Superman issue #18 preview/discussion (spoiler) thread

[manwhohaseverything]

Not sure if it was the cover, DC Nation tweeted it out I think.

I think daily planet might be done in for now. Since, clark is going to be president he might hire others as staff or something. Maybe have perry white retire.

[Jman27]

I think daily planet might be done in for now. Since, clark is going to be president he might hire others as staff or something. Maybe have perry white retire.

wait he is going to be president how?

[Superlad93]

wait he is going to be president how?

Yeah, "President of Earth" in fact.

Still not sure how it's gonna come about or what his actionable powers and responsibilities will be though.

[Jman27]

Yeah, "President of Earth" in fact.

Still not sure how it's gonna come about or what his actionable powers and responsibilities will be though.

oh for that galactic counsel that makes sense

[Superlad93]

oh for that galactic counsel that makes sense

Yeah, the United Planets.

In the preview I posted, you can actually see Superman voting on intergalactic issues alongside the other leaders.

3 issues before this Clark said that he'd speak for Earth as its rep when the UP was forming, but it's not yet made clear if that means he's already doing the job

But, it's worth noting that the house speaker for the UP makes it clear that all UP leaders have to physically show up to these meetings, so we're likely to see a bit more of Clark in these meeting down the road.

[Digifiend]

Could the artist PLEASE read Justice League? Martian Manhunter and Cyborg are both out of commission and shouldn't have been in that group shot on the page showing everyone's reactions to Clark outing himself.

[Man_of_Tomorrow]

Year of the villain is so bad. I don't have any problem That's its not referenced
��

[Digifiend]

It was referenced. We see Lex at the end of the issue. He even uses Martian Manhunter's stolen powers to look like his old human self. So J'onn's earlier appearance is definitely an art error. Lex wouldn't be Apex Lex if Manhunter hadn't already been captured.

For some reason, Bendis's books are behind and the Batman Who Laughs stuff hasn't happened yet.

[Superlad93]

Going in this, I was pretty much up for it conceptually, but I really needed a few very, very specific notes to be hit, and as much as I've really dug Bendis' work I just didn't think his head would be there, and I'd just deal with that.

I really enjoyed being wrong on that.

The scene with Adam Strange is EVERYTHING. It is a great understanding of why secret identity was a thing, where the transition would happen, and why even Clark wouldn't notice it. The stand out line was "first you have a scared, single, alien orphan..." That's an fantastic an succinct and incredibly evocative way of cutting to the chase of why his secret identity is ever a thing. There's also hints of Jeff Loveness in there that I really dug.

The handling of the Perry and Jimmy's scenes were also great. Both felt unique to both characters, and I loved how Bendis and the story treats both with their own specific air. The scene with Lois is equally specific to her and their relationship, and I love that both, as reporters were always sort of writing this big story in their heads for a while now. A nice a subtle nod to Clark the reporter, and the very specific and fun way he and Lois bounce off one another.

But maybe my favorite line was--and as a fan you feel like you've heard it all described in every way you can think of-- Clark in part describing his life as Clark Kent, the man, as being trained "almost like an athlete" to be the best Superman he could be. I've genuinely never heard it put like that, and it's kind of fantastic. Such a fascinating character. Learning to walk and feel vulnerable even though he can fly and is invincible is his form of training. Like, institutionally I've always known that's the case, but, again, putting it in such a succinct and evocative way really just puts the period on it. Well done Bendis. Seriously.

_____________

Now that we've heard the "shot" we need to see the fallout. Even though Clark clearly wants to continue being a reporter, can he? Will this come back to bite Lois or Perry somehow? What about Clark's awards? Surprising that Wonder Woman seems to be sort of ticked off while Batman seems pretty happy about it all. I wonder if Rucka is writing the Wonder Woman stuff in his section of the Heroes special. What that Toyman over their listening in jail?

Edit: It just came to my attestation that, on a conceptual level, the secret identity was always Jor-El's idea in every single incarnation of the character. Jor-El always sense Clark to Earth specifically because he looks like us, and he'll blend in. Lol can't believe this is only just now clicking lol

[Patrick Gerard]

Going in this, I was pretty much up for it conceptually, but I really needed a few very, very specific notes to be hit, and as much as I've really dug Bendis' work I just didn't think his head would be there, and I'd just deal with that.

I really enjoyed being wrong on that.

The scene with Adam Strange is EVERYTHING. It is a great understanding of why secret identity was a thing, where the transition would happen, and why even Clark wouldn't notice it. The stand out line was "first you have a scared, single, alien orphan..." That's an fantastic an succinct and incredibly evocative way of cutting to the chase of why his secret identity is ever a thing. There's also hints of Jeff Loveness in there that I really dug.

