Jon Kent: Man of Tomorrow?

[Rikdad]

Today, an issue hit the virtual stands that will be discussed for a long time. Or will it? I think so, but however one feels about Jon Kent, he faces an enemy whose ability to destroy (or seriously alter) superheroes exceeds that of Lex Luthor and the Joker:

http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/11/j...-tomorrow.html

[Vordan]

Interesting post. This part stuck out to me:

DC’s creators want to do something momentous and meaningful with Jon Kent as they did with Alan Scott, but the persistence in sticking out creative decisions is a proclivity or capacity that DC has perhaps lost.

I agree but here’s something that I do think is missing from this equation: DC (and WB) don’t care about comics anymore. Comics are just a testing ground for IPs to adapt into movies, shows, cartoons, and games. Using your Alan Scott example, Alan is a total mess, but him being gay led to him being gay in E0 and now the first live action Alan Scott that’s coming in the GL HBO Max show will be gay. That incarnation will likely lack the continuity clusterfuck of comic Scott’s history while still retaining the big “important” change of his sexuality.

Likewise while Jon’s history may continue to be a mess, a Jon Kent adaption will retain the important elements: he’s Superman and Lois’ son, he’s going to be (or is depending on the adaption) Superman himself. Jon’s bisexuality and Jay will be plucked from the comics and adapted to fit the show, or Jay won’t be adapted and they’ll just bring someone else as his LI or create a new one whole cloth. With stories like this it’s as much about eyeing the potential money these characters can bring elsewhere (something Lee mentioned last year as being crucial to how DC was operating).

[Rikdad]

That's an outstanding point, Vordan! For those of us looking at the comics, it's the same outcome, and really whether they want to do something and can't, or simply don't care is a philosophical difference.

I have to say that while I wrote the parts of the post about the Flash, I was reminded how Ezra Miller's performance has influenced Barry Allen's characterization in the comics, and the fact that the Superman-Lois marriage was driven (and certainly timed) in response to the TV show at the time.