Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 25
  1. #1
    Took me a while, I'm back Netherman14's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    Metropolis, the City of Tomorrow.
    Posts
    451

    Default Superman in the 21st century - modernizing the franchise

    How would you modernize the franchise without changing it drastically to the point it's unrecognizable?

    You know the essentials: "Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple."

    SUPERMAN.

    It can't be distilled any better than Morrison did.

    So, let's get to the meat.

    Clark is the adopted son of Martha and Jonathan, he originates from another planet. I don't need to get too much into it.

    He arrived in Metropolis 8 months ago, the year is 2018. becoming Superman around the same time.

    Now here's a point of divergence, the Daily Star and Daily Planet have both already shut down due to irrelevance in the Digital Age, with George Taylor and Perry White retiring.

    Clark, Jimmy and Lois are independent reporters with their own site, who are already quite well known around the city. with either Taylor or White mentoring the trio.

    Pull-List:

    DC: Batman: Damned, The Green Lantern. Young Justice. Wonder Twins

    Boom!: Ronin Samurai.

  2. #2
    Last Son of Shaolin GreatKungLao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    1,364

    Default

    I would have changed the way he meets Lois in the first place. Since Daily Planet is no more and social media is at the top of things, they find themselves at some forum and some version of twitter/instagram, you pick it. They bond through expressing like-minded thoughts about what matters and what happens in the world and how we can fix it. At some point they finally decide to meet and everything else happens as destiny.

  3. #3
    Mighty Member adkal's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    1,276

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GreatKungLao View Post
    I would have changed the way he meets Lois in the first place. Since Daily Planet is no more and social media is at the top of things, they find themselves at some forum and some version of twitter/instagram, you pick it. They bond through expressing like-minded thoughts about what matters and what happens in the world and how we can fix it. At some point they finally decide to meet and everything else happens as destiny.
    Have you read any of the Lois Lane novels by Gwenda Bond?

  4. #4
    Last Son of Shaolin GreatKungLao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    1,364

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by adkal View Post
    Have you read any of the Lois Lane novels by Gwenda Bond?
    Unfortunately no.

  5. #5
    Mighty Member adkal's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    1,276

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by GreatKungLao View Post
    Unfortunately no.
    You should check them out - even if it's just borrowing from your local library.

    Well worth the read

  6. #6
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    34,012

    Default

    I'd like if Lois knew or found out he was Superman from the beginning as that third person love triangle doesn't hold up any more.

  7. #7
    Last Son of Shaolin GreatKungLao's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Russia
    Posts
    1,364

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Agent Z View Post
    I'd like if Lois knew or found out he was Superman from the beginning as that third person love triangle doesn't hold up any more.
    Something like MoS would've worked perfectly, she pretty much used social media to lure him out. Actually that haunt for story of the year that transforms into a relationship is one of the best things that DCEU did for them.

  8. #8
    BANNED Killerbee911's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Posts
    4,814

    Default

    Most of aspects of Superman have been modernized the only thing I think needs updating that Daily Planet is now CNN like news organization Clark and Lois are Digital correspondents which mean they write stories on the website and show up on debate shows as expert panelist on occasion. Lois Lane would be kinda of Anderson Cooper where they send her to front line of big events, Clark would be probably more tied metropolis events in his reporting for the site,you could probably put in charge of covering mainly crime which ties in Superman . Lex Luthor would be charge of Lexcorp which have would media wing kinda like Fox News and Lex would have a Evil Elon Musk public persona. That is only tweaks I think are needed CNN/FOX have headline war which is what the newspaper businesses was about . Perry White, Cat Grant, Jimmy Olsen all work with context of the set up as well. With a full functioning job that keeps all of the cast and rival work element to push storylines Superman would be perfect.
    Last edited by Killerbee911; 10-19-2018 at 04:21 AM.

  9. #9

    Default

    Maybe the Planet isn't an all-news-for-all-issues outfit. maybe it's more of a niche news website.

