The 'New' Superman?

[bradygirl_12]

Wow, I just read over on Newsarama the changes planned for Superman in the reboot here.

I'll discuss my opinions behind a cut, because



It sounds like they're rebooting the character all the way back to the 1930s in tone. Not that I don't mind a New Deal-type Superman (I loved that about him!) but I'm NOT thrilled by BOTH Martha and Jonathan already dead when he begins his career. I've always felt that their support was crucial as he began his career. I know that in a lot of eras he's had to go it alone, but I've always preferred BOTH parents in his life.

He can't even fly (shades of Smallville) but does the 'leaps over tall buildings in a single bound' thing. That's the Earth-2 Superman right there (before they killed HIM off, too, back in the day!)

The end of the Clois marriage? Since I'm not a huge Clois fan, that doesn't bother me much, but it's going to take some getting used to for Clois fans, that's for sure.

This emphasis on Clark's 'alienness' is a turn-off. The appeal of Superman has always been his humanity for me, how he grew up among us and learned to care about us despite our considerable flaws. He cares enough to be our champion and protector against threats we can't handle. His connection to humanity makes him the DCU's Greatest Hero, IMO.

Once again Kara is screwed. She just started having a likeable personality and now will probably be back to Square One, post-Crisis. *rolls eyes* I shudder to think what kind of costume she'll have!

And this stuff about the dawning of the Age of Superheroes met with fear and distrust by the public? I know that some of that is inevitable, but, cripes, it sounds like the Marvel Universe! I've always liked the fact that DC didn't seem quite as paranoid about their heroes as Marvel's citizens did.

And don't tell me, DC, that all this 'brooding Superman' crap isn't because of the new movie. The WB execs saw the box office for The Dark Knight and concluded that a darker Superman was a better Superman. *rages*

Meh, this reboot will either fly or crash, and they'll reboot again in a few years, so as I've always done since they destroyed my comics universe years ago, it's fanfic for me, baby! ;)

Y'know, DC and Marvel REALLY oughtta hire people to do focus groups and all that, since they always seem to come up with stuff everyone DOESN'T want. What are these guys smokin' in the bullpen, anyway?

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Comments

[coldfiredragon.livejournal.com]

Superman has never been a title I've read much, at all, I think I own maybe 5 issues tops. That said I know the direction DC is going, which is to try and pull in some new readers. Right now all it seems to be doing is turning away the old ones. *sighs *

I did read some of the Superman stuff they posted earlier today, specifically about the direction 'Action Comics' was going to take and I kinda cocked my head to the side and said 'huh, that sounds interesting. I kinda want to read that.' As I've already stated Superman's never been my thing so for me to have that reaction... I was honestly surprised.

Does interest in action comics, which from what I understood is going to be sent in the past, mean that I now have interest in 'Superman' which is supposed to be set in the present? Not so much.

I'm with you on the 'fly or crash' attitude. Its either going to do really really well or it will crash and burn in a glorious blaze.

[bradygirl_12]

I could live with the end of the marriage and even the absence of the Kents (though the latter burns me up) but what they're doing is taking the core essence of the character and completely changing it: Clark's humanity is what makes him Earth's champion, not some Kryptonian wannabe who is distanced from the people he's supposed to defend.

It's even more infuriating that Bruce remains his core self while Clark is messed up. Diana? She's always messed up by DC, so that's nothing new.

[coldfiredragon.livejournal.com]

but what they're doing is taking the core essence of the character and completely changing it: Clark's humanity is what makes him Earth's champion, not some Kryptonian wannabe who is distanced from the people he's supposed to defend.

I kinda agree with you here. What I'm hoping they will do though is use Action comics to show him as an estranged alien then use some of his interactions with meta-humans as more and more of them surface to realize that hey maybe I'm not so different. Maybe there is a place for me among humans too.

I think it really depends on what age he was when Ma and Pa passed away, and if he had anything to do with their passing. If he's got all these abilities but couldn't save them I could see where that would alienate him and make him question his place. He's in this world where very few have abilities while he has them. He's alone, he's going to feel like an alien. The key for his character is going to be learning to overcome that.

*shrugs* Maybe I'm wrong here. DC probably won't take that direction with things. Who the hell knows. There was the belief that Green Lantern really wouldn't change much with the reboot then we got the end of the 'War of the Lanterns' last week and 'Green Lantern' #1 in September is going a whole different direction.

