Anubis' "How would you do it?" Thread.

[The Question]

Lex then sends Parasite and a newly hired Metallo to Clark Kent's apartment to beat him into a coma as he poses a threat to Lex's new world order. He then uses the adresses in Clark's apartment to take out other League members and other potential threats. When Clark is in his coma, he has a sort of near death experience where he talks with Mxyzptlk about what's going on with Lex, and his life in general. Naturally, Ray Palmer, who's been able to evade Lex's detection, works with Dr. Midnight, Mr. Terrific, and Steel to save Clark's life and revive him. That group then opposes Lex and end up stopping him, in a massive fight scene in New York to rival the last two issues of The Ultimates (they'd also be on time). Lex is arrested.

This is the grist of the story I really dig the most, I dig that you got Mr.Terrific and Doc Midnite in there. Question why Mxy?

I just like the idea of Mxy being Clark's spirit guide.

 

[deemar325]

Why couldn't Mxy just bring him back then or maybe I'm over thinking the situation? Would it be to much to assume Clark created Mxy in his imagination as a guide?

 

[The Question]

Why couldn't Mxy just bring him back then or maybe I'm over thinking the situation? Would it be to much to assume Clark created Mxy in his imagination as a guide?

That, or Mxy just doesn't like making things too easy for Clark. Or, he was following the standard "non interference" polocy of spirit guides. Even magic has rules, even though they are kind of strange.

 

[deemar325]

Hell does magic really have rules in the DCU? Judd Winick never cleared that up for me.

 

[The Question]

Hell does magic really have rules in the DCU? Judd Winick never cleared that up for me.

Oh, hells yes it does. Generally, it tends to follow the rules, patterns, and archtypes of a story. Bill Willingham's "Thessiliad" mini series explains it pretty well, as does, of course, Hellblazer, but that's a bit heavier reading.

 

[sandwraith]

Actually it would be more believable if it was Alfred which she left an impact on. After all I think between the two, Alfred would have known Martha Wayne better. Also it would be much cooler if there was a real possibilty of it being the genuine deal: that Martha Wayne was really reincarnated. Here's how I would have done it:

Skeptical, Bruce asks them to leave but Katrina is insistent on the matter though she claims to "understand" Bruce's reluctance. Not wanting to confuse him any further, Katrina and her father (Henry) leave Wayne Manor leaving Bruce to ponder just what transpired. The next day, after some long hours at the office, Bruce heads to the lobby of the Wayne Building to see Henry Whitmore waiting for him. Henry apologises to Bruce over her daughter's sudden outburst for yesterday but assures Bruce that his daughter isn't one for pranks like that. He also admits that Katrina has been acting strangely since her 12th birthday after she left her mother (who was an addict) to live with him. Bruce takes what he's heard under consideration and tells Whitmore that he'll be in touch.

In the cave, Bruce checks out the Whitmores. His database is forthcoming, backgrounds and histories on all three Whitemores. Henry was arrested for DUI once in his youth and nothing else. His wife Elaine fell into a drug habit after their divorce but Katrina was pretty clean. Straight-As, likeable in school, modest dressing, no known male companions. No relations to any villain he knows. While pouring some tea for Bruce, Alfred asks why the sudden interest in so "transparent" a ploy but Bruce admits something doesn't add up. A call from Gordon put his mind on something else and he drops the matter.

Days later, Katrina Whitmore appears again at the front gates of Wayne Manor. Reluctantly Bruce lets her into Manor. He excuses himself (to call Henry Whitmore) while Alfred pours here some tea when she suddenly queries Alfred on whether he still uses Sri Lankan-Cameron tea mix which Alfred answers that he did without noting the "still" in the question. Then Katrina looks at the Clock (which covers the path to the Batcave) and comments on why they still kept the Clock. "I understand it was a gift from the Elliots but even Thomas found it atrocious." causing Alf to spill some tea at the remark. Katrina smiles at the visibly confused Alfred. "Oh yes Alfred. Its me. It's really me. And I'm here to take care of my boy".

