Official : Bendis gets both books

[Miles To Go]

Yep. The set-up is clearly leaning in a direction of a new spin on the Lois/Clark/Superman triangle. This little Lex thing will, at most, will be an unrelated foreshadowing to the changing of the public dynamic between Lois and Clark.

Yeah, the "Lex and Lois" gossip is just to showcase Trish's ongoing status to Perry as a Planet pariah and to give White a foil...someone to yell at whenever he interacts with Clark. The real story is how Clark deals with the trust issues. I suspect as he sulks in the storeroom, the issue will now be told in flashback to when he reunited with Lois and the conversation he had with her that prepares him for an inevitability like this.

[Sacred Knight]

Just as long as Bendis doesn't retcon in some old history there or anything like that I'm fine. That would be irksome, as I reject any continuity where Lois actually felt anything for a guy whom someone like her should know from the get-go is dirty. That's part of the reason I fully expect that Metropolis show to suck, because without Clark and Lex and Lois as leads they'll try to create tension there. Which there should never ever be. Lois can be with other characters than Clark, don't get me wrong, everyone knows I'm not a marriage guy anyway. Its not that he's a different guy. Its that he's an evil guy and an astute mind like Lois, whose very job is detecting lies and deceit, would know that. And Lois isn't attracted to evil.

[Lvenger]

I know the first few episodes of STAS had Lois say she used to date Lex and maybe it was implied in Bryne's Superman run that she used to date Lex too. Admittedly I prefer the Birthright or Secret Origin setup for Lois and Lex's relationship.

[Miles To Go]

I fully expect that Metropolis show to suck

I thought that thing was on permanent hiatus? It doesn't look likely now that CW has cast it's own Lois.

I know the first few episodes of STAS had Lois say she used to date Lex and maybe it was implied in Bryne's Superman run that she used to date Lex too. Admittedly I prefer the Birthright or Secret Origin setup for Lois and Lex's relationship.

Well the origin story for Reborn Superman IS "Secret Origins" so you don't have to worry.

[misslane]

Yep. The set-up is clearly leaning in a direction of a new spin on the Lois/Clark/Superman triangle. This little Lex thing will, at most, will be an unrelated foreshadowing to the changing of the public dynamic between Lois and Clark.

Using such fake controversy as just a set up to change a dynamic that doesn't need changing and doing it to a character who has been needlessly omitted from the books for months and constantly subjected to "controversy" doesn't make any of this okay or good storytelling.

[Myskin]

Let's not forget that Bendis is ruining the character and every single member of his supporting cast.

[Sacred Knight]

Using such fake controversy as just a set up to change a dynamic that doesn't need changing and doing it to a character who has been needlessly omitted from the books for months and constantly subjected to "controversy" doesn't make any of this okay or good storytelling.

Its okay and good storytelling to me but to each their own.

At this point I'll be disappointed if the public switcheroo doesn't happen. There's no guarantees yet though.

[DragonPiece]

I don't even think the lois and lex thing is actually intended to be seen as romantic. It's just gossip about 2 huge people in the world interacting that can make headlines.

[Miles To Go]

I don't even think the lois and lex thing is actually intended to be seen as romantic. It's just gossip about 2 huge people in the world interacting that can make headlines.

Trish says there were rumours of "canoodling", she wants to run with the idea Lois and Lex are up to something steamy, but Perry is more level headed.

[DragonPiece]

Trish says there were rumours of "canoodling", she wants to run with the idea Lois and Lex are up to something steamy, but Perry is more level headed.

Well beyond the issue I am doubtful that will continue, since Lois and Superman will be kissing in public (as we saw in that preview art.) Plus when Lois releases that book on her life with superman, that should clear everything up.

[GreatKungLao]

Is it confirmed that Lois is writing about her life with actual Superman? Not in a way that Clark Kent is her Superman?

[Superlad93]

Few observations:

- Anyone else notice Jimmy asleep on page 4? He was apparently super tired last issue too. Said he hadn't slept since Easter (obvious hyperbole). And if you're reading the solicits, you probably know that Jimmy seems to be actively investigating Kobra, and that will all come to head in issue 1007. So this has me wondering if Jimmy's tiredness is because of his investigations off panel? I'm also wondering if, and this is pure speculations on my part, Bendis will maybe use Jimmy's investigations almost as a joking excuse to answer where he's been all Rebirth lol? Bendis loves setting things up in the background in ever sense of the word some times.

- Clark also seems to be looking into Kobra as we can see on in his notes on page 5.

- I love Bendis Mr. White lol "you compete me, Kent."

- I'm starting to really dig Trish as a foil, and I can only see her role ramping up as the story unfolds. The obvious parallels to Silver age Lois are there and re contextualized in the Twitter age. I'd love to see Lois take her on at some point in some way.

- YES! President Lex was a thing!

- I'm on freakin pin and needles waiting to her about what Lois has been working on. What's the STAR labs connection? What's the Lex connection? What's all this about STAR looking into someone's physiology data?

- Really, really dug the somber shirt rip.

[Miles To Go]

Is it confirmed that Lois is writing about her life with actual Superman? Not in a way that Clark Kent is her Superman?

She's writing about Superman

[Sacred Knight]

I hated the President Lex thing, but as long as they just don't ever do it again or reference it that much, I'm content to just go back to forgetting it ever happened.

[misslane]

Its okay and good storytelling to me but to each their own.

What's good about it? Ultimately, this is about a couple and a family who love each other and people who are supposed to be hopeful, kind, people who work together. I can't accept the way Bendis has approached the decision making of these characters.

It doesn't seem logical to believe that leaving with Jor-El for a trek around the universe without his father—a father who disapproved of the decision—would be an effective and appropriate way to deal with Jon's issues. Even the idea that Jon would be so uniquely troubled makes little sense. If rumors are to be believed, it doesn't seem sensible to make Lois/Superman the public relationship for anyone's sake. It puts Lois in incredible danger to be seen as Superman's beloved, and it seems more likely to blow up their anonymity as a family and make them more of a target for threats and scrutiny. Worse, if Lois has already started writing her book, she has decided on this move without consulting her husband about it. All the while, she's absent from the books and the mystery is used to create negative gossip and controversy about her in the real world and in the fictional world, and as usual painting Clark as the victim in all of this while she gets very little point of view.

Even if we can say that ultimately the status quo change was wise, I don't think that this was the best way to handle it. Having Lois and Clark work together as a team and working things out as a family with truth and hope as their guides feels more in the spirit of Superman than the contrived, out of character, trashiness that Bendis has brought to the books.