Superman #42 discussion thread (spoilers)

[Tayswift]

Yes, she did. Outwardly yes she was upset. But she doesn't pack up and leave. She stays to help. If some fans think she was only just mad at Clark and displayed nothing else, then those fans too have a problem comprehending actions instead of just words. She doesn't see him the same way anymore, but that is completely understandable. Nothing she does or says makes her look bad. It makes her look like an actual character. Its not a great reveal, but it gets it out of the way. The reveal isn't the big event of this story.

upset is not the same that being angry. She was ripping off his clothes with such anger, it's not multi-faceted. It's only a emotion shown, even on donner cut of superman II where she shoots clark it was done much better because it had nuance. here it was cold and angry, good description that jr jr gave to Lois and I didn't liked his "all women I know are like that.

Considering the storyline its just something that's going to bring out both extremes is all. You're gonna get the mega Lois haters expressing their hate with glee over her actions, making anything she does out to be far worse than it really is. Then you're going to have the super Lois fans, who don't want anything less than a pristine and perfect character whom the whole mythos should revolve around. They too will make every move she makes here far worse than it really is. Both sides just for different ends.

Its guaranteed to get people talking either way. Hell its had people talking for months on end now and we still don't know the whole story.

As far as this run I'm definitely sticking around. There's tons of room for improvement and thus far the goals and inspirations read a whole lot better than the actual product, but its only two issues, and because of those intriguing goals and inspirations, I'm more than willing to see if Yang settles into this and we get some better pacing. That's really my only concern at this point, as the overuse of the flare is a concern now for the books since that was the last we're gonna see of it, at least in the main Superman books, for a long time if not for good. There's still tons of potential to be realized. One good issue and one so-so issue doesn't dispel my hopes on that.

Oh Please! there is a big betrayal on the end of this issue and DC made sure to say to everyone that Lois outed Clark. that is completely unfair to any Lois fan, there is a big difference in think lois should be perfect and what DC is doing now

[Sacred Knight]

Oh please yourself. No its not unfair. She's a big part of a big storyline. Either you purchase it and read it or you don't. Acting like you're owed something or are being done wrong is ridiculous. If you don't like it don't read it. Or if you like to torture yourself, read it and criticize it. But stop with this unfair nonsense.

[adkal]

Actually the more he's used the flare, the less time he's without his powers. That's not the cause of his power loss, its whatever that mysterious guy did when he touched Superman when he used it.

But he's also been slower and weaker when powered, too - so even when he's 'powered up' he's not at the level he used to be (although it's curious that although he noticed he was slower he hasn't seemed to have compensated for it when it came to 'changing clothes' - perhaps an element of hubris on his part?)

[Auguste Dupin]

But he's also been slower and weaker when powered, too - so even when he's 'powered up' he's not at the level he used to be (although it's curious that although he noticed he was slower he hasn't seemed to have compensated for it when it came to 'changing clothes' - perhaps an element of hubris on his part?)

Actually, the way I understood it, when Clark said he's been "slower and weaker", he only meant that he has been forced to intervene while not completely charged up, leading to him been easier to spot, like in issue 40 when he jumps in to save the day and realizes he can't fly yet and the reporter talks about how rare it is to have pictures of Superman fighting.
As for Lois, well, she probably doesn't know about the solar flare in the first place.
Either way, it's obvious at that point that whatever's happening to Clark (preventing him to charge up solar enegy, making him stuck in the power level right after the flare?) is caused by mysterious guy over there.

[adkal]

Actually, the way I understood it, when Clark said he's been "slower and weaker", he only meant that he has been forced to intervene while not completely charged up, leading to him been easier to spot, like in issue 40 when he jumps in to save the day and realizes he can't fly yet and the reporter talks about how rare it is to have pictures of Superman fighting.

In issue 41, after seeing the evidence of him being Superman and asking Jimmy if he had let the secret slip somehow, Clark says: "...ever since I started flaring I've been slower...slower than the blink of an eye, the snap of a camera."

As for Lois, well, she probably doesn't know about the solar flare in the first place.

She knows - issue 42:

Lois: "That's the explodey-thing he does, right?"
Jimmy: "You know about that?"
Lois: "Yeah, I do."

[Magda]

For a little less than a quarter of Superman became a hunted man, deprived of some of its powers and whose secret identity was exposed. Except why and how we had not been explained so far. Superman # 42 is the turning point where some of these questions are answered. Although ... everything is very factual. Yes, Lois discovers the identity of the hero. And, yes, it loses some of its powers. This is especially the tandem John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson holding the series. Especially since this episode is less focused on "cosmic" battles, with a denser narration. Yet we are three colorists for the same number (full of ink, it has almost become the norm, but colorists?), So some have a little heavy hand.
Which slows the number, this is the scenario Gene Yang, who buggers in places. For example it is clear that elements such as Toymaster or Jimmy are replicas as appropriate touches of humor. But that does not work, and this is especially repetition (less inspired) manipulator metal mask that Geoff Johns had managed more Machiavellian. Here the reasoning is sometimes west, as when secondary character explains - without laughing - it can be trusted as it is very close to the bad guy. And of course none of the hero seems to wince thinking about the morality of their ally. It smells a trap full nose ... and ultimately, Yang wrote us all that in the manner of a TV movie full of cliché. It would go better if the touches of humor came to give something to the second degree. But here it is very literally. And, sure, the fact that the impact of this episode are already stale in other securities "super" of DC for two months does not help the matter ... So, while the event is supposed to be a turning point, the dominant impression is that this lack of surprise.

