Official : Bendis gets both books

[Cmbmool]

I get a BAD FEELING that Bendis is going to remove Jon from the Superman family for a while to get his stories straightened out. That is going to cause some fan backlash indeed If Bendis removes the kid from the line up.

[Sacred Knight]

Him and Lois are just being sent away to avoid the danger of Rogal Zaar. At least that appears to be the reason minus some twist. How long they'll be away from Superman is unknown. But they'll be back. Its less removing him from the lineup rather focusing majorly on Superman. Which, to me, is always a pretty obvious thing to do. In the meantime Clark's characterization will probably be dealing with what its like being away from family for a while. And that's not mentioning the likelihood of getting their perspective on things from their hiding place. But I mean, its been confirmed the kid is still around via released panels. I don't know what more is needed to alleviate the fear that there's plans to erase him. There simply is not.

Jon will only ever go away in either both or one of two instances: His popularity wanes, and/or writers themselves just grow tired of him. Either of those things would take time to manifest though. He's popular right now in the present, and there's no way that after barely two years writers are tired of him. There's a good 3-to-5 years I think before our next DCU overhaul (considering the power structure remains the same, this is their whim). That's the only point where I think there's even the most remote reason to look at his status and wonder what could happen. And if he retains his level of popularity even then he should be okay. But that's all future stuff. In the here and now, he's 100% fine.

[RepHope]

Feels like this isn't properly representing what he said: "It does seem that DC has pushed the icon, the symbol of the character of Superman, more than the person behind it. And they have pushed the character behind it! To say they haven’t is incorrect, but the icon has been so big. It’s been different at Marvel. Again, this is a huge generality. You can find five characters that are symbols there in a minute. But in Marvel, you’re often digging into the heart of the character. It’s always 'Poor Peter Parker,' whereas nobody says, 'Poor Clark Kent.' But I say 'Poor Clark Kent.' As great as he is and as much as he can do, there’s still stuff he can’t do and things he can’t have — and that’s very relatable. So I am going to take some of my Marvel training and apply it to DC work…but not at the sacrifice of what DC is at its core."

As far as what he calls him in his scripts, it's Clark, which - to my surprise - is apparently rare at DC.

Shouldn't surprise you, DC loves to make Superman into a "god" who can't relate to puny humans. Then along comes Batgod to show him the wonders of plot armor , and teach him "what it means to be a man".

I'm shocked at how much I agree with what Bendis has to say. Lex IS overused and needs a break, even though he's my favorite villain. Lex showing up should be a mini-event like how it is with Joker in the Batbooks. I welcome new villains but I also think old ones like Metallo and Parasite could use some love. One thing I very strongly agree with is the overuse of villains who are just "evil Supermen". This really stood out to me in Jurgen's Revenge arc where you had Zod, Henshaw, and Eradicator right next to each other. Add in Bizarro and that's four villains who are just "Superman's powers/strength but evil". That's way too many, and I wish they'd bring back some of the New 52 villains like Nimrod who weren't just "Strong enough to kill Superman".

[Nelliebly]

I agree, based on things he has said I would wager the Kents will face some struggles. Obviously not the insurmountable kind, it's not like they would divorce Lois & Clark - but I see some very real struggles coming up. And I'm 100% fine with that, my girl & I occasionally go through stretches where we want to tear each others' hair out, but at the end of the day we still very much love each other. So if Bendis wants to explore something like this, I'm down.

What I do not look forward to, however, is the fan community derailing thread after thread to state that he's sexist or mishandles Lois...and I think most of us know this is how the reaction will be lol If Lois starts the fight, it'll be "how could he write that, he hates Lois! Burn him!" and if Clark starts the fight it'll be "how could he write that, he hates Lois, burn him!" :P I guess that's probably a little salty, but it seems like every other Superman thread gets turned into it.

Yes, God forbid women who are paying customers just like you are and who are, by their lives experiences, more aware and impacted by the consistent and documented mistreatment and marginalization of female characters in an office that up until only a few months ago employed a serial sexual harasser and still employs zero female talent express their feelings when they see things that make them uncomfortable.

