to prolong his existence for the ensuing months (Polidori 12). Rather than protecting the young women he takes an interest in, Lord Ruthven instead takes them in and drains their blood, creating the image of the vampire as an immortal, blood-thirsty monster Even though it can be argued that Polidoris The Vampyre may have been the origin of the Western literary vampire, his short story was only the first stepping stone in the vampires literary evolution. From John Polidoris The Vampyre, the literary vampire becomes further cemented as a dark, creature of the night in the quintessential vampire novel, Bram Stokers Dracula. Within Dracula, we find many descriptions of the Count himself, (tall; bushy eyebrows; pointed ears; sharp white teeth; strong chin; extraordinary pallor) establishing the criterion for which all future vampires would be based off of (Stoker 24-25). Dracula contains images of Count Dracula as having a strength which made [Jonathon] wince, an effect which was not lessened by the fact that it seemed as cold as ice more like the hand of a dead than a living man (Stoker 22). Furthermore, one of the best scenes to introduce the reader to the undead state of the literary vampire is when Harker finally sees Dracula in his coffin: There, in one of the great boxes, of which there were fifty in all, on a pile of newly dug earth, lay the Count! He was either dead or asleep. I could not

say and the were as red as ever. beating of the heart.

which, for eyes were open and stony, but without the glassiness of death, cheeks had the warmth of life through all their pallor. The lips But there was no sign of movement, no pulse, no breath, no (Stoker 56).

It is this image of the vampire within the Transylvanian castle that most modern literary vampiric tradition is gleaned from. While Bram Stokers vampire is tall, pale, and handsome, Richard Mathesons vampiresii are anything but. Literally, these are the vampires next door: I Am Legend features vampires that are protagonist Robert Nevilles neighbors in a bygone age. As Robert Neville discovers, they share a similar fondness for blood, requiring blood to survive. Mathesons vampires seem have no cohesive unity, no strong ties of community, feeding on each other at night when no humans can be found (Matheson 10). In keeping with the standards set by Stoker, Mathesons vampires are nocturnal in nature, requiring sleep during the day, avoid garlic like the plague, and are lustful creatures who try to entice Robert Neville to leave his garlic-protected safehouse (Matheson 14-18). By presenting the vampires as ordinary people that you used to wave to on your way to work (rather than urbane and elegant socialites from a foreign land), Matheson provides a picture of the vampire as an everyman, ever oppressive (much like many real-life neighbors can be), in a post-apocalyptic setting. Anne Rices Interview with the Vampire takes a decidedly different approach to the modern Western literary vampire than I Am Legend or any predecessor has before, yet still pays homage to and adheres to the Western literary vampire cosmology through a series of physical, emotional, and ideological shifts. Physically, these vampires are akin to those found in Dracula and I Am Legend: pale skinned, devastatingly handsome (which only becomes more

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so over the course of a vampires life), hypnotic luminous eyes, and of course, fangs (Rice 13). Interview with the Vampire takes a decidedly new spin on the classic vampire model. Anne Rice has thrown out many of the conventions of old, and yet, keeps enough of the classic Western tradition to have progressed the vampire to its next stage of evolution. While the vampires in The Vampire Chronicles series are immune to garlic, crucifixes and wooden stakes, they are still vulnerable to sunlight (lethal on contact), dismemberment, and fire (in addition to being fatal, the smoke alone often causes the vampire to suffocate) (Rice 20, 225). Emaciation, while not lethal, is still a very prominent weakness for vampires, yet it affects the vampires less the older they get (Rice 89). A Comparison of Edward Cullen against the Western Literary Vampire From here, it becomes imperative that Edward Cullen be examined against each of these four vampire types (Lord Ruthven; Count Dracula; the vampires from I Am Legend; the vampires from Interview with the Vampire). Through comparing and contrasting the traits of Edward Cullen with his literary predecessors, a sense of exactly how different Cullen is from all vampires before him will begin to appear. And one thing becomes clear rather immediately. Edward Cullen is not a vampire, at least not in any literary sense. According to the defining traits found in John Polidoris The Vampyre, the vampire, Lord Ruthven, is pale and handsome, can hypnotize women, and easily manipulates those around him. Like Lord Ruthven, Cullens voice is alluring, and his skin is chalky pale, with the face of an angel (Twilight 18, 167, 262). Effortlessly, sometimes without meaning to, Edward imposes his will onto others, even using his powers on a waitress in Port Angeles just to get a secluded table (Twilight 168). However, Edward differs from Lord Ruthven in one fundamental manner: hes a vegetarian, choosing to subsist only on animals, much how humans try living on tofu and soy

