Superman#1 Discussion and Spoilers

[JAK]

I think this is one overlooked thing about Superman. For all people critique of his personality, so much of what we know comes from his private thoughts. To the outside he looks very stoic and as he says internally, like he knows what he's doing, even when something like thwarting the invasion was a chance brought by wandering aimlessly.

Definitely. I just love the presentation of it here. Few words are given, but few are needed. The visuals tell the story very well.

Very much agreed. In Johns' Superman & The Legion (back in continuity, I'm sure) he makes it very clear that Superman takes a VERY direct and hands on role to forming the United Planets. He actively brokers peace treaties and such. I heard no backlash on this idea, but what I feel like people are overlooking is the actual logistics of HOW you get there. That expressly requires a Superman who is actively setting up, sitting in on, and giving input on meetings between Earth and other planets.

It's so counter to what Superman has gone by till now, but it goes on to create a galactic shared community. This is the sort of conversation that had to have happened in some form to get Superman there, I feel.

I love the idea of even starting to bring this concept in. Hopefully that's the idea - it's a bit too "King Of The World, Part 2" potentially, otherwise.. but I don't see them going near that.

My take away was that Clark has trigger words, like all of us, in conversations this delicate, and J'onn was way more blunt with his words than he maybe accounted for. J'onn said it himself, this was always going to be a hard sell. And I think J'onn is also coming at this from the objective perspective of an outsider, more so than Clark. But broaching that subject with Clark, someone who is very lined up with human thinking, and someone who is very self conscious about how strong he comes off is a hard dance. But I feel, considering Superman's status as both an alien and most beloved citizen of Earth, J'onn had to try, ya know?

True, but there've been other moments with Bendis's Clark that give it a bit of a broader feel than that, personality-wise. But that's definitely part of it.

I actually think everyone's reaction of being taken back, suspicious, and dismissive of the idea like Clark is the point. I was right there with you when I read "takeover." And that's awesome because that means we're, as readers, directly identifying with Superman, right?

A VERY good point, and absolutely right. It's exactly the kind of writing I want to see. Maybe we can get Bendis to write the next movie, lol...

Not to put too much of a pin in it, and this isn't a direct reply to anyone, but I'd like to post a quick conversation between The Legion and Superman in Johns' Superman & The Legion of Superheroes. Action Comics vol 1 issue #859

Wildfire: So the vote was unanimous. No matter what happened, we couldn't bring you back here--'cause everyone knows you're the most important figure in intergalactic history.

Superman: Maybe I helped inspire the Legion, but beyond that--

Dawnstar: The United Planets grew out of the peace treaties you helped negotiate when Earth was made up of thousands of individual governments

That's verbatim from the issue. Dawnstar is literally talking about the 21st century. And we've seen that Bendis has been going through all of DC's history. It seems like he read that exchange and thought "why hasn't any writer ever picked up this thread?" And I have to agree. It's literally right there.

That's just awesome. I definitely hope this turns out!

Bit off-topic but would you guys say Metropolis should be a “utopia”? I’d say no because it’s still a place that was under Lex Luthor’s thumb not too long ago. Not sure how many of you guys have played Mass Effect but if Omega is Gotham I always felt like Illium would be Metropolis.

I haven't played the "Mass Effect" games, but no - it's more like one than Gotham, but it still has it's seedier elements.. they just show up differently and are more underground.

So even though Superman has no idea where Jor-El has taken Lois and Jon, he sets off to find them. Is Kal really that dumb? Wouldn't he ask someone like the GLC to help him track them rather than aimlessly flying through space in the hope of bumping into them? To quote Douglas Adams: "Space is big. Really big". Which brings up another point: How long can Superman hold his breath? He used to have to wear breathing apparatus for long journeys into space. Is Bendis now saying that Supes can survive without oxygen for extended periods of time? Also, Superman just KILLED a large number of Dominators on the assumption that they were heading to Earth on a mission of conquest. Since when did Kal become a cold-blooded killer? Another out-of-character moment from Bendis.

I liked it - I know that if my wife was missing, I'd have the world out looking but still start with areas that I think might be where she is (if I had any idea at all). It doesn't say for sure, so I just thought he was looking in "educated ballpark" areas that he thinks might be possible and just mentally knocking himself since he's making no progress. As for the Dominators, I didn't take them as dead - it's old school, but the mention of Dominators wondering "for years" why their invasion failed, and I took that to mean they escaped to tell the tale. But I can see how one could read it differently.