"Superman" #38 Debuts New Power, New Costume for the Man of Steel

[DochaDocha]

I agree, the yellow adds a lot. Who'd have thought a belt buckle can make all the difference?

[Ascended]

I've never seen Johns' Superman as an everyman aspiring to be like humans without inspiring them, Clark maybe, but not his Superman. Well, at least of all the Johns Superman stuff I've read which includes Justice League. I took the being powerless element of the Super Flare to not necessarily be thematic, at least in regards to making Superman more "human" but to provide a good hurdle for Superman to overcome wherein he has to save the day without his powers. It's a classic Superhero trope .

Fair enough on the ignoring continuity issue. I'm more than happy and content with Clark being back at the Planet, but I can understand why people would be dissatisfied with Johns just ignoring why he left in the first place or what he was doing with Cat. Though again, perfectly happy with how things ended up .

We all knew Clark would end up back at the Planet, and I daresay we were all fine with that. The blog thing was an interesting idea worth exploring and Clark's reasons for leaving the Planet were very much in line with what Morrison established for Clark's character but I doubt anyone expected it to stay that way. But that got pushed off to the side by editorial while Lobdell was on the book, and Johns' ignoring those plot threads amounts to nothing more than a highly unsatisfying resolution to what should have been an intriguing story line. I find it highly unprofessional, lazy, and insulting. Johns is, typically, a solid writer and he can do better. And Superman deserves better.

As for the thematics, a hero losing his powers is classic yes, and Superman losing his powers is a time honored story hook. That's all well and good. But given how Johns has historically handled the character, it would be less about Superman overcoming adversity while handicapped, thus proving that the powers do not a Superman make, and more about bringing Superman down to our level, making him "flawed" and "weak" and "human" for no reason beyond that Johns seems incapable of writing anyone who is truly better than us.

Johns New52 Superman has been better than his post-Crisis stuff, I'll happily admit. And what I read of his run was actually no worse than mediocre, which is, really, an improvement. But he still doesnt understand the scope and aims of the character; he aims low when he should aim high. For those who enjoy his Superman work, Im glad someone does. But I find his Superman lackluster in nearly every way.

[Blacksun]

Well in the early outset of the New 52, the "big 7" of the JLA all had a high collar,(or in WW's case, a choker)as a common costume detail among them (as well as the seams on the suits) to give them a kind of team uniform feel. DC has never given a specific reason for it beyond that, so we will go with that.

Looking at that pic above, that is a definite, although slight improvement. If they would keep the yellow on the belt ($10 bet it gets recolored red just before publication), eliminate the high collar and change the "S" on the cape from black to yellow, it would be near perfect.

well JL already met using "matching" costumes, there's no logic on that.

High collar needs to go

[Sacred Knight]

The yellow buckle makes the whole thing look so much better, I hope this look wins out.

Or there's still the thin theory I had that maybe the buckle actually is a device that serves some sort of practical purpose now, and he just doesn't have it yet as of Superman #38. :shrug:

[AwesomeUsername]

Hot damn, yellow "S" on the cape is back?

[Sacred Knight]

I always imagined that's why they had the cape rip like it did in the first place. When he gets it back he'll probably just keep it in the Fortress to keep it from ever being further damaged, and get another one to wear somewhere which has a yellow S on the back.

[AwesomeUsername]

I just wish they kept the yellow in the belt buckle as well. It doesn't seem to be there in Hitch's JLA. Hoping for a fix once the issues are out.

[manofsteel1979]

I always imagined that's why they had the cape rip like it did in the first place. When he gets it back he'll probably just keep it in the Fortress to keep it from ever being further damaged, and get another one to wear somewhere which has a yellow S on the back.

Perhaps the new one will be made of tough earth fabric, perhaps more resilient than what Ma Kent used to make the capes out of Post-Crisis, but occasionally allow it to get ripped/torn. I always liked the visual. Shows the punishment Supes gets put through on a given day.

[Sacred Knight]

I'm hoping the new one is Kryptonian too. I like his costume being totally Kryptonian, no Earth materials. If his Fortress is anything like Sanctuary, it can mass produce them. Though I do like the visual of a torn cape every now and again.