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milk (Twilight 188). It is this feature that separates Cullen from Ruthven: the consumption of human blood. The human blood is what Ruthven needs to stay immortal, and yet, Cullens upbringing keeps him drinking animal blood, pushing him further away from the vampire mythos. Compared to Count Dracula, the vampiric figure who helped define the Gothic horror genre, Edward Cullen is only playing at being a vampire (Stoker 22). Edward, while being as cold as ice, does not fall into the same realm as the Count (Twilight 45). The Count can command wolves; Edward cant explicitly control wolves, though he is able to manipulate Jacob Black (who can change into a wolf) several times (Eclipse 514). Dracula has to sleep during the night in a coffin (Stoker 56). Edward doesnt follow one of the classic vampire myths set forth in Dracula: he doesnt sleep in coffins; moreover, Edward doesnt require any sleep and can walk in the sun (glittering all the while) (Twilight 116). Dracula is susceptible to sunlight, severing of the head, garlic, symbols of the church (crosses, the Host, holy water), and of course, stakes through the heart (Stoker 29, 194, 201 ). Edward can only be killed if his body is torn to shreds and then if the remaining pieces are burned (Twilight 242). Not only does Edward defy the classic Western traditions set for by John Polidoris The Vampyre, he simply doesnt fit in with the epicenter of vampire lore, Count Dracula based on a number of physical strengths and weakness. Based upon the previous incarnations of the vampire, it is no surprise that Edward Cullen is almost a polar opposite to Richard Mathesons vampires in I Am Legend. Cullens immunity to typical vampiric weaknesses (Twilight 116) stands in stark contrast to Mathesons vampires falling prey to almost every weakness presented: theyre susceptible to staking, sunlight, religious objects (depending on the vampires own faith), garlic and still require sleep at night

12

because they participate in the vampire tradition (Matheson 84-90). Likewise, the vampires of I Am Legend require blood, be it from each otheriii or from humans (Matheson 18). Edward, as stated above, is able to survive solely on animal blood (Twilight 188). They even look different; the vampires found in I Am Legend are, literally, infected neighbors from across the street (Matheson 34), while Cullen is almost God-like (in the Greek tradition) in his looks and beauty. So far, Cullen does not fit in with Polidoris and/ or Stokers suave vampires, and yet, he doesnt fit in with the middle-class feral vampire either. Edward Cullens closest literary relatives outside the Twilight universe can be found within Ann Rices landmark novel, Interview with the Vampire. Louis is one of the first popular vampires to attempt vegetarianism by feeding solely on animals (Rice 34). He is remorseful upon killing a loved one (brother) and in sorrow/hatred/anguish, he turns to draining animals of their lifeforce. With the planet Earth filled with billions of walking, talking, tempting sacs of that sweet nectar known as blood, Louis simply cannot stave off his inherent addiction for long. In this manner, even with high aspirations, Louis ultimately returns to drinking the blood of humans. Rice brings the vampire close to breaking away from the vampire tradition, but eventually returns. Louis fails where Cullen succeeds as far as this vampiric vegetarianism is concerned; he is not able to control his urges forever, and eventually lapses back into feeding off of human blood (Rice 60). Like Cullen, Louis (and other Rice vampires) is immune to being staked and are able to look upon crosses without fear or apprehension (Matheson 21). Louis need to sleep within a coffin exemplifies Rices homage and payment to Stokers Dracula, as does Louis weakness to fire and sunlight (Rice 47, 244). It is Louis inner turmoil that creates a sympathetic voice to the vampires plight for the reader, and it is this sympathetic voice that resonates so strongly within Edward Cullen.

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Based on almost every other vampire myth in existence, humans lose fluids once they are transformed into vampires. Many of the organs and fluids of the human body decay or deteriorate and become replaced by a substance known as ichor. This absence of fluids is what causes the initial craving for blood in vampires and the subsequent, characteristic thirst present in vampires. According to Meyers vampire mythos, however, the vampires system contains many venom-based fluids that resemble, and in some cases perform the same function as, the human fluids that were replaced. Only the saliva-like liquid in the vampires mouth is venomous (Guide 71). If the blood that is consumed by the vampire becomes absorbed by the vampires skin cells, where do all of the venom-based liquids come from, including semen? How is it that of all of the liquids in a vampires body, one of the liquids found in humans that acts as a natural coagulant (a natural fluid with healing properties) is the only venom-based liquid that is actually dangerous to humans (Guide 145)? For that matter, why hasnt semen (the human fluid containing millions of microscopic living beings, the essence of human life as it were) become bastardized in the same way that saliva has? How would it be that a creature of the night, an undead being who has absolutely NO living cells in his body create life in the throes of passionate love with Bella Swan without pumping pure poison into her womb (Guide 71)? Barring that, Bellas impression upon touching Edward that it was as if he'd been carved from the stone his skin resembled" (Twilight 260). Edwards super strength, super speed, and tough, marble-like skin present challenges (dangers) to Bella during the consummation of their honeymoon. With these many points against Edwards status as a vampire, the next step is to examine different traits of a comic book superhero to see just exactly how and where Cullen fits. In consideration of this material, the question should be asked: Where does Edward Cullen fit into the vampire mythos? As has been proven: he really doesnt! He shares almost

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none of their weaknesses, does not require human blood to survive, and is not only able to survive living in the sunlight, but his skin actually glows and sparkles (Twilight 167, 188). He possesses super strength, super speed, the ability to read minds, and attempts to pass for human as often as he can. Much like Superman, Cullen chooses not to have sexual relations with the human woman he is interested in, for fear that he will lose control of himself and his powers during the throes of passion. Superheroes and Sun Gods and Saviors, oh my! An introduction of Superman, Sun Gods, and Superhero Definitions With these points made against Edwards status as a vampire, a slight break in this reclassification of Edward Cullen needs to occur in order to properly introduce the Man of Steel himself, Superman. Though he will be explored in depth and at length further on in this article, the introduction of Superman will allow the conversation to flow with a continuity that would otherwise be bereft. Kal-El, to call him by his birth name, is an alien, an outsider, a being born on a faraway planet called Krypton:

