Frank Miller Signs DC Exclusive Contact (+Preview of Superman Year One)

[Vakanai]

Okay, I'll ask the obvious question: How were they able to cut his hair?

Probably not canon, to this book or otherwise, but my fan theory is a bit of the superbaby rocket broke off, and since it's kryptonian they can use it as a blade and give him haircuts that way.

[Vakanai]

LOL. LOL. Yes, it sounds like he’s super eager to “go out in the world” and enforce US imperialism and abuse his power and privilege by shooting people. What an absolutely beautiful story. I’m so keen to read it. Absolutely revolutionary. Cannot wait to read notorious islamaphobe tell this beautiful story of war.

Wanting to be a soldier/join the navy doesn't have to be about imperialism or abusing power. I mean this is Miller so it probably will be, sadly. I'm just pointing out the idea isn't itself a bad one, even if the execution likely will be.

[dancj]

Where are people getting "rape" from? I can't see it mentioned in that article. Is it somewhere else?

[DragonPiece]

Where are people getting "rape" from? I can't see it mentioned in that article. Is it somewhere else?

it's in the first issue, some people who read the book early tweeted about it.

[Sam]

Welp...that was...not kind towards mothers.

[superduperman]

Probably not canon, to this book or otherwise, but my fan theory is a bit of the superbaby rocket broke off, and since it's kryptonian they can use it as a blade and give him haircuts that way.

There's a panel where the navy is cutting his hair. Pretty sure they didn't have access to any kind of Kryptonian blades.

[Vordan]

Welp...that was...not kind towards mothers.

Miller has some... out there ideas about women. Doesn’t help that he thinks the Kents are basically losers who kept Clark from being the God-Emperor he was meant to be, at least in DKSA. For Miller, Miracleman is how Superman’s story should end.

There's a panel where the navy is cutting his hair. Pretty sure they didn't have access to any kind of Kryptonian blades.

In this take his hair isn’t uncuttable which is fine. Different interpretations and all that.

[Vakanai]

There's a panel where the navy is cutting his hair. Pretty sure they didn't have access to any kind of Kryptonian blades.

Didn't see that panel. Guess this Superman lacks the invulnerable hair of some versions. Or Clark keeps some very small sliver of kryptonite on him whenever he needs to get a shot or a haircut.

[Sacred Knight]

Not seeing what it did badly in regards to mothers. The worst thing is that she doesn't seem all that...studious? But then again neither is Jonathan. He goes a bit of the country bumpkin route, and while its not necessarily a preference of mine Martha isn't portrayed any worse than Jonathan in that regard. Worst he did by her is not having her present for the rocket scene. And even that just feels more odd because its not usually done that way than it is an outright insult. She gets her moment meeting baby Kal just the same.

[Sam]

Miller has some... out there ideas about women. Doesn’t help that he thinks the Kents are basically losers who kept Clark from being the God-Emperor he was meant to be, at least in DKSA. For Miller, Miracleman is how Superman’s story should end.

Yeah, I was expecting it as far as Martha went. But then the bus scene. I knew Miller had certain weird ideas about women, but guess I've never encounter him do anything with moms before. It was weird.

Not seeing what it did badly in regards to mothers. The worst thing is that she doesn't seem all that...studious? But then again neither is Jonathan. He goes a bit of the country bumpkin route, and while its not necessarily a preference of mine Martha isn't portrayed any worse than Jonathan in that regard. Worst he did by her is not having her present for the rocket scene. And even that just feels more odd because its not usually done that way than it is an outright insult. She gets her moment meeting baby Kal just the same.

Martha was forced into the role of the worrier. That was her entire value in the story. When Clark would get into fights or wanted to join the army, she was the one going you shouldn't do that Clark or they're going to brainwash you Clark. And Jonathan would keep saying "Clark, a man's gotta fight for what he believes in" or such (paraphasing). He even pulled aside Clark at one point to tell him how Martha was wrong about things (Jonathan got a number of one-on-one scenes with Clark. I don't think Martha got one). It played into this idea that mothers make their sons weak or hold them back from achieving their masculine potential. Old-fashioned nonsense.

This continued in the bus scene off to the Navy base. There were a number of references to mothers, but all made in reference to the weakness of the recruits who depended on them. It was very striking. Was it the biggest sin Miller has committed with female characters? Undoubtably no. But is it frustrating that it's 2019 and this comic contains portrayals of women that were outdated 20 years ago? Absolutely.

[Sacred Knight]

Okay, I see where you're coming from now. I'll look over those examples again.

[Sam]

Okay, I see where you're coming from now. I'll look over those examples again.

Cool. Be curious to know what you think after you look it over again.

[friendly-fire-press]

I mean, if you care about the character at all, garbage takes like this have the potential to actively harm him.

"actively harm him"??? I seriously doubt that. But many of Miller's peers said the same thing about his take on Batman in DKR back in the 80's when it first came out (apparently there were guys in the industry phoning Miller up saying he had "ruined" the Batman character). It wasn't true of Batman then and it's not true of Superman now. Miller's vision and style may be an acquired taste but isn't a destructive thing. It's the opposite. It breathes new life into the character.

Miller hasn’t written anything worthwhile or even good in like 30 years. Stuff like Holy Terror is actively offensive. So it’s understandable to be upset that this is being pushed as some seminal Superman book when it’s shaping up to be one of the worst takes on the character in decades.

That's your opinion. Just because a particular artist doesn't appeal to your personal taste does not mean it has no place in pop culture. If you've got a problem with Miller then don't read the book, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should be denied reading something we're interested in reading.

As for Holy Terror being "actively offensive", it was a response to 9/11 ... so obviously it was going to be confrontational. But nearly all of Miller's work is confrontational. That's the kind of artist he is. Some of the best art in the world is of the confronting type. There's nothing wrong with that

Gang rape doesn’t belong in Superman’s origin.

Again, that's your opinion. Nothing more. I would argue that it does (or at least there's nothing wrong with it being explored in Superman's world). Rape is an inhuman crime which tragically occurs all too often in our world. I've often wanted to witness Superman's response to it. To not have him confront it is a bit like saying the issue should be ignored. That's wrong IMO

The SEAL thing is beyond dumb, and Miller getting all the terminology wrong is hilarious because it’s so on the nose. He writes jingoistic, xenophobic nonsense but doesn’t have the interest or care to get basic terminology, like that the Navy is different than the army. But from the guy who wrote Holy Terror, not really surprising.

Firstly, I think it makes total sense that Clark joins the Navy. Secondly, yeah getting specific terminology inaccurate is a bummer but it happens to all writers now and then. No big deal.

As for "jingoistic" ... there may be some elements of that in some of his work but, let's face it, superhero comics is basically: Good versus Evil. That whole concept is basically warfare. So that issue is bound to come thru in one way or another.

As for his writing being "xenophobic" ... that's just wrong. I've read all of his stuff. Even Holy Terror (while not his best) isn't xenophobic or even Islamophobic. Just because the villains in the story are Muslim terrorists doesn't mean the story suggests that ALL Muslims are terrorists.

Miller really should have retired in like 2000.

I guess we can agree to disagree. I'm so glad Miller is still producing top quality comics.

[Yoda]

You realize Miller doesn’t even defend Holy Terror right? Even he knows it was a horribly offensive comic that DC wouldn’t get within 50 feet of. So yeah, it’s not really a difference of “taste.”

[Vordan]

“Top quality comics” is pushing it. While I don’t have the same strong negative feelings that Yoda does, this is nowhere near as good as Batman: Year One or The Dark Knight Returns. It’s a fairly middling work so far, we’ll see how he handles the next two books.