Sean Lewis *POSSIBLY* the next Superman writer

[Alpha]

The closet scene was nice, but then Snyder gave Martha her own “maybe you should let kids die” moment in BvS when she tells him he doesn’t owe the world a thing. Ultimately neither of the DCEU Kents are really great, Clark seems to be a hero in spite of them rather than because of them.

I actually loved that scene. I do think the Kents should teach Clark something about responsibility at a personal level, and Clark should be the one who decides that it also means social responsibility. But whichever way it goes, her telling her son that after everyone either loathes him and despises what he does, or ideolizes him and doesn't recognize a flawed human being trying his best, that he should only do what the world asks of him if it's something he really wants to do. She may be wrong, but I like that Martha gives him a chance of feeling secure and unpressured.

[Ra-El]

Didio did, I’d bet money on that. He was very hands on with 5G, and ultimately that’s why he got the boot.

I wonder who that well known industry writer was that was one of the options for 5G Superman? Hickman? That would’ve been around the time DC was talking to him.

Dan
My money would be on Warren Ellis. I wanted Ellis to work on Superman since I've read Transmetropolitan, he would be perfect. Danm.

[Frontier]

Dude, if I had to guess, it's probably further up than just the writers or even the editors honestly. It's all branding and what sells quickest within and sentence and as a poster. Based on Lewis' independent work, I'd imagine he'd make use of her if fully left to his own devices.

I guess it makes sense when talking about Superman books to focus on Superman and the character you're discussing in relation to Superman (of course, without a clear direction for Lois in the books, it just seems more noticeable how little she's mentioned).

Well, Clark's not just physically out of the equation, but also he's getting reduced in power soon, so till Jon makes good on the potential he has she's top dog.

Oh yeah, I blocked out that Clark seems to be getting weaker. Huh, now I'm wondering if that was for Kara's sake too.

[HsssH]

The father-son relationship is very much a widespread focus pretty much everywhere. Morrison’s Batman run for example was entirely about that topic, exploring Bruce as both son to Thomas Wayne and father to Damian Wayne. Dick succeeded where Bruce failed because he was Damian’s big brother instead of his dad. Hickman’s East of West ended being entirely about parenthood. And even for Clark, what have Lara and Martha traditionally contributed to Clark’s upbringing? Pretty pathetically little. It’s all about dads, Jor-El the dad who saves him and encourages him to soar, Jonathan Kent the one who grounds him and teaches him to remember his roots.

This is true, but I think there is big reason why people are mostly ok with Damian and not with Jon.

Damian's mother is evil terrorist doing evil terrorist things most of the time. It makes sense that if Damian is to become a "good person" (as much as he can) it will become thru the relationship with his father (who despite all of his problems is still much better human being than Talia) and big brother who is better human being than both of his parents. Damian being raised from his childhood to be an independent killing machine also does provide an explanation for why he is going to solo adventures or is missing for long periods of time despite his young age. There is an internal logic that allows writers to basically do whatever they want with Bruce/Damian, Dick/Damian and Talia/Damian.

None of these things exist for Superman. Both Clark and Lois are good human beings who love and support each other. Both of them love and care about Jon. Yet, without repeating what has been already said hundreds of times in this forum, they end up being bad parents. Writing doesn't really call it out, we are still supposed to think that everything is just fine. And Lois is slowly being phased out because... because who cares about her. Its not like we have any strong thematic or storyline reason to do it. Writers just don't have anything to say about her. And this is my problem with the marriage - Lois just phases in and out all the time, while she probably should be second most important character in this franchise.

I guess what I want to say here is that its ok if you want to do dad/son bonding stories, but maybe you should create a set up that would organically lead to such stories.

The closet scene was nice, but then Snyder gave Martha her own “maybe you should let kids die” moment in BvS when she tells him he doesn’t owe the world a thing. Ultimately neither of the DCEU Kents are really great, Clark seems to be a hero in spite of them rather than because of them.

I don't really understand whats wrong with that line? Clark does what he does not because he owes something to someone, but because he thinks it is a right thing to do.

[Korath]

Regarding Lois, it is my strong belief - in spite of my general apathy if not distaste for the character - that making Jon a boy and not a girl was a missed opportunity precisely because it could have "forced" writers to actually care about Lois more if not only for the dumb reasons that "they are both girls". Because it could have opened a lot of thematic elements which would have been harder to put under the rug if Jon had been Jane, so to speak.

Of course, it could still be possible to play with those thematic elements (such as the way a kid growing up with his/her father being Superman and her mother being for all intent and purpose woefully normal compared to him - even if Lois is supposed to also be this badass journalist - and how it'd affect the way he/she'd relate to either of them) even with Jon, but I feel that most writers aren't interested or comfortable around those, I'm not sure the readership would be comfortable either.

I also think that Damian being the most successful child of a big hero at DC, he kind of became the template for some writers and combined with the idea that Supe's heir has to be a boy, we are at the situation we have now. Of course, FS could also show that there is an interest for another kind of child of heroes, like Andy Curry. But it's still very much up in the air.