 

[The Question]

Actually it would be more believable if it was Alfred which she left an impact on. After all I think between the two, Alfred would have known Martha Wayne better. Also it would be much cooler if there was a real possibilty of it being the genuine deal: that Martha Wayne was really reincarnated. Here's how I would have done it:

Skeptical, Bruce asks them to leave but Katrina is insistent on the matter though she claims to "understand" Bruce's reluctance. Not wanting to confuse him any further, Katrina and her father (Henry) leave Wayne Manor leaving Bruce to ponder just what transpired. The next day, after some long hours at the office, Bruce heads to the lobby of the Wayne Building to see Henry Whitmore waiting for him. Henry apologises to Bruce over her daughter's sudden outburst for yesterday but assures Bruce that his daughter isn't one for pranks like that. He also admits that Katrina has been acting strangely since her 12th birthday after she left her mother (who was an addict) to live with him. Bruce takes what he's heard under consideration and tells Whitmore that he'll be in touch.

In the cave, Bruce checks out the Whitmores. His database is forthcoming, backgrounds and histories on all three Whitemores. Henry was arrested for DUI once in his youth and nothing else. His wife Elaine fell into a drug habit after their divorce but Katrina was pretty clean. Straight-As, likeable in school, modest dressing, no known male companions. No relations to any villain he knows. While pouring some tea for Bruce, Alfred asks why the sudden interest in so "transparent" a ploy but Bruce admits something doesn't add up. A call from Gordon put his mind on something else and he drops the matter.

Days later, Katrina Whitmore appears again at the front gates of Wayne Manor. Reluctantly Bruce lets her into Manor. He excuses himself (to call Henry Whitmore) while Alfred pours here some tea when she suddenly queries Alfred on whether he still uses Sri Lankan-Cameron tea mix which Alfred answers that he did without noting the "still" in the question. Then Katrina looks at the Clock (which covers the path to the Batcave) and comments on why they still kept the Clock. "I understand it was a gift from the Elliots but even Thomas found it atrocious." causing Alf to spill some tea at the remark. Katrina smiles at the visibly confused Alfred. "Oh yes Alfred. Its me. It's really me. And I'm here to take care of my boy".

I still think Papa Midnite should be involved. He'd make a cool Batman villain.

 

[deemar325]

Oh, hells yes it does. Generally, it tends to follow the rules, patterns, and archtypes of a story. Bill Willingham's "Thessiliad" mini series explains it pretty well, as does, of course, Hellblazer, but that's a bit heavier reading.

I guess I'm not as versed in DCU lore when it comes to magic.

 

[Harlekin]

Political drama in the end ends with the victory of the writer's favorite. See Ultimates: Grand Theft America where the moral of the story really is: America can do anything it wants to who they deem enemies and if their enemies retaliate they are immediately labelled the "bad guys" and through ridiculous feats of idiocy, America can get away with it because we're America damn it!

I hate stories like that.

Then I really really suggest you reread that arc. Millar is a notorious hater of American foreign policy, and the entire arc was essentially about how America should stop pushing its nose in everybody's business. The last issue of the arc was meant for clean-up mostly and I can understand getting that idea, but only out of context with the rest of the arc. Because when you read the rest of the arc, you'll notice the Americans really don't come off great.

For the record, by the way, Millar's a Scotsman.

 

[sandwraith]

And Ennis is Northern Irish but he's pretty pro-Brit. Regardless it made all the Liberators look like utter crap in comparison. The Colonel was a good character with a LOT of potential but in the end they pretty much ridiculed him (and the cause of the Liberators really) and the Ultimates win through digusting oversights. Seriously, the arc could have been better if some of the key characters survived and more Ultimates bit the dust.

 

[The Question]

And Ennis is Northern Irish but he's pretty pro-Brit.

I've never noticed that. At least, I haven't seen him going on about how awesome England is.

