Pre-Flashpoint Superman; Was it that bad?

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN ADVENTURES, based on the SUPERMAN animated series, was a good read with stories from Scott McCloud and Mark Millar (among others). It might not have introduced universe-altering epic stories beyond belief--but it was a reliable title.

[misslane]

Batman's quote is a lie. Superman was portrayed as plenty inspiring after his death. One of my favorite moments from Adventures of Superman #648:

BLUDHAVEN -- Time stopped for this tragic, troubled city at exactly 12:51 a.m. Friday.

The sky turned black. The air turned toxic, choking off all hope. In the form of a man came a monster -- CHEMO, whose human-contoured membrane quivered with the swell of its noxious, radioactive contents. The dreaded supervillain released his rain of terror in one sulphurous, explosive, acid gush.

For many, perhaps most, death was instantaneous. They were the lucky ones.

First, silence. Then, rising din of panic, the cries of survivors trapped in wreckage, the whimpering of children wandering a playground of twisted steel. The very air sizzled with unseen toxins that swirled and gathered strength. Even the waters that lapped at the docks by the rail yard foamed with tainted sediment.

At 1:06 a.m., hope returned to Bludhaven in a blaze of blue, yellow, and red.

There was no press conference. Reporters from cities near and far simply rushed the steps of their City Hall on instinct, an agnry mob looking for answers. But there were only questions. And chaos.

When the mind can't cope with the scale of human suffering, it turns to statistics. The cold comfort of numbers. A way to organize and categorize the unimaginable.

The sight of Sueprman reminded us that hte way you cope with tragedy is one rescue at a time. Until you can go on no longer.

Something terrible happened in Bludhaven that day. Something good, too. Superman reminded us that hope exists when we never give up on each other.

There was suffering even among the mighty. No one envied Nightwing that day. Crouched on the sidelines. Watching his city scream in pain. Everything in him strained to leap forward and help his people. But his city was as lethal to Nightwing as to its citizens. He was not immune to the acid stench of Chemo's spilled guts.

Reason gained a foothold, and Nightwing relented. He reluctantly retreated to the emergency refugee camp that had sprung up across the Narrows near Mealtide Park.

The heroes came from all directions, their faces grim with purpose. Two Green Lanterns. The Huntress. And the Metal Men, who were no strangers to Chemo. They came unbidden, not realizing that Bludhaven was soon ringed from all sides with angles.

The Green Lanterns protected refugee areas. The Metal Men clanged into the forbidden zone -- molten Mercury trickling into nooks and crannies, shape-shifting Platinum darting through the challenging maze of destruction, Iron barreling through, lumbering Lead shielding his comrades, at least temporarily, from radiation.

Those who couldn't enter the city worked tirelessly on the outskirts. They did the most. They did the best they could.

The Special Crimes Unit from Metropolis was the first civilian group to mobilize. first, but hardly alone. Like the superheroes, everyone in nearby cities raced, from all directions, to the center of the maelstrom. Lupe Leocadio, the SCU's captain, was fresh out of the hospital herself. That didn't stop her from taking charge, barking orders, priming her crew for what could very well be the worst day of their lives.

The refugee camp evolved into Command Central, a buzzing hive of activity, nucleus of a constant relay of search-and-rescue missions to and from the toxic wasteland.

The city had thudded to its knees. There was no one to record the last moments, the final thoughts of the dead. Did they have the seconds it would take to see and acknowledge their fate? We can only hope not.

The fabric of Bludhaven was torn, probably forever. All that was left was a slim chance to save a few before the city succumbed to the toxic chain reaction.

With the clock ticking, even rival reporters pooled their notes. It was no time for egos. Chemo would be reforming from the swirling sludge it had let loose. It would rise again, that much was certain.

One of the Green Lanterns had already mourned the death of Coast City. Once again, a city was going under and he was helpless to stop it. It's easy to forget that heroes are people, too. Even the strongest will can be diluted when despair courses through the blood. there's just so much a person can take. Why not a hero as well?

