How do you view this past decade (2010-2019) for Clark?

[daBronzeBomma]

Talking overall in general, across all media, with a slight emphasis on the main continuity comic book versions. Going from start of Jan 1st, 2010 thru end of Dec 31st, 2019.

How did the 2010s treat Supes?*

Btw, are we in common agreement that the Decade starts with the year ending in 0?

Or the technical role that, since there was no Year 0 AD/CE, the decade starts with the year ending in 1?

Also, is this past decade (2010s) really going to be called The Teens?

* - poll forthcoming

[DragonPiece]

We got, IMO, several classic stories with Superman this era, so I think it's been great.

-Grant Morrison's AC run
-Greg Pak's AC run
-Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason's SM Rebirthr run
-Bendis's AC run is shaping up to be up there also

Lois Lane has gotten a big push as of late, which she deserves. We got introduced to a in continuity son, which for better a worse, put a new spin on these comics. We've had both Superman and Lois get to star in big events this year, with both doomsday clock and even leviathan.

And besides all that, I was able to actually get interested in comics so much because of the new 52 back in 2011 with Morrison's AC run, so I'm grateful for most of what DC has done this year and am excited to see how they handle the man of steel into the next decade.

[lotchj]

I enjoyed the new 52!! I always wanted to see SM and WW together as couple, I really enjoyed them being a couple!! It was to bad DC didn't keep them together!!

[Vordan]

I don’t really feel hyperbolic in saying it was probably one of the worst decades he’s had.

Comics:
-I really enjoyed Paul Cornell’s The Black Ring arc on Action Comics before the New 52. Showed why Lex is one of the GOAT characters not just villains. He’s interesting enough to hold his own ongoing, something no other villain besides Doom is capable of imo. Still disappointed that Cornell never got a chance to do a proper Superman run. Otherwise Superman was a mess pre-Flashpoint, New Krypton had completely collapsed on itself, ruining what could’ve been the GOAT Zod story.
-New 52-wise I loved Morrison’s Action Comics run. It was basically the perfect update for Supes by giving him back some of his original characterization and fire. Pak’s run was also great when it wasn’t stuck in the endless crossovers, he made me really love Lana as a character. But Lobdell’s run and Yang’s run were weak, even though there were a few bright spots. Johns & Romita Jr.’s run set up some interesting ideas but of course Johns bailed AGAIN before properly developing them. Supes tended to be portrayed as a dumb brute in other books and the SM/WW relationship was not well done at all, in part because it felt like none of the writers actually wanted to write it.
-Rebirth brought some much needed unity to the Superman books. I loved Jurgens Lois & Clark, Tomasi Superman Rebirth (vol. 5 aside), and Yang totally redeemed himself with New Superman. I hope the upcoming Superman vs. the Ku Klux Klan is another hit for Yang, I want him to write a Black Label Superman book where he won’t have to deal with editorial bull****.
-Finally I’m enjoying the Bendis era on the Superbooks, and I’m loving the Lois and Jimmy Olsen stuff. We got some great non-mainline Superman stuff like Adventures of Superman, American Alien, or Superman Unchained by Snyder.

So comics wise we got some great stuff and a lot of failures, so how is this one of Supes worst decades? Because while I liked Superman’s comics his outside media presence this decade has been really bad.

TV:
-Smallville angers everyone by copping out of showing Welling in the suit along with a pretty weak finale in general due to all the budget cuts.
-Arrowverse Superman is a jobber (not too bothered by this one since it IS Kara’s show not his)
-Things are turning around though with this upcoming Crisis thanks to Routh and Welling’s return. I’m excited for that but for the majority of the 2010s Superman’s showing on TV has been poor.

Cartoon/Animated Movies:
-Superman Unbound came out and flopped and we went 5 years without another Superman movie until they redid his Death again. But I did like that and we finally got Reign even if it wasn’t perfect.
-YJ Superman was a dick even if it was understandable and then they skipped over actually showing Kon and Clark bond which was a total cop out
-Superman hasn’t gotten a solo cartoon since the 90s ffs that blows
-Why can’t we get a Lego Superman movie?

Movies:
-Yeah here it is, the big one. You know my feelings on these so I won’t repeat myself but safe to say I was not a fan of Snyder’s plan and while I’m glad that’s over I’m infuriated that Supes is back on ice for the foreseeable future. What should’ve been his triumphant reimagining turned into escaping by the hem of his cape from having his image destroyed even more thanks to the creative choices made by those in charge.

Video games:
-No Superman video game, not even an attempt. His highest profile video game appearance is Injustice which delights in ******** all over him and shilling Batman. The LEGO games are fun though.

So yeah it’s been a pretty godawful decade for him all together. But there’s hope! We’ve got that upcoming Crisis crossover with THREE Supermen teaming up and the Internet going crazy shows that people still love Superman. We’ve got TWO animated movies coming out next year. I’m enjoying the Bendis era of comics especially thanks to stuff like Wonder Comics which features Supes in positive indirect ways like Dial H. Young Justice will have the Legion next season so I’m hoping Superman and the Superfamily will be at the center of that. And maybe JJ Abrams will be able to do what Snyder could not, assuming he does eventually try to make a Superman film. So the 2020s offer hope, or at least are off to a much more promising start than the 2010s.