[Auguste Dupin]

In issue 41, after seeing the evidence of him being Superman and asking Jimmy if he had let the secret slip somehow, Clark says: "...ever since I started flaring I've been slower...slower than the blink of an eye, the snap of a camera."



She knows - issue 42:

Lois: "That's the explodey-thing he does, right?"
Jimmy: "You know about that?"
Lois: "Yeah, I do."

-Yeah, I know what he said. Nothing in here implies that he's talking about him being weaker when full powered, instead of just being weaker more often because he's using his flare power. When adding it to how things went in issue 40 (where he is caught on camera because he was "slower"), the implication seems clear to me. Since he started "flaring out", there's been more occasions where he's been slow enough to be caught on camera which could explain how the bad guys figured it out.

-Yeah, forgot about that. Even then, that doesn't really prove he's being weaker at full strengh either.
And regardless, it's irrelevant now. He's weaker now, and it has nothing to do with wether or not the flare power was draining him long term.

[Tayswift]

Oh please yourself. No its not unfair. She's a big part of a big storyline. Either you purchase it and read it or you don't. Acting like you're owed something or are being done wrong is ridiculous. If you don't like it don't read it. Or if you like to torture yourself, read it and criticize it. But stop with this unfair nonsense.

Big part of the storyline is different from being well written. For me still unfair what DC is doing with Lois.

[Sacred Knight]

I never said size of role and quality were the same in the first place. But she isn't being written badly anyway right now so that's a plus as well. So what exactly is unfair? That you're not getting what you want in a full reverse back old status quo of them married?

[Tayswift]

I never said size of role and quality were the same in the first place. But she isn't being written badly anyway right now so that's a plus as well. So what exactly is unfair? That you're not getting what you want in a full reverse back old status quo of them married?

I think writing/art isn't really good for Lois, there isn't justice for her. I can't find the review for this issue that critic this part of the issue.
Married superman and lois will be back anyway, I just wish DC stuck with the better versions intead of just covering shelf space

[DrNewGod]

I still wish they stuck with the dynamic Perez was going with. I.E. she knowing and protecting his secret, and he not knowing she knew. That not only would have been something new, but would have from the start given Lois an important defined role different than girlfriend/lover while turning the whole "secret" thing on it's head. SHE would have been the one hiding information from Clark. May have made the last 4 years a smoother experience all around for Lois fans.

Me, too.

So much potential...

I always wanted a Superman Reveal To Lois to end with, "Well ... yeah, DUH! ... I'm one of the best investigative reporters on the planet! And I've been a b!$(% to you as Clark all this time to make you pay for treating me like a schmuck!"

[Sacred Knight]

I think writing/art isn't really good for Lois, there isn't justice for her.

The character is not so special above all others that she requires a different level of writing or art. JRJR's art isn't my favorite, but he draws a fine Lois Lane. In fact she's the character he probably draws the best out of them all.

[manofsteel1979]

I think writing/art isn't really good for Lois, there isn't justice for her. I can't find the review for this issue that critic this part of the issue.
Married superman and lois will be back anyway, I just wish DC stuck with the better versions intead of just covering shelf space

"Better versions" are subjective. I am happy to see the Pre-Flashpoint version return, don't get me wrong,but aside from the Lois/Diana stuff and the costume,the current Superman (I mean the New 52/DC You as a whole, not the current TRUTH status quo) isn't that much different than the Pre-Flashpoint version, or at least the version of that character that existed up until the 8 years leading up to the relaunch (in other words, up until 2003/4 ish). The version that existed just prior to Flashpoint was one of the worst versions of the character we ever had IMO. I had plenty of issues with the New 52 Super-verse (I still do) but the one thing most of the New 52 writers had gotten right was give Superman back his balls. Scott Lobdell's version was a bridge too far though.

[manofsteel1979]

The character is not so special above all others that she requires a different level of writing or art. JRJR's art isn't my favorite, but he draws a fine Lois Lane. In fact she's the character he probably draws the best out of them all.

Yeah the irony is as much as he doesn't like Lois....he draws a darn good one.

[Tayswift]

"Better versions" are subjective. I am happy to see the Pre-Flashpoint version return, don't get me wrong,but aside from the Lois/Diana stuff and the costume,the current Superman (I mean the New 52/DC You as a whole, not the current TRUTH status quo) isn't that much different than the Pre-Flashpoint version, or at least the version of that character that existed up until the 8 years leading up to the relaunch (in other words, up until 2003/4 ish). The version that existed just prior to Flashpoint was one of the worst versions of the character we ever had IMO. I had plenty of issues with the New 52 Super-verse (I still do) but the one thing most of the New 52 writers had gotten right was give Superman back his balls. Scott Lobdell's version was a bridge too far though.

His balls back? like the balls that he didn't had to pursue a relationship with lois and tell her his secret? instead he did the easiest thing and hook up with wonder woman. it's not the superman I want to read.
Also a superman that likes to beat people, easy to get angry is not superman.
pre-flashpoint books were awful? screw that, editors made everything possible to make superman books awful like removing him from them for along time(who could had thought that was a bad idea). Like brevoort said (I'm agreeing with brevoort color me surprised): fix the damn toys, don't try to reinvent the wheel, this is the reason marvel still sell more than DC despite reboots and gimmicks. new 52 versions needs to grow up