When one door closes, a window opens. Superman had a plan. It was risky, but at least it was a chance. Chemo was the problem. Now Chemo would be the solution. Chemo was pulling the toxic remnants back into itself. By challenging Chemo, Superman would force the creature to draw the toxins that much faster, sucking up the sludge that oozed in the streets. He who had destroyed Bludhaven would clean it up.

The fiercer the battle, the better for Bludhaven. But the fiercer the battle, the mightier the opponent, as Chemo swelled with its infusion of toxic energy. Could Superman withstand the very monster he was helping to recreate?

A crisis like this can bring out the worst in people. It's hard to find forgiveness in your heart when some fight the good fight and others turn to acts of selfishness. But Superman never lost heart, not even when it all seemed hopeless. Because a crisis like this can bring out the best in people, too -- that is, if they can find the right motivation.

Hope comes even from the unlikeliest sources. All people really need is to know they are valued. Sometimes they just need a little direction, and when they head in that direction, they might gather up others like them. It's never too later to do good, not even when the world around you is in flames.

In the refugee camps, confusion reigned. They could see the outlines of battle. Wasn't Superman aware that he was reenergizing Chemo? Making him stronger? Was Superman wasting these last desperate moments of a dying city?

Green Lantern nearly managed a smile. He had figured it out. He asked his ring for the levels of toxicity. When the ring answered, everyone finally understood. Still, the fear that tickled at the edges grew. And so did Chemo. Despair...

After a breathless pause, Superman rose in the air, tugging at that foul sack with all his might. Momentum gathered, slowly, then faster. Its bulging arms still stretched toward the city it wanted dead, Chemo was hauled off into the black void of space. And then someone said it: "Look! Up in the Sky!" The ecstatic roar of the survivors reverberated to the heavens.

As toxic level plummeted, those who'd been forced to watch from the sidelines were finally poised for action. There was still much left to do. Survivors to find. Wounded to care for. Families to reunite.

The joy was muted. Things would never be the same in Bludhaven.

When Superman first appeared, people wondered why I gave him that name. In a world full of heroes, what raised this one above the others? Was it his strength? His ability to fly? His super senses?

It was his humanity.

With all those superhuman powers, his greatest gift is to act from the heart, inspiring others to do the same.

He forgets sometimes.

But there, at the refugee camp, Superman was surrounded by all the people he had moved to realize their own best powers, all of them fully human. Kindness. Grace. Forgiveness. The willingness to risk all to do right by others.

Superman was greeted with quiet nods of recognition by many who had followed. He had taught them without lecturing. Guided them without speaking. His example had inspired some to change their very nature. He thanked them all for their help. But it was he who had helped them, not just on this most terrible day, but in their daily lives, and in imagining and working toward a brighter, safer future.

A glorious sight -- Superman leading a phalanx of heroes back into Bludhaven. Everyone in the refugee camp watched. They were grateful. Did I say "they"? I meant we.

At exactly 12:51 a.m. on Wednesday, time stopped. Hope died. At 1:06 a.m., a heart started beating. That's when Superman arrived, and hope returned. That's the gift of Superman. Even when today seems so uncertain, he makes us believe in tomorrow.

by Lois Lane

[Lexrules]

Batman's quote is a lie. Superman was portrayed as plenty inspiring after his death. One of my favorite moments from Adventures of Superman #648:

BLUDHAVEN -- Time stopped for this tragic, troubled city at exactly 12:51 a.m. Friday.

The sky turned black. The air turned toxic, choking off all hope. In the form of a man came a monster -- CHEMO, whose human-contoured membrane quivered with the swell of its noxious, radioactive contents. The dreaded supervillain released his rain of terror in one sulphurous, explosive, acid gush.

For many, perhaps most, death was instantaneous. They were the lucky ones.

First, silence. Then, rising din of panic, the cries of survivors trapped in wreckage, the whimpering of children wandering a playground of twisted steel. The very air sizzled with unseen toxins that swirled and gathered strength. Even the waters that lapped at the docks by the rail yard foamed with tainted sediment.