 

[sandwraith]

Never read Kev? He makes utter jokes of the Ulsters and in Kitchen Irish he makes his stand on the whole IRA thing quite clear.

 

[The Question]

Never read Kev? He makes utter jokes of the Ulsters and in Kitchen Irish he makes his stand on the whole IRA thing quite clear.

Well, the IRA aren't quite as popular as they used to be.

 

[Zoken]

Grumble Grumble grouse grouse grouse

 

[Harlekin]

WORLD'S FINEST: SUPERMAN

It had to happen, my views and ideas on Superman, which is ironic, because I don't and have never regularly read his ongoing title, but god, do I love his character. He has already been the subject of a short column before, where I sought to defend the character against the constant critique of being a worthless overpowered boyscout. Let's get one thing clear: Superman is an icon.

"Rocketed to Earth from the Planet Krypton by his parents, Jor-El and Lara, young Kal-El was raised as Clark Kent in Smallville, Kansas by Jonathan and Martha Kent. Over the course of his teenage years young Clark Kent started to develop strange new powers, giving him the ability to be faster than a speeding bullet, be more powerful than a locomotive and allow him to leap tall buildings in a single bound!"

My version of Superman would borrow quite heavily from the Richard Donner movies, concerning mostly his teenage years and the appearance his Fortress of Solitude. If I had to point out one man as the most important influence on me when it comes to Superman, it would have to be Christopher Reeve. Especially, and bear with me on this one, the scene in Superman II where Clark Kent returns to the diner where, in his depowered state, had been humiliated by a local bully. Returning to the diner, now fully powered again, Clark trounces the bully in seconds, finishing it up with the typical goofy smile Reeve portrayed so well. Pushing his glasses back on his nose, he kindly pays the bartender for the damage and leaves again. This scene, mostly played for laughs, established one powerful notion in me: The most important piece in the name "Superman" was not "Super" but "man". Clark Kent was fallible, prone to jealousy and a need for revenge. Superman was human.

It would be this element I would most prominently feature in my stories, namely that the Clark Kent part of his life is just as important as the Superman part. Unlike what some writers will tell you, I staunchly believe that ultimately, Kal-El, Clark Kent and Superman are the same person. Clark Kent isn't Kal-El or Superman acting out a part, nor is that true vice versa. They are all facets of one man. Of course Clark will modulate his voice somewhat when in the guise of Superman, and will carry with him a more natural air of authority, but these are not things he suddenly abandons when he dons the glasses. This is why I find Ed McGuinness one of the artists best suited to Superman. He was never afraid to show Clark with that same air of authority, and we could see that behind the glasses and the looser clothes (heck, what fabric isn't looser than spandex?) there was still that same man.

But then, who is this one man? I can't call him anything but Clark Kent, but in the manner of Clark Kent as the man that houses all three facets that make up his being. Thing is, he's been Clark Kent for the majority of his life, was raised as Clark Kent etc. etc. and I don't think he should ever ask anyone to start calling him Kal(-El). The Superman I would write would be extremely proud and interested in his heritage of course, but not in the manner that some have tried to portray him, namely as a cold, inhuman thing.

To me, Clark would not necessarily be an "outcast" from society because he's actually from a different planet, but because he has powers that come with an enormous responsibility. Superman is forever alone not because he's from Krypton, but because there's no one that can really, truly, understand what he goes through. Superman's hearing is so fine that he can hear every second of the day of people calling for his help, people he cannot and sometimes chooses not to help. Even if he's been able to tune out most of these sounds, he still has a burden to bear that cannot be understood by any other man.

To be strong enough to move planets.
To be fast enough to attain 99% of light-speed.
To have all these awesome powers, and to be forced to accept one dreadful thing:
That he can never save them all.

That is the defining paradigm of Superman to me. To live with the knowledge that although you are almost like a god, that even then, you'll never be strong or fast enough to save everybody. To make the choice between two disasters. It is exactly this realization that I figure is what makes Clark such a human character. He is fallible, he's not perfect, he knows this and he has to live with it.

