Superman's Most Meta Superpower Literally Warps DC Reality
Warning! Spoilers for Superman vs Lobo #3
It has been revealed that Superman has a secret meta superpower which breaks the First Amendment. As the blue boy scout shares a panel with Lobo, they realize that the main man is unable to swear in the Man of Steel’s presence.
The pairing of Superman and the intergalactic bounty hunter has proven to be a fan favorite dynamic, as they embody polar opposite moralities. Although Clark Kent was raised to be a man with values, Lobo has had to infringe on the law to do his job. Superman has held back his powers, but Lobo has gone all out on his targets. The two alien beings come together in Superman vs Lobo #3, written by Tim Seeley and Sarah Beattie with art by Mirka Andolfo and colors by Arif Prianto.
As Lobo calls out Superman for being judgmental of him, he brings up the fact that he can’t even swear around him. Lobo doesn’t just mean that he feels bad for cussing, as he demonstrates that his explicit language is somehow censored by forces beyond his understanding. He attributes to reason to Superman, even though the moment is likely intended as a wink to the reader, as it edges on breaking the fourth wall. He yells at Superman, saying, "I can't even swear around you, ya know that? It comes out as gobbledygook! &^*#! See!"
The moment is a fun nod to Superman’s child-friendly nature, which is in conflict with the premise of the title, as the miniseries incorporates the foul-mouthed Lobo. The Man of Steel might be intended for all-ages by DC Comics most of the time, but Lobo was originally written with more mature readers in mind. Now, Lobo is confined to the same editorial vision as DC’s star superhero. In effect, Lobo’s inability to swear becomes a law within the DC Universe that is intrinsically tied to a mainstream version of Superman. It might not be an intentional power, but the meta ability is a clear representation of something that has been true for a long time in comics.
For a superhero known to represent the American Way, it’s ironic that Superman can prevent others from expressing their First Amendment right. Lobo might have a point that Superman is repressive, even though it’s beyond his control. He theorizes that it is just as ingrained in Clark as his Kryptonian identity, as it’s become his nature to be good. If it was up to Lobo, the miniseries would probably require a more mature rating.