The handling of the Perry and Jimmy's scenes were also great. Both felt unique to both characters, and I loved how Bendis and the story treats both with their own specific air. The scene with Lois is equally specific to her and their relationship, and I love that both, as reporters were always sort of writing this big story in their heads for a while now. A nice a subtle nod to Clark the reporter, and the very specific and fun way he and Lois bounce off one another.

But maybe my favorite line was--and as a fan you feel like you've heard it all described in every way you can think of-- Clark in part describing his life as Clark Kent, the man, as being trained "almost like an athlete" to be the best Superman he could be. I've genuinely never heard it put like that, and it's kind of fantastic. Such a fascinating character. Learning to walk and feel vulnerable even though he can fly and is invincible is his form of training. Like, institutionally I've always known that's the case, but, again, putting it in such a succinct and evocative way really just puts the period on it. Well done Bendis. Seriously.

_____________

Now that we've heard the "shot" we need to see the fallout. Even though Clark clearly wants to continue being a reporter, can he? Will this come back to bite Lois or Perry somehow? What about Clark's awards? Surprising that Wonder Woman seems to be sort of ticked off while Batman seems pretty happy about it all. I wonder if Rucka is writing the Wonder Woman stuff in his section of the Heroes special. What that Toyman over their listening in jail?

Edit: It just came to my attestation that, on a conceptual level, the secret identity was always Jor-El's idea in every single incarnation of the character. Jor-El always sense Clark to Earth specifically because he looks like us, and he'll blend in. Lol can't believe this is only just now clicking lol

Bendis has definitely hit on what I was DYING to pitch circa Truth.

I think a Superman without a secret would want to be a writer. The Planet would be in chaos or conflicted over hiring him at first.

So as a nod back to the 90s Krypton Man storyline, my idea was that Superman would be a journalist if outed and might have to go to work somewhere with lower standards like Newstime.

And in my pitch, which I didn’t submit back during Truth, you have a scene where Superman walks into Newstime’s offices and the staff gets used to seeing him at a desk.

It changes how people view Superman. People have to clarify if what they tell him is on-record.

And one of my thoughts longer term was that he needed a “casual” wardrobe as Superman. Not just the T-shirt thing but I had this idea of sort of a Kenneth Cole wardrobe that doesn’t hide his identity. Neckties with S-emblems on them. He needs the casual outfits to put people at ease but they also need to broadcast who he is to give people fair warning that when he goes for a hotdog, Atomic Skull might attack.

A frustrating part of it becomes that he has to move out of the city into a house with a security system. His apartment wants to keep him but can’t afford the insurance. His car insurance goes through the roof. Lois and Clark have to decide whether he should make diamonds to pay his skyrocketing bills. I think it fundamentally goes against his nature. There are economic consequences to him exploiting or creating natural resources with his powers. And there are consequences to being beholden to anyone.

So I more or less envisioned him pulling a LEGAL heist of sorts and securing patents because Superman can’t have financial conflicts.

[Yoda]

I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would. The Perry scene is the obvious standout, it's all on Reis and he delivers there completely.

The Jimmy scene I was initially kinda annoyed at. If he was going to have Lois tell Jimmy, we should have seen that. Because while the Jimmy scene is funny it undercuts the emotion of the reveal to one of the three most important people in his life. It's a joke in the worst MCU way too. I do think that having Lois tell Jimmy works here, because Bendis and Fraction have written Lois & Jimmy as far closer friends than both Clark and Jimmy and Jimmy and Superman. I can see her wanting to tell him, because she's also been keeping this secret from him almost as long as Clark. But I still think not seeing Jimmy's reaction even when Lois told him undercuts it a bit.

The Adam Strange scene was great as well. Really fleshed out the decision in a way that makes it work for me. This is a completely different story from New 52 Truth and shaping up to be a much more thoughtful examination of it and the repercussions. I think it's going to be interesting to see how they play all of it out and I'm really looking forward to the Heroes & Villains books now. The Lex scene at the end was great too. But man, is all this Year of the Villain nonsense undercutting every other book. Ignoring it here with Lex is fine, but I can't help but think that the story potential would be far greater if Lex was in his more traditional role here and not a cosmic villain.

A frustrating part of it becomes that he has to move out of the city into a house with a security system. His apartment wants to keep him but can’t afford the insurance. His car insurance goes through the roof. Lois and Clark have to decide whether he should make diamonds to pay his skyrocketing bills. I think it fundamentally goes against his nature. There are economic consequences to him exploiting or creating natural resources with his powers. And there are consequences to being beholden to anyone.

So I more or less envisioned him pulling a LEGAL heist of sorts and securing patents because Superman can’t have financial conflicts.

Clark Kent being denied homeowners insurance due to superhero status is a niche story I didn't know I wanted to read. I'd imagine the Planet's insurance is already through the roof given the amount of times it's been ground zero for fights. There must be special "act of superhero" riders for their policies.

