Fortress of solitude - what are your thoughts?

[Tzigone]

The Fortress. It's been though many iterations. Began its life as a Secret Citadel. Really became prominent in the silver age, so far as I can tell. Indelibly crystalline and arctic to many, due to movie fame. Do have a preferred canonical version? A headcanon version?

I guess the first question is whether or not you think it needs to exist.

If you think it needs to exist, the question is what you think it should be. It was a trophy container and gym to start. In later years, it housed robots. And rooms dedicated to his friends. And later, it very Krypton-oriented. To be honest, I'm not even sure when its name became Fortress of Solitude. So, place to be alone? If so, should it shield from the noise of the outside world? Or should it be a reminder of Krypton? A prison for those too dangerous to hold elsewhere? A lab?

I think it's easier to decide how it came to be after you have a purpose. Did Clark build it out of earth-available materials? Or maybe from materials from the various aliens he encountered? Or from specs sent in his capsule (which lends to a longer planning time from Jor-El with likely knowledge he would not survive himself)? If so, what purpose did Jor-El have in mind and did he provide any of the materials or are they earthly? Maybe built from Kryptonian tech scavenged from time travel? Or do you like it grown from crystal?

Lastly, must it be surrounded by ice and snow for you, or do you like jungle, mountain, etc. versions?

[superduperman]

My favorite is probably the one from Generations. It's huge and has all kinds of trophies in it. Justice had another cool one but we didn't get to see it much.

[Superlad93]

The fortress is one of the best additions to Superman's myth. Period.

I'd reimagine the fortress as almost a perfect representation of Clark's actual brain. The structures, rooms, and corridors are based off structures in the brain. As an example he'd have a room or wing dedicated to the pituitary gland and the release of endorphins, so it'd be the closest thing to a gym. I'd recontextualize all the classic fortress of solitude trappings into these brain structures. Ideally the concept would be fairly elegant if not nearly invisible, thus still allowing for a classic version of the fortress. My goal would be for it to be something that you could enjoy at face value as just a cool new fortress, but then on closer inspection you'd get the main idea. I'd just request the inclusion of new regular structures and rooms like the Brain Stem, the Thought Bubble, and ever important Central N.E.R.V.E. This new fortress comes with a new aesthetic of course. A good deal more organic in its shapes than we normally see from the fortress. That said, I'd keep the crystal tech, but it would look less like angular diamonds, and more organically shaped blown glass.

The Fortress robots also get a pretty big overhaul. They are now the size and general shape of honey bees. They are our 'electrical impulses' in this new Fortress. They run the place and keep it 'alive'. They are directed from the central N.E.R.V.E. by the disembodied Kelex AI. The robots are able to take on more traditional Superman robot forms when the Kelex AI 'grows' them a humanoid robot from and then they 'sting' the nape of the neck animating the form.

The Zoo is still there, but it's not called a Zoo anymore. It's now a farm because, well, duh. He cares for the alien animals in 3 steps: 1) tends to them in the main farm when they're new 2) moves them out to a hand made tesseract mini environment in the basement 3) finds a suitable world to release them to. Most of the time the robots tend to the animals. It may even be more fitting to call it a shelter rather than a farm.

As you can probably imagine, this Fortress is also thought controlled by Clark to an extent once he steps into it. And speaking of, when people aside from Clark enter this Fortress it takes on a whole new level of meaning than it usually tends to these days. This is Clark being about as open with you as he can get with a person. If he's letting you in and you don't know everything about him then certain rooms lock off or disappear all together in response.

I'm fine with it being in the arctic or in the new Bermuda Triangle location. The main push here is the new central idea of it essentially being his brain. This allows for other writers to easily play along with that line of thinking to add in cool new stuff. Example: occipital lobe could house a bunch of things like super telescopes or something similar.

[Kuwagaton]

I think the last general fortress thread came up at the debut of the Bermuda outpost. It hasn't proved itself to be a whole lot and I think the witch mountain look has to go. I'd ditch all of the icy, crystalline elements of a fortress regardless of where they are. Put in less drab colors for actual walls and surfaces, more furniture.

The hilarious thing is that yeah, Superman actually has like a million pets, but we know so little about them. I'd whittle the "zoo" down and use them for gags, like Cuddles the triceratops.

