The Official Superman Thread - Part 4

[CConn]

My then-11yo cousin:

"(Stephen King's) It HAS to be real. I mean, who would just make something like that up?"

 

[RoughNTumble]

my 23 yr old friend: "book of mormon HAS to be true, why would joseph smith make it up??"

 

[CConn]

My 18yo sister: "What's lethargy mean? Is it when your skin gets all leathery?"

 

[RoughNTumble]

mom: "maybe im dumber than you think"

 

[HighFivingMF]

So, I was reading through Superman: Secret Origin and there was the part where the Legion mentions all of the upcoming events, Resurrection of Doomsday, Zod and the Earth/New Krypton War, and the last event mentioned was The Death of Lex Luthor. Was that referring to The Black Ring or something Johns never got around to or what?

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

He probably just never got around to it.

 

[bsisko]

@Kain

Thanks! I did a quick Google search for the name you supplied and it indeed brought up web-images and a Wikipedia article on the subject. In another Wikipedia article, there is no mention of the character. (Just goes to show that you cannot believe everything you read. There's more trivia in the real universe than what can be printed)

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

Can't believe I only just remembered this, but when Grant Morrison was writing All-Star Superman, he said this:

We’re stopping mainly because Frank really doesn’t want to draw Superman for the rest of his life. The two of us have some other projects we’d like to do so we had to make it finite. We wanted to say our piece and leave. Personally, I could write that book forever. I just love it. I could write stories about Superman every month but the book was designed from the start to be something complete, and to have a beginning and an end. So that’s the way we are playing it.

Nothing out of the norm, right?

Then...

“And I wanted to do a story of Superman’s first year in Metropolis when he wasn’t so powerful and he was a bit more of a liberal activist. And to do that kind of Superman, the big heavy guy who can only pick up trucks and be killed by an exploding shell, you can kind of do that as the first year and see the differences between that guy and the incredibly powerful, self-assured man-god in the main All Star Superman book. So those are the three stories I came up with and as I say, they were slightly off the main storyline but related to it so I hope to do those when the current workload eases up because as I say I could just keep doing that Superman stuff forever.

Now this seems to about his current Action Comics run, but three stories? He also says:

As I was working on the book, a bunch of other ideas came to mind and one was an idea for an All Star Superman/Batman book. So that was one of the stories, a thing called ‘Son of Superman.’ It was a kind of take on the Super Sons idea from the 1970s, which I really liked. So I wanted to do that one. And there is another one set in the far, far future with the Superman Squad. So they were stories that were more tangential to Superman.

So hopefully, with luck, the G-Mo will want to return to tell these stories in the near future.

 

[CConn]

It would be awesome to see Grant on a Batman/Superman book.

 

[Compi716]

Clark Kent is leaving the Daily Planet! Change for the sake of change or a good idea? You decide!

10:04AM EDT October 22. 2012 - The Daily Planet has a new job opening.

In Superman issue 13, the Man of Steel's alter ego, mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent, quits the Metropolis newspaper that has been his employer since the DC Comics superhero's earliest days in 1940.

But that's just one of many plot points of note in the new issue, available digitally and in comic shops Wednesday. Superman pushes the limits of his powers, Clark sees a disturbing text message regarding Lois Lane and her new boyfriend, and a new Kryptionian threat is also introduced that will begin a crossover story involving the stars of Superboy and Supergirl.

"I wasn't going to test the waters. I was just going to do a cannonball in the Super-verse," says new Superman writer Scott Lobdell, who began his run on the book alongside his Red Hood and the Outlaws artist Kenneth Rocafort last month with a special zero issue.

DC's "The New 52" relaunch a year ago changed a good bit of Superman's status quo, such as the fact that Clark and Lois weren't married anymore. He's moved on, of course — Superman and Wonder Woman recently shared a kiss in the pages of Justice League.

However, his still-strong feelings for Lois, combined with Daily Planet editor in chief Perry White getting on his case for not enough scoops on the Superman beat and his boss' boss Morgan Edge also giving him a hard time, leads to a Jerry Maguire-type moment where he quits in front of the whole staff and rails on how journalism has given way to entertainment — in a not-so-mild-mannered fashion. (The Daily Planet has also been moving more toward the real world, too, with the newspaper becoming part of the multimedia corporation Galaxy Broadcasting.)

"This is really what happens when a 27-year-old guy is behind a desk and he has to take instruction from a larger conglomerate with concerns that aren't really his own," Lobdell explains.

"Superman is arguably the most powerful person on the planet, but how long can he sit at his desk with someone breathing down his neck and treating him like the least important person in the world?"

Lobdell's favorite part? When Clark calls for his peers to stand up for truth, justice "and yeah — I'm not ashamed to say it — the American way," a nod to the Man of Steel's history.

"While it has its problems, there are a lot of good things to say about America and the American way, and I'm glad Clark is standing up for her," says Lobdell, who also writes Superboy and Teen Titans for DC. "I'm happy to be involved in that and his declarations."