I’m really sorry that YOU have to see that. I know it’s such a nag for you that women have to, you know, get a voice and get to express when they feel uncomfortable now. It was a lot easier when no one cared we existed.

How about instead of complaining about female fans who are PAYING CUSTOMERS just like you exercising their right to talk openly about sexism you just worry about yourself. We are free and allowed to call out any injustices as we see them without you policing it.

If Bendis mistreats Lois in any capacity he will be judged accordingly for it. And he will be criticized accordingly for it. He will not get away with it, he will be judged and criticized appropriately. Welcome to 2018. Sorry it’s such a burden for you that we have equal rights now.

[DragonPiece]

I knew that new mixtape would be dropping around noon, lol

https://www.cbr.com/brian-bendis-sup...ins-interview/

Not that good of a interview, hardly any actual questions about his run just comparing it to his time at marvel.

Bendis again mentioning Lex will be in JL definitely makes me think he is leading the legion.

[Nelliebly]

Him and Lois are just being sent away to avoid the danger of Rogal Zaar. At least that appears to be the reason minus some twist. How long they'll be away from Superman is unknown. But they'll be back. Its less removing him from the lineup rather focusing majorly on Superman. Which, to me, is always a pretty obvious thing to do. In the meantime Clark's characterization will probably be dealing with what its like being away from family for a while. And that's not mentioning the likelihood of getting their perspective on things from their hiding place. But I mean, its been confirmed the kid is still around via released panels. I don't know what more is needed to alleviate the fear that there's plans to erase him. There simply is not.

Jon will only ever go away in either both or one of two instances: His popularity wanes, and/or writers themselves just grow tired of him. Either of those things would take time to manifest though. He's popular right now in the present, and there's no way that after barely two years writers are tired of him. There's a good 3-to-5 years I think before our next DCU overhaul (considering the power structure remains the same, this is their whim). That's the only point where I think there's even the most remote reason to look at his status and wonder what could happen. And if he retains his level of popularity even then he should be okay. But that's all future stuff. In the here and now, he's 100% fine.

It’s pathetic and lazy that Bendis has to send Lois Lane away —away from the Daily Planet—-in order to tell this story focusing on Clark. It’s pathetic that Bendis needed to get his wife out of the way to tell this “poor Clark Kent” story. It’s pathetic that in the era of 2018 in the era of #metoo and such scrutiny and mistreatment of women and female journalists that he chose to tell a big story about journalism and the first thing he did was shove the female journalist out of the story. Very telling and a choice I expect a choice he will be rightfully nailed for. It’s tone deaf.

The need for people to say “poor Clark Kent?” Also pathetic. We do not have to feel sorry for Clark Kent to find him relatable and if Bendis uses Lois as a reason why we feel bad for him he’s going to be rightly and swiftly and corrected criticized for it. That’s dated and lazy. She deserves so much better.

Frankly I’m not only not impressed with anything he says but nearly everything he says but especially the “poor Clark Kent” angle reeks of toxic masculinity.

He’s going to be criticized for these choices and the critique will be valid. I hope I’m wrong though.

[JasonTodd428]

I don't know what more is needed to alleviate the fear that there's plans to erase him.

While I don't any longer believe there is cause to worry about that there are two things that would alleviate the part of me that still harbors a lingering fear.

1. Is simply time. Once we get into the actual run and I see Jon being treated as a character in his own right with some focus on him from time to time (notice I didn't say 'all the focus') and not just as window dressing to prop up the family angle I'll feel that I can relax. As of now Bendis's books will be the only ones Jon will even be in so I do think it's important Bendis not go to far in the other direction by pushing him into a completely background role in his books.

2. DC officially announcing some other in continuity title that he is a part of. Not some vague rumor or fan speculation or OGN in the Zoom or Ink imprint but an actual ongoing of some sort. Because Superman and Clark should be the focus of Action and Superman I think Jon needs some other book where he can get some more in depth focus as he was getting with Super Sons in order for his continued character development and evolution.

That's just my two cents.