At 1:06 a.m., hope returned to Bludhaven in a blaze of blue, yellow, and red.

There was no press conference. Reporters from cities near and far simply rushed the steps of their City Hall on instinct, an agnry mob looking for answers. But there were only questions. And chaos.

When the mind can't cope with the scale of human suffering, it turns to statistics. The cold comfort of numbers. A way to organize and categorize the unimaginable.

The sight of Sueprman reminded us that hte way you cope with tragedy is one rescue at a time. Until you can go on no longer.

Something terrible happened in Bludhaven that day. Something good, too. Superman reminded us that hope exists when we never give up on each other.

There was suffering even among the mighty. No one envied Nightwing that day. Crouched on the sidelines. Watching his city scream in pain. Everything in him strained to leap forward and help his people. But his city was as lethal to Nightwing as to its citizens. He was not immune to the acid stench of Chemo's spilled guts.

Reason gained a foothold, and Nightwing relented. He reluctantly retreated to the emergency refugee camp that had sprung up across the Narrows near Mealtide Park.

The heroes came from all directions, their faces grim with purpose. Two Green Lanterns. The Huntress. And the Metal Men, who were no strangers to Chemo. They came unbidden, not realizing that Bludhaven was soon ringed from all sides with angles.

The Green Lanterns protected refugee areas. The Metal Men clanged into the forbidden zone -- molten Mercury trickling into nooks and crannies, shape-shifting Platinum darting through the challenging maze of destruction, Iron barreling through, lumbering Lead shielding his comrades, at least temporarily, from radiation.

Those who couldn't enter the city worked tirelessly on the outskirts. They did the most. They did the best they could.

The Special Crimes Unit from Metropolis was the first civilian group to mobilize. first, but hardly alone. Like the superheroes, everyone in nearby cities raced, from all directions, to the center of the maelstrom. Lupe Leocadio, the SCU's captain, was fresh out of the hospital herself. That didn't stop her from taking charge, barking orders, priming her crew for what could very well be the worst day of their lives.

The refugee camp evolved into Command Central, a buzzing hive of activity, nucleus of a constant relay of search-and-rescue missions to and from the toxic wasteland.

The city had thudded to its knees. There was no one to record the last moments, the final thoughts of the dead. Did they have the seconds it would take to see and acknowledge their fate? We can only hope not.

The fabric of Bludhaven was torn, probably forever. All that was left was a slim chance to save a few before the city succumbed to the toxic chain reaction.

With the clock ticking, even rival reporters pooled their notes. It was no time for egos. Chemo would be reforming from the swirling sludge it had let loose. It would rise again, that much was certain.

One of the Green Lanterns had already mourned the death of Coast City. Once again, a city was going under and he was helpless to stop it. It's easy to forget that heroes are people, too. Even the strongest will can be diluted when despair courses through the blood. there's just so much a person can take. Why not a hero as well?

When one door closes, a window opens. Superman had a plan. It was risky, but at least it was a chance. Chemo was the problem. Now Chemo would be the solution. Chemo was pulling the toxic remnants back into itself. By challenging Chemo, Superman would force the creature to draw the toxins that much faster, sucking up the sludge that oozed in the streets. He who had destroyed Bludhaven would clean it up.

The fiercer the battle, the better for Bludhaven. But the fiercer the battle, the mightier the opponent, as Chemo swelled with its infusion of toxic energy. Could Superman withstand the very monster he was helping to recreate?

A crisis like this can bring out the worst in people. It's hard to find forgiveness in your heart when some fight the good fight and others turn to acts of selfishness. But Superman never lost heart, not even when it all seemed hopeless. Because a crisis like this can bring out the best in people, too -- that is, if they can find the right motivation.

Hope comes even from the unlikeliest sources. All people really need is to know they are valued. Sometimes they just need a little direction, and when they head in that direction, they might gather up others like them. It's never too later to do good, not even when the world around you is in flames.