I for one am excited about the reboot. I think some thought has gone into how to streamline things and take characters in new directions. I want to at least give things the chance to succeed before I brand them failures.

[bradygirl_12]

I applaud your optimism, m'dear. :) However, I've been down this road so many times it's ridiculous. Yet never before did they take the essence of the character and just change it. That's what's got me angry. Because, throughout all the reboots and retcons and all the other crap DC has thrown at us over the years, they never changed who Clark was. Parts of the mythos changed, but he remained Clark Kent, aware of his difference from humanity but able to present a face to the world that inspired trust, not fear and loathing, and a distant Kryptonian will do just that.

The essence and genius of the origin was that while he found his way in the world, he had the core upbringing by the Kents and was one of us, to some extent.

I can't see how making him more alien makes him more 'accessible', as DC is asserting.

The reboot may be financially successful, but unless they give Clark back his humanity, his personal reboot will be a failure in my eyes.

[crooked-halo.livejournal.com]

Y'know, DC and Marvel REALLY oughtta hire people to do focus groups and all that, since they always seem to come up with stuff everyone DOESN'T want. What are these guys smokin' in the bullpen, anyway?

Exactly! I think, in fact, that they must hire focus groups to figure out what everyone would dislike and then go with that, because negative publicity is better than no publicity?

I'm actually surprised they're going with leaping tall buildings in a single bound, since that was given to the heirs in the lawsuit.

All I can say is that-the more I hear about the DCnU, the more I'm convinced that I won't be going to the comic shop for anything but backissues.

[bradygirl_12]

I think you're right about deliberately drumming up negative publicity.

The lawsuit gives me a popsicle headache.

Thank Goddess I gave up buying comics years ago! I bought one title in the past few years and they erased that, so screw 'em! And I doubt a more alien Superman will be buddies with Batman any time soon, so the friendship is out the window again. >:(

[darkeyedresolve.livejournal.com]

I like the new ideas personally, especially the blue collar, new deal Superman. I think it will be a nice way to make him more of an American Icon again.

I agree the Alien emphasis isn't my favorite but I don't mind if it comes with him becoming more human, a long with the development of his powers.

I enjoy young Superman stories, with him growing as a hero, its like Smallville...only not...

[bradygirl_12]

I wouldn't mind him starting out as a young superhero except for taking the core of the character and twisting it around. I can't buy Clark as more alien than human. Sure, he knows he's different and all that, but his understanding of humanity is what makes him great, not this brooding Superman stuff. They try too hard to make him more like Batman, and he isn't.

[me-ya-ri.livejournal.com]

*blinks and cocks head* Um, what? Seriously, what are they thinking, other than that they don't want another lawsuit? I don't mind Lois and Clark not being married right off--potential to build the romance over time is good! But to make Clark struggle to connect with humanity when the core of his character has always been his humanity despite not being a human? Doesn't make sense to me, though they could just be blowing smoke to hype sales.

*shakes head* I'll have to see what happens. They haven't exactly been doing a good job with his character for a while so I have doubts that this will be better than what's gone before. >.>

[bradygirl_12]

It does seem like shooting themselves in the foot, doesn't it? Taking what actually works for Clark and screwing that up? The Greatest Hero of them all is a better human than some of the heroes!

It'll be interesting to see how their sales go after the initial boost of the novelty sales. *shakes head*

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

I don't do reboot, of anything, so I'm going to just ignore all this. Anyway, they keep changing all the characters so much, who can keep up?!

[bradygirl_12]

A very healthy attitude, m'dear! :)

With all the reboots and retcons, I can barely keep up, either!

[rileyc.livejournal.com]

Ah, OK, now I see. (Helps to scroll down further on one's flist sometimes.)

I don't care for the sound of any of it, either, and if the reimagining of Superman is going to be the basis for the new movie -- bleah.

Oh well, my policy on this kind of thing has long been to ignore canon. That's the beauty of fanfic, that we get to keep alive what we love about a universe.

[bradygirl_12]

Absolutely! I've ignored canon for years, but that just got to me. Stupid DC! They keep screwing things up to a fare-thee-well. *rolls eyes*