[Sacred Knight]

Dammit, double post

[Sacred Knight]

Sounds more to me like a superhero putting his family somewhere safe when there's a supervillain going around saying he's going to purge the last remnants of Krypton from the face of the universe. Jon is half-Kryptonian. He'll be in the cross-hairs. Lois is his mother, not only could I easily see there wanting to stay by his side, she could easily be targeted on principle alone herself. Who knows if she's not more thinking of Jon than herself when she goes with Jor-El. I mean sure, do it grudgingly, but be smart about the situation. It sounds far less about toxic-masculinity and more about a family doing what it takes to stay alive against a guy looking for their extinction just because of the blood that runs in their veins.

Of course, I am doing a lot of assuming here. But then again so are all of us. There's only so much information we know. What we know for sure is that Lois and Jon appear to be headed to parts unknown with Jor-El. The assumptions, intelligent as they may be, are still just that. But this is how I personally think its going to go down. If people still don't like, hey fair enough. But if the set-up is anywhere in this ballpark I'll be fine and intrigued. And would expect to see Lois and Jon just the same. Just cut-away from the stuff Kal and Kara are doing.

All I can speak for is myself but nothing he's saying thus far has me thinking pathetic in the slightest. For those that are feeling that, I hope the content proves otherwise for you.

[Superlad93]

the “poor Clark Kent” angle reeks of toxic masculinity.

I don't agree with condemning Bendis based on the postulations of a poster on a forum or a vague solicitation, but what I really find hard to wrapping my head around is the quote above.

I genuinely, with all my heart, can not see what you mean by that statement. The definition of toxic masculinity that I'm familiar with would seem to support the opposite. Then when put into the context of what he was saying in the interview, I can't see him meaning it as anything damaging. He was specifically speaking about Superman and the fact that the iconography of him usually supersedes the need to explore his complex emotions as a character. This isn't something that has ever been an issue with Spider-Man. That seems to be what he meant when he said "poor Peter." Writers go out of their way to make sure you're aware of how a situation is affecting Peter personally, so you can empathize with him as you read, thus "poor Peter." Writers who have played Superman as icon first, second, and third have cultivated the thinking that Superman should just get over his problems as they show up. The only emotions he's ever allowed to show are his god like wrath, and his boundless compassion. That's fine short-hand (to a degree) when you're doing something that's not his book, but it's damn near character assassination in his solo book. It also sounds a lot closer to traditional toxic masculinity. A character who is the apex of macho, never cries, expresses his feelings, but is allowed t show his wrath.

Are you going off the idea that we're suppose to empathize with Clark because Lois and Jon are in danger, and that is toxic masculinity? If so, there's nothing in the interview that supports that being the case, and Bendis himself has gone on record saying that he's enjoying writing Lois, and how her passion for the truth is such a fascinating part of her, so I have to imagine she's around. I can't condemn a writer off vague designed-to-catch-the-eye solicitations (take that up with the people who write them). If I did Tom King's Batman/Superman arc would be underwhelming to me, and it sure wasn't.

If the idea is in fact to garner sympathy and understanding for Clark via Lois and Jon perpetually being in danger, then I'll agree with you, but if the idea is for us to empathize with Clark because he's a person and we'll see him work through personal issues that he comes up against, then I'm all for it. And everything that has actually come from Bendis' mouth has me thinking it will be more of the latter than the former for the lion's share of his run.

[Superlad93]

Of course, I am doing a lot of assuming here. But then again so are all of us. There's only so much information we know. What we know for sure is that Lois and Jon appear to be headed to parts unknown with Jor-El. The assumptions, intelligent as they may be, are still just that. But this is how I personally think its going to go down. If people still don't like, hey fair enough. But if the set-up is anywhere in this ballpark I'll be fine and intrigued. And would expect to see Lois and Jon just the same. Just cut-away from the stuff Kal and Kara are doing.

I'd be very much for a Lois Lane and Jon Kent book/mini/maxi set on that strange paradise super planet that Jor-El showed them. He did offer both Lois and Jon refuge there along with Clark, so the idea could very well be sending them there to be safe. And I'm all for the cut-away idea (over even back-up feature) because that would very nice set up for a book to spin out of it. We're going from 6 dedicated Superman books to 2, and we know for a fact that Kara is getting "something" spun out of this mini 6 week event, so it's not too crazy to assume that the same may be true for Lois and Jon. We may end up with Lois going back to Action, but deciding to leave Jon behind.