[Tzigone]

[quote]The hilarious thing is that yeah, Superman actually has like a million pets, but we know so little about them. I'd whittle the "zoo" down and use them for gags, like Cuddles the triceratops. [quote]I'd ditch the zoo. Feel too sorry for the animals. Also, I don't really care for automated care of them or Superman being there daily to take care of them himself. I'm actually not even really a fan of Krypto. I mean, I like the totally normal little white dog called Krypto that Dubbilex adopted. But not a Kryptonian dog.

[superduperman]

I kind of wonder if the Fortress shouldn't be like Ms. Martian's bio-ship from the YJ cartoon. It becomes whatever he needs it to be.

[Kuwagaton]

That's a good idea for when your artist doesn't feel like referencing.

I don't like the idea of pets he doesn't take care of, with the exception of Beppo. I would make Beppo the man of the house when Clark isn't there.

[magha_regulus]

the fortress is one of the best additions to superman's myth. Period.

I reimagine the fortress as almost a perfect representation of clark's brain. The structures, rooms, and corridors are based off structures in the brain. Some as an example he'd have a room or wing dedicated to the pituitary gland and the release of endorphins. You'd recontextualize all the classic fortress of solitude regulars into these brain structures. Ideally the concept would fairly elegant and seamless to a fairly classic version of the fortress. You'd just the inclusion of new regulars like the brain stem, the thought bubble, and o-so important central n.e.r.v.e. This new idea comes with a new aesthetic of course. A good deal more organic in its shapes. That said, i'd keep the crystal tech, but it would look less like angular diamonds, and more organically shaped glass blowing.

The fortress robots also get a pretty big overhaul. They are now the size and general shape of honey bees. They are our 'electrical impulses' in this new fortress. The run the place and keep in 'alive'. They are directed from the central nerve by the disembodied kelex ai. The robots are able to take on more traditional forms when the kelex ai 'grows' them a humanoid robotic from and then they 'sting' the nape of the neck.

The zoo is still their, but it's not called a zoo anymore. It's now a farm because duh. He cares for the alien animals in 3 steps: 1) tends to them in the main farm when they're new 2) moves them out to a hand made tesseract mini environment in the basement 3) finds a suitable world to release them to.

As you can imagine, this fortress is also thought controlled by clark to an extent once he steps into it. And speaking of, when people aside from clark enter this fortress it takes on a whole new level of meaning than it tends to these days. This is clark being about as open with you as he can be. If he's letting you in and you don't know everything about him then certain rooms lock or disappear all together in response.

I'm fine with it being in the arctic or in the new bermuda triangle location. The main idea is the new central idea of it essentially being his brain. This allows for other writers to simply play along with that line of thinking to add in cool new stuff. Example: Occipital lobe could house a bunch of things like super telescopes.

brilliant!!!

[Toreador]

I think the last general fortress thread came up at the debut of the Bermuda outpost. It hasn't proved itself to be a whole lot and I think the witch mountain look has to go. I'd ditch all of the icy, crystalline elements of a fortress regardless of where they are. Put in less drab colors for actual walls and surfaces, more furniture.

The hilarious thing is that yeah, Superman actually has like a million pets, but we know so little about them. I'd whittle the "zoo" down and use them for gags, like Cuddles the triceratops.

I liked the idea that Superman used the zoo for alien species that were endangered until he could find a planet where they could be relocated and the zoo was actually a preserve. I think at one point the zoo was shrunk down like the the city of Kandor to give the animals a wider space to live.

[manwhohaseverything]

I can say this much, i am so done with the crystal donner fortress.it was great when it was introduced. It was a creative idea.now,it's uninspiring. I want something different .
Also,my favourite fortress is the dcau fortress,which became home for various species for the last of their kind.i also love the precrisis giant key.

[Jon Clark]

To me the Fortress isn't a specific building or design, but rather a series of bases used throughout his life.

As a teen it might have been a sort of hidden basement in the barn that originally just housed his rocket, but over time became where Clark went to be alone when the idea of pretending to be a normal farm kid grew unbearable. A place free of Pete and Lana's high-school drama, the Kents' worries & concerns, and the limits of his upbringing.

And as Superman, early in his career, it might have been a place in the arctic where no one is yelling for help tying their shoes, crossing the street, or telling time (Olsen!). A place to get away from duty and just be himself. No deadlines. No crimefighting. No trying to put on a show as a hero or a reporter.

