After Infinite Crisis, and even a little before, I've been having some uneasy feelings about the direction Superman is going in. There are many factors that have brought about these feelings, and they all seem to culminate into a direction that I am not fond of.
1) The power levels. For the last few years, his power levels have risen considerably. He has recently (and by recently I mean within the past could of years) destroyed a small moon and even pulled the moon out of it's orbit. Now, these aren't entirely big deals. I am simply irked by non cosmic characters preforming such feats. Makes him finding challenge with Earthly criminals seem rather far fetched. However, the worst aspect of his power levels, for me at least, was in the recent "Up Up and Awya" arc. There, his sensory abilities showed to be sow potent that he could see an hear practically everything that was going on on the planet at any given time. That bothers me. Alot. I mean, how can he ever not see anything coming if he is basically all knowing now? And, more importantly, are they simply going to ignore that that level of power would corrupt a man very quickly? I mean, how could he not be tempted to use that ability to listen in on every conversation on the planet, even if he justifies it as making sure the world stays safe? He has also, seemingly, regained his super inteligence that has been missing since pre-crisis. I, personally, am not fond of Superman also being a superhuman scientist and thinker along with his other abilities. I mean, I don't think he should be able to do everything.
2) The villains. This is a far larger problem than the power levles. Superman's villains have seriously gotten the shaft recently.
In "Up Up and Away," Luthor was a shadow of his former self. A generic, two dimensional, maniacle villain. Gone was all of the depth that had been apart of his character up until recently. The very fact that he would destroy Metropolis, the city he loves more than life itslef, is terribly out of character.
Rody Jones, The Parasite, was killed a few years ago, and was replaced by a far less powerful and a far worse character in the form of the new, female Parasite.
Metallo lost his personality of the inteligent, sophisticated street level criminal, and was basically turned into a pale imitation of The Parasite. He was then stripped of his powers
Then Atomic Skull was turned from a crazy, almost tragic man who simply wanted to be a hero into a rent-a-thug who explodes when you shoot him.
Darkseid, who was once a threat to the entire DCU, can now get pimp smacked around by Superman and have his Omega Effect bounce of Supes' chest.
Terra-Man's personality was turned back into that of his pre-crisis thug who was obsessed with the old west, and then brutally killed simply to make a point.
Worst of all, in Up Up and Away, Superman easily defeated five villains who had all given him an equal fight seperately (Live Wire, Silver Banshee, Hellgrammite, Bloodsport, Riot) with minimal effort.
Is anyone else worried? Is anyone not worried? Does anyone find me really annoying and whiney?