It is here that the parallel is drawn with Lex Luthor, a man suffering from the same problem; having to accept that he's not perfect and admitting it to himself, which Luthor can't. This segues nicely into his hatred for Superman, because ultimately, Lex Luthor is afraid that Superman is better, and he can't live with that kind of person exisitng. The way I see it, Superman is essentially holding up a great big mirror to Luthor, saying: "You may think you're a big shot, and you may have gotten everyone to believe it, but you and I know the real score." Superman doesn't do it consciously, but his entire existence alone tells this story. The thing is, Luthor knows, deep down, that Superman isn't perfect either, but y'see, Superman has accepted that. After all, with age comes wisdom, and Superman's learned that there are just some things you can't change. Perhaps, in this, Luthor shows a much greater capacity for ambition than Superman. Luthor will never stop striving to be the absolute and utter best.

As for Luthor's role as archnemesis and villain, I'd go for the approach that Morrison did during his JLA run. The mad scientist mixed in with the businessman. Basically, I'd have him be like the Lex Luthor that Alexander Luthor portrayed during the whole Infinite Crisis thing. Cool, calm, collected and utterly ruthless. The only thing that can crack that cool is Superman, whom he truly and utterly hates.

Then there's Lois Lane. The final puzzle piece in what I call Superman's Trinity. Him, Luthor and his wife Lois. Unlike a lot of people, I have no problem with Clark getting together with Lois. He couldn't pine after her forever, and the two match up well. The important thing to note immediately though, is that Lois isn't like other superhero wives. Let's be honest here, they're married to superheroes, she's married to Superman. That can be an incredibly fulfilling experience, but it can also be a very lonely one.

My inspiration for Lois would come from two rather recent interpretations of her: Teri Hatcher's Lois from Lois & Clark, and the Lois that Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek wrote for Up, Up and Away. Headstrong, sexy and not afraid to speak her mind while also having a nurturing side to her. Too often though, writers tend to look to an extreme of her and Clark's relationship. They are either the perfect couple that never fight or they are the worst couple in which one doesn't really love the other (thank you Chuck Austen). I say, let there be balance. These are human people, so they will argue, and they will fight and they will get fed up with one another once in a blue moon. That's how it should be.

So we've established Superman's own identity and his connection to the two most prominent figures in his life: Lex Luthor and Lois Lane. The rest of Superman's cast breaks down into: Smallville, the Daily Planet and the JLA. First off, Smallville. The most prominent members of that cast are definitely Clark's adoptive parents. I love them, and they'd definitely be recurring characters. Not because they're such great characters, but because I think it's great how a grown man like Clark will still take the time to look up his parents every few days.

Then there's Lana Lang and Pete Ross. God, have they been messed with in the last few years. Some really shoddy characterization and these two need to get back together quickly. Pete Ross raising their son alone in Smallville? Yeah, one of the first things I would definitely change is for these two to get back together. Gradually, but these two are meant for one another, and writers need to stop making Lana desperate for Clark. They were each other's first loves and that will never change, but they shouldn't be more than the very best of friends. They should be able to call each other up in the middle of the night to talk. The same goes for Pete Ross. They would not always be around but jump in for a quick one-page jaunt here and there.

Second is the cast of the Daily Planet, which basically translates to Perry White and Jimmy Olsen. Let's get this clear right off the bat: Perry knows. As for their relation to Clark, I once again let myself be inspired by Up, Up and Away. Jimmy, although a sociable guy, really has only one friend, who is Clark. It can be a bit of a strain on their friendship, since in the end, Jimmy is far more dependant on Clark than the other way around, and let's be honest, Jimmy idiolizes Clark. Even more than he idiolizes Superman.