[superduperman]

He's had three different reboots in ten years time. That's not a good sign. And that doesn't even get into things like TV shows and movies. Snyder makes a Batman movie with Superman in it and Supergirl makes him look like a chump every chance they get. The most human moment he ever had on the show was cut out and reduced to an extra on the DVD collection. His only video game appearance made him a villain. The most exciting thing happening, for me at least, is the return of Welling as Smallville Clark next year. Now they're talking about even replacing him in the movies with Supergirl because they can't get the actor who played him to come back. I just can't pretend to care anymore.

[DochaDocha]

He's had three different reboots in ten years time. That's not a good sign. And that doesn't even get into things like TV shows and movies. Snyder makes a Batman movie with Superman in it and Supergirl makes him look like a chump every chance they get. The most human moment he ever had on the show was cut out and reduced to an extra on the DVD collection. His only video game appearance made him a villain. The most exciting thing happening, for me at least, is the return of Welling as Smallville Clark next year. Now they're talking about even replacing him in the movies with Supergirl because they can't get the actor who played him to come back. I just can't pretend to care anymore.

Largely agree with these negatives. They outweigh the positives for me, so C-.

[Yoda]

I don’t really feel hyperbolic in saying it was probably one of the worst decades he’s had.

Comics:
-I really enjoyed Paul Cornell’s The Black Ring arc on Action Comics before the New 52. Showed why Lex is one of the GOAT characters not just villains. He’s interesting enough to hold his own ongoing, something no other villain besides Doom is capable of imo. Still disappointed that Cornell never got a chance to do a proper Superman run. Otherwise Superman was a mess pre-Flashpoint, New Krypton had completely collapsed on itself, ruining what could’ve been the GOAT Zod story.
-New 52-wise I loved Morrison’s Action Comics run. It was basically the perfect update for Supes by giving him back some of his original characterization and fire. Pak’s run was also great when it wasn’t stuck in the endless crossovers, he made me really love Lana as a character. But Lobdell’s run and Yang’s run were weak, even though there were a few bright spots. Johns & Romita Jr.’s run set up some interesting ideas but of course Johns bailed AGAIN before properly developing them. Supes tended to be portrayed as a dumb brute in other books and the SM/WW relationship was not well done at all, in part because it felt like none of the writers actually wanted to write it.
-Rebirth brought some much needed unity to the Superman books. I loved Jurgens Lois & Clark, Tomasi Superman Rebirth (vol. 5 aside), and Yang totally redeemed himself with New Superman. I hope the upcoming Superman vs. the Ku Klux Klan is another hit for Yang, I want him to write a Black Label Superman book where he won’t have to deal with editorial bull****.
-Finally I’m enjoying the Bendis era on the Superbooks, and I’m loving the Lois and Jimmy Olsen stuff. We got some great non-mainline Superman stuff like Adventures of Superman, American Alien, or Superman Unchained by Snyder.

So comics wise we got some great stuff and a lot of failures, so how is this one of Supes worst decades? Because while I liked Superman’s comics his outside media presence this decade has been really bad.

....

So yeah it’s been a pretty godawful decade for him all together. But there’s hope! We’ve got that upcoming Crisis crossover with THREE Supermen teaming up and the Internet going crazy shows that people still love Superman. We’ve got TWO animated movies coming out next year. I’m enjoying the Bendis era of comics especially thanks to stuff like Wonder Comics which features Supes in positive indirect ways like Dial H. Young Justice will have the Legion next season so I’m hoping Superman and the Superfamily will be at the center of that. And maybe JJ Abrams will be able to do what Snyder could not, assuming he does eventually try to make a Superman film. So the 2020s offer hope, or at least are off to a much more promising start than the 2010s.

I agree with almost all of your points comics wise, but I think I come down on it kinda being a wash but ending on an upswing. 2010 was a mess. Grounded was terrible as well. The Earth One books were bad. I think the Adventures of Superman series was really the high point in the comics between 2011 and 2016, with several shorts that are among the best Superman stories we've gotten. Smallville Season 11 was also solid and holds up well as a AU.

I agree American Alien was also one of the best new takes on his origin, which will likely be buried and never spoken of again do to the Landis allegations. Divorced from that its still a solid book and the closest thing we've gotten to an evergreen take in the last 15 years.

Morrison's Action origin, separated from what followed is solid, but hampered I think by the narrative direction the New 52 forced on it (as the origin of All Star Superman it was conceived as Lois would have played a different role) and Morrison going full Morrison towards the end makes it way to incomprehensible to be an evergreen take while the mishmash of art teams and Morales' uneven art when he was rushing further hurt it. Ultimately, it's about 7 or 8 issues of really good Superman and 10 that are ok if you're into Morrison's galaxy brained stuff.