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Found by the Kents, Martha and Johnathon, Clark (adoptive name for Kal-El) is brought up to use his powers for good, but more importantly, he is instructed to use his powersiv for the good of all mankind (Action Comics #1 1938). Though this is a hefty charge, Clark accepted it with a gusto, gaining the name Superman based on his superhuman abilities. Leaving the farming town of Smallville, Kansas, Superman moves to Metropolisv, and thereby meets both the love of his life (Lois Lane), and the ultimate arch nemesis (Lex Luthor)vi. As time goes on, Lois Lane comes to love Superman more and more; similarly, Luthor comes to hate Superman at almost the same rate, attempting to kill the Man of Steel countless times. Further on in this article the relationship between Superman and Lois Lane, along with the antagostic relationship between Superman and Lex Luthor, will be examined against analogous relationships between Edward and Bella, and Edward and Jacob Black in order to get a more complete picture of Edward as a superhero. As stated by Peter Coogan in his article Definition of a Superhero, Three elements mission, power, and identity establish the core of the superhero genre (28). Even though Coogan relegates his comments to The Incredible Hulkvii: a superhero without a mission, he does go on to state that The Hulk operates within a world that fits enough superhero characteristics (super villains, superhero physics, an endangered girlfriend, a pal) to qualify The Hulk as a superhero (Coogan 31-32). Edward also fits most of these genre characteristics: he faces down supervillains (James, the tracker vampire, Victoria, an army of newborn vampires, The Volturi et al ) (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn respectively), has superhero physics, and an endangered girlfriend, Bella. As Edward states in Twilight, I was wrong about you on one other thing, as well. Youre not a magnet for accidents thats not a broad enough classification. You are a magnet for

16

trouble. find you.

If there is anything dangerous within a ten-mile radius, it will invariably (Twilight 110)

Though these are just a few ways that Edward Cullen fits the superhero model, a multitude of different personal characteristics will need to be explored to further reclassify Edward as a superhero. Looking at a different definition for the superhero model to see where and how Edward Cullen fits in, B.J. Oropeza postulates that there are seven basic characteristics that every superhero fits into, to a degree. They are: 1. 2. Most superheroes have super powers Many superheroes received their powers by accident or chance, often related to

scientific misgivings 3. Many superheroes wear costumes and take on a change of identity or

transformation when doing so 4. 5. Many superheroes either have no parents or their parents are not present Many superheroes experience some greater tragedy, challenge, or responsibility that

functions as the incentive for their commission to become a hero 6. Many superheroes have an uneasy relationship with law authorities; they often will

uphold justice before the law 7. Many superhero myths mimic the language of god-man mythology with traits such

as noble origins, god-like powers, and savior capabilities. (Oropeza 5-6) Edward Cullen fits more of these superhero characteristics than he does the aforementioned vampire characteristics. In keeping these in mind, Edward is written as having superpowers and has this particular superpower because Edward always had a knack for reading

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people (Guide 99). As a vampire, certain parts of ones human traits travel into the next world as ones powers manifest upon the transcendence from human to something else (Twilight 188). While it is true that most superheroes wear costumes or go through a transformation, Edward has no outward costume in the same way that Superman or Spider-Man have. Instead, Edwards costume is his human faade that he puts on at school, and around town, for it is only when he is away from every human but Bella that he can finally be his own, huggable vampire self. Keeping with Oropezas stipulations, Edward does not remember his original parents that well, and feels responsible for protecting Bella, even before he gets to know her, saving her from a car crash (Twilight 38). Even though Edward has a somewhat noble background, he also has to adhere to a strict set of laws set forth by the Volturi, the royal family of vampires (New Moon 16).The Volturi represents both the high class of noble origins who have survived for millennia, and who dispense justice, using their powers as they see fit. In this manner, Edward Cullen does not answer or even respect most human policemen, but rather adheres to the vampire laws; even then, he very nearly goes to war with them at the end of Breaking Dawn following his own code of protecting Bella and Renesmee (Breaking Dawn 438). With these points made, Edward Cullen should be categorized in the same vein as Superman based upon moral, physical and psychological similarities between the two beings. While both heroes are inhumanely strong and fast Cullen does have powers that Superman does not and vice versa. Keeping this point of strength in mind, it is worth noting that Superman will not be able to have sexual relations with any human being who does not possess superpowers based on his level of strength, while Cullen (seen in Breaking Dawn) is just barely able to control himself and restrict himself enough to have sex with Bella. Cullen is able to read the minds of those around him, while Superman is able to fly and shoot lasers out of his eyes. Both are