  10. #10
    (formerly "Superman") JAK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    iowa
    Posts
    2,405

    Default

    I'm actually ok with them still being print journalists. Much of the best reporting being done (and referenced by various news outlets, etc) comes from print journalists doing their job. They're actually more needed than ever.
    Hear my new CD "Love The World Away", available on iTunes, Google Music, Spotify, Shazam, and Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N5XYV..._waESybX1C0RXK via @amazon
    www.jamiekelleymusic.com
    TV interview here: https://snjtoday.com/snj-today-hotline-jamie-kelley/

  11. #11
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2,889

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JAK View Post
    I'm actually ok with them still being print journalists. Much of the best reporting being done (and referenced by various news outlets, etc) comes from print journalists doing their job. They're actually more needed than ever.
    100% agreement, frankly. Not all writing based journalism is just a socially conscious blogspot page. There are real newspapers out there, struggling, but still important, and I think selling the Planet as one of those makes sense.
    "You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."

  12. #12
    (formerly "Superman") JAK's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
    Location
    iowa
    Posts
    2,405

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Adekis View Post
    100% agreement, frankly. Not all writing based journalism is just a socially conscious blogspot page. There are real newspapers out there, struggling, but still important, and I think selling the Planet as one of those makes sense.
    Absolutely! It adds emotional layers to the Daily Planet that could be really good - and Clark might be drawn to the idea of helping to "save the Daily Planet" even as he saves the rest of the planet as Superman.
    Hear my new CD "Love The World Away", available on iTunes, Google Music, Spotify, Shazam, and Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01N5XYV..._waESybX1C0RXK via @amazon
    www.jamiekelleymusic.com
    TV interview here: https://snjtoday.com/snj-today-hotline-jamie-kelley/

  13. #13

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JAK View Post
    Absolutely! It adds emotional layers to the Daily Planet that could be really good - and Clark might be drawn to the idea of helping to "save the Daily Planet" even as he saves the rest of the planet as Superman.
    Sounds like a compelling idea.
    Pull List: Currently Empty

  14. #14
    Astonishing Member
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    4,386

    Default

    Honestly, I don't think a conscious effort to 'modernize' Superman is really going to work in the long-term. The New 52 was one such attempt and a lot of people didn't care for it. So was the DCEU. I have my doubts about how popular Earth One was.

    I guess it also depends on what you mean by 'modernize'. Is it superficial changes, like changing the suit or having the Daily Planet be a website rather than a print newspaper? Is it having the stories reflect the current socio-political context? Is it adding to the psychological complexity of Superman? Is it simply about making Superman younger?

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member Ascended's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    19,547

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Rod G View Post
    Sounds like a compelling idea.
    The way JMS handled the Daily Planet was one of the few things I really enjoyed about his Earth-1 series.

    I'm fine with the Planet still being a print paper, but if that's the route DC is going they need to treat it as such. Most of the time the Daily Planet is still supposed to be this wildly successful newspaper, and I find that more ludicrous than a god-like alien flying around throwing buildings at monsters. Print? No one reads print anymore!

    If the Planet is still just a print paper, it needs to be struggling and that struggle needs to be shown as more than just Perry complaining about subs being down and money being tight. It needs to actually impact the characters and the narrative somehow.

    OR, they could just update the Planet (like myself and many others have been saying for almost twenty years) into something contemporary and modern. I know that, in the past, writers have claimed to move the Planet in that direction, but it never ends up having any kind of impact on the narrative. Nothing actually changes despite the supposed change in distribution and journalistic habits.

    I guess all I want to see out of the Planet is some impact. Successful or struggling, just show it to the readers.

    As for the wider discussion about updating Superman......I think in most cases, it's like the Planet; we don't need an update to the characters or the mythology or the fiction, we need an update to the writers and editors. Damn little about Superman is actually out-dated but when writers tackle everything with a retro sensibility, things are gonna look old no matter what.
    "We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."

    ~ Black Panther.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •