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