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dependent on nutrients from a natural source to survive: Superman needs the yellow Suns rays to continue to use his superpowers, while Cullen needs blood to be able to use his superpowers (and to survive) as well. Even though he is not as strong or as super as Superman himself, Edward Cullen belongs in the same category: Cullen is a superhero in the comic book vein. Though the two heroes differ greatly in their canonical origins, Edward and Superman can be seen to have derived from and fashioned after the same mythological origin: Apollo, the Greek god of sun and light (and music, poetry, truth, healing, et al) (ancienthistory.about.com). With Apollos main charge (once he became associated with the Greek god Helios) revolving around riding a chariot led by 4 fire-breathing horses across the sky each day, its no surprise that the two heroes not only possess superpowers that react differently in the sunlight, but that the heroes actually thrive on sunlight (ancienthistory.about.com). Supermans Kryptonian makeup acts as something of a solar-charged battery, with radiation from the nearest star fueling his various superpowers, including his invulnerability. Superman may retain his near invulnerability (along with his agelessness) as long as he absorbs some of the yellow suns rays now and again (Greenberger and Pasko 403). Edwards superhuman crystalline skin, while giving the ageless look to vampires, is evermore enhanced when in the sunlight. As Bella Swan says, His skin, whiteliterally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface, giving Edward the property of becoming even more attractive to humans in the sunlight (Twilight 260). Edward is even mentioned as being god-like in his image, described as looking more like a Greek god than anyone had a right to by Bella (Twilight 206).Though this is not the only parallel that can be drawn between the two superheroes, it is interesting to note that the two superheroes share similar mythological backgrounds To reveal more of the parallels between Edward Cullen and Superman and to explore these comparisons in depth, the relationships that

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they share with their love interests, Bella Swan and Lois Lane respectively, must be compared and contrasted. The Analogous Relationship between Superman and Lois, Edward and Bella Even though Superman is known far and wide as an intergalactic superhero, it is also his love affair with the beautiful Lois Lane that comes to mind whenever Clark Kent is mentioned. Countless times Superman comes to Metropolis rescue from a wide variety of supervillains, and on a grander scale, the Man of Steel saves Earth from similarly sinister threats. What sets Superman apart from most other superheroes (and what connects Superman to Cullen so strongly) is Supermans decision to save Lois Lane time and time again. Noble though it is, Supermans calling to save lives and protect the people of planet Earth is often superceded entirely when the love of his life is in danger. While it may seem absolutely lucky that Lois Lane always ends up in just exactly the right place for Superman to save her, Superman is able achieve all of this because of his various superpowers. An image by Bryan Singerviii provides one of the best examples of Supermans almost Messianic protector status as he overlooks Earth:

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Superman appears calm, cool, and collected, as if he has all the time in the world to save the world. He seems totally relaxed and able to achieve anything, save everything and everyone. But when push comes to shove, sometimes Superman cant save everyone, and he has to make a decision: if Superman must choose between saving the world, or saving his love how will he react? How can Superman legitimately save the world if his reason for getting out of the Kryptonian bed in the morning doesnt exist anymore? Lois Lane is so important to Supermans existence, that he needs her to live so that he can save the entire world. Hell, in Superman: The Movieix, Lois Lane is killed, and Superman literally flies around the Earth fast enough in the opposite direction of its natural rotation to turn time far enough backwards to a point where Lois is alive again (Singer 1978). What makes Superman so Super isnt his heroic stance against evil, his super powers, or his status as Earths savior. What makes Superman so Super is his capacity for love, to love Lois Lane and to sacrifice so much, all for one woman. This ability, this defining trait of Superman to love one being so much is parallel to Edwards own passion for Bella Swan. The events of The Twilight Saga revolve around a budding romance between Bella and Edward, but it is exactly this romance that serves as the baseline comparison between Supermans drive to protect Lois Lane and Edward Cullens trying to protect Bella from even a papercut. Bella is the catalyst for Edward to renounce his rather passive role of the vampire outcast and don the superhero mantle to protect Bella at all costs. Meyer writes: Of course, keeping you safe is beginning to feel like a full-time occupation that requires my constant presence, revealing that Edward is going to be on continuous guard around this fragile being he holds so dear (Twilight 211). Cullens reflection upon saving Bella for the first time (from a skidding car about to crash into her) further cements Edwards desire to keep Bella safe when he

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states Somewhere during that short thoughtless second when Id sprinted across the icy lot, I had transformed from killer to protector (Midnight Sun 66)x. Throughout the entirety of the Twilight saga, Bella is saved time and again by Edward, a vampire who represses his vampiric nature and goes to great lengths to protect his soul mate. In Twilight, alone, Edward saves Bella from imminent deadly peril not just once, not twice, but three times (car crash, drunks in Port Angeles, James the vampire) over the course of a month and a half, further building his status as Bellas savior and protector (Twilight 57, 161,453). Though Edward must keep his vampire identity (and the secret of his vampire family, for that matter) a secret from the known world, he still throw this caution to the wind when he saves Bella from a sliding truck on an cold wintery day (Twilight 57). Moreover, Bella leaves Forks to drive to Port Angeles with friends, and is confronted by four drunk men (Twilight 161). Edward follows her to Port Angeles, saving her from the drunkards at the last minute (Twilight 162). However, the most dangerous threat to Bella is one of Edwards own kind. Edward describes James as: not used to being thwarted, no matter how insignificant the object. He thinks of himself as a hunter and nothing else. His existence is consumed with tracking, and a challenge is all he asks of life. Suddenly weve presented him with a beautiful challenge a large clan of strong fighters all bent on protecting the one vulnerable element. You wouldnt believe how euphoric he is now. Its his favorite game, and weve just made it his most exciting game ever. (Twilight 241) This description of James reveals the nature of a villainous being whose powers enable him to cause much more destruction and damage than would have otherwise been possible.

