"Blame it all on the monster" Action comics #43 (focused discussion)

[Superlad93]

Okay so I know Action Comics #44 is coming out in no time at all, but I'd like to take a step back and look at a very specific idea in issue #43. The idea I'm talking about is obviously the fact that the bad cop Sargent Binghamton appears one of the shadow monsters. Not only that but it seems that city hall is run by these shadow creatures too. There's been mixed reactions to this with the most prevalent complaint being that it took away from the emotional realism of the more universally liked (as far as I could tell) issue #42. The thought was that the shadow was a cop out (no pun intended) and now it's devolved into "Superman beats the bad shadow guys back from where they came". Binghamton's hate on for Superman? He's an evil shadow guy that's what they do. The city allowing all this stuff to go down? It's run by shadow creatures, and all the good infallible humans are away on holiday or something.

But I don't think that's what the issue was saying at all. In fact I think the issue went out of it's way to let you know that. We start with Superman realizing that he still lost his cool and hit that cop. For all intents and purposes that was still a cop and all Superman was doing was feeding a riot. Then there's this nervous shame and relief that comes over everyone in the situation. The cops turn and fire on Binghamton. They now have a scapegoat to put them back on the side of the angels. Most of the police men and women where ready to rundown that whole block full of people and beat Superman down to do it. Superman himself isn't even absolved. He was ready to knock out an officer of the law and continue to fan the flames of an already bad situation. He still laments on how he feels the shame of what he'd actually still done monster or not. He let that guy get to him

Then officer Petruzzelli puts the fine point on this comic. She went through the academy with Binghamton. She says he was a good cop and that he cared about the city. She talks about the other side of the argument and how rioters knocks gas back at the cops. It seems to her that the mayor and thus the city has turned it's back on them. When a fellow officer says "well he did turn out to be a shadow monster" she says something that flips the whole scrip: it's no crazier than Superman.....the alien. I thought that was a fantastic idea to bring up.

I don't think this addition of shadow monsters effects the real ideas and emotions that these issues were dealing with. It's still about community, corruption, gray lines, discrimination, and a bunch of other very real very strong ideas that we must all deal with in life. What this comic is doing though is working with it's medium (superhero comics) and it's avatar, Superman to express these ideas. Now the only thing is how do Pak and Kuder follow up to a satisfying conclusion that respects the implied complexity of this situation? It's really not easy to be honest and I don't at all envy them, but I have faith in them.

But anyways what did you guys think about this idea in particular? Do you see it from a new perspective now or are you unchanged? And if you liked it or not what's it gonna take to sell this ending?

[adkal]

Her hypocrisy irked me - but then it irks me in the real world, too.

I understand it, but it doesn't mean I have to like it


Thing is, he didn't hit him that hard - Clark knew that as angry as he was he was still pulling his punch. Now, it's arguable that because of loss of power and him having to adjust to it and having to put 'more' effort into his attacks etc, that he may not have held back enough...but the thing is, Superman has hit non-powered humans before. Love-taps, finger flicks...a young Clark broke someone's jaw even though he was holding back...so him punching the T-1000-wannabe-violence-inciting 'cop' was something I didn't have any issue with, all things considered.

[Superlad93]

Yes but the point isn't how hard he did or didn't hit Binghamton, but the fact that he punched out a cop at all. Superman himself said that Binghamton being a shadow monster was just an out and he still felt shame for his actions. In fact they all did in some from or another.

[adkal]

Yes but the point isn't how hard he did or didn't hit Binghamton, but the fact that he punched out a cop at all. Superman himself said that Binghamton being a shadow monster was just an out and he still felt shame for his actions. In fact they all did in some from or another.

Like I said, he's done it before in other continuities. I don't see an issue with it.

Heck, he knocked out secret service agents over in Superman/Wonder Woman and didn't express any shame over that.

Why is one act more shameful than the other?

[Superlad93]

Why is one act more shameful than the other?

Likely because he didn't want to be just another person in the crowd throwing punches because they were mad, scared, and confused. Superman "called in his chips" and put it on everyone at the riot (cop and civilian alike) to do the right thing and stand down. He, like Lee, was trying to be an example of non violent protest and steel will. But in the end his shame came from knowing that he was just playing into Binghampton's provocations. He cracked.

[Flash Gordon]

I don't think Superman would think twice about punching a bad cop out. He punches criminals out all the time. Lex Luthor, after all, is just a man.

I think the issues were a major disappointment mainly because they were pretended to be playing with something really serious, police brutality and corruption- something that is a huge deal right now, and "wellllll just shadow monsters folks here come the good cops!"