Clark's situation is one most any working stiff can relate to, when they've had enough and don't want to take it anymore. And the superhero, who became a journalist in the first place because he wanted to speak out on things he couldn't as Superman, "has been in this awkward position of everything he's writing is certainly a shading to keep his identity secret," Lobdell says, adding that Clark is in a sense Superman's id.

"Rather than Clark be this clownish suit that Superman puts on, we're going to really see Clark come into his own in the next few years as far as being a guy who takes to the Internet and to the airwaves and starts speaking an unvarnished truth."

Entertainment reporter Cat Grant also quits the Planet with him, and Lobdell says she'll be bringing "a whole other set of skills" to their next venture. It probably won't be at another media outlet in Metropolis, though.

"I don't think he's going to be filling put an application anywhere," the writer says. "He is more likely to start the next Huffington Post or the next Drudge Report than he is to go find someone else to get assignments or draw a paycheck from."

Meanwhile, a new threat to Clark's Superman persona begins to make itself known in the new issue, which acts as a prelude to the "H'el on Earth" story line.

H'el is another man from Superman's long-dead home planet of Krypton and will be "a pretty horribly tragic character" in the mythology rather than a villain such as Lex Luthor, according to Lobdell.

When H'el first meets Superman, the writer says, his first inclination won't be to destroy the Man of Steel. Instead, the reaction will be more akin to him thinking, "Here is a guy who speaks Kryptonese with a Kansas twang."

"He sees Superman as an embarrassment, a Kryptonian who's been completely watered down and sullied by having spent his entire life on Earth," Lobdell says. "It's only going to be over the course of several issues that H'el starts to realize that, yeah, Superman is somebody who can complicate his plans moving forward."

The animosity is going to grow over several issues, though, and H'el's intentions are so noble that he'll be pulling Supergirl, Kara Zor-El, into his orbit, Lobdell adds. "So Superman is going to have to not only worry about He'l but worry about He'l and how it affects his cousin moving forward."

While many crossovers and events in comic history sometimes causes a series to slam on the breaks to accommodate the bigger story, "H'el on Earth" won't waylay Lobdell's other subplots. For example, in issue 14, the first seven pages include Lois banging on Clark's door and wondering what his reasons were for quitting the Planet.

Clark's new employment status is part of Lobdell as well as DC wanting to explore Superman through a modern-day lens. The writer says Rocafort's vision of Clark and Superman is one where "both have a lot of gravity but are also very light and young and sexy." Plus, they talked about modern journalism jobs that may be more relevant than an old-school beat reporter for a newspaper.

"When we started discussions," Lobdell says, "they were like, 'Yep, let's see where this goes. Let's take the sacred super-cows and start looking at Superman with a new set of eyes.' "

Next year looks to be a major one for Superman, with a new comic book coming from Scott Snyder and Jim Lee as well as director Zack Snyder's Man of Steel movie. Lobdell, however, begs to differ.

"It's a big day for Superman every day," he says. "This notion that we're going to wait till next year to see Superman in all his Super-glory is a misperception. It starts with issue 13."

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/10/22/clark-kent-superman-comic-book-series/1648921/

 

[stillanerd]

Clark Kent is leaving the Daily Planet! Change for the sake of change or a good idea? You decide!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/10/22/clark-kent-superman-comic-book-series/1648921/

Okay, having read the article and seen the preview pages for the issue, here's my two cents on it:

While I appreciate the attempt by Lobdell and DC to try and "modernize" Superman to better reflect the "internet age" and the state of modern journalism, not only do I believe this is not going to help the Superman comics in the long run, but this will be looked back as being a detrimental move.

In the first place, this puts Clark Kent at an even greater distance between himself and his supporting cast and thus puts more emphasis on his being a superhero. Granted, considering he'll still have Jimmy Olsen for a roommate and whatnot, he'll still have a cast, and it's in keeping with this idea of Clark's sense of isolation, but in doing so it's now become more about Superman being "Kal-El from Krypton" and less about "Clark Kent from Smallville, Kansas," which I believe has been one of the more misguided creative decisions DC has made about Superman since the New 52 relaunch.

I would also add that, with this move, this appears to be yet another attempt to get Clark out from under the "mild-mannered reporter" label, thinking that by making him more independent and having a spine as "Clark Kent," this will help readers better identify with him. But what DC seems to be forgetting is that the reason why Clark acted "mild-mannered" while in his "Clark Kent disguise" was for him to better blend into his surroundings and not attract unwanted attention to himself that would make everyone look at him and go, "Oh, that guy is so obviously Superman." It's the same reason why Clark's stint as a TV news anchor didn't last so long--Clark Kent is supposed to be more "behind the scenes" while Superman is more "in the public eye for everyone to see," if that makes sense. Perhaps it's just me, but Clark giving a "fiery public sermon on the state of journalism" before he quits is not something he would say while "in disguise as Clark Kent"; that's what he would say as Superman.

