Superman: son of Kal-El

[Kara Danvers]

This is a ridiculous comment that highlights just how strong the whip lash is regarding how both DC and fandom treats Lois Lane.

For decades, fans of Lois have been subjected to near relentless misogyny directed towards her and about her. She’s not good enough for Superman. She’s too bossy. She’s a ****. They shouldn’t be married. They shouldn’t be allowed to have kids. They should be infertile. She should die. Undo the marriage. She’s weak. She’s useless. She’s nothing but a damsel in distress. She’s mean. She isn’t worthy of him. She should appear less. She’s too old. She’s not as hot as Wonder Woman or Lana. Kill her off. Kill her pregnant. Kill her in every AU. Take her son from her. Make her infertile and then kill her off and give him kids with another woman just to really rub it in.

We’ve heard it ALL. The Lois fans have heard every last misogynist insult against her for decades. We’ve seen her crapped all over, shunted out of her own books and just generally degraded publicly by men within WB and DC for years. But NOW. Now it’s all about how she’s the greatest journalist in the world and this is nepotism and her son doesn’t “deserve” to carry the mantle that she helped build.

I call BS on this. As both a long time defender of Lois Lane and as a MOTHER myself. BS.

You can’t have it both ways. The fandom doesn’t get to spend literally decades abusing this female character to the point that her fans have become so jaded and braced for the misogyny that we just expect it now and then turn around and frame her son this way as some example of privilege. It’s not fair, it’s not accurate and it’s not the history.

Jon Kent ::is:: a miracle. He’s the child of a couple previously deemed infertile by a lot of sexist, crappy writing about both infertility and marriage. The very fact that he exists given all the YEARS Lois was punished by writers and fandom as some useless woman who would “surely die during sex” or AU’s where she was killed by her own child or games where she was murdered pregnant. It’s a miracle Dan Jurgens was able to give her a son that DC didn’t use against her in some vicious way. It’s a miracle we have actually overcome years of this crap and guess what? The jokes about how she should be dead and Jon shouldn’t exist bc she should be infertile are still all over the internet which is disgusting.

Nepotism is not simply the idea that you follow in a parents’ footsteps. It has to do with actively disenfranchising more deserving and qualified people from an equal opportunity. You cannot and should not weaponize legitimate social justice language and then misuse it as you do here. Superman is not a job that people apply for it’s a FAMILY crest with a Family symbol on the chest. It is not Harvard.

Superman is not a mantle that Clark Kent EARNED anymore than anyone else. Which btw is fine! He became Superman because it was an extension of his heritage from the House of El and a way to use his extreme physical gifts to help people in need. Kara did the same when she chose to wear the family crest. Neither of them needed to earn the right to wear their family shield and help people in need—-they chose to do it because it was the right thing to do.

Jon Kent has just as much right to wear his family’s crest on his chest as his father and cousin did. That is his heritage too. It belongs to him as it would anyone from the House of El. He has every right to wear a symbol that not only is his heritage but also a mantle that his mother helped build with honor. That is not nepotism. He doesn’t need to earn his heritage anymore than Clark or Kara did—it belongs to him and can’t and shouldn’t be stolen.

How Jon will operate in this role remains to be seen. He may fail, he may succeed. We have no idea yet. Which is the point of this story, I suppose. To watch him try. But it’s most definitely not ok to reframe the decades of relentless misogyny that both Lois and their relationship endured and how it distinctly tied to kids like this. I’m an infertility survivor myself and I take it extremely personally that you would attempt to erase just how insensitively that issue had been handled by DC Comics for years on end. Maybe you just genuinely don’t know all this history? I don’t know. But you should step back here and think about it.

There is a lot of desperation involved for those of us told we can’t have children. The way DC Comics handled Lois and Clark’s fertility over the last few decades was ::genuinely:: triggering for some people. And just because you personally don’t ::understand:: that does not make it not real.

Superman & Lois having a son is wonderful and it would even better if they had more kids but I don't want any Superman successors to be their offspring. They can have the family crest but not the Superman name.

I can't say anything else because I don't understand 90% of what you said.

[Nelliebly]

Superman & Lois having a son is wonderful and it would even better if they had more kids but I don't want any Superman successors to be their offspring. They can have the family crest but not the Superman name.

