Official : Bendis gets both books

[Superlad93]

Even though I'm very much interested in the idea of a long distance relationship on a galactic level based on its story potential and potential for character (family) growth for all parties involved, I'm personally not comfortable with proclaiming that it'll be all the more sweeter and more impacting if the time away is elongated. At this juncture I can't say one way or the other how justified a prolonged separation will be narratively speaking.

A level of autonomy for Lois and Jon would be very nice. Them making a choice to stay away longer or them finding causes while their that keep them away. And if that's not the case then a credible external reason for them not to return needs to be in play, and that can't be a "whoops, just missed em" sort of Benny Hill, Yakety Sax, hall of revolving Scooby Doo doors situation. That'd betrays what is turning into a sprawling and well planed out plot so far in Man of Steel.

Bendis is playing at this galactic political thriller angle in the backdrop of his story, so I assume he'll lean on that to facilitate any prolonged absence by Lois and Jon. The crazy man with the axe is taken care of, but what about the people more or less complacent in his actions? A sort of intergalactic witness protection, but in this case Clark and his family can't trust the space cops because they're potentially dirty even without knowing it (I don't think it's a mistake Bendis is using Hal as the concerned friend looking out for Clark). But from that point on, I'd need Lois and Jon to be actively doing something of their own while away, and I'd very much need Bendis to make good on the promise of the Kents adapting to what their family needs to be. I'd also very much appreciate issues/moments where visits happens.

But as it stands, I'm very much okay with Bendis unraveling the plot before me, and I'll make my judgment on how long this could go before it insults my intelligence.

[Sacred Knight]

I just keep thinking back to the Death of Clark Kent storyline. In it, Clark at one point thinks Lois is killed, then Ma and Pa. He's reunited with Jonathan and Martha I think two issues later, while its not till the end of the storyline that he's reunited with Lois. And the latter reunion was more satisfying to me. That's why I equate length of time with this, just based on past personal experience.

[Superlad93]

That's fine, and I'm not discounting you or your experiences. However a plot is a plot. There's nothing to say that the moment where Ma and Pa are shown to be okay shortly after couldn't have been done better or that it didn't hit just right for someone else. But if we're speaking in terms of inner working of how to allow that length of time to be elongated, then we get a slight bit more objective. If the idea is "oh gosh, these totally crazy and mostly unrelated things keep prolonging our reunion. Boy, our family is crazy, huh?" Then you're messing with the credibility of your story and you're distracting from other plot points because this one is truing into "we're apparently not allowed to be together because there's clearly a person writing about our lives."

My beef is in the how it would continue. It being elongated isn't objectively good or bad. Everything around it is what makes it matter and have any narrative and emotional punch to it. That's my only point.

[Sacred Knight]

Oh well of course it'll have to make sense within the story. If the reasons for the rift don't make sense, then the whole thing falls apart. My money right now personally is a "lost in space" type scenario, but that's just a guess.

[Superlad93]

I'm keen the 'witness protection' on Planet Bliss with Jor-El angle myself. I think that's part of why Bendis picked Hal for the Justice League member that shows up in the mini multiple times. A Guardian's actions or inaction being one of the prime movers in the greater plot around Clark right now.

Side note: any guess on who this "hero from DC's early past" that "returns in Superman#1 to tell Clark he's not doing enough to guide humanity." ?

"Early past" could mean publication history (Crimson Avenger?? or Atom?) or as in B.C. There you got the likes of Atlas (Kirby) or even Anthro, aka "first boy" caveman superhero. But whoever it is they're going to be the ones to spark the idea that changes Superman's hero approach, and that sounds really interesting.

Edit: Yoooooo what if it's freakin Ma Hunkel aka the read tornado. That actually works strangely well lol

[Ascended]

Okay, well whoever the early hero is, they will have had to have had quite an impact on the world if they're telling Superman he's not doing enough.

So I'm inclined to think ancient, BC history here, not Golden Age publication history. Damned few Golden Age characters could say Clark isn't pulling his weight. So my guess is its a hero who helped shape history itself. Atlas seems likely, but my gut is saying it could be Aurakles, from Morrison's Seven Soldiers.

[DragonPiece]

Apparently Superman will be getting a new fortress of solitude, designed by Ivan Reis. Designs for it will be shown in DC Nation #2 https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/06...c-nation-july/

[Miles To Go]

David Mack covers for Action Comics 1002 and Superman#2

[Superlad93]

Okay, well whoever the early hero is, they will have had to have had quite an impact on the world if they're telling Superman he's not doing enough.

So I'm inclined to think ancient, BC history here, not Golden Age publication history. Damned few Golden Age characters could say Clark isn't pulling his weight.

