[ WP ] Tell me the story of a publicly hated hero fighting a much beloved villian

Clark Kent looks in the mirror and sees his scars. His imperfections. His crooked nose he got from fighting Braniac for the bottled city of Kandor. His left eyebrow singed partially from saving the shuttle `` Destiny'' from crashing into the sun. Never grew back. He stands up straight and puts his hands on his hips. Suck in your gut Clark, it's no longer the six-pack you used to have. 
 
 *Oh merciful Rao, is that a receding hairline? I'm 35 years old and I'm losing my hair. * 
 
 Clark loosens his crooked tie and walks out of the bathroom. He sits in his writing chair. The apartment's been lonely for a long time now, but Clark never feels it. He can just listen in on the world around him. All the lovebirds nestling together. He can get depressed sometimes when he listens to the people struggling to sleep or yelling at each other. The rumbling stomachs of the starving or the abused, all the people he ca n't save right now. This is where guilt seeps in. Believe it or not, it helps his writing; it puts things in perspective. 
 
 Tonight, the page is still blank. He decides to procrastinate-a nasty habit for any writer- by flipping through the channels. 
 
 He lands on Letterman first. He's interviewing some celebrity Clark ca n't recognize about a movie Clark wo n't see. Letterman asks, `` So you've been outspoken against the Justice League recently. Some of your comments seem... Brutal.'' 
 
 The celebrity smirks, `` Oh yeah. I hate anybody that wears underpants and fights crime. All a bunch of self righteous assholes. They think they're doing something right, so they're all patting each other on the back, meanwhile real men like Lex Luthor work day in and day out to change the world.'' Applause. `` The worst offender is Superman. He's too perfect. He's not human. I can never be like Superman, it's insulting that he prances around every day being better than us. Saving kittens from trees instead of doing what matters, you know?'' 
 
 Letterman stops him, `` You know I'd like to have him on the show one day right? Shot that chance down.'' He motions a gunshot to the head. Laughter. 
 
 Clark looks at the blank page. *Do n't do that Clark, Lois is the one that writes about Superman. That's not your job. Write about another housing development in need of investors, or the New Metropolis Fair. Perry says you're not good enough for anything else anyways. * 
 
 Still nothing. He switches channels: it's a replay of tonight's Metropolis Network News. Luthor's won his third consecutive humanitarian award. This just so happens to coincide with him recently becoming the richest man in America. 
 
 The mayor is even caught saying, `` Luthor is the American dream. Innovator in business and science. He's a man that's worked his way to the top and gives back. If everybody was more like Lex Luthor, the world would be a better place.'' 
 
 Clark looks out the window and uses his x-ray vision to see Luthor planning his new scheme. A real estate plot to control all of the utilities in over half of Metropolis, and then charge higher for it to bring in tenants with higher incomes and bring property values up on his properties. 
 
 Clark thinks about something Pa once said, after he learned his son was going into journalism, `` Son, you could do more with a pen than you could with all the powers you've got. There are things out there stronger than your impervious skin, something more permanent than your charming boyish looks. That's honesty. Integrity. The truth. Stronger than any steel. Of course I'd be proud of you. I'm proud of you now.'' 
 
 Clark breathes in, and starts writing.