I can't say anything else because I don't understand 90% of what you said.

If you don’t understand than maybe you should step back and reflect a bit on what you might be missing here. Because I’m talking about some important ****.

And, again, your comment is problematic.

So Jon Kent is entitled to his heritage and is allowed to wear his family’s shield (how gracious of you) but he’s not allowed to use the name Superman.

A name, btw, created and coined, in many versions of the story by his own mother.

So, per your directive, he’s not allowed to honor his mother or his father by using that name.

Again, Superman, as a mantle, is not an elected official. It is not a paying job you apply for. And your understanding of what nepotism is and means is faulty. Superman as a name is not something you earn period. It is not driven by capitalism.

He has just as much right to call himself Superman —again a name his MOTHER made famous—-as anyone else.

[Kara Danvers]

If you don’t understand than maybe you should step back and reflect a bit on what you might be missing here. Because I’m talking about some important ****.

And, again, your comment is problematic.

So Jon Kent is entitled to his heritage and is allowed to wear his family’s shield (how gracious of you) but he’s not allowed to use the name Superman.

A name, btw, created and coined, in many versions of the story by his own mother.

So, per our directive, he’s not allowed to honor his mother or his father by using that name.

Again, Superman, as a mantle, is not an elected official. It is not a paying job you apply for. And your understanding of what nepotism is and means is faulty.

He has just as much right to call himself Superman —again a make his MOTHER made famous—-as anyone else.

Superman is not a family title that is passed down. To be Superman is to be the greatest hero in the DCU and Jon isn't entitled to it because of his parents.

[Vordan]

It be nice if his mom made him somthing like Clark’s did

That’s not really something Lois would do lol. Wouldn’t really make sense either, Clark has access to tech that can make way better quality suits than what Lois could do herself.

[Nelliebly]

Superman is not a family title that is passed down. To be Superman is to be the greatest hero in the DCU and Jon isn't entitled to it because of his parents.

No one is “entitled” to it period!!! That’s the point your repeatedly missing here.

Clark and Kara were not “entitled” to it either! Because no one was. Superman and Supergirl as NAMES were not something they applied for and earned. They were names they chose and/or bestowed upon them. They were not entitled to them.

So, no, Jon is not “entitled” to the name Superman bc NO ONE is. Even Clark. This is a call to service. It’s not a job. Unlike even with the Amazons, this isn’t a contest you enter and win.

And he can call himself Superman if he chooses to (or Better yet Lois can do it) because this isn’t a contest to be won. That’s the point.

You say Superman “is not a family title passed down.” Or maybe it is. We don’t actually know yet because this has never happened before. You’ve just decided that Lois and Clark’s son should be forbidden from using this name which is ridiculous bc he has just as much right to be called Superman as anyone else.

[Kara Danvers]

No one is “entitled” to it period!!! That’s the point your repeatedly missing here.

Clark and Kara were not “entitled” to it either! Because no one was. Superman and Supergirl as NAMES were not something they applied for and earned. They were names they chose and/or bestowed upon them. They were not entitled to them.

So, no, Jon is not “entitled” to the name Superman bc NO ONE is. Even Clark. This is a call to service. It’s not a job.

And he can call himself Superman if he chooses to (or Better yet Lois can do it) because this isn’t a contest to be won. That’s the point.

Clark and Kara made those mean something. They didn't earn those titles, they made them worth earning.

Jon going by Superman is the opposite.

Jon taking the Superman name goes against what the name means and stands for. He is getting the name because of his parents and that is not what Superman is about.

[manofsteel1979]

I'll believe the Waid rumors when there's an official announcement with a release date.

I did forget about 78 though, that might be fun. Is that an ongoing?

Well, I've been saying I'll take a self contained type of thing over the shared continuity so, okay, fair's fair I guess. If Superman 78 is an ongoing I got no room to bitch.

Oh, and SuperAuthority "could" end up a monthly, relaunched after the mini with a different writer. Not that I'd bet on it, but it's happened in the past with stuff like Azreal and Hawkworld.

And no, I doubt this SuperJr thing will last. I doubt it's intended to. Which kinda makes it worse in a way, if we're losing time and focus on Clark just as we're getting into this new, open-ID-cosmic-United Planets-senator Kent stuff, just for a....temporary tangent.

