Official : Bendis gets both books

[Hypestyle]

Lots of action needed! make it happen, Mr. Bendis.

[Soubhagya]

So did anyone see that bit here on CBR about Bendis leaning into Clark's Jewish background?

Should be interesting. I mean, I personally prefer Clark's religious opinions to be more....complex.....than just being one faith or another, and it'd just be weird to see him suddenly expressing a religious faith he's never been vocal about (even if its clear in his character's origins and early stories) but it's a part of his mythos that has been ignored for a long, long time, and it'll be interesting to see if Bendis can find any new corners of Kal-El we haven't seen since 1940.

I noticed that. I agree it can be interesting. And i hope that he does it in a subtle manner. I am not a fan of Christ poses in films. And i don't find Superman to be a religious figure. He has similarities. Its something to keep an eye upon.

[superduperman]

I don't think they're talking about Clark BEING jewish, I think he's alluding to the jewish influences in his creation. How they would pull that off is beyond me. The metaphors are kind of played out at this point. We know his coming to Earth is derived from the story of Moses. And that the El in his name is taken from judaism. Meaning some equivalent of "God". I think in Kryptonian Kal means "Star Child". So you have "Star Child of God" so you have kind of a Jesus metaphor right there. The movies alone have beaten that particular horse to death and still tried to ride it.

[JasonTodd428]

What is with the aimed narrative of martyring Jurgens/Tomasi/Gleason? It was a respectable run in today's climate, and they're moving on. Runs like Spider-Man/Slott are next to unheard of today. Why are people are acting like this is some huge affront? Is this just setting up the eventual Bendis hate in advance or something? Overreaching on how influential these past two years have really been to make this look like some all-time great period for Superman so in retrospect Bendis can be ripped on further? Because...yeah, this was not THAT special. If this is what passes for special, man how low the bar for Superman is. It just seems like they're trying to make this as big a deal as it was with the changing of the guard in 1999. This isn't even close.

For me its less about "setting up eventual Bendis hate" and more about the fact that, in general, I don't like his work. I'm not comfortable with DC having given him both of the main Superman books. I'm also not happy that he wants to put Jon on the back burner here.

I don't think you can blame people for being leery of DC giving him carte blanche with Superman after he had the same at Marvel. He had the nasty habit of ignoring everything that had gone on with a character under other writers during his event books there (looking at you CWII).

[JasonTodd428]

Also more hints that Krypton was deliberately destroyed.

I don't like that idea at all. Do we really need to add to the tragedy of Krypton's demise by having it be a villain that caused it? Personally, I find it far more tragic that no one listened to Jor El, which lead to only two survivors of Krypton and that retconning in a villain as the cause is unnecessary.

[LordUltimus]

So apparently Bendis has been posting the pre-crisis Legion of Super-Heroes roster on tumblr. Possible indication for something?

[Johnny Thunders!]

I hope he's been reading some Elliot S. Maggin, but I say that about every Superman reboot. I think this is my 4th or 5th.

I love Bendis Daredevil run and his Powers series. I just hope we don't have to read a story that "finally, grounds the man of steel as the everyman he's always been, finally, and finally."

[titansupes]

I don't like that idea at all. Do we really need to add to the tragedy of Krypton's demise by having it be a villain that caused it? Personally, I find it far more tragic that no one listened to Jor El, which lead to only two survivors of Krypton and that retconning in a villain as the cause is unnecessary.

I agree. I prefer it's simply because of the arrogance and complacency of the Science Council and others that Krypton didn't save itself.

However, given that Bendis spoke of playing up the Jewish background (and I really could just be reading too much into this)-- He MAY be doubling down on the WWII angle of the whole thing. Maybe the Krypton's destruction was the result of civil war etc and that's why Kal-El was forced to flee to Earth while his parents died. In other words, he may be giving Krypton its own version of Hitler.

[titansupes]

I hope he's been reading some Elliot S. Maggin, but I say that about every Superman reboot. I think this is my 4th or 5th.

I love Bendis Daredevil run and his Powers series. I just hope we don't have to read a story that "finally, grounds the man of steel as the everyman he's always been, finally, and finally."

Couldn't agree more.