All the cops pretty much immediately turn "good" once the shadow monster at City Hall is discovered. I mean it's simply that DC will never have Superman face real world issues head on like that because it would upset a lot of people, but it is ironic because that's what the character did at the onset. A more creative writer could have found a way around this, could have made something weird and interesting. Something weird and funky where the stakes still mattered. Here they don't really mean anything.

[K. Jones]

Yes but the point isn't how hard he did or didn't hit Binghamton, but the fact that he punched out a cop at all. Superman himself said that Binghamton being a shadow monster was just an out and he still felt shame for his actions. In fact they all did in some from or another.

And yet Batman punches cops all the time and sleeps well at night. Weird.

I liked the way they played this for Superman. I also never thought Binghamton being a shadow monster was a cop-out, just because Pak is clearly going for some kind of sci-fi metaphor of like institutionalized corruption here with these shadow things. I haven't quite picked up the big picture of the allegory just yet, but the institutional aspect is there for all to see. How easy it is to corrupt the establishment.

[Superlad93]

And yet Batman punches cops all the time and sleeps well at night. Weird.

Somewhere along the line I think I phrased it wrong. But yeah it wasn't the fact that he punch a cop but the fact that he was playing into Binghamton's hands. That's why he felt shame.

I liked the way they played this for Superman. I also never thought Binghamton being a shadow monster was a cop-out, just because Pak is clearly going for some kind of sci-fi metaphor of like institutionalized corruption here with these shadow things. I haven't quite picked up the big picture of the allegory just yet, but the institutional aspect is there for all to see. How easy it is to corrupt the establishment.

Yeah I completely agree. I thought it was quite clever and pretty ambitious. It's cool and imaginative update to the golden age idea of Superman in a post Scott Pilgrim and post indie comics boom world.

[K. Jones]

Somewhere along the line I think I phrased it wrong. But yeah it wasn't the fact that he punch a cop but the fact that he was playing into Binghamton's hands. That's why he felt shame.



Yeah I completely agree. I thought it was quite clever and pretty ambitious. It's cool and imaginative update to the golden age idea of Superman in a post Scott Pilgrim and post indie comics boom world.

For me, beyond the aesthetic (also important), the reason why Pak's (and Morrison's, who he follows) Superman stories are succeeding are very much because they Begin in these sorts of Golden Age crusader beats but then very quickly, conspiratorially first, then rapidly, become Silver Age sci-fi allegories. The morality play stays the same, but it evolves from Golden Age crusading and journalism and standing up for the little guy into you know ... space battles. Shadow monsters. Shrink rays. A.I. running rampant. Time travel. Higher dimensions.

That's literally all I ever want out of Superman. For the stories to start out with him dealing with some real street level common man stuff, then for **** to get WEIRD. I don't mind a little holistic viewpoint either, where both concepts modulate back and forth, the way All-Star Superman was steeped in the weirdness but always took time to do a couple street level angles. (or as "grounded" as Superman gets, like Luthor in Stryker's Island or something). The common man in these stories, or the street level villains, are very often being influenced by crazy cosmic forces that they don't understand. And that goes way back, although I honestly can't think of a better example than Kirby's Intergang.

[Auguste Dupin]

Okay so I know Action Comics #44 is coming out in no time at all, but I'd like to take a step back and look at a very specific idea in issue #43. The idea I'm talking about is obviously the fact that the bad cop Sargent Binghamton appears one of the shadow monsters. Not only that but it seems that city hall is run by these shadow creatures too. There's been mixed reactions to this with the most prevalent complaint being that it took away from the emotional realism of the more universally liked (as far as I could tell) issue #42. The thought was that the shadow was a cop out (no pun intended) and now it's devolved into "Superman beats the bad shadow guys back from where they came". Binghamton's hate on for Superman? He's an evil shadow guy that's what they do. The city allowing all this stuff to go down? It's run by shadow creatures, and all the good infallible humans are away on holiday or something.

But I don't think that's what the issue was saying at all. In fact I think the issue went out of it's way to let you know that. We start with Superman realizing that he still lost his cool and hit that cop. For all intents and purposes that was still a cop and all Superman was doing was feeding a riot. Then there's this nervous shame and relief that comes over everyone in the situation. The cops turn and fire on Binghamton. They now have a scapegoat to put them back on the side of the angels. Most of the police men and women where ready to rundown that whole block full of people and beat Superman down to do it. Superman himself isn't even absolved. He was ready to knock out an officer of the law and continue to fan the flames of an already bad situation. He still laments on how he feels the shame of what he'd actually still done monster or not. He let that guy get to him

Then officer Petruzzelli puts the fine point on this comic. She went through the academy with Binghamton. She says he was a good cop and that he cared about the city. She talks about the other side of the argument and how rioters knocks gas back at the cops. It seems to her that the mayor and thus the city has turned it's back on them. When a fellow officer says "well he did turn out to be a shadow monster" she says something that flips the whole scrip: it's no crazier than Superman.....the alien. I thought that was a fantastic idea to bring up.

