Gatotkaca and Superman

Gatotkaca and Superman

I am writing this in response to Laila Faisal's article in the
Feb. 22, Sunday edition of The Jakarta Post. It says that
Gatotkaca has a lot to learn from Superman whose characteristics
are popular with young people, especially women.

Gatotkaca has nothing to learn from Superman. He is one of the
many characters in the Mahabharata. In the Indonesian version of
the Mahabharata, his nature and capabilities are outlined in the
Pakem Pedalangan (source book for Javanese shadowplay stories).

Gatotkaca is a fighter. He is not vain. He is not a womanizer.
He is not allowed to laugh loudly. He is there to defend the
truth and to suppress evil. He has not been engineered to be
liked. The fact that he is popular with his admirers is because
of his noble character and his skill in warfare.

Superman was created with a certain objective, i.e. to make
money from comic book sales. His creator gave him various good
characteristics and capabilities bordering on the miraculous in
order to make him likable.

The case with Gatotkaca is different. As a soldier, his task
is to go to war. It must be remembered that Gatotkaca does not
always win his battles. He falls in the Bharatayuda war and
becomes a hero. Gatotkaca is mortal.

Superman never dies. If he dies, how can the publisher of his
stories and the producer of his films continue to make a profit
out of him?

The difference between the two is clear. Gatotkaca is a
cultural product, while Superman is a trade commodity.

SUYADI

Jakarta