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James super strength and super speed allow him to take almost any human victim out when the whim seizes him, but because of his super tracking power, James will often stalk prey for weeks or months, ending their lives abruptly. Whereas Edwards vampiric upbringing (courtesy of Carlisle) hinders his thirst for human blood, James personality and troubled past causes James to absolutely revel in the thrill of the hunt, the chase of his prey. In fact, after gaining his new powers as a vampire, James quickly grew tired of hunting for sustenance. He needed a bigger challenge: hunting his own kind (Guide 228). His existence is completely at odds with Edwards own, and their irreconcilable differences eventually create a conflict over Bellas life. If Edward Cullen is the superhero of this tale, then the point can be made that James is the first supervillain of Twilight. Its exactly James seemingly random fascination with Bella upon their initial meeting that puts him into the role of the supervillain, but more importantly, it is Edwards role of superhero and savior that keeps Bella infatuated with a dangerous vampire. At the heart of this star-crossed love lies an air of mystery, as much of Bellas first few months knowing Edward revolve around her quest to know more about the enigmatic vampire. Bella scours the internet to discover more information about her love interests origins, interviews classmates who have known Edward much longer, and listens to scary stories from Jacob Black to gain more insight into the enigma that is Edward Cullen (Twilight 124, 133). A short process of interviewing Edward over the course of three months forces Edward to reveal his true nature, an act which determines the fate of the rest of their relationship. However, Bellas questions reflect her thinking when offering up rationales behind Edwards backstory. She ventures that he was bitten by a radioactive spiderxi and that he was somehow affected by radioactivity, with the first guess an homage to Spider-Man, and the second to any number of

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Marvel superheroesxii. These actions from Bella resonate strongly with the journalistic pursuits of Lois Lane and the personal drive to uncover the secret identity of the Man of Steel. While Edward and Bellas cat-and-mouse chase lasted three months (185 pages of Twilight) before Edwards secret was finally let out of the bag, Lois Lane spent nearly 8 years trying to discover Supermans secret (across 662 issues of Action Comics alone over 53 years) before the Man of Steel finally revealed himself as Clark Kent to the woman he loves (supermanhomepage.com). Why? To keep her safe of course: even though Supermans very existence brings catastrophes and supervillains to Metropolis, he still does all that he can to keep Lois as safe as possible. One of the simplest ways to do this was to keep his secret identity in the dark for as long as possible. As Johnathon Kent cautions a young Clark, No listen to me, Clark! This great strength of yours youve got to hide it from people or theyll be scared of you (Superman [first series] 1939).The knowledge of who Superman really is would have surely put Lois Lane into much more danger than keeping her in the dark. Greenberger and Pasko remind us, Enemies preyed upon [Supermans] moral code, turning it into a weakness. Innocent lives were frequently endangered, forcing the Man of Steel to abandon a battle to save people. As a result, he greatly feared that once the world learned his secret identity, his friends and loved ones would be targets. That was certainly proven to be the case, as attacks by Manchester Black and Condiut, among others, demonstrated. (Greenberger and Pasko 405)

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With this, the knowledge, the privilege of knowing a superheros secret identity is not to be taken lightly. The information carries with it an inherent danger, one that Edward Cullen understands all too well. As Edward sees it (through the eyes of a vampiric superhero), there were only four options, four ways to go about having a relationship with Bella once she found out his secret: 1. Hope that Bellas (Lois) feelings go away 2. Stay with Bella (Lois) throughout her human life 3. Leave Bella to try and erase the memory of himself; and 4. Transform Bella into a vampire. (Eclipse 500). As seen in New Moon, Edwards decision to shed light on his nature and hidden secret does in fact put Bella in a state of danger. Her intimate knowledge of the vampire societies and sordid history lies in direct conflict with the Volturis laws: If she betrays our secrets, are you prepared to destroy her? I think notnor do you intend to make her one of us, Caius continued; Therefore, she is a vulnerability. Though it is true, for this, only her life is forfeit (New Moon 478). Thus, the consequences for sharing a superhero secret (at least for Edward), even with his lover, are shown in the royal death sentence set down by the Volturi. In the case of Edward, it is apparent that sharing a superhero secret is incredibly dangerous for the confidant. Even though Edward knew the laws of the land, he still felt it pertinent to share his biggest secret with Bella (after Bella pried and prodded). Luckily for Bella and her penchant for getting herself into danger nearly as often as the lovely Lois Lanexiii finds danger, Edward is almost always right by her side to keep her as safe as humanly possible. The word almost is essential to the events of New Moon: Edward, though he loves Bella more than anything else in the world, leaves her in order to protect her. Due to a little