It's all kind of up in the air. Sort of like Metal/No Justice closing down other books only to spin out new ones from the ideas present in the event. They seem to be working off this sort of "chain reaction" format for rolling out their books.

[Ascended]

It's all kind of up in the air. Sort of like Metal/No Justice closing down other books only to spin out new ones from the ideas present in the event. They seem to be working off this sort of "chain reaction" format for rolling out their books.

If the word that the JSA and/or Legion are returning from Doomsday Clock, that also supports the "chain reaction" launch schedule too.

[Sacred Knight]

Y'know, here's something I haven't thought of and I now feel foolish for not doing so. In the Oz arc, Jor-El showed Jon another world that he wanted to take him to, back when he was crazy and wanting to destroy the Earth. Fast forward to now, could this be the place that a no-longer-crazy Jor-El finally does take Jon and Lois to? Just for a different reason this time?

Could be really cool for both characters. Jon getting to explore a strange new world, not entirely unlike adventures his father had as a boy with the Legion, then you get Lois, making her way in a world where metas were the dominant "race",trying to fit in and maybe actually being able to use her investigative skills and get a job amongst them. Its actually what I really wanted to see happen with World of New Krypton, until I found out she was being left behind on Earth.

[Clark_Kent]

Yes, God forbid women who are paying customers just like you are and who are, by their lives experiences, more aware and impacted by the consistent and documented mistreatment and marginalization of female characters in an office that up until only a few months ago employed a serial sexual harasser and still employs zero female talent express their feelings when they see things that make them uncomfortable.

I’m really sorry that YOU have to see that. I know it’s such a nag for you that women have to, you know, get a voice and get to express when they feel uncomfortable now. It was a lot easier when no one cared we existed.

How about instead of complaining about female fans who are PAYING CUSTOMERS just like you exercising their right to talk openly about sexism you just worry about yourself. We are free and allowed to call out any injustices as we see them without you policing it.

If Bendis mistreats Lois in any capacity he will be judged accordingly for it. And he will be criticized accordingly for it. He will not get away with it, he will be judged and criticized appropriately. Welcome to 2018. Sorry it’s such a burden for you that we have equal rights now.

And there it is. Thank you.

I never said women shouldn't complain when there is reason to (I don't think I singled out a gender). I said that a lot of fans will complain no matter what unless Lois is written how they specifically want her to be. I basically said fans would jump the gun at every little thing.

I enjoy being proven right. Have a wonderful day!

[Clark_Kent]

Sounds more to me like a superhero putting his family somewhere safe when there's a supervillain going around saying he's going to purge the last remnants of Krypton from the face of the universe. Jon is half-Kryptonian. He'll be in the cross-hairs. Lois is his mother, not only could I easily see there wanting to stay by his side, she could easily be targeted on principle alone herself. Who knows if she's not more thinking of Jon than herself when she goes with Jor-El. I mean sure, do it grudgingly, but be smart about the situation. It sounds far less about toxic-masculinity and more about a family doing what it takes to stay alive against a guy looking for their extinction just because of the blood that runs in their veins.

Of course, I am doing a lot of assuming here. But then again so are all of us. There's only so much information we know. What we know for sure is that Lois and Jon appear to be headed to parts unknown with Jor-El. The assumptions, intelligent as they may be, are still just that. But this is how I personally think its going to go down. If people still don't like, hey fair enough. But if the set-up is anywhere in this ballpark I'll be fine and intrigued. And would expect to see Lois and Jon just the same. Just cut-away from the stuff Kal and Kara are doing.

All I can speak for is myself but nothing he's saying thus far has me thinking pathetic in the slightest. For those that are feeling that, I hope the content proves otherwise for you.

Remember in Superman v2 #75, Superman vs Doomsday in downtown Metropolis, and Superman yells to Lois (and Jimmy) "stay back!" and "For Lois, and Jimmy, and this entire city...I've gotta put this guy down while I still can!"

What a pig, right?