Superman and Lois Lane Appreciation 2019

[Miles To Go]

I think overwhelmingly I'm just getting frustrated by all the shortcuts he's taking and his apparent disinterest in actually earning the plot elements he's hitting. I genuinely like a ton of the underlying ideas he's putting out, I think his trajectory with Lois is pretty apparent now that we've seen her "secret" in Superman #7, but he's just throwing out plot points with a lack of substance

And, once again, what Jon says is a little more polished variation on spoilers Bendis gave us interviews as early as July. He said "grandpa's crazy" and we get that without much build or suspense added to it, or an extra layer which gives us reason to think he's crazy. There's nothing in the issue which tips us off to this other than Jon's say-so.

[cookies]

Ok guys, let's release our frustration with Bendis by watching this multiverse clois video

[Akane]

Yes, Superman # 7 was disappointing.
It is hard for me to believe that Lois left her son with Jor-el so quickly.

I guess seeing those aliens who saw her as part of royalty just for wearing the S made her feel out of place and was one of the reasons that led her to think that Clark and she are not a normal family, however, I don't think it's enough to explain her distancing from Clark.

[Miles To Go]

I don't think it's enough to explain her distancing from Clark.

Well she doesn't distance herself when the important matters kick in, as evident here, and likely evident with the next Action arc

[Akane]

Well she doesn't distance herself when the important matters kick in, as evident here, and likely evident with the next Action arc

I was referring to certain decisions she made, such as not telling Clark that she had returned to Earth or staying in a hotel and not living with him again or not telling Clark all the truth about what she is doing with Lex Luthor.

[Akane]

Fan art:
IMG_20190116_110325.jpg

xx

[Miles To Go]

I was referring to certain decisions she made, such as not telling Clark that she had returned to Earth or staying in a hotel and not living with him again or not telling Clark all the truth about what she is doing with Lex Luthor.

I'm aware of that, I'm just saying when something urgent requires her instincts as a partner and mother to kick in, she doesn't falter

[Akane]

xx

I'm aware of that, I'm just saying when something urgent requires her instincts as a partner and mother to kick in, she doesn't falter.

it's true, she's there for her son, which makes me happy, but that does not erase her previous decisions, which, in my opinion, have not been fully justified. I feel that something is missing, as other users have said, Bendis should dedicate more time to this story.

[Miles To Go]

it's true, she's there for her son, which makes me happy, but that does not erase her previous decisions, which, in my opinion, have not been fully justified. I feel that something is missing, as other users have said, Bendis should dedicate more time to this story.

It makes me wonder if he's rushing through these developments to catch up to Doomsday Clock, and Heroes In Crisis too.

[rpmaluki]

It does feel like he's rushing towards something. I hate that his books are super slow but I'd much rather they were also well written. I am intrigued by what he's planned, I just want the writing to match my expectation.

[Yoda]

So I have a couple of theories about where Bendis is going with this relationship based on what we've seen so far and some of his statements about Lois & Clark. If you check out the Bendis Official Thread I posted this yesterday, but I wanted to get the Lois & Clark contingent's thought on it. I think it's obvious that he's laying the seeds for Jon to be outed as Superman and Lois' son. The janitors overhearing Jon's story this issue was the most dead give away there could be. This is a far more concrete problem of what Lois had been dealing with in Action Comics so far. So the question becomes how do they explain that.

Option 1, there's is actually a break in Lois & Clark's public relationship after their engagement in the Triangle Era. Lois leaves Clark and the country for almost a year. She returns and they immediately reconcile and get married quickly afterwards. They could say Lois was with Superman on this break and though they parted ways she realized she was pregnant. Clark being the solid midwestern family man his is stepped up to raise Jon as his own. It leaves room for Superman to have been his life. Allows them to explain Jor El's presence and Jon's super aging. It's basically a less creepy version of Superman Returns. Everyone kinda looks good. Tabloid media looks bad. Etc.

Option 2, which unfortunately is the option I think is coming, Lois & Superman are outed as Jon's parents. Clark seeing how Lois is under relentless attack and being dragged through the mud essentially due to his secret identity, offers to give up being Clark Kent to end it. Lois will refuse to allow him to do that and regurgitate Bendis' interview talking points that Clark Kent - Reporter - is the only thing Clark has had to chose for himself in his life. His life as Superman was chosen for him essentially, Bendis sees it as a birthright story, and she's more than willing to take this heat so he can keep that part of himself. They aren't a normal family, and this is just another non-normal thing they have to deal with. Their new status quo essentially means their day to day lives won't change. Clark Kent and Lois Lane will publically separate. Publicly Lois Lane will go back to being "Superman's Girlfriend" and "Superboy's Mom." This essentially creates an inverted triangle for two with Lois and Clark having to pretend to no longer be in love or married but likely still working together. While secretly they'll still be husband and wife. We may even get a second wedding after the "divorce" of Lois and Clark.

I think this is likely because it essentially give's DC it's cake and lets them eat it too. Bendis gets back what he considers the most romantic couple in pop culture, Superman and Lois Lane, and gives them have a "modern" secret superhero marriage with all the romantic rendezvous etc., we've seen so far. It adds back an element tension between Lois & Clark and adds in an element of a secret identity for Lois essentially.

Now, I don't like the second option really. I think going that route puts too much on Lois' character to essentially protect Clark. It's kind of gross for both characters in that their public persona's take a hit for nothing. Lois is a jezebel. Superman is a homewrecker. Clark is well, we'll just say back to being a pathetic joke everyone feels bad for.

I still have my doubts that DC will go that route. But all of Bendis' statements on the marriage and Lois & Clark work in that context. He's not "breaking them up" actually since they are still together. The marriage is still intact in any sense except a "legal" one in the DCU. It allows for a different dynamic on the characters, and the puts the marriage portion in the more fantastic aspect.

Thoughts? It's a weird setup, because it plays off on bad stereotypes and criticism of Lois Lane but at the same time subverts them a little?

[Miles To Go]

Thoughts? It's a weird setup, because it plays off on bad stereotypes and criticism of Lois Lane but at the same time subverts them a little?

It fits Bendis. He loves meta commentary.

[Miles To Go]

[GreatKungLao]

1st and 3rd are not flattering.

[rpmaluki]

I don't think it's flattering at all.