The phrase “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” has become a well-known saying in popular culture, often used to express excited curiosity or confusion about something unusual seen in the sky. The exclamation harkens back to the early days of superhero comic books, when the public would often mistake superheroes like Superman for a bird or airplane as they flew over the city. Though the saying has evolved beyond its comic book origins, it still evokes a sense of wonder and intrigue when something fantastical appears overhead. In this article, we’ll explore the history and meaning behind this iconic phrase.
Origin in Superman Comics
The saying originated in the early years of Superman comics in the late 1930s and 1940s. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-American artist Joe Shuster, Superman was the first superpowered comic book hero to achieve widespread popularity. The comics depicted his abilities to leap tall buildings and fly faster than a speeding bullet. In many stories, citizens of the fictional Metropolis would catch a glimpse of the man of steel soaring through the sky and exclaim “Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It’s Superman!”
This exclamation captured the novelty and excitement surrounding the early sightings of this extraordinary hero. The people had never witnessed someone with the power of flight, so they questioned if what they were seeing could even be real. The saying highlighted Superman’s ability to defy expectations and catalyzed the reader’s wonder at his superhuman feats. The exclamation gave voice to the awe inspired by this new fantasy character.
Use in Other Superman Media
As Superman gained popularity in other media like radio and animation, the iconic phrase came along with him. The saying appeared in the opening sequence of the Superman radio show from 1940 to 1951. In this sequence, a narrator asks “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” before Superman is revealed. The exclamation served to build suspense and grab the listener’s attention right from the start.
When Superman made the leap to animated cartoons, the saying followed. In his animated shorts produced by Fleischer Studios and Famous Studios in the 1940s and 1950s, citizens can be heard exclaiming the iconic phrase upon catching sight of the soaring Superman. The animation gave visual life to the awed reactions of onlookers who witness Superman take to the sky.
Perhaps the most well-known use of the phrase comes from Superman: The Movie in 1978. As Christopher Reeve’s Superman makes his first public appearance in costume, a man points up and exclaims “What the hell is that? Look at that! Jeez, look at that! What is that, a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s not a plane. It’s a guy.” This comedic update of the saying accented the moviemakers’ efforts to add a modern twist to the timeless superhero legend.
Significance and Meaning
The “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” saying holds significance both for the Superman mythos specifically and superhero culture more broadly. For Superman, the phrase encapsulates the public’s first impressions of the hero as an unexplainable wonder. Their confused, awestruck reactions parallel the reader’s own amazement at this fantastical character. The exclamation cemented Superman’s status as more god than man in the minds of onlookers.
More broadly, the saying represents society’s reaction to the dawn of the superhero age. The arrival of incomprehensible beings who defied physics and expectations shook up the public’s sense of what was possible. The exclamation gives voice to this profound shift in the popular consciousness as superheroes became woven into the fabric of culture. It’s a question that captures the mystery, excitement, and touch of fear surrounding these new mythic figures.
So while the phrase may have been born from the iconic opening montages of Superman cartoons and movies, it has taken on a deeper symbolism. The saying articulates the awe of bearing witness to something that redefines one’s very understanding of the world and the limits of humankind. For this reason, “Is it bird? Is it a plane?” remains indelibly linked to the dawn of the superhero storytelling that has enthralled generations.
Use in Popular Culture Beyond Superman
Given its iconic status, the “Is it a bird?” saying has flown beyond the pages and screens of Superman to take root in wider popular culture. Even those unfamiliar with its comic book origins have come to associate the phrase with reacting to any astonishing or unexplainable sight.
References to the phrase can be found across media in contexts far removed from the man of steel himself:
– In films like Armageddon and Austin Powers, characters exclaim the phrase upon witnessing meteors or unexpected aircrafts streaming through the sky.
– Comedians like Monty Python have used the saying in spoofing superhero stories and playing with reader expectations.
– Magazines have used variations of the title and phrase in articles about UFO sightings, rare bird migrations, and other aerial phenomena.
– Writers like Stephen King and Alan Moore have put their own spin on the exclamation in graphic novels and prose fiction about superhumans.
– Even sports broadcasters have been known to use the saying when seeing improbable stunts or feats by athletes.
Through this proliferation in the cultural consciousness, “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?” has come to represent that universal feeling of incredulous wonder we experience upon seeing something that defies explanation or challenges our assumptions about reality. The phrase distills the disorienting thrill of the impossible made manifest.
Conclusion
In many ways, the longevity of the “Is it a bird?” saying is a testament to Superman’s status as the archetypal superhero. Though initially a pair of lines intended to build suspense in comics eight decades ago, the phrase has taken on a life of its own as shorthand for the mind-bending experience of seeing the fantastic take flight before our eyes. It captures the emotions that superhero tales are designed to elicit in readers and viewers.
The exclamation continues to be used both sincerely by those writing the further adventures of the man of steel as well as humorously by those looking to poke fun at superhero media. But in all cases, it is a question that conveys wonder, suspense, and the eagerness to believe a man can fly. Not bad for a saying coined when Superman was just a year old. So next time you find yourself confused yet enthralled by something improbable overhead, feel free to let your inner comic book fan loose and exclaim “Is it a bird? Is it a plane?”