The Daily Planet would figure immensely in my first arc, where Perry asks Clark to take the job of temporary foreign correspondent in the Middle-East. As just about the only member of his staff that can survive in that turmoil, Clark's a natural choice, but it changes his life, at least for the duration of the job, completely. It'd be a nice status quo change for a while, because when Clark finally returns to Metropolis, he'll find things have changed rather dramatically. How? Honestly, I'm not exactly sure yet, but it would do nicely to change aspects of Superman's life, and to actually have the characters respond to that. No unnecessary deaths or random acts of violence. No, real actual character development for these characters, which is about time as far as I'm concerned.

Now, finally, there are the superhero connections. There are five characters that stand out for me here; Batman, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Nightwing and Flash (Jay Garrick). I will start off with the character some of you may feel doesn't really fit in, namely Jay Garrick. While everybody of the modern age of heroes looks up to Superman, Superman looks up to the golden age of heroes, and when I see him do that, I see him thinking of Jay Garrick. Everybody goes insane over Alan Scott, and deservedly so, but I think Superman would be more inspired by Jay. Jay Garrick truly comes across as the perfect superhero and more importantly as the perfect man (and I mean that both in the human sense as in the being male sense). To Superman, if there is one man that he knows will always try his hardest to do the right thing (and will, the majority of the time, do it), then that man is Jay Garrick.

Next, there is Nightwing. Yes, Dick Grayson, former Robin. I've always liked the relationship between these two. They are essentially like brothers. While Batman is Nightwing's father and mentor, Superman is like his cool older brother. As such, I'd occassionally have Dick give Clark a ring, come over for dinner, go to a sports game, that kind of thing. With all the troubles Nightwing has been through, a stable presence in the form of Superman is welcome.

The Martian Manhunter and Superman have a lot in common. They are both the not-really-last-of-their-kind, and gives them a natural bond. Thing is though, the reason they're good friends is not because of that but because J'onn and Clark just plain have the same kind of interests, and both have this natural authority around them. They have both given up more for this superhero business than one should ever have to do, but they do it anyway, and they do it without *****ing about it.

Wonder Woman. What can you say about her? Wonder Woman (latest volume) #226 dedicated pretty much the entire issue to their relationship. The most discussed element of their friendship by the fans is easily about whether or not Diana and Clark should be a couple. My take: Wonder Woman belongs with Batman and Superman is so fiercely loyal to Lois that he remained celibate for a 1000 years, stuck in Asgard with Wonder Woman. Nothing will ever change that. The very best of friends, but these two will never be lovers.

Lastly, there is the Batman. The darkness to Superman's light. The best of friends. No, that's not correct. Bruce is a brother. Both come from a single child family and have known in some ways a life of solitude. Besides his conncetion with Lois, he holds no greater bond with anyone else but Batman. Which is exactly why I would like to see them hanging out more as Clark and Bruce rather than as Superman and Batman. I wouldn't feature Bats more than an occasional guest-spot, but every time would be a special one, rather it be in their superhero or civilian lives.

I know what you might be wondering: Where does that leave the Superman-inspired characters Steel, Power Girl, Supergirl and Krypto? Although he wears the big S, I don't really consider Steel a Superman character anymore. He's grown beyond that, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't feature him from time to time. Very sparingly though, since he doesn't really fit in anymore. The same goes for Power Girl. She's JSA, and although she rediscovered her "superheritage", I don't see much benefit from having her interact more with Clark. Krypto is awesome incarnate as a dog, but to have that come out properly, he'd also appear only occasionally. Lastly, Supergirl, well, I don't like her, and thus I'd keep her out. She's off in her own title and that's fine by me.

 

[The Question]

That was very well thought out. Now I'm a little jealous. I don't think my Superman story could compete.

 

[Harlekin]

Thanks for the compliment, Q. I was surprised by how in-depth I got by the end of it myself. It's like four pages in Word.

 

[The Question]

Thanks for the compliment, Q. I was surprised by how in-depth I got by the end of it myself. It's like four pages in Word.

You do seem to have a very good handle on the character.

