Superman Reeve Is Dead
Christopher Reeve, who played the iconic superhero in the 1978 classic film and has been paralyzed since a 1995 horse-riding accident, died Sunday while surrounded by his family.
compiled by Mark Moring | posted 10/11/2004
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Superman is dead—at least the man that many of us have come to associate with that iconic superhero.
Christopher Reeve as Superman in 1978
Christopher Reeve, the actor who played Superman in the 1978 classic, died Sunday of complications from an infection caused by a bedsore, according to the Associated Press. He went into cardiac arrest Saturday at his home, then fell into a coma and died Sunday at a New York hospital surrounded by his family. He was 52.
Reeve had been wheelchair bound since he broke his neck in a 1995 horse-riding accident, leaving him paralyzed. Since then, he has become one of the world's top spokesmen for spinal cord research. His advocacy for stem cell research became a hot-button issue, even in this year's presidential campaign. Sen. John Kerry mentioned Reeve's name during last Friday's presidential debate.
To Christians, the Superman character is something of a Christ-figure and savior. Hollywood Jesus founder David Bruce has written an excellent review and analysis of the 1978 classic, noting how it's really a retelling of the Christ story—and how Superman's inventors, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, made their hero resonate with their Jewish roots. Find other essays on "Superman-as-Christ-figure": the Journal of Religion and Film, SupermanHomePage.com, and Relevant magazine. There are even sermons on the comparison.
Christopher Reeve in May 2003
The whole "Superman-as-Christ-figure" concept has resurfaced recently as rumors have circulated that Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in The Passion of The Christ, might be portraying the Man of Steel in an upcoming remake. (Some have said that Caviezel, a Christian, also played a Christ figure in The Count of Monte Cristo.)
Our online searching even turned up a comparison chart between Jesus and Superman, and a silly message board, where people are arguing about who would win, should Jesus and Superman get in a fight. Jesus is currently winning in the voting, with supporters who say things like, "If Superman picked a fight with ressurrected Christ, he'd be krypto-toast." Indeed. (Want something even sillier? Check out this Weekly World News article that says a supercomputer—what else?—proves that Superman is Jesus.)
For more on Reeve, check out this unofficial website dedicated to the man, or his own autobiography.
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