[Superlad93]

The Perry scene is the obvious standout, it's all on Reis and he delivers there completely.

This scene was indeed exceptional from top to bottom, and is basically the heart and soul of this whole idea in a real primal way. Melancholy of comfort he'll be leaving behind, and just straight up nervous of what the last remaining father figure in his life will think of this.

Leaving out the dialog really makes scene evergreen and universal (the moment when Clark hangs his head after the reveal--almost regretting it-- is so damn strong). It works so well as an allegory for coming out in any way to someone (especially when that person is an older adult), and I'm glad that's where Bendis is deciding to really hang all of this rather than his comments about internet trolls.

Now I'm honestly experiencing a level of tension and anticipation for what comes next that I didn't foresee, and for Perry freakin White of all characters. Like, if the Planet does come under fire for this (either metaphorically or physically), how does Perry take? That genuinely scares me now that we experienced that moment of tension and release with him in this scene.

______

I enjoyed the Jimmy scene mainly because it was like getting that sort of tension undercutting flavor and humor from his book. That said, I'd have been a bit deflated if that was all we were getting. Has me looking forward Heroes special quite a bit to expound on the little things that the writers want to get out of these moments.

[Superlad93]

And one of my thoughts longer term was that he needed a “casual” wardrobe as Superman. Not just the T-shirt thing but I had this idea of sort of a Kenneth Cole wardrobe that doesn’t hide his identity. Neckties with S-emblems on them. He needs the casual outfits to put people at ease but they also need to broadcast who he is to give people fair warning that when he goes for a hotdog, Atomic Skull might attack.

I'm genuinely fascinated with how Clark expects to continue writing, or even if it'll just be a casualty of this choice. From the sounds of thing Rucka was very passionate on how this needs to go, so I look forward to see it unfold.

But I am SOOO much there with you on alternating in a casual Superman wardrobe along with the normal Superman suit. A fleece zip up turtleneck, or a simple dad-mode short sleeve button down, all with a small S shield tucked away somewhere on it. I'd totally be down for that.

[Yoda]

This scene was indeed exceptional from top to bottom, and is basically the heart and soul of this whole idea in a real primal way. Melancholy of comfort he'll be leaving behind, and just straight up nervous of what the last remaining father figure in his life will think of this.

Leaving out the dialog really makes scene evergreen and universal (the moment when Clark hangs his head after the reveal--almost regretting it-- is so damn strong). It works so well as an allegory for coming out in any way to someone (especially when that person is an older adult), and I'm glad that's where Bendis is deciding to really hang all of this rather than his comments about internet trolls.

That scene really is the standout of the entire issue, if nothing else worked that scene alone would have likely kept me invested in the storyline. For all the grief Bendis gets for his dialogue (deserved and undeserved) that scene is one of the more powerful he's written and Reis just nails it. I've been kinda back and forth on Reis' storytelling over the course of this, but he really really killed it here. It is so powerful and yeah, it's an instantly iconic scene.

I enjoyed the Jimmy scene mainly because it was like getting that sort of tension undercutting flavor and humor from his book. That said, I'd have been a bit deflated if that was all we were getting. Has me looking forward Heroes special quite a bit to expound on the little things that the writers want to get out of these moments.

Is Jimmy getting a section in the Heroes book? I forgot the breakdown of those stories. If that's the case, it's not that big a deal. I expected it to be handled by Fraction in his book if at all. I know Rucka had said he and Bendis had talked out the Lois part and I think that is going to play into the back half of her book - but we weren't getting the pre-reveal conversation between them anywhere, since it happens off panel in 17 during their flight.

[Superlad93]

I've been kinda back and forth on Reis' storytelling over the course of this, but he really really killed it here.

Reis suffers a bit from being kind of "typecast" as *just* the wide screen guy. For sure, he's very, very good at that the vast majority of the time, but I've been detecting hints of a more subtle style that he's coming into with Bendis. I think as an artist it'll be good for him to work with a writer who is so very much in favor of character acting, talk heavy issues, and climaxes that come down to a broken heart rather than a battered body. I'd like to see Reis play around with more panels and greater character acting like the Perry and Jimmy scenes because he can most certainly do it, and do it well.

Is Jimmy getting a section in the Heroes book? I forgot the breakdown of those stories. If that's the case, it's not that big a deal.

As I understand it , yeah, Fraction will be digging at least a bit more into Jimmy's stuff in the special.

Seriously, I love the idea of these specials so much. Just the idea that they know that there are little interactions they can think of that would and could end up just eating time in a main book, so they gather them up and make a story out of them in these specials is just great.

I know we're also going to get something regarding Smallville and, apparently, Ma and Pa. Though in the case of Ma and Pa it could be how people remember them rather than them being alive. Hard to say. And don't forget that in either the Heroes or Villains issue we're getting a plot thread from a character that will greatly inform the run going forward.