Does Not Illustrate: Smug Super

It has a super, and he is smug, but the point of the trope is that a hero is smug because of his powers. In this case he's smug because his ex is unhappy which just isn't the trope at all.

I can't help but feel like 90% of Superdicker.com could be used for this, so there being a non-illustrative image is just not acceptable. I'd pull something up myself, but I can't seem to access the site from my work computer.

Here's the previous IP thread on this trope.

Personally, I'm fine with it. It's not an easy trope to illustrate, and that it's Superman, who can stop the wedding pretty darn easily with or without his powers, sells it for me.

edited 2nd May '13 12:31:06 PM by Earnest

His smugness just stems from a ridiculously non-super sense there.

Alternatives

Brains vs. brawn?!?◊

the first two panels of this◊

... that's a rape face.◊

It feels weird to be on the side of the fence on this, but here goes:

The first isn't so much smug as callous.

The second is rage, not smugness.

Third needs a panel from the previous page showing bats punching him to make sense, and even then it's not so much arrogance or smugness as Supes pointing out how dumb Batman is for punching a Flying Brick.

Fourth can be construed as smugness, rape face, or sheer intimidation. It might work but I don't really like it.

Give it another round, there's stuff out there. Like you said, superdickery probably has something usable.

If you're determined to use the "Superman is a dick" approach, perhaps this pic◊ could work.

And rearranged so it would be legible within image size limits.

edited 2nd May '13 1:43:31 PM by peasant

I know usually long pics are frowned upon, but that is nice. Maybe caption it "K-boy's got game."?

Edit: Nice job editing the basketball on the last frame, btw.

edited 2nd May '13 1:57:32 PM by Earnest

It's too bad the current image isn't an example, because I got a good cackle out of it.

That said, while I'd love to use those panels for something, I think he's not really 'smug' there. Clearly the other players are enjoying at, and they want to keep playing. He's not being a jerk, he just seems to be having fun with them.

Oh god this is so beautiful.◊ Are you sure we can't just use them all?

How might this◊ work? Superstrength, smugness, and no text.

I vote for 7.2.

"Them all"? I only see one...

The second is just trolling.

Whether or not Superman is being smug is not determined by other people's response. You can be smug regardless whether people like or dislike your behaviour. And in the basketball scene, he was clearly toying with them. For added context, they told him not to use superpowers but he's doing it anyway. Actually, now that I think about it, the previous page might actually be just as relevant: [1]◊

edited 2nd May '13 2:50:03 PM by peasant

Oh, yeah, that second panel with the other images is definitely important, but I disagree their response isn't important (in these panels). It's like those famous flights with Lois—he's not being smug because she can't fly and he's using his powers to dazzle her. She enjoys those flights. Similarly, the panels above seem to indicate that they want to play a game with Superman and are impressed by his powers, not that he's showing off to feel superior.

@Another Duck: Sorry, I meant some of the ones posted earlier. I got a good laugh out of basically all of them, even if they don't count.

edited 2nd May '13 2:53:43 PM by helterskelter

It's not people's response but the person's intentions that are important. Using your example, Superman is not smug because he's trying to impress Lois. That she enjoys it is irrelevant. Do you mean to say that if she didn't like being flown that Superman is suddenly being smug/a dick for flying her, when he wasn't if she liked it? In contrast, if Superman took Lois on a flight as a way to show her powerlessness and to reinforce that he is special but Lois enjoyed the experience anyway, that Superman isn't being smug and/or a dick? It's the action-taker's motivation that is important not the recipient's reaction.

As for adding the second panel, there's no way I'll be able to do it due to the way Superman's arm juts into the panel. Dammit! Superman's dickery is crossing over into Real Life!!!

edited 2nd May '13 3:01:22 PM by peasant

I know, I'm saying the panels above don't suggest to me he's trying to show off. They ask for a rematch—they don't seem annoyed. Without context, he doesn't look smug, just playful. I was giving an example of how using his powers candidly is not necessarily smugness.

I think it only needs three panels—the two you posted just above, and the first one of the multiple panels. That should be doable, no? I think it shows a pretty clear smugness. "Don't use your powers!" "Okay!" uses powers

edited 2nd May '13 3:13:35 PM by helterskelter

I know it's a bit of manipulative editing but I felt the punchline panel needed to make it in.

It looks really good, but it's hard to read the text now—also, I'm not sure if that second basketball should be there?

Thought the same. Reframed the pic slightly. The words should be slightly more legible now but it's as good as it's going to get. At least, as far as I'm capable of.

That's very smug.

I like it, even if the text is hard to read.

This is missing a little bit of the top of his head and the basketball, but I didn't know where the original source was. Not noticeable, perhaps?

edited 2nd May '13 7:39:51 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Perfect.

Looks like that pic is a slam dunk.

I like that.

-groans-

edited 3rd May '13 1:32:17 AM by Telcontar

What kind of idiots would think they have a chance against Superman, flying or not?

B-Ballin' Superman works for me.

That's excellent.