There's a panel from a Superman comic that I wish I had saved when I came across it years ago because it's a perfect distillation of what the character actually is, especially in the comics, in contrast to what people THINK he is
In the image, Superman stands at the head of a large crowd of protestors, massive chains wrapped around his arms and stretching out of frame. Facing him, facing away from the viewer, is a squad of SWAT police. I don't remember the exact dialogue that was written, but it was very clear that not only was he standing with the protestors, he was protecting them.
@coriander what i understand is that befur he got rebooted into the standard backstory we all know, he was just some jewish guy purrotecting the people from like, their landlord, with his supurrpowers