That was my first thought, but that's all a matter of perspective and relativity, right? Take Ma Hunkel, she worked at a grocery store, raised her kids, and beat the crap out of jerks trying to make life suck for other people. That was realistically above and beyond the call for her. But to her is Superman pulling his relative weight? I think there's a fair (I'll be it well worn) debate to be had there, and at the very least it might be refreshing for it not to come from some other super-man who says they've figured it all out and what Clark is doing is glorified custodial work. That might be why Bendis has Clark taking his reporting up a notch in action, and has Superman pondering if the fires are a systemic issue.

That said, I'm all about Aurakles, man! Haven't detected hints that Bendis is bout hat Morrison life in his DC books so far, but I'd super down with seeing it.

Apparently Superman will be getting a new fortress of solitude, designed by Ivan Reis. Designs for it will be shown in DC Nation #2 https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/06...c-nation-july/

This makes me really, really happy. For one I've been over this version of the Fortress since they decided to stray away from Morrison's crystal dome. And on top of that I'd like to see what Bendis' version of a definitive Fortress looks like. Doesn't strike me as a Donner crystal guy. If the Fortress is tied at all into Superman's new approach to helping humanity then I think we might be in for something pretty darn unique in either aesthetic and function. Can't wait.

[Ascended]

That was my first thought, but that's all a matter of perspective and relativity, right? Take Ma Hunkel, she worked at a grocery store, raised her kids, and beat the crap out of jerks trying to make life suck for other people. That was realistically above and beyond the call for her. But to her is Superman pulling his relative weight? I think there's a fair (I'll be it well worn) debate to be had there, and at the very least it might be refreshing for it not to come from some other super-man who says they've figured it all out and what Clark is doing is glorified custodial work. That might be why Bendis has Clark taking his reporting up a notch in action, and has Superman pondering if the fires are a systemic issue.

That said, I'm all about Aurakles, man! Haven't detected hints that Bendis is bout hat Morrison life in his DC books so far, but I'd super down with seeing it.

I think it'd be a knife's edge either way.

If it's someone like Ma Hunkel, there's a serious danger of the commentary sounding like a "you're not doing enough to fix our problems for us" kind of entitlement. If it's another super human, then it all too easily turns into the ranting of a tyrant, or just simple fascism, and we've seen that a billion times.

What I'd personally like to see is someone who has had/will have an impact outside the cape life. Someone like Ted Knight. Ted was a hero, sure, but his cosmic energy technology is the thing that he'll be remembered for centuries from now and that'll be the thing that changes the world, not the fact that he used to wear a cape and fought bank robbers. I'd like this Superman thing to be someone influential but outside the sphere of superheroics; a MLK Jr., a Nelson Mandela, a Abe Lincoln, Steven Hawking, someone like that.

And no, I'm not detecting any/much Kirby/Morrison love from Bendis so far either, but we haven't really seen much from the guy yet so I'm not gonna rule it out. But I agree with you, it doesn't seem likely. I think if anyone currently at DC was going to play with the Kirby-Morrison toys, it'd be Snyder.

[Myskin]

And no, I'm not detecting any/much Kirby/Morrison love from Bendis so far either, but we haven't really seen much from the guy yet so I'm not gonna rule it out. But I agree with you, it doesn't seem likely. I think if anyone currently at DC was going to play with the Kirby-Morrison toys, it'd be Snyder.

Orlando.
He just mentioned spoilers:

Mandrakk

end of spoilers in The Unexpected.

[Superlad93]

I think it'd be a knife's edge either way.

Agreed. In Hunkel's case I think Bendis would be able to lean on the fact that both Hunkel and Superman started out doing essentially the same thing: being big sister/big brother/maternal/paternal figures that cleaned up the streets for the little folk. If Morrison's start is gone (and it seems to be) it'd basically be Golden age Superman asking why modern age Superman hasn't cleaned up the neighborhood known as the world.

But the language of "guide humanity" sort of denotes someone on a more macro scale I imagine.

Someone like Ted Knight.

Yeah, that totally works.

Still can't place if they mean timeline past or publication past. With the JSA coming back into play and being confirmed to be out there, they fit and are hot right now. Tend and Ma both fit. But.....what about Spectre? Super early hero in both ways, hasn't been used in a bit thus meaning a return, and operates on a macro scale fitting enough to comment on how humanity is being guided. Plus Siegel creation. *shrugs*

[Ascended]

That's not bad. I could totally see it. And if its true I wouldn't be disappointed.

[Ascended]

Orlando.
He just mentioned spoilers:

Mandrakk

end of spoilers in The Unexpected.

I heard that! It's in my pull box but I haven't made it to the LCS yet.

Nice to see you posting, by the way. Your insight has been missed.

[J-EL]

https://twitter.com/BRIANMBENDIS/sta...11736963469312
！！！