[Vordan]

This is true, but I think there is big reason why people are mostly ok with Damian and not with Jon.

Damian's mother is evil terrorist doing evil terrorist things most of the time. It makes sense that if Damian is to become a "good person" (as much as he can) it will become thru the relationship with his father (who despite all of his problems is still much better human being than Talia) and big brother who is better human being than both of his parents. Damian being raised from his childhood to be an independent killing machine also does provide an explanation for why he is going to solo adventures or is missing for long periods of time despite his young age. There is an internal logic that allows writers to basically do whatever they want with Bruce/Damian, Dick/Damian and Talia/Damian.

None of these things exist for Superman. Both Clark and Lois are good human beings who love and support each other. Both of them love and care about Jon. Yet, without repeating what has been already said hundreds of times in this forum, they end up being bad parents. Writing doesn't really call it out, we are still supposed to think that everything is just fine. And Lois is slowly being phased out because... because who cares about her. Its not like we have any strong thematic or storyline reason to do it. Writers just don't have anything to say about her. And this is my problem with the marriage - Lois just phases in and out all the time, while she probably should be second most important character in this franchise.

I guess what I want to say here is that its ok if you want to do dad/son bonding stories, but maybe you should create a set up that would organically lead to such stories.



I don't really understand whats wrong with that line? Clark does what he does not because he owes something to someone, but because he thinks it is a right thing to do.

Because the line goes one step further in saying “you have zero moral obligation to help people in need if you don’t want too”, which I find a repugnant moral stance honestly. Especially given Jonathan Kent already basically argued that Supes should look out for number 1 and keep his head down.

[Alpha]

Yes it does, and can't you see why a mother might feel the need to tell her son that? Like even if there is a war going on, don't you think a huge part of a mother would want to tell her son that he doesn't need to go fight, that he could just have his own life back here? And I think Clark should have someone lose to him tell him that he doesn't need to do all of this. I would probably use Lana Lang instead if Martha, but I totally see why one would use Martha

[Frontier]

Regarding Lois, it is my strong belief - in spite of my general apathy if not distaste for the character - that making Jon a boy and not a girl was a missed opportunity precisely because it could have "forced" writers to actually care about Lois more if not only for the dumb reasons that "they are both girls". Because it could have opened a lot of thematic elements which would have been harder to put under the rug if Jon had been Jane, so to speak.

Of course, it could still be possible to play with those thematic elements (such as the way a kid growing up with his/her father being Superman and her mother being for all intent and purpose woefully normal compared to him - even if Lois is supposed to also be this badass journalist - and how it'd affect the way he/she'd relate to either of them) even with Jon, but I feel that most writers aren't interested or comfortable around those, I'm not sure the readership would be comfortable either.

I also think that Damian being the most successful child of a big hero at DC, he kind of became the template for some writers and combined with the idea that Supe's heir has to be a boy, we are at the situation we have now. Of course, FS could also show that there is an interest for another kind of child of heroes, like Andy Curry. But it's still very much up in the air.

I'm thinking of the irony that Lois and Lucy had such a rough childhood because their father wanted a son, and then Lois ends up having a son.

[Superfamily]

I have no problem with Jon being the new superman , the problem is how they're pushing it, harming not only Jon but the Clark and Lois Lane on the way .. Everything has its time, and certainly this was not Jon's time, the character should be much more developed to have this mantle organically .. I love Jon and for me to bring the superman with the son in the continuous chronology was the best decision But they're making a big mess in the Mythology of Superman (AGAIN) to accommodate the adult Jon They're making an unnecessary mess, things could happen naturally over time ..

[Korath]

Now that I think about it, isn't she touted to appear in Checkmate ?

[Frontier]

Now that I think about it, isn't she touted to appear in Checkmate ?

Whenever that comes out, yeah.

[Yoda]

Now that I think about it, isn't she touted to appear in Checkmate ?

Whenever that comes out, yeah.

Yes. Bendis confirmed it last week that she's still one of the main characters in Checkmate and he's been mentioning Checkmate whenever he's plugging his Justice League run as well. Maleev has apparently been working on it, it just has been pushed out a bit.

[Robanker]

Dude, if I had to guess, it's probably further up than just the writers or even the editors honestly. It's all branding and what sells quickest within and sentence and as a poster. Based on Lewis' independent work, I'd imagine he'd make use of her if fully left to his own devices.

That's more reassuring than you know. It just seems like nobody coming on cares about arguably the second most popular character in the entire IP.

[Vordan]

Yes. Bendis confirmed it last week that she's still one of the main characters in Checkmate and he's been mentioning Checkmate whenever he's plugging his Justice League run as well. Maleev has apparently been working on it, it just has been pushed out a bit.

Probably to give Maleev a head start so it can all come out on time. If a Checkmate ongoing spins out of this, would Bendis write it I wonder? All he s got on his plate so far is JL.

[Frontier]

Probably to give Maleev a head start so it can all come out on time. If a Checkmate ongoing spins out of this, would Bendis write it I wonder? All he s got on his plate so far is JL.

He's talked about it enough, and it involves Maleev, so I can't see it being anybody else but him.