In the refugee camps, confusion reigned. They could see the outlines of battle. Wasn't Superman aware that he was reenergizing Chemo? Making him stronger? Was Superman wasting these last desperate moments of a dying city?

Green Lantern nearly managed a smile. He had figured it out. He asked his ring for the levels of toxicity. When the ring answered, everyone finally understood. Still, the fear that tickled at the edges grew. And so did Chemo. Despair...

After a breathless pause, Superman rose in the air, tugging at that foul sack with all his might. Momentum gathered, slowly, then faster. Its bulging arms still stretched toward the city it wanted dead, Chemo was hauled off into the black void of space. And then someone said it: "Look! Up in the Sky!" The ecstatic roar of the survivors reverberated to the heavens.

As toxic level plummeted, those who'd been forced to watch from the sidelines were finally poised for action. There was still much left to do. Survivors to find. Wounded to care for. Families to reunite.

The joy was muted. Things would never be the same in Bludhaven.

When Superman first appeared, people wondered why I gave him that name. In a world full of heroes, what raised this one above the others? Was it his strength? His ability to fly? His super senses?

It was his humanity.

With all those superhuman powers, his greatest gift is to act from the heart, inspiring others to do the same.

He forgets sometimes.

But there, at the refugee camp, Superman was surrounded by all the people he had moved to realize their own best powers, all of them fully human. Kindness. Grace. Forgiveness. The willingness to risk all to do right by others.

Superman was greeted with quiet nods of recognition by many who had followed. He had taught them without lecturing. Guided them without speaking. His example had inspired some to change their very nature. He thanked them all for their help. But it was he who had helped them, not just on this most terrible day, but in their daily lives, and in imagining and working toward a brighter, safer future.

A glorious sight -- Superman leading a phalanx of heroes back into Bludhaven. Everyone in the refugee camp watched. They were grateful. Did I say "they"? I meant we.

At exactly 12:51 a.m. on Wednesday, time stopped. Hope died. At 1:06 a.m., a heart started beating. That's when Superman arrived, and hope returned. That's the gift of Superman. Even when today seems so uncertain, he makes us believe in tomorrow.

by Lois Lane

Not to step on your toes Miss Lane but the tragedy of Bludhaven happened after Batman gave his little speech up on the moon during Infinite Crisis.

[misslane]

Not to step on your toes Miss Lane but the tragedy of Bludhaven happened after Batman's little speech up on the moon.

Okay, but there are other examples correct? Furthermore, if Batman's statement is later disproved then it suggests that Pre-Flashpoint Superman wasn't the dud that the quote is often trotted out as proof that he was. It means that anyone who uses that quote to define all of Post-Crisis Superman is doing him a disservice.

[Lexrules]

Okay, but there are other examples correct?

I think they meant before the speech he gave on the moon. That took place after the speech which would suggest it was Batman's speech that kicked Clark back into High gear to get things done.

And yes. He was inspiring people just coming back from the grave and after wards as well. Especially during The Fall of Metropolis.

[misslane]

I think they meant before the speech he gave on the moon. That took place after the speech which would suggest it was Batman's speech that kicked Clark back into High gear to get things done.

So, is Batman correct? Were there no examples of Superman inspiring anyone between Death of Superman and Infinite Crisis? Also, even if Superman was kicked back into high gear, as you say, by Batman wouldn't that suggest that the overall picture of Superman in Pre-Flashpoint is not of someone who was uninspiring?

[kidstandout]

