Superman is vegetarian, right?

[JulianPerez]

Well, this brings up an interesting point. To what extent is Superman to duplicate "popular" morality?

Some have argued that Superman represents an uncompromising, idealistic kind of heroism that everybody can identify with, and for that reason a lot of the specifics of his beliefs should be kept vague. He should personify traits that we all respect, like for instance, the unwillingness to harm a child to save a country.

I think there is a nice middle between the two; Superman is a character - a person - and so should be allowed to have certain beliefs that are not entirely popular or mainstream; he should have beliefs that are unique to him just we all do, instead of being a stand-in for whatever everybody agrees is okay, because that makes him a symbol instead of a real person. Personal vegetarianism, for instance, is so eccentric and harmless, and not entirely inconsistent with his characterization, that I really don't see the problem. On the other hand, I would not want Superman to have a political position, though, because such a thing would make his heroism something that not everybody can agree on.

And what about hemp?

For rope and clothes, right?

[Johnny Nevada]

Would Ma and Pa Kent be organic farmers?  Were there any "plight of the farmer" stories involving them, or is it hard for them to really have the problems typical farmers do when Superman can plough fields at warp speed, divert frosts with heat vision, augur rain together, etc.

I think that by the time Clark was old enough to have helped them in that way, the family had already moved off the farm and Pa Kent had his general store in town.

Which begs the question, did Pa Kent sell organic produce in his store?  And what about hemp?

Guess whether or not they were organic depends on the local Smallville farmers (and their choice in pesticide use), but imagine that in Silver Age Smallville, much like in real life until very recently, the concept of organic produce didn't exist... especially in the "better living through chemistry" (and DDT-using) 50's and early 60's..

As for hemp, since the Kent General Store sold hardware, imagine he did sell rope of some sort (and assume late 60's Smallville and Pa Kent would've frowned upon, erm, any other "usage" of hemp-related products ;-) ).

[TELLE]

And what about hemp?

For rope and clothes, right?

Riiiiight...  

Actually, I would be interested to know if Superman or Superboy ever dealt with drug smuggling or dealing before the 1960s in any Gold or Silver Age comic.

I loved the discussion of alcohol in Last Son of Krypton in the "Steve and Clarkie Show"  --Clark is a teetotaler, if I recall.

[Super Monkey]

Actually, I would be interested to know if Superman or Superboy ever dealt with drug smuggling or dealing before the 1960s in any Gold or Silver Age comic.

I am sure they did, here is a example: https://www.supermanthroughtheages.com/wiki/index.php/John_Parrone

[Aldous]

Actually, I would be interested to know if Superman or Superboy ever dealt with drug smuggling or dealing before the 1960s in any Gold or Silver Age comic.

I am sure they did, here is a example: https://www.supermanthroughtheages.com/wiki/index.php/John_Parrone

a gang of "drug-crazed bandits" ...... slavish dependance on hard drugs

That comic, which I wouldn't mind reading, would seem to be ahead of its time, and most certainly before the advent of the comics code.

Does anyone own this story, or has anyone read it?

[Permanus]

Actually, I would be interested to know if Superman or Superboy ever dealt with drug smuggling or dealing before the 1960s in any Gold or Silver Age comic.

I loved the discussion of alcohol in Last Son of Krypton in the "Steve and Clarkie Show"  --Clark is a teetotaler, if I recall.

I loved that bit too, especially Steve flippantly asking Clark if Ma Kent had a still round back.

I can't think of any examples offhand, but surely there must have been stories dealing with drug smuggling before the 60s. I can imagine that the prudish 50s would have wanted to avoid it, but in the 30s and 40s, the Shadow was always busting Chinese opium smugglers. (Here in Europe, Tintin was doing the same thing, most notably in Cigars of the Pharaoh, possibly the trippiest comic ever written.)

I doubt very much that the Kents were big on organic farming; indeed, Clark comes up with a gizmo that sends bolts of lighting into the earth with the notion that this will stimulate plant growth, and the only purpose of the Smallville science fair seems to be to showcase new kinds of fertilizer.

[Aldous]

Actually, I would be interested to know if Superman or Superboy ever dealt with drug smuggling or dealing before the 1960s in any Gold or Silver Age comic.

I loved the discussion of alcohol in Last Son of Krypton in the "Steve and Clarkie Show"  --Clark is a teetotaler, if I recall.

I loved that bit too, especially Steve flippantly asking Clark if Ma Kent had a still round back.

I can't think of any examples offhand, but surely there must have been stories dealing with drug smuggling before the 60s. I can imagine that the prudish 50s would have wanted to avoid it, but in the 30s and 40s, the Shadow was always busting Chinese opium smugglers. (Here in Europe, Tintin was doing the same thing, most notably in Cigars of the Pharaoh, possibly the trippiest comic ever written.)

I doubt very much that the Kents were big on organic farming; indeed, Clark comes up with a gizmo that sends bolts of lighting into the earth with the notion that this will stimulate plant growth, and the only purpose of the Smallville science fair seems to be to showcase new kinds of fertilizer.

The bolts of lightning are probably in keeping with organic farming, as lightning does strike the earth of its own accord, and it's merely being encouraged, much like encouraging a new insect to establish itself on an orchard so it will eat an existing insect pest, or adding compost you have made to a potato patch.

[TELLE]

the only purpose of the Smallville science fair seems to be to showcase new kinds of fertilizer.

And to demonstrate brave new forms of horse thievery!