I believe that whenever Clark takes back the main mantle , a lot of the Bendis era changes regarding the secret ID ,United Planets, etc will somehow get swept under the rug. Some sort of soft reboot that DC will promote as a grand return to the classic status quo for a few months until they decide to mix everything up again.

[Nelliebly]

Clark and Kara made those mean something. They didn't earn those titles, they made them worth earning.

Jon going by Superman is the opposite.

Jon taking the Superman name goes against what the name means and stands for. He is getting the name because of his parents and that is not what Superman is about.

You have no idea why he is getting the name because the book isn’t even out yet. You have ZERO clue what he will do.

Yes, Clark and Kara brought meaning to the names through their actions. Again, you have absolutely no evidence to support that Jon won’t too. Because the book isn’t out yet.

The name “Superman” means hope. We can argue about when or how hope started to be associated with the crest but that’s what it means. We live in hope per Lois Lane. So, no, Jon being called Superman is not “the opposite of what Superman means.” He’s the desperately wanted son of two people from completely different cultures and worlds who really, really wanted kids and were told they couldn’t have them repeatedly. If you don’t understand why that’s hopeful, I can’t help you. But beyond that, again, you don’t know yet what Jon will do with the mantle because you have not read the book yet.

But you’ve clearly made up your mind that he’s so completely undeserving and shouldn’t be allowed to use this name and isn’t allowed to ever call himself by the name his mother started using so I mean, whatever.

I think you are wrong but more than that I think this whole convo is problematic bc it positions Superman as a mantle as a job you earn which didn’t even apply to Clark or Kara. Superman is a call to service. It’s not a capitalist idea. Jon may or may not wear his family shield the way you hope he will but you won’t know until the book comes out so deciding so pointedly before it even has that he’s “the opposite of Superman” is a wasted exercise. I give up.

[manwhohaseverything]

You should say "I want a Japanese Superman" lol. Westernised is the last thing I would call Kenan.

Guilty is charged.as for kenan,i feel what i feel.what can you do.

[Kara Danvers]

You have no idea why he is getting the name because the book isn’t even out yet. You have ZERO clue what he will do.

Yes, Clark and Kara brought meaning to the names through their actions. Again, you have absolutely no evidence to support that Jon won’t too. Because the book isn’t out yet.

The name “Superman” means hope. We can argue about when or how hope started to be associated with the crest but that’s what it means. We live in hope per Lois Lane. So, no, Jon being called Superman is not “the opposite of what Superman means.” He’s the desperately wanted son of two people from completely different cultures and worlds who really, really wanted kids and were told they couldn’t have them repeatedly. If you don’t understand why that’s hopeful, I can’t help you. But beyond that, again, you don’t know yet what Jon will do with the mantle because you have not read the book yet.

But you’ve clearly made up your mind that he’s so completely undeserving and shouldn’t be allowed to use this name and isn’t allowed to ever call himself by the name his mother started using so I mean, whatever.

I think you are both wrong and I think this whole convo is problematic bc it positions Superman as a mantle as a job you earn which didn’t even apply to Clark or Kara. Superman is a call to service. It’s not a capitalist idea. Jon may or may not wear his family shield the way you hope he will but you won’t know until the book comes out so deciding so pointedly before it even has that he’s “the opposite of Superman” is a wasted exercise. I give up.

Jon is getting the mantle before he has done anything that puts him on Clark's level. Only the greatest hero in the DCU should be called Superman.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Wouldn't Batman's case count as nepotism too? Every character that has taken his mantle is connected to his family either through adoption (Dick), blood (Damian) or family friends (Jace).

[Kara Danvers]

Wouldn't Batman's case count as nepotism too? Every character that has taken his mantle is connected to his family either through adoption (Dick), blood (Damian) or family friends (Jace).

Who cares about Batman.

[manwhohaseverything]

Jon is getting the mantle before he has done anything that puts him on Clark's level. Only the greatest hero in the DCU should be called Superman.

what did clark do to "earn" superman title?nothing. he slammed car into the ground.that's it. read action comic #1. case closed.

[Kara Danvers]

what did clark do to "earn" superman title?nothing. he slammed car into the ground.that's it. read action comic #1. case closed.

Superman didn't mean anything before Clark. It means something now.

[Yoda]

Clark doesn't view Superman the way you're looking at it at all.