It was kind of hit and miss, like any comic title really. I think how bad it was tends to get exaggerated due to a few really bad stories, like grounded. Though there was a pretty strong Superman line in the 90's and The Death of Superman was a pretty huge deal. Not to mention that the follow ups, like Funeral for a Friend and Reign of the Supermen really showed off the huge impact Superman had on the DC Universe and his paragon of virtue status. The two periods of post-crisis Superman that really hurt the character were John Byrne's era and the JMS Grounded fiasco. Byrne took Superman and started to mold him into the government lacky from The Dark Knight Returns, as he thought Miller's idea of Superman was the way to go. Which of course completely ignored the themes of Miller's classic Batman tale, why it was Superman who appeared in the story, and what TDKR was really about. So Superman was President Regan's go to guy and he started to become that morally superior douche-bag that was mentioned. Around the time of JMS's grounded, Superman was that douche again, not solving any problems but preaching to everyone and hadn't actually appeared in Action Comics for sometime. Now, the period of time between those two eras, Byrne's relaunch and tenure on the character and the end before Flashpoint with JMS, actually had some really cool stuff. Kurt Busiek had a really fun run on Superman with Camelot Falls. Geoff Johns did Secret Origins and Brainiac. Jurgen's run in the early 90's was fun too. So it had it's dark spots to be sure, but it wasn't all bad.

As for some recommended reading:
Secret Origins by Geoff Johns
Brainiac by Geoff Johns
Superman: For All Seasons by Jeph Loeb
Camelot Falls by Kurt Busiek
For The Man Who Has Everything by Alan Moore

Those were the ones I could think of to add to Hilden's list.

basically this, a few bright spots mixed in with some epic failures. though i would say the bad outweighed the good, especially byrne's run

[DochaDocha]

I don't think Batman was aiming to be factually accurate and precise, but instead just wanted to rile up Superman through effective hyperbole.

Even though the era in question isn't blessed with many five-star canon stories, I think most of the week-to-week stuff was readable. It's not as though the entire time period was one weekly or monthly abomination after another.

I am continually ceding more and more, though, that going forward, the idea of Superman will be more appealing than the actual stories we will have gotten. The best might've already come.

[misslane]

basically this, a few bright spots mixed in with some epic failures. though i would say the bad outweighed the good, especially byrne's run

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, because I have issues with Byrne as well, but what about his run in particular did you dislike?

I'd also like to add, to manduck37, that Grounded was only a year (out of Pre-Flashpoint's 25 years), and if I'm not mistaken it was revealed that part of that time Superman was being influenced by a crystal. I'll need to double check.

[Jim Kelly]

It wasn't JMS and Grounded that torpedoed Superman, in my experience. In fact, the New 52 reboot was announced as that series was going on and undermined most DC comics for me. It felt like most of the people at DC had already given up and weren't trying to make good comics, because they wanted to make the new 52 comics jump out as somehow better than what had come immediately before. I wasn't too happy with JMS bailing on the story--but then again it felt like he was getting mixed messages from editorial.

Superman was on a good path in 2007 and 2008, then he was suddenly yanked out of his own comics--SUPERMAN and ACTION COMICS--and that situation went on for nearly two years before Superman was returned to those titles--only for those titles to be given their pink slip. So DC never really gave Superman a chance to build a following in all that time.

[kidstandout]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, because I have issues with Byrne as well, but what about his run in particular did you dislike?

I'd also like to add, to manduck37, that Grounded was only a year (out of Pre-Flashpoint's 25 years), and if I'm not mistaken it was revealed that part of that time Superman was being influenced by a crystal. I'll need to double check.

being that i'm one of the people who hate millers use/portrayal of superman in the dark knight returns, the worst thing to happen to the character, i avidly try to avoid anything in a similiar vein. byrnes stuff falls in that category along with anything that instigates tension between batman and superman.

[oldschoolfan]

I'm a new comic reader and I started reading Superman comics because I love Man of Steel. I used to think of Supes as a boring, overpowered, too vanilla Superhero. Now that I've read some of the highly recommended Superman stories (Kingdom Come, Secret Identity, Red Son..etc) I realised he's such a fantastic character when the writer got it right.

I don't like the new 52 version of Supes. He's still a big gun but I feel like he's lost his 'Superman' aura. He's no longer the paragon of virtue, the hero of the other superheroes. In fact, right now I can't even find a book where Supes, in any universes, is still a good guy let alone THE good guy.

However, I keep hearing that pre-Flashpoint Superman was written even worse. How bad could that be? When has the big blue from All Star Superman become irrelevant?