[Kuwagaton]

I don't like that idea at all. Do we really need to add to the tragedy of Krypton's demise by having it be a villain that caused it? Personally, I find it far more tragic that no one listened to Jor El, which lead to only two survivors of Krypton and that retconning in a villain as the cause is unnecessary.

I don't love the idea, but Black Zero has been a part of mythos for longer than it hadn't.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I forgot and I even copied him it from him, it's Elliot S! Maggin.

I just read Starwinds Howl, the greatest, most cosmic story about Krypto ever. Is Jim Kelly going to come tell me I'm wrong?

[Frontier]

Bendis possibly doing a new Superman origin would be interesting since I don't think he's ever actually done an origin revamp of an A-List character since Ultimate Spider-Man.

[Ascended]

It was a bizarre article. Are they going to retcon the Kents as being Jewish? I mean I don't see how else you make Superman more Jewish out of nowhere.

The reason for the Christ imagery because it is a story that mirror's Superman's. Superman is a god like figure that was sent to Earth by his father and then decided to use his godlike ability to save the people there. Jesus' story is basically the same. Sent to Earth by his father and had to decide if he wanted to sacrifice himself for its people. It is why writers and directors like to play up the metaphor so much.

Maybe it just means that he will focus more on Superman being a minority-like character, but I have no idea.

I agree with the others who are saying that Bendis will "probably" just lean into the Jewish influences, and not try to write Clark (or the Kents) as suddenly being Jewish out of nowhere. I wouldn't put it past Bendis though. He's a Jewish kid just like the creators were. He ignores continuity when it suits him. Jewish culture deeply influenced the early stories so he can point to those as precedent. But I don't think DC will let him. I mean, look at the uproar when Superman (not Clark) renounced his honorary American citizenship because he didn't want his actions to have consequences on his nation. Imagine the BS that will get stirred up if he announces he's Jewish.

But if Bendis keeps it subtle and just puts those Jewish influences back into the character? Few people will notice or be able to tell the difference between Space Jesus and Space Moses.

Aw. I'm completely fine with them being gone because they've already been gone more or less since Pa died (twice!) roughly a decade ago. But easily, the great thing about the Reis splash to me is Ma holding back lil Clark. I miss them in his background and being there for the discovery of his great origin.

I understand what Johns did with Secret Origin, where Clark was freaked to learn he was an alien. It's pretty reasonable. So was the overwhelming fear in MoS, and the idea that the world would move forward without its brakes. But I enjoy it more when it's this vast mystery and the Kents are right by him to help interpret or express his otherworldly destiny. If they keep Secret Origin, I hope they tweak that single part.

Im fine with the Kents living long enough to help Clark adjust to the discovery of his alien heritage and figure out his path. I mean, the poor people are given the impossible task of raising a being with tremendous power and senses infinitely beyond our own, who perceives the world in ways we never will, and who will clearly change the world someday. They deserve to know that they did their job right and their little boy will turn out okay. Every parent deserves that knowledge.

I wouldn't even argue with them living long enough to see him put on the cape. And in the spirit of compromise with the post-Crisis die-hards I'd even accept them living long enough to see Jon born (grudgingly, but I'd accept it). But I personally draw the line at them being alive in the present day. It became a crutch for Clark in post-Crisis and used to terrible effect. They stop serving a narrative purpose once Clark is grown that can't be handled through flashback scenes or handled by another character, and that would potentially give Perry a much needed expanded role in the mythos.

[Kuwagaton]

I think Clark unpacking baggage with Perry would just cause the older man to back toward the door slowly and tell him to get back to work, haha.

there's not a realistic chance and maybe not a heavy demand for the Kents, but I'd like to see them as comic relief if so. between their heavily doting nature and Jon's penny pinching ways. I think that's something Bendis could work in a typical Jewish comedy way, and his humor is usually quite adept.

[superduperman]

So apparently Bendis has been posting the pre-crisis Legion of Super-Heroes roster on tumblr. Possible indication for something?

We know that Saturn Girl is in Arkham looking for Superman so it's safe to say that the Legion will be part of his history. I assume that he will have been a costumed Superboy at least with them. Depends on how much of Johns SO they decide to keep.