Rebirth really turned things around but I think that even that has a lot of faults that got glossed over. The ousting of Berganza likely has a lot to do with the quality bounceback. The push for Action Comics 1000 and a coherent direction with Bendis, after the narrative failure of the New 52, we're seeing a concerted effort to keep him in the spotlight and carve out a real direction and family of books. Wonder Comics is very Superman centric. We have the Lois & Jimmy books. Doomsday Clock is shaping up to be a good statement on him, Action & Superman actually matter in the context of the DCU and we have Legion spinning out of it with a modern take and Superboy central to it's narrative. DC doesn't seem to be embarrassed by him anymore and editorial isn't trying to sell him as "not the boring Superman of the last 25 years" like they did at the launch of New 52 and which ultimately poisoned the well there.

His presence in the DC Ink & Zoom lines is solid with Superman vs. The KKK and Superman of Smallville, and Super Son's all doing well. There's several additional Superman themed books in that pipeline including another Lois Lane youth book after her successful YA novel series.

I actually really enjoy the Arrowverse Superman, so I'd count that as a win for the character. Particularly with how well received that take is everywhere except here more or less. He's a marquee character for that network. Crisis is looking like it's going to be very Superman centric and we're getting a live action Jon Kent (baby confirmed, older version rumored). Superboy is going to be on Titans. There's two new animated movies coming and Death & Reign were both really successful. The validation of Reign as the DCU's most streamed movie was great. And honestly that's probably way more important than bluray sales given it's subscribers that picked up and may stick with the service.

[Jackalope89]

He had a couple of good years in Rebirth, but otherwise its been a very big disappointment overall in the comics.

He didn't appear much in YJ.
His two animated films, Death of Superman and Rise of the Supermen, were pretty good, especially the first one.
Live action, well, never cared for Snyder's take on Superman. Though Justice League showed a much better one. Supergirl's version is mostly a side character, but as a character, I like pretty well. The upcoming Crisis with more Supermen looks to be very interesting.

[magha_regulus]

I enjoyed the new 52!! I always wanted to see SM and WW together as couple, I really enjoyed them being a couple!! It was to bad DC didn't keep them together!!

Yeah that could've been handled so much better. It started out so good and I'm very happy we got to see it at all.

[stargazer01]

So according to some called Superman fan on another forum, he thinks it's ok to treat Superman like they do (and belittle) in the Supergirl show because she is the star not him..

So, when Kara is a guest in a Superman show or story, Is ok if she tells him that he is the best and greatest superhero and Earth's champion, and the world doesn't need her because they have him? LOL.

[Adekis]

So according to some called Superman fan on another forum, he thinks it's ok to treat Superman like they do (and belittle) in the Supergirl show because she is the star not him..

So, when Kara is a guest in a Superman show or story, Is ok if she tells him that he is the best and greatest superhero and Earth's champion, and the world doesn't need her because they have him? LOL.

Haha, I used to think the opposite, actually! That it was okay for Batman to make him look like a dummy in that Superman: The Animated Series crossover, because Batman was the guest star; of course you want to emphasize how cool the guest star is!

Now I'm older and wiser than I was as a kid, and ultimately I've realized it's a false dichotomy. The reality is that writers frequently made Superman look worse and Batman look better for most of the last twenty years, and it has nothing to do with who's guest-starring where.

As for the last decade, 2010-2019, I've liked a lot, I've disliked a lot. But ultimately Zack Snyder and Grant Morrison have given me two of my favorite permutations of the Man of Steel, so I really don't want to dismiss this decade, even though I'm not feeling super optimistic about the franchise as it is right now.

[Robanker]

So according to some called Superman fan on another forum, he thinks it's ok to treat Superman like they do (and belittle) in the Supergirl show because she is the star not him..

So, when Kara is a guest in a Superman show or story, Is ok if she tells him that he is the best and greatest superhero and Earth's champion, and the world doesn't need her because they have him? LOL.

I remember getting flak for saying Clark would be a little proud that even though it took him and Kara coming to blows, she accomplished a goal she set for herself. Nevermind that he was a hurdle she wanted to surpass, she accomplished a goal that meant a great deal to her and he'd be proud of his cousin, much as an older brother feels proud of their younger sibling for besting them at something, even if they're too proud themselves to admit it. And yes, it's Kara's show. She's allowed to triumph over him, just as any guest star is allowed to either be used to highlight the main character or use them as contrast to sell us on another property. It's all about execution. It's a shared universe where every character can be a protagonist, so what matters most is how someone of Clark's level is beaten, not that he gets beaten.

From what I understand, it's never stopped and it's gone from "that one time Kara proved she can beat Superman" to "I mean how hard is it to beat Superman, though" which is just not alright. It does undermine the character. Reminds me of that "world of cardboard" every Superfan but me loves because he immediately jobs right after it, which kind of humiliated Clark by having him go all out, punch Darkseid 2-3 times and then get immediately stomped by a Darkseid who seemed no worse for wear.

I think Clark has the dubious dishonor of, well, being Superman. He's the gold standard, the idea, the face of the genre. He's the bar. He's there to be surpassed by whichever character we want to prove is cool and capable, so every writer has a crosshair on him... That said, The CW is absolutely garbage at portraying characters who don't have their own shows. Hell, I don't think they're very good at portraying any character, so it's more of the same.