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papercut, Bellas blood sets off Jasper Cullen, Edwards adopted brother, sending him into a dangerous bloodlust frenzy (New Moon 29). Edward intervenes, but only just in time. In this single instant, Edward realizes that he must do something to protect Bella once and for all, something drastic: he and his vampire family must leave his beloved Bella behind in Forks, Washington. As Bella says, Edward promised to stay As long as that was best for [Bella], and once it became apparent that even his mere proximity to Bella attracted danger, Edward removed himself from the equation (New Moon 69). His newfound mission, protecting Bella, became unraveled at the single drop of Bellas blood shed around his family, and with this, Edward must leave Bella, and throw himself into exile. In issue # 28 of the Superman line of comics written by Roger Stern in 1989, Superman leaves everything and everyone that he has sworn to protect once he violated his own personal code of conduct: Superman took not just one life, but three (Superman vol. 2 [October 1989]). He takes the lives of Quex-Ul, Zaora and Zod when it becomes readily apparent that these three

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Kryptonians intend to kill billions of people. The weight of Supermans guilty conscience causes him to go where no man can follow him: space. Superman takes himself into exile to protect Earth; if he cannot hold himself to the non-lethal standards he promised, how long before he gives in to an even darker urge or before he loses control completely? Even with this action, this decision to put as much distance between himself and Earth, Superman still has Earths best interests at heart. In Superman: Exile, similar to how Edward leaves Bella behind to keep her safe, Superman leaves Lois Lane, Metropolis, and Earth behind when he feels he can no longer protect the people he cares about (Exile 5). However, Supermans absence leaves Metropolis unprotected, allowing the supervillain Desaad to send an attacking robot assassin to Metropolis (Exile 257). While Turmoil the robot assassins overall goal is to destroy Metropolis, his immediate goal is to extinguish Lois Lane (Exile 265). Desaads role is parallel to that of Victoria in New Moon: Desaad sends Turmoil to exterminate Lois Lane in the same way that

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Victoria sends Laurent to hunt for Bella Swan. The superhero Gangbuster steps in to fill the role of defender by doing his absolute best to defend Lois Lane from the robot Turmoil. The killer robot manages to incapacitate Lois by pinning her under a demolished building; believing her to be dead, Turmoil continues to ravage the city of Metropolis like the bully he is. Jacob Black, different from the superhero Gangbuster, is enough to defend his charge from the impending danger. In the case of Lois Lane, nothing short of a super-man could have kept it from its mission/unfortunately, Gangbuster is not a super-man and Turmoils mission will soon be complete (Exile, panel 3, panel 4, 265). Even though Edward keeps tabs on Bella, ultimately he does not come to her rescue when Laurent attacks because he was unaware of the event. Stephenie Meyer states, Had Edward even had an inkling that Victoria or Laurent was back in Forks, he would have returned immediately to protect Bella signifying that though Edward was in his self-imposed exile, it quite simply was never meant to be forever. Much like Supermans exile, it was to protect his loved one, but should an immediate threat appear, the superhero would once again swoop in at the last second and save the day. The Analogous Relationship between Edward and Jacob, Superman and Lex The love triangle between Edward, Bella and Jacob comprises one of the major conflicts of the Twilight saga. Polar opposites, Edward clashes with Jacob in a number of testosteronelaced standoffs over Bellas attention. Edward is cool, calculating, undead, overthinks everything and is filled with anguish; Jacob, by contrast, is vivacious, hot-blooded (literally), happy-golucky, and of course, living. The two couldnt be more temperamentally at odds and nearly come to blows several times throughout the series. Even though Edward was Bellas first and true love, his departure from Forks left an opening for Jacob to step in and comfort Bella, to build up a rapport with her:

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But . . . when I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark on both of you. Im not sure those kinds of stitches dissolve on their own. I cant blame either of you for something I made necessary. I may gain forgiveness, but that doesnt let me escape the consequences (Eclipse 534). Edward eventually comes back, while Jacob and Bellas relationship, though stifled, still exists, which ultimately works out for everyone. When Victoria brings the army of new-born vampires to Forks, Washington to try and destroy Bella, Edward realizes that his family of vampires will not be enough to stand up to Victoria (Eclipse 379). Mimicking one of the few times that Superman teams up with his nemesis Lex Luthor to stop a greater evil, Edward and Jacob come to a mutual agreement based on their identical goal of keeping Bella completely safe. The two share a love of Bella Swan, and though their personalities and ideologies conflict, they are willing to put aside their differences in a truce (Eclipse 380). In this instance, they must team up to fight a greater evil, an evil that threatens both of their ways of life. Though Edward and Jacobs rivalry and contention for Bella Swan has not been around nearly as long as Superman and Lex Luthor have been duking it out, nevertheless it bears an undeniable parallel to Superman and Luthor. While there is no way (and no need for that matter) to explore the entirety of the 80-yearold historyxiv between Lex Luthor and Superman in this argument, a summative glance will provide an entry into the aspect of this long-standing relationship. This relationship between these two comic book figures is a volatile one, with Superman and Luthor constantly battling over Metropolis (and more often than not, Supermans own life), but it is also comprised of

