Superman and Colombia

Preliminary Note: This article was originally published in Spanish here: https://blogs.elespectador.com/actualidad/lineas-de-arena/superman-y-colombia/

I’m writing this on July 20th, Colombia’s national day. I must say that today I saw the latest version of Superman on film, and truth be told, I really enjoyed it. It’s almost as exciting as when I saw Superman III(1983), and the superhero played by the ever-memorable Christopher Reeve visited Colombia to save the coffee harvest when an evil businessman played by Robert Vaughn began manipulating the world’s climate. In fact, there are several parallels between this year’s production and that one.

It’s notable that the superhero’s colorful uniform matches the colors of the Colombian flag: yellow, blue, and red. A blue dress, red cape, boots, belt, and the red emblem on a yellow background—not to mention the underwear, which this character prefers to wear untucked, which must make sense, aside from the rush he must make to change clothes.

Regarding the film Superman III, mention of Colombian coffee came about thanks to the persistence of a Colombian aristocrat, Countess Nubia Braschi, originally from Pereira, in the coffee-growing region of Colombia, who had married the Count of San Marino, Pierre Braschi. There is a Colombian diplomatic moment when our grateful delegation abstained from censuring Superman in a UN vote, when he had fallen from grace and become a super-social danger.

Those who have followed a personal project I’m running on this blog, about Colombia in international comics, will remember the mentions I’ve found between Superman and our country. First, when he was known as Superboy, the young superhero rescues a child raised in the Colombian jungle. The comic book dates from 1947, and the cover couldn’t be more striking, with its palm tree and coconuts. It’s about Jaguar Boy.

Young Clark Kent is drawn to a story about a young white boy from Metropolis raised by jaguars. He has had a difficult relationship with a local aboriginal tribe that had unjustly accused him of stealing their diamonds.Superboy discovers the real thieves, some hunters, and rescues the Jaguar Boy, bringing him back to Metropolis.

Years later, as a grown man, Superman decided to wager a race around the world with his friend Flash to determine who was the fastest. While traveling through Colombia, they witnessed the eruption of the Tolima volcano, which, according to the comic, erupted in 1967. Interestingly, kryptonite was among the material it released, naturally affecting the Man of Steel. The truth is that the bet was for charitable purposes for the United Nations.

Other Justice League superheroes appear as fans, rooting for their favorite. In the end, a tie was declared, without dispute.

In Superman: Secret Identity, the superhero is married to Louise Laine when something extraordinary happens. Just as Louise is giving birth to twins, Superman must travel to Colombia, specifically to the border with Venezuela.

On the television, in the final episode of the Supergirl series, titled Kara (2021), there’s a conversation between the protagonist (Melissa Benoist) and Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart), who is currently in Nuquí, a town in the Colombian Pacific, where she’s on vacation. In real life, this beautiful place is famous for whale watching.

In the comic, Supergirl hears news from around the world, tuning in to a Colombian radio station, among other things.

Now, speaking of Supergirl and returning to the movies, we must remember another link in the chain of Colombian relationships with Superman: actress Sasha Calle, an American with Colombian ancestry who played Supergirl in Flash (2023).

The same thing happens with the boy Oliver Silva, who appears in the current film being shown around the world, in one of the most endearing scenes. Without spoilers, there is a beautiful vindication for adoptive parents and a gift for those of us who have been adopted, by those we consider our true parents. Likewise, there are less subliminal messages about unjust wars and genocides or the persecution of migrants, playing with the double meaning of the word alien in the English language, as extraterrestrial or foreigner.

To conclude the connection between Superman and Colombia, we can’t forget that the screenwriter and director of Superman (2025), James Gunn, filmed The Belko Experiment in Bogotá in 2016, a horror thriller that received good reviews. The director and cast, in subsequent interviews, emphasized the pleasant experience of filming in our country.

Incidentally, Krypto, the dog who sometimes steals the show in Superman (2025), was inspired by Ozu, director Gunn’s real dog.

Everyone is very welcome to see Superman, a film that flies high. By the way, Happy July 20th to Colombians and Kryptonians.

Dixon Acosta Medellín

On Twitter (no X), you can find me as @dixonmedellin, and I explore the blue sky on Bluesky as @dixonacostamed.bsky.social