When you say Pre Flashpoint....do you mean the immediate time period? Because we are talking about a whole lot of material....Directly before Flashpoint Superman storyline "Grounded" wasn't that great in my opinion. It could have been better, and there were moments that showed promise. Action Comics was about Luthor and then there was a Doomsday story that built up nicely but really didn't come to a satisfactory conclusion for me. That was a tough couple of years being a Superman fan for me. Before that there were some hits and misses, but I must say that to me the book wasn't consistently good after Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco left. That 2 year period of stories were very good, very focused and interesting.
I am sorry you don't like the New 52 Superman....I have to say I didn't either when it started. BUT, Charles Soule, Greg Pak, and Scott Lobdell have made me one big happy camper! I really like the direction Superman is going now and I can't wait to see John Jr draw the book.

I have been reading comics awhile and one thing I know is true, if you wait around long enough, your favorite book/character will get good again!

[manduck37]

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, because I have issues with Byrne as well, but what about his run in particular did you dislike?

I'd also like to add, to manduck37, that Grounded was only a year (out of Pre-Flashpoint's 25 years), and if I'm not mistaken it was revealed that part of that time Superman was being influenced by a crystal. I'll need to double check.

You're right misslane, Grounded was only a year and it was revealed that an emotion controlling crystal being used by an enemy was influencing Superman and making him a jerk. Just to clarify what I was trying to get at with Grounded, it was a harsh way to end the post-crisis version of Superman going into Flashpoint. It ended up not really going anywhere. Though I don't remember if the crystal aspect of the story was still JMS or if that was Roberson's way of trying to save a sinking ship. I actually liked what Roberson did and that he tried to end it with a positive message that Superman still influences a bright and positive future. Though ultimately Grounded did more harm than good. It being stretched out over a year made it drag on, especially the very dull opening. I thought JMS was doing the story as Superman's reaction to Kandor's destruction and a desire to reconnect with the common man and get back to his roots. So it's possible that the downer Superman was JMS trying to have Superman overcome his own grief in an exploration of America that came across as too negative, then Roberson came up with an external problem to get Supes doing something again. That's just pure speculation on my part though.

My main point was that post-crisis Superman started off on the wrong foot with a version of Superman that was based on a negative portrayal and ended on a sour note with Grounded. Though both of those periods of post-crisis Superman are fairly short and there is plenty to enjoy in-between. Byrne and JMS, in my opinion, had a negative impact on Superman as a character. Those two versions tend to get a lot of attention due to the impact they had on the Superman line, but they certainly don't represent the whole package. I may have wandered a little off track in my thoughts there.

[manduck37]

I'll also throw in some support for Pak and Soule. Nu52 Superman was a tough adjustment for some of us. Though Morrison, Pak and Soule seem to do the character justice. Morrison had a good arc of going from rough golden age Superman to someone more inspiring. Pak continued to build on what Morrison established and really portrays Superman as compassionate and inspiring. Soule has done a good job of tackling Superman's alternate identity as Clark, why he has a secret identity, and his code against killing. There have been some interesting discussions between Superman and Wonder Woman in Soule's book that show why Clark is an important aspect of Superman and that he has a big problem with using lethal force. So I'd recommend their books for a more favorable presentation of Nu52 Superman. Superman is by no means a pushover, but he's still the pure and noble hero I grew up loving. Pak in particular really captures Superman's compassion. He really gets Superman and I hope he has a good long run on Action.

[misslane]

My main point was that post-crisis Superman started off on the wrong foot with a version of Superman that was based on a negative portrayal and ended on a sour note with Grounded. Though both of those periods of post-crisis Superman are fairly short and there is plenty to enjoy in-between. Byrne and JMS, in my opinion, had a negative impact on Superman as a character. Those two versions tend to get a lot of attention due to the impact they had on the Superman line, but they certainly don't represent the whole package. I may have wandered a little off track in my thoughts there.

I thought you articulated your point well, and I do agree with you that it's unfortunate that the beginning and end of the Pre-Flashpoint period were lackluster and even damaging to people's perceptions of the character.