Superman & The Authority #1 Annotations

[Rikdad]

I took a little longer to comb through this issue than I usually might, but then it has a lot of subtle references (perhaps some that I'm only imagining) even for a Morrison issue.

I hope that everyone is enjoying this as much as I am. This is one thoroughly re-readable issue.

http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/08/s...thority-1.html

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I took a little longer to comb through this issue than I usually might, but then it has a lot of subtle references (perhaps some that I'm only imagining) even for a Morrison issue.

I hope that everyone is enjoying this as much as I am. This is one thoroughly re-readable issue.

http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/08/s...thority-1.html

Awesome! Thanks Rikdad!

The idea that Superman is faking his waning powers is an interesting one, and certainly a trick that the Silver Age Superman would have pulled, but I have my doubts. I think he's genuinely getting older (for whatever reasons PKJ comes up to explain away the 5G of this story's origins). However, I'm intrigued by the possibility and it will certainly give me another angle to approach the story in subsequent issues.

[Robotman]

Always love your annotations of Morrison stories Rikdad!

[Rikdad]

3AM,

Great take on it. I can think of a few ways that the story could end up going "halfsies" on my prediction of deception, ranging from Superman actually having diminished powers, but coming through at high power in a moment of need, all the way to pure, 100% fakery. What seems certain, though, either way, is that Superman's powers aren't enough to save the day, and he needs to win this one as a leader rather than as a physical powerhouse. I really just got to the "hovering" moment and found it to clash in tone with the artwork in Superman's dynamic arrival, but we'll see soon enough how it plays out!

[HsssH]

Great to have you back. Are you working on any other blog posts not related to this series?

As for the post itself, few things:

1) I think that there might be a misconception of what "Superman is losing power" actually means. For example, he lost lots of power after Crisis, but he was still plenty powerful and could take out majority of villains on his own easily. So he might be not strong enough to beat Mongul now, but he still has enough to make a dynamic entrance.

2) We know from various rumours and interviews that DC wanted to do this series and Jim Lee probably really, really wants Wildstorm properties to get used. So the name was likely DC's idea, but it was also likely that Morrison saw the name decided to do the obvious thing that you highlighted - authority with lower case a. For me major problem with original Whats Wrong With... story was the ending. It all kinda ends with Superman simply being stronger than Manchester and his friends. To me it doesn't really deliver a solid case for why Superman is right. He is right because he is right and if you disagree then you are a jerk and he is going to beat you up. So suppose now Superman has lost some of his powers and is actually weaker than Manchester and likely Apollo? He now actually has to make a case for why he is right and why others should follow his lead.

3) Interesting catch on the 1963 year being referenced multiple times. I'm not sure if it actually means anything, but I think its going to stick in my head.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

3) Interesting catch on the 1963 year being referenced multiple times. I'm not sure if it actually means anything, but I think its going to stick in my head.

I also missed that. This is one those things that makes reading Rikdad's annotations so good. His analysis always gives me a new perspective. It's a bummer that insight ended up being wasted on Doomsday Clock, which was largely exposed being far more shallow than we all expected by the time it all ended. Thankfully Morrison always gives plenty to chew on.

[Rikdad]

Thanks, Robotman and HsssH,

I'm in fact about 95% done with a post about a pair of stories from the 1930s, and mostly done with a post about a story from 1971. This might also be an opportune time to revisit Supergods, which I read four years ago and spent a lot of time cogitating upon.

HsssH, you're quite right about the power levels and the speculation that I made may "gray out" into meaninglessness as his powers could be at any level of diminution relative to any threat.

"What's So Funny…" indeed has an ending that depends upon the guy who's right also being the guy with the might. From a moral standpoint, a stronger ending might be Batman's standoff with an evil, superpowered Jimmy Olsen at the end of JLA: The Nail, when Batman fights to the point of death against an unbeatable foe and refuses to back down when his death is no longer avoidable. "What's So Funny…" does depict Superman being willing to face the threat when he's not sure that he can win, but he needs to win to deliver the killer speech… about not being a killer.

The Kryptonian Thought Beast is a 1963 invention familiar to me from a reprint that I encountered around 1978 (I wasn't reading, or alive, in 1963). I wonder if Morrison encountered the creature during the original run when Morrison was a tot, or also encountered it c. 1978 in the same reprint.

From the time that I heard the Dream Academy song, the syntax of "Winter 1963" as opposed to "Winter of 1963" struck me as unusual. To encounter it here would have caught my attention even if it'd only been the same syntax, but it is not only the same syntax but also the same season of the same year… and also references the Beatles and the story references JFK! I don't think that song is likely in the realm of Morrison's musical taste but it was a radio hit that would have been hard to avoid, like it or not.

[HsssH]

I can't believe I wrote "Whats Wrong With" instead of "Whats So Funny".

[Vordan]

I took a little longer to comb through this issue than I usually might, but then it has a lot of subtle references (perhaps some that I'm only imagining) even for a Morrison issue.

I hope that everyone is enjoying this as much as I am. This is one thoroughly re-readable issue.

http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/08/s...thority-1.html

Oh man I can’t wait to dig in to your analysis!

[Rikdad]

I can't believe I wrote "Whats Wrong With" instead of "Whats So Funny".

I just made a trio of corrections to my blog post; these little slips happen.

I can't think of that story title without hearing Elvis Costello in my head.