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rivalry, mutual respect, and at times, even reluctant comradery. As Robert Greenberger and Martin Pasko state, Almost from the moment Superman arrived in Metropolis, Lex Luthor took an intense dislike to the Man of Steel and all he stood for and grabbed every chance he could to try to destroy him (219). The man is an Earthling, a human no superpowers; instead, Luthor possesses one of the greatest minds of the 21st century, and uses it (along with his vast amounts of wealth) for evil (Greenberger and Pasko 220). Time and again, Lex tries to take over Metropolis, to take over the world, or simply tries to kill Superman, only to be thwarted by the Man of Steel himself. Luthors intense loathing of Superman and frequent attempts to kill the Superman makes their occasional teaming-up all the more impressive. Some of these reluctant pairing came about because of Luthors own venturesxv, and other times these unions occurred because of an outside threat. Lex and Superman even teamed up to save the Earths sun from an extraterrestrial Sun-Eater, a being that, oddly enough, needs to consume suns to survive (Final Night #1-4, November 1996). With 80+ years of history, there are countless instances of Superman and Lex Luthor teaming up to save humanity, which means that there are countless instances of Superman defending Earth to protect Lois Lane, with help from Lex Luthor. Closing Remarks As I have shown, Edward Cullen clearly does not fit within the classic Western literary vampire mythos. He actively chooses not to feed on human blood, he does not have fangs (sharpened teeth), he is able to go out into the sunlight (for that matter, he sparkles), etc. This presents a problem, because the term vampire instantly brings up images of dark, lustful, bloodthirsty undead beings, and has for centuries. Yet 85 million copies of the Twilight series have been sold worldwide, cementing the publics image of the vampire now being something to be desired, something glittery, and something relatable (Click 3). The image of the vampire has

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been changed from that of a lust-filled, bloodthirsty being that represents any number of sexual ideologies, symbols, and metaphors to something entirely different. Edward Cullen represents that which is longed for in every boyfriend: chivalry, unrequited love, and a superhero-like protector complex. By reclassifying Cullen as a vampire and instead assigning him the title of superhero, the Western literary vampire paradigm can be restored back to its pre-Twilight stature and the superhero genre can gain a considerably large addition to their fanbase. Stephenie Meyer did not consult the vampire paradigm in any way, shape, or from, and as such, created a character that is, arguably, more popular than many of the vampires before Edward Cullen. The fact that Meyers book is popular is not a bad thing in itself; kudos to her for creating a story that has serious staying power. The problems lie with the title of the vampire being attributed to Edward Cullen, and the fact that this new image of the vampire is one that has spread faster than Superman can fly to Krypton and back. Edward downright defies almost every vampire trait before his creation, thereby giving the vampire paradigm an unprecedented almost PG rating. The vampire is now equated with unrequited love, not uncontrollable lust. Creating a vampire character in the image of a superhero, yet not doing research on either benefits neither cosmology. If Edward Cullen continues to be counted among the like of Lord Ruthven, Count Dracula, and Louis, the image of the vampire will be 80% lustful, dark and gloomy, and the other 20% sparkles in the sunlight.

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Works Cited "Apollo - Who Is the Greek God Apollo." Ancient / Classical History - Ancient Greece & Rome & Classics Research Guide. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://ancienthistory.about.com>. Brugger, Eveline. "Where Do the Cullens Fit In?" Twilight and History (2010): 227-244. Print. Chapell, David T. "Superman Homepage - Comics." Superman Timeline. Mar. 2001. Web. 15 Jan. 2012. <http://www.supermanhomepage.com>. Click, Melissa A., Jennifer Stevens. Aubrey, and Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz. Bitten by Twilight: Youth Culture, Media, & the Vampire Franchise. New York: Peter Lang, 2010. Print. Ditko, Steve and Stan Lee. Amazing Fantasy #15, New York, NY: Marvel Comics, 1962. Print. Greenberger, Robert, Martin Pasko, Jerry Siegel, and Joe Shuster. The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. New York: Del Rey/Ballantine, 2010. Print. Jerome, Jeffrey. "Monster Culture (Seven Theses)." Monster Theory: Reading Culture. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 1996. 3-25. Print. Johansson, Elisabeth. A Domesticated Vampire - How the Vampire Myth Has Changed since Bram Stoker's Dracula to Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. Thesis. Lule University of Technology, 2010. Print. Jurgens, Dan, and Kerry Gammill. Superman: Exile. New York, NY: DC Comics, 1998. Print. Kesel, Karl, and Ron Marz. "#1-4." The Final Night. New York, NY: DC Comics, 1998. Print. Kirby, Jack and Stan Lee. Fantastic Four #1. New York, NY: Marvel Comics, 1961. Print. --The Incredible Hulk #1. New York, NY: Marvel Comics, 1962. Print. Matheson, Richard. I Am Legend. New York: ORB, 1995. Print. Meyer, Stephenie. Breaking Dawn. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2008. Print. --Eclipse. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2007. Print.

