Superman & The Authority #4 Annotations

[Rikdad]

This took longer to complete than I would have liked, but it was worth a look at some old issues to see some of the scenes that Morrison was referencing, including the surprise discovery that this isn't the first time that Ultra-Humanite tried to saw Superman's head open.

The story picks up again in this month's Action Comics but with Grant Morrison hanging up their cape, cowl, boots, and utility belt for now, things will never be the same again.

http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/10/s...thority-4.html

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Excellent analysis, as always.

[HsssH]

I have not read anything from Tangent universe, but I wonder how well does Lightray connect with that version of Flash? They are both "first baby born in space/mars" from what I understand.

[Rikdad]

Thanks, B@3!

HsssH, the two Lia Nelsons appear to be significantly different, although we hardly saw anything of Morrison's version. They don't look alike. The Tangent Universe was full of plot devices that don't exist in the DCU so their biographies can't be that similar.

Morrison packaged a lot of fourth-tier characters into Seven Soldiers, which gave them a lot of leeway in how to write those characters, but here they use a few of what might fairly be called ninth-tier characters (yes, I'm pulling these numbers out of thin air). Siv, Lia Nelson, and Iron Cross have almost no body of previously existing work. This Iron Cross looks like a fusion of Ibac and Captain Nazi and it took me a minute to realize that he wasn't one of them.

Morrison is great at inventing new characters. Here, Morrison borrows existing ones, but just barely.

[manwhohaseverything]

Great read.I kind of believe clark is trying to redeem himself and not manchester black.Though it might come of as the later.I also believe manchester was trying to redeem clark as well.Ofcourse,that's just my read.
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The book felt like black giving a counter balance to clark.Clark felt like struggling/trying to push himself past himself, come to term with his powerlessness and short comings in his current state .Things he took for granted and things he looked past in his world view.While,manchester felt like he's tired,worn out and just depressed overall.He doesn't seek redemption,just some kind of emotional release.Ofcourse,i am biased.i don't think clark and black are going to agree.I feel that's good.People who don't agree working together is the best part of a dynamics.A swan swong of sort of two decrepit old men
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overall,black's absolute irreverance towards clark was refreshing.

[Vordan]

Finally the whole set is complete! Planned on sitting down and reading all your annotations in one sitting, just gotta get the time.

[Rikdad]

I also believe manchester was trying to redeem clark as well.
[…]
i don't think clark and black are going to agree.
I feel that's good.
People who don't agree working together is the best part of a dynamics.
overall,black's absolute irreverance towards clark was refreshing.

This is really what Morrison's offering in this series, and it might have been done with two different characters, but Superman and Manchester Black were probably the best choices, representing the purest good and about as malevolent and jaded as possible to make the reconciliation work.

With Enchantress, we had something similar happen, but she's only one (sort of) person with two personalities.

Morrison sees a better, more nuanced, and more realistic future for DC where the black and white blur into grays… something similar to what Manchester said in his very first story.