The thing I think I have a good handle on in regards to Superman is his villains. I'vw found that, with the proper writer, almost all of them play off of him very well. The Parasite, for example, sort of represents everything Superman isn't but could have become. He's selfish, hedonistic, violent, irrisponsible, and is completely corrupted by his power. He shows Clark what he could become if he let his flaws get the better of him. On the other hand, Brainiac is serious, logical, and with the exception of a certain flair for the dramatic, cold. In some people's opinions, he represents a perfect creature. He is not afflicted by emotion or prejiduces, he is above material needs, and is free to be a purely intelectual creature, and to strive for his goal of creating order. With his cold, alien nature, he shows Superman what he could become if he forgets that what makes him human.

 

[Harlekin]

Thanks again, Q, that's a compliment I much appreciate.

Heh, it's the villain part I'm not that good at, except Luthor. I would probably introduce mostly new villains. I definitely like your approach to Parasite and Brainiac though. Heck, DC should just let us two collaborate on a Superman title.

 

[The Question]

Thanks again, Q, that's a compliment I much appreciate.

Heh, it's the villain part I'm not that good at, except Luthor. I would probably introduce mostly new villains. I definitely like your approach to Parasite and Brainiac though. Heck, DC should just let us two collaborate on a Superman title.

That's what I've been SAYING! You and me as writers, get maybe Corp for the art, we'd churn out the best Superman run in years.

 

[Zoken]

Okay, We've been over my "Strangers" thing with the six-hundred super-powered people that fell from the sky for now apparent reason. Well, that universe got some expansion.

Cult of the Star of Raphael: a cult which worships them and has found some Strangers to be it's leaders. They are based on christianity, as much as any cult is. The one in charge is charismatic enough to be dangerous.

Decay Syndrome: Your basic run of the mill Zombie plauge. It doesn't spread quite as quick as other Zombie plagues do. It pops up from time to time. However, luckily for humanity there is Keisha Sobel. She is the sole survivor of the first outbreak, and now is pretty much a professional zombie eliminator. She's not a Stranger, and does things the old fashioned way: Shotguns, chainsaws, and high explosives. She's a cold *****. The only tie to the Strangers is the fact that Strangers are immune to the Decay Syndrome... they either heal, or stay dead, they don't reanimate.

The Zenderon: The alien raced that commissioned the creation of the Strangers. The catch is that the Zenderon have been almost completely wiped out, all knowledge of the race has been transfered into the last remaining Zenderon, which has transformed him into a God-like entity, which refers to itself as "The Zenderon" using both singular and plural first person pronouns.

Lyshak, and the Nullicak: Lyshak is the leader of the alien race, the Nullicak. He transports the race around the cosmos pitting his champtions against those of different worlds. When his champions win, Lyshak claims the world and sends out the rest of the Nullicak to decimate the species that lost and take their place as ruler of the world. The entire process, so far as the Zenderon can tell, is all for Lyshak's entertainment.

The Traveller: he was first sighted a few months before Lyshak and his ilk first showed up. He is fifty stories tall, and extremely powerful. the only problem is that he appears to be limited in how he is allowed to interfere in our affairs. some statements he make lead the humans and Strangers to believe he might be a time traveler.

 

[Zoken]

is that short enough for ya?

 

[Harlekin]

That's what I've been SAYING! You and me as writers, get maybe Corp for the art, we'd churn out the best Superman run in years.

We should totally start stalking Didio with that idea.

 

[The Question]

We should totally start stalking Didio with that idea.

I will not rest until we see Lex Luthor figuring out that Clark is Superman and using that information as a part of a master plan to cripple the military, take out all of America's super heroes, and lead a coup de'tat against the U.S. government and the United Nations.

 

[Harlekin]

That would be pretty awesome, although I must confess I prefer Luthor to operate on a more personal scale. I'm not a fan of the gigantic master plans to take over the world. Luthor is a subtle manipulator, so I'd at least draw that story out over a few years.

Y'know, this is exactly why Luthor as president rocked.