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--New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2006. Print. --StephenieMeyer.com Web. 16 Jan. 2012. <http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/>. --Twilight. New York: Little, Brown and Co, 2005. Print. Nayar, Pramod. "How to Domesticate a Vampire: Gender, Blood Relations and Sexuality in Stephenie Meyers Twilight." Nebula 7.3 (2010): 60-76. Print. O'Bannion, C. Naughty or not?: Exploring controversial content and core universal themes in contemporary young adult literature. Diss. Chapman University, 2010. Dissertations & Theses: Full Text, ProQuest. Web. 1 Apr. 2011. Oropeza, B. J. (2005). Introduction: Superhero myth and the restoration of paradise. The Gospel according to superheroes: Religion and popular culture (pp. 1-24). New York: Peter Lang. Pearlman, Julia. Happily (For)ever After: Constructing Conservative Youth Ideology in the Twilight Series. Thesis. Wesleyan University, 2010. Print. Polidori, John. The Vampyre. London: Travelman, 1999. Print. Rice, Anne. Interview with the Vampire. New York, NY: Ballantine, 1997. Print. Singer, Bryan, dir. Superman: The Movie. Warner Bros. Pictures, 1978. Film. Sommers, Joseph Michael, and Amy L. Hume. "The Other Edward: Twilights Queer Construction of the Vampire as Idealized Teenage Boyfriend." Bringing Light to Twilight: Perspectives on a Pop Culture Phenomenon. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011. 153-65. Print. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. New York: Signet, 2007. Print. Voltaire. A Philosophical Dictionary; from the French. London: J. and H.L. Hunt, 1824. Print.

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Footnotes
Supermans x-ray vision, while used in conjunction with capturing countless criminals, also bears a responsibility to not watch people in their most intimate and private moments (Greenberger and Pasko 404) ii This term is used loosely in conjunction with the creatures from Mathesons story, named vampires by Mathesons own protagonist Robert Neville (Matheson 15). iii The vampires turn into cannibals if they cannot find humans (Matheson 36) iv Super speed; Flight; Super-Strength; Invulnerability; X-Ray and heat vision; Super-Hearing; Super-Breath (ability to hold his breath for hours underwater, freezing breath, greater lung capacity [Greenberger and Pasko 404]); Vocal and Ventriloquist Powers; Mental and Intellectual Powers; et al (Greenberger and Pasko 402-404). v First named in Action Comics #16 (September 1939) vi Depending on the continuity, Superman meets Lex either in Metropolis, or growing up in Smallville, Kansas (Greenberger and Pasko . vii Though The Incredible Hulk is a Marvel comic book superhero and this thesis concerns the comparison between Superman and Edward Cullen, the argument presented by Coogan is entirely too important to exclude the example simply because the hero is from Marvel Comics, not DC Comics. viii Cover of All-Star Superman #1, Faster. ix While this film is not part of the literary canon, the example provided is one interpretation of a Superman writer interpreting the Superman storyline and putting his own spin on the legend of the Man of Steel. x Midnight Sun is not official Twilight Saga canon, yet the unpublished and unfinished novel has been started by Stephenie Meyer. It has been acknowledged by Meyer that the unfinished work will most likely be her next work in the Twilight Saga. When the novel was leaked to the internet, Meyer quickly halted writing on the novel (stepheniemeyer.com). xi The original Spider-Man origin story revolves around the fact that Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider, fusing arachnid DNA into Parkers genes and giving him the superpowers of a Spider-Man (Amazing Fantasy #15 August 1962). xii Fantastic Four (The Fantastic Four #1 Nov. 1961), The Incredible Hulk (The Incredible Hulk #1 May 1962), Spider-Man, (Amazing Fantasy #15 August 1962), etc. xiii This is not to suggest that Lois Lane is an accident-prone, uneducated or nave woman, far from it; Lane is written in the DC universe as a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist who will throw herself into wherever the story is (usually in the heart of danger). xiv Not to mention various continuities and an infinite number of parallel universes. xv In Action Comics #544, May 1983, Luthor discovers an armored war suit from the planet Lexor, but ultimately realizes that the suit is a doomsday weapon. With this in mind, Luthor and Superman team up to destroy the suit in Superman [first series] Annual #12, 1982 (Greenberger and Pasko 222).

Acknowledgements

Travis Thank you muchly for the cover photo update. It would have taken me a few hours to figure out what the hell I was doing, let alone get it done looking so fresh and so clean. Zach and Christian - My friends: both of you thick-rimmed New Years Babies have listened to more of my delirious, sleep=deprived rants at 4am than I care to admit. more importantly, neither of you ever laughed in my face when I first explained my thesis. Words cannot express just how comforting it was to know that the both of you were there to keep me grounded with a cool story bro or Wow youre dumb. So heres what I have to say: Sos your face. GG WP Baddies. Sommers - You fedora-wearing, scotch-drinking, awe-inspiring man, Im not sure a simple thank you is enough, but hopefully a fresh new Sonic Screwdriver might make up that rather large gap. You have had a profoundly positive effect on my life for such a short span of knowing each other, and I cant wait to see what the future holds for our friendship. One word: interrobang! Nikki - My best friend, my love, my fiance, my Chief: You were the one who told me to read the Twilight Saga all those years ago, and the one who inspired this thesis, if inadvertently. More importantly, you kept me well-stocked with a steady supply of Mt. Dew so that I was rocking 4 hours of sleep each night, and listened to me talk about Edward and Superman for nearly a year. Absolutely nobody has your patience, nor your penchant for knowing exactly when I was stressed to the absolute limit and knowing exactly when to take me to go get fast food. Our love will not be destroyed by meteorsor kryptonite. I love you. ---Justin A Saurus Rex, 2012