Chris Claremone on how Crisis should have rebooted Superman

[LordUltimus]

[DochaDocha]

It's certainly interesting. I can't imagine a lot of fans would be happy to see no Lois, no Jimmy, no Perry, etc., but for a shorter, non-canon or alt universe story I think this could work. I just would hope that nobody would come up with an excuse to bring in young replacements for the Superman staple characters.

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

His idea is nothing we haven’t seen before in comics. They recycled this idea for rebirth. More or less. Likewise it’s a good, interesting status quo. But I’m like a “give up before it outstays it’s welcome” way. Eventually you’d have to Reborn it or Old man Logan it and bring back the version that was real/native to the main universe. But before that happens there’s a lot of fun wackiness and drama you can mine from it.

[Jokerz79]

I remember reading DC actually toyed with that idea for a second or two.

[Vordan]

We kinda got this with the Morrison run since that was Morrison trying to recapture that original Superman power levels and mindset. I still am a firm believer that Clark should start off “Year One” at Golden Age power levels, so on that note I agree with Claremont. However permanently ditching Lois and Jimmy is a pretty damn tall order and I don’t see how that would ever stick.

[Kuwagaton]

Yeah I think a few people kicked around the same idea, or I heard this same one and forgot who said it. But still, I think the best thing going for it is that it sounds so much weirder than what we know, with our 30 plus years of hindsight. And the fact that Claremont is one of the coolest guys ever.

The way I think about it, and I kinda fan ficced it out once, I'd reboot the GA Superman. Having a guy who already went through being Superman defeats the point.

[Robanker]

I can't go with him on this pitch because a lot of what he's setting up is essentially throwing out his entire supporting cast to try and start a new one and the Daily Planet is too important for me to let go for any extended period of time. Moreover, it would have been a headache and a half to bring them back.

Cool elseworlds, though.

[Yoda]

If I'm hearing him right, Lois, Perry, Jimmy and the Daily Planet would still exist. They'd just be the Earth 1 versions that would have known the Earth One Superman that died in Crisis instead of Supergirl. The "1938" or Earth 2 Superman just would not want to really associate with them because they'd essentially be people he'd already known and lost.

It's basically the initial Rebirth setup except it's only Superman and not Superman and Lois.

[Robanker]

If I'm hearing him right, Lois, Perry, Jimmy and the Daily Planet would still exist. They'd just be the Earth 1 versions that would have known the Earth One Superman that died in Crisis instead of Supergirl. The "1938" or Earth 2 Superman just would not want to really associate with them because they'd essentially be people he'd already known and lost.

It's basically the initial Rebirth setup except it's only Superman and not Superman and Lois.

Sure, but he'd have to outright leave the Daily Planet for that to be feasible and then he just decides to go back to his old life once sales are down and throws the new one away? It just makes Clark come across as someone who is further detached from humanity because he can compartmentalize what is essentially the most difficult thing any character has to endure; their humanity. Maybe that's appealing to some, but I don't particularly like it for Superman.

The Rebirth premise only works-- if it works for the reader in question-- because they sell you on Clark having his family as his support network; that Lois and Jon are all he really needs. Take even them away and you have the strange visitor to its absolute limit, but with the caveat that one day he'll eventually reverse that decision and upend any relationships he's established. I don't know, it seems like Ric Grayson, or "Mark Kent" as it were. Kind of glad we dodged that bullet.

[bat39]

I'd love to see this as a "What if?"/Elseworlds kind of story.

Apparently, DC once came pretty close to actually implementing this idea, and having Byrne's MOS series be about this Superman adjusting to life on a new earth.

I once came up with this idea for how Superman continuity would have been if Earth 2 Superman was rebooted into the Post COIE timeline. My idea basically had Clark be active as Superman in 1938, go into hiding/retirement or leave earth in the 50's, and return in the 80's to rebirth the age of heroes...and its in the present that he meets Lois, Jimmy etc. He would occasionally have 'echoes' or flashbacks of his original Earth 2 life and the original Lois as well. Admittedly, it was a little convoluted.

But Claremont's idea is great...and its ultimately how Rebirth started. But eventually you're going to need to fold Superman into whatever is the current mainstream continuity.