DC’s Jim Lee introduced an “evolved” motto for its most icon superhero during DC FanDome today.
The publisher and chief creative officer said Superman would now be fighting for “truth, justice and a better tomorrow,” a tweak to the “truth, justice and the American way” big blue has been fighting for for, well, ages.
DC has been more focused on global publishing initiatives lately, such as the recent Batman: The World hardcover that featured Batman stories set in Spain, France, Japan and more. So shifting Superman’s iconic motto to reflect a less America-focused message makes sense.
“Superman’s new motto of ‘Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow’ will better reflect the global storylines that we are telling across DC and to honor the character’s incredible legacy of over 80 years of building a better world,” said Lee. “Superman has long been a symbol of hope who inspires people from around the world, and it is that optimism and hope that powers him forward with this new mission statement.”
Superman’s catch-phrase has had several updates over the years. Superman fought “a never-ending battle for truth and justice” in the early 1940s cartoons, which later evolved to “in the interests of truth, tolerance and justice” after World War II. In the autumn of 1942, the Superman radio show began using the “American Way” phrase, but it didn’t stick at the time. When Superman came to TV in the 1950s, it became “a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.” The phrase was used prominently in the 1978 film, but the more recent Lois & Clark TV show and Superman Returns film just referenced “truth and justice.”
And let’s not forget the time he fought for “the Terran way, which thankfully never caught on:
DC says the new tagline will be used across all mediums for Clark Kent, including comic books, film, TV, video games and more. They also noted that Jon Kent has his own motto that first debuted in Superman: Son of Kal-El #1, as he fights for “Truth, Justice and a Better World.”