Legion of Super-Heroes issue #7 preview

[Korath]

All of the yes. ALL OF THEM. This issue is the best bar none so far.

[manwhohaseverything]

So, jon gives a speech like superman which i am mixed on. I love that the kid took leadership. But, felt it was too much like clark. Anyways, the vote was really fun. What is with jon poop jokes and bathroom obsession?

[sifighter]

So, jon gives a speech like superman which i am mixed on. I love that the kid took leadership. But, felt it was too much like clark. Anyways, the vote was really fun. What is with jon poop jokes and bathroom obsession?

I think it’s just a bendis thing, he made a joke about showing Brainiac 5 the toilets of the 21st century in Action Comics.

[Superlad93]

Now that's what I'm talkin' about!

The back and forth! The interpersonal drama seeded throughout the previous issues showing themselves!

Jon's moment was fire. Mon-El not turning on his tag while around Jon is a nice touch (so glad the plot point was mentioned). The Lightning twins are really growing on me (surprised by Garth's vote given how hard he's been on Rokk). I feel bad for Rokk. The gag with Timber Wolf trying to listen in, and Dawnstar getting him out of there was great.

Can't wait for the two part jam event. I wonder Bendis put off Mon's reveal till then because he'll be forced to explain who he is?

[Superlad93]

What is with jon poop jokes and bathroom obsession?

I don't think they're "poop jokes".

I think it's a way of sneaking in the fact that unlike his father, Jon has similar biological needs to humans. In issue 23 of Superman Clark tells Doctor Fate that he only actually needs to sleep every couple of years and Martha basically needs to force feed him or he forgets.

Jon on the other hand seems to absolutely love eating, and may even have a greater biological need than humans to do so given how he seems to be up for some food at any given moment. And at the end of the Unity Saga Jon remarks on how he needed to use the bathroom because he'd been holding it in for a while (something Clark likely has no need of given he hardly eats to begin with).

[manwhohaseverything]

I don't think they're "poop jokes".

I think it's a way of sneaking in the fact that unlike his father, Jon has similar biological needs to humans. In issue 23 of Superman Clark tells Doctor Fate that he only actually needs to sleep every couple of years and Martha basically needs to force feed him or he forgets.

Jon on the other hand seems to absolutely love eating, and may even have a greater biological need than humans to do so given how he seems to be up for some food at any given moment. And at the end of the Unity Saga Jon remarks on how he needed to use the bathroom because he'd been holding it in for a while (something Clark likely has no need of given he hardly eats to begin with).

I think, how seriously you explained the humanity of jon with the reasoning of "he has to go" , is damn funny. Lol! No offence. Anyways, if that's the case, why does brainy do it? He isn't exactly human.

[Superlad93]

I think, how seriously you explained the humanity of jon with the reasoning of "he has to go" , is damn funny. Lol! No offence. Anyways, if that's the case, why does brainy do it? He isn't exactly human.

Lol it is funny, but it's also about relatability, ya know? Bendis balences stuff like Jon being able to live on New Earth effortlessly without any enhancements (like Damian needed in issue 3) with Jon needing to eat (more than most people), sleep, and use the bathroom.

I didn't really get the impression Brainy wanted to use the bathroom, but rather was just fascinated by what would be regarded to him as ancient plumbing compared to whatever alternative the 31st century has as the standard. In the latest issue of Action Comics Brainy got super hype to see a tractor. But I imagine he does need to use some form of bathroom for waste disposal. The same goes for all the rest of the Legion (depending on who we're talking about)

_______

The blanket term "alien" doesn't automatically mean they don't eat (we see all of them eat in fact) or use the bathroom. Clark and other Kryptonians are a special case while under a yellow sun, but Clark has remarked that if he were on Krypton he'd eat and sleep normally.

[Sam]

The bathroom humor is a well Bendis seems to go to...a lot. There really probably isn't a deeper meaning than he finds that sort of thing funny.

[Superlad93]

Haven't really seen it as a go-to in his other work, and it seems to only ever be in regards to Jon (as was pointed out before), so I dunno about that.

But, I'd be inclined to assume the same had he not also made it a point to really emphasize Jon needing to eat/getting hungry compared to Clark being confirmed to not need to eat and only needing to sleep every few *years*. Those have come up rather persistently in several issues (pretty frankly too).

[Sam]

Haven't really seen it as a go-to in his other work, and it seems to only ever be in regards to Jon (as was pointed out before), so I dunno about that.

When looking at his DC work alone, it hasn't been limited to Jon. Off the top of my head, there has been toilet stuff with Batman, The Flash, Rose and/or Thorn, and various grunts, throughout his work for DC. Not to mention Brainy, as was already pointed out. So yeah, it's just something he does.

[Superlad93]

When looking at his DC work alone, it hasn't been limited to Jon. Off the top of my head, there has been toilet stuff with Batman, The Flash, Rose and/or Thorn, and various grunts, throughout his work for DC.

Bendis has said that he likes to show his characters (or have them talking about) eating, relaxing, or, yes, even using the bathroom if the format permits it (see Jessica Jones) to humanize them. He'll apply this to background characters to imply needs outside of just being a background character.

My point is him consistently applying this to Jon over his books, and deliberate doing the opposite with Clark seems like a clear an deliberate move. I don't think that's much of a leap.

Not to mention Brainy, as was already pointed out. So yeah, it's just something he does.

But Jon made the comment/joke. And then later clarified that he brought Brainy to see the 21st century in general, thus Brainy's excitement over the tractor on the farm and Kelex in the Fortress.

[Sam]

Bendis has said that he likes to show his characters (or have them talking about) eating, relaxing, or, yes, even using the bathroom if the format permits it (see Jessica Jones) to humanize them. He'll apply this to background characters to imply needs outside of just being a background character.

My point is him consistently applying this to Jon over his books, and deliberate doing the opposite with Clark seems like a clear an deliberate move. I don't think that's much of a leap.

There are lots of ways to humanize characters. Bendis goes to the specific well of the bathroom a lot. He chooses that to be a focus and uses it with multiple characters, so that says more about him than it does the characters he writes. It's just the way it is.

[Superlad93]

There are lots of ways to humanize characters. Bendis goes to the specific well of the bathroom a lot. He chooses that to be a focus and uses it with multiple characters, so that says more about him than it does the characters he writes. It's just the way it is.

But as I've pointed out it's not *just* the bathroom. It's also the fact that Jon gets hungry, wants to eat, and eats a lot in contrast to Clark specifically not eating almost at all (or even sleeping). How do you dismiss that?

[Sam]

But as I've pointed out it's not *just* the bathroom. It's also the fact that Jon gets hungry, wants to eat, and eats a lot in contrast to Clark specifically not eating almost at all (or even sleeping). How do you dismiss that?

Because I never said anything about the food. I was exclusively talking about Bendis's tendency to use toilet humor. I have no opinion whether his use of food is to deepen character work. But I don't think it changes the seemingly clear fact that Bendis just likes using bathroom humor.

[Superlad93]

Which is fine, and I'll give you the frequency of it when spread out over a collective. But you're cutting the point of it in half if that's all you're looking at, because they go hand in hand with his writing style along with his characters stammering or him using distorting the words of characters while they eat or cry.