The other person who would have said it? Lois Lane, who I would argue has suffered even worse treatment in terms of characterization since the New 52 relaunch. Sure, DC wants to inject more "soap opera" between Lois and Clark by having them be in relationships with other people, but the one thing Lois should never be is a "desk jockey" and a supporter of the current structure at the Daily Planet, which is precisely what DC has turned her into. She's not a female Perry White. She's supposed to be the one whose all about real journalism, getting out into the trenches, digging up the truth and standing up for her own principles and integrity--the very characteristics which DC has now given Clark. So not only would I contend that DC is continuing the trend of de-emphasizing her role in the Superman comics, but is also writing her grossly out of character just as much as they're now making Superman while he's "Clark Kent."

 

[Compi716]

Agreed. And having Lobdell take over writing duties instills no confidence in me. I've yet to see anything on that suggests the supporting cast will be given their due instead of "new threats totally unlike anything before(!)."

Also, it seems DC forgot that they took Clark out of the Daily Planet back in the 1970s. Been there, done that.

 

[CConn]

Then what's the big deal about taking him out again?

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Agreed. And having Lobdell take over writing duties instills no confidence in me. I've yet to see anything on that suggests the supporting cast will be given their due instead of "new threats totally unlike anything before(!)."

Also, it seems DC forgot that they took Clark out of the Daily Planet back in the 1970s. Been there, done that.

Wasn't that in a different context than quitting in protest?

 

[Phatman]

Clark Kent is leaving the Daily Planet! Change for the sake of change or a good idea? You decide!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/10/22/clark-kent-superman-comic-book-series/1648921/

Big deal. Clark was working as a TV repprter during the 70's for WGBS. Old weak tired ideas re-hashed for a new generation.

Sounds like they STILL don't know how to write Superman.

DCnU= DC late 70's like pre-implosion 1976-1978'

 

[Lead Cenobite]

Big deal. Clark was working as a TV repprter during the 70's for WGBS. Old weak tired ideas re-hashed for a new generation.

Sounds like they STILL don't know how to write Superman.

DCnU= DC late 70's like pre-implosion 1976-1978'

You know, if you judge everything with such broad strokes then nearly everything is open to being called "old weak ideas rehashed". Some of you just come off as totally closed minded about the DC reboot from the get-go.

 

[Cain]

Wasn't that in a different context than quitting in protest?

It was but people tend to overlook that cause they have more fun complaining and screaming "AAAAAH RECYCLED TROPES!!!111" than they do reading the material and seeing it's execution within a new context. As if any idea in mainstream comics at this point is original

 

[ThePhantasm]

Sounds like they listened to The Onion.

 

[HighFivingMF]

Big deal. Clark was working as a TV repprter during the 70's for WGBS. Old weak tired ideas re-hashed for a new generation.

Sounds like they STILL don't know how to write Superman.

DCnU= DC late 70's like pre-implosion 1976-1978'

At least they waited 30 years to repeat themselves.

 

[Phatman]

You know, if you judge everything with such broad strokes then nearly everything is open to being called "old weak ideas rehashed". Some of you just come off as totally closed minded about the DC reboot from the get-go.

Have some DC Comics Presents with TV reporter Clark. It was Meh. Change of scene. Thankfully, Byrne put Clark back in the newsroom where he belonged.

This is just re-hash. And the whole thing stinks of a gimmick used to generate some cheap heat. Just a poorly researched poorly planned plot twist to get attention in the mainstream media.

Although I have to ask how's Supes gonna pay for those dates with WW now?

And Clark showing up to work in a hoodie? LAME. Talk about trying too hard to be cool.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

Or you know, maybe they're moving Clark out of the news room because print is a dying medium?


Shocking, I know.

 

[Compi716]

Or you know, maybe they're moving Clark out of the news room because print is a dying medium?


Shocking, I know.

Newspapers have websites and blogs. They get as much action on those fronts as they do in print. I mean, Newsweek is going totally digital, but the office still exists. It's a place of work that allows Clark to interact with people and, if done right, introduce some interesting conflict.

Now I have no clue what they'll be doing with Clark career wise. It may even be great. But they'll need to figure out where his legitimate source of income comes from.

Yeah, and hoodies in the office? Lame.

 

[RoughNTumble]

very creative and enthusiastic issue

maybe the characterization isn't perfect, but overall it's loads better than 1-12

actually has me excited for the crossover

seems like lobdell is writing much higher stakes than 'kryptonians punching each other through buildings'

 

[Cain]

Yeah I liked this issue. This series is most improved off this issue and the #0 issue alone. Superman at super power levels as he should be. Great sci-fi ideas and sci-fi characters. A Clark Kent who speaks up for himself and isn't just second fiddle to Superman but a character in his own right. Lobdell gets it. Back on the pull list it goes.

 

[CConn]

I don't know what it is, I can't even begin to explain it, but there's a type of writing, or a thing that writers can inject into their stories, that makes the book feel like it has great purpose and exists legitimately in a universe all it's own, important, and self sustaining.

This book - like The Flash and I, Vampire, etc. before it - finally has that thing.