As time went on it would evolve from a hole in the Kansas ground to a carved out mountain in the Arctic to an extradimensional infinite space housed inside the shell of an old phone booth. From a Packard Bell computer and a used VCR to a synthesis of technology from a hundred different worlds. Al dedicated to one thing- entertaining a being who has seen the dawn of time, the edge of reality, and most of the known universe.

[Superlad93]

brilliant!!!

Much appreciated! Somehow you worked your way through the mess I made typing quickly on my phone. I've since revised it for normal human eyes haha

[Semer]

I'm obviously in the minority here, but I don't like the concept of a Fortress of Solitude. I found it a little childish, as if Superman has to have a "super" everything. A superdog, a supercousin, a superhouse with a superkey, etc. In the case of Batman, the concept of a Batcave works perfectly, but if Superman needs some solitude he has his own apartment in Metropolis.
humanity.jpg
John Byrne's solution in Man Of Steel seemed perfect to me. His identity as Clark Kent is his fortress of solitude. Byrne counteracted the tendency to deunique the character of Superman. He really was the last son of Krypton again, and he was not a "superalien", but a "superMAN". Consistently, he didn't need a Kryptonian fortress.

[Tzigone]

I'm obviously in the minority here, but I don't like the concept of a Fortress of Solitude. I found it a little childish, as if Superman has to have a "super" everything. A superdog, a supercousin, a superhouse with a superkey, etc. In the case of Batman, the concept of a Batcave works perfectly, but if Superman needs some solitude he has his own apartment in Metropolis.

I'm inclined to agree. I find the idea of the FoS a bit odd. And definitely don't prefer Superman having a trophy room.

Some significant stories would have to change because of that, but the only one that comes to mind that really matters to me peronally Death of Superman/Reign of the Supermen. And even that one is dependent on surprise in way that a retelling couldn't really be. But I am probably forgetting some.

[Superlad93]

I respect the sort of 'Ultimate' esque frugality of mixing the secret identity with the Fortress. It's elegant and even quite a bit inspired in its succinctness. A lot of things about what the main point of the Fortress is can in fact be imparted through clever use of the Clark Kent identity. Particularly I enjoyed stuff like Clark going jogging with Lois or Clark doing some biking on a nice day. There's also Clark's favorite pretzel spot, and him writing his books. It's Clark's time to be indulgent and relax.

Elliot S. Maggin actually did something similar, believe it or not. Though, granted, it was very much in the camp of Clark is not the real person (which I've never really agreed with in terms of the semantics of it all). But it's a fascinating idea, and it all but rendered his subdued version of the Fortress functionally superfluous even in the Bronze age, but he never really pushed the idea beyond it's introduction and the idea of if its implications.

That all said, I feel like the idea is so very blunt and without nuance when you compare it to the collage that is a physical Fortress (when it's not just a big dumb mess of crystals).

I mean, it's like, if Clark's feeling sad about something, so he goes and he sits in his apartment watching TV or something looking down, that's exactly what it is. That leaves comparatively little room to insert yourself with any other interpretation past something fairly close to that. Past whatever great work the artist does making Clark watch TV or whatever, there's hardly any nuance past just that idea. It just is what it is.

The actual Fortress is a canvas in a way that Clark Kent the identity just can't be functionally speaking. Kandor is one of my favorite examples of this because when I first learned of it, it was abstract in that it was every put off promise I'd ever made, or even the personification of procrastination. Now that I've grown up a bit more it's been reminding me close yet distant relationship I have with where my parents came from. I don't spend enough reaching out to it even though I mean to, and when I do go I feel a mix of belonging and otherness, and regardless of how I feel the shrink ray is always temporary, and I have other responsibilities to tend to.

It could even go even less specific and Kandor could just be that part of me that acknowledges my parent's home, but it's so small and neglected because of the life and responsibilities I have already.

For me, the Fortress and the scope it represents aren't some macho "everything has to be super because he's SUPERman" thing. It's that it allows me to connect with Superman and even see something of myself in him. For me, that's the trick to getting Superman.

But I'd say that if one were going for something like say a film or something ultra condensed like it, and you needed quick and elegant ways to 'get' some of the bigger ideas like what a Fortress of solitude represents, then I'd 100% advocate for the Byrne idea.