I don't think this addition of shadow monsters effects the real ideas and emotions that these issues were dealing with. It's still about community, corruption, gray lines, discrimination, and a bunch of other very real very strong ideas that we must all deal with in life. What this comic is doing though is working with it's medium (superhero comics) and it's avatar, Superman to express these ideas. Now the only thing is how do Pak and Kuder follow up to a satisfying conclusion that respects the implied complexity of this situation? It's really not easy to be honest and I don't at all envy them, but I have faith in them.

But anyways what did you guys think about this idea in particular? Do you see it from a new perspective now or are you unchanged? And if you liked it or not what's it gonna take to sell this ending?

Your thoughts pretty much sum up mines. While I can understand why someone would have prefered the situation to be more "realistic", I don't feel like the "revelation" absolved the cops of anything, and frankly, I don't "get" how someone could read the book and think that all the cops suddenly turn "good". I mean, it's specifically noted within the book that the "monster" allow the cops to wash their hands on the whole thing despite not having changed at all. Come on, guys. That's not "turning god", that's finding a scapegoat to blame your evil actions on. If anything, it's the exact same prejudice that made them turn against Superman that made them turn against their Sergeant.
I wouldn't be as hard on Superman as he was. I mean, he was really, really provoked into doing it and if anything, I admired how long he tried for a peaceful resolution, despite facing a guy that clearly just wanted a fight.
Also, I don't even feel like the "revelation" changed anything regarding the character of Binghamton.
Let's look at the facts:
-Binghamton is a Shadow Monster.
-Despite that, he's well known by his fellow officers (has been in police school with Petruzzelli)
-We also know that the mayor of Metropolis is responsible for putting the Shadow Monsters in the police, and we know that she chooses real persons who already dislike Superman for it.
All of this tells me that Binghamton was almost certainly a real regular cop who probably accepted the "corruption" on his own, and whose stated motivations in issue 42 are genuine (if maybe exagerated by said corruption). So basically, a regular bad cop, but with superpowers. Just like Superman is a man of the people, but with superpowers.

[Superlad93]

If anything, it's the exact same prejudice that made them turn against Superman that made them turn against their Sergeant.

Wow I hadn't even thought of that. Nice catch!

I wouldn't be as hard on Superman as he was. I mean, he was really, really provoked into doing it and if anything, I admired how long he tried for a peaceful resolution, despite facing a guy that clearly just wanted a fight.

Do you mean me? I hope you guys didn't take my writing on Superman punching the cop as how I felt about it. No! Dear lord NO! I nearly jumped up out of my seat in joy when Superman decked that fool in the mouth. What I was writing about was how Superman himself felt about the situation as presented in the comic. Superman wasn't happy or cathartic that he gave in to his anger.

Also, I don't even feel like the "revelation" changed anything regarding the character of Binghamton.
Let's look at the facts:
-Binghamton is a Shadow Monster.
-Despite that, he's well known by his fellow officers (has been in police school with Petruzzelli)
-We also know that the mayor of Metropolis is responsible for putting the Shadow Monsters in the police, and we know that she chooses real persons who already dislike Superman for it.
All of this tells me that Binghamton was almost certainly a real regular cop who probably accepted the "corruption" on his own, and whose stated motivations in issue 42 are genuine (if maybe exagerated by said corruption). So basically, a regular bad cop, but with superpowers. Just like Superman is a man of the people, but with superpowers.

Agreed on all counts.

[Auguste Dupin]

Do you mean me? I hope you guys didn't take my writing on Superman punching the cop as how I felt about it. No! Dear lord NO! I nearly jumped up out of my seat in joy when Superman decked that fool in the mouth. What I was writing about was how Superman himself felt about the situation as presented in the comic. Superman wasn't happy or cathartic that he gave in to his anger.

No, I meant him. Superman. Basically, I think he feels shame because he puts himself on a higher standard (in fact, Pak's overall take could be summed up as "a genuinely good person trying to be worthy of the symbol he is made off by others"....which is brilliant if you think about it), but objectively, I think he's blaming himself too hard, 'cause really, he's the victim here.

[Superlad93]

No, I meant him. Superman. Basically, I think he feels shame because he puts himself on a higher standard (in fact, Pak's overall take could be summed up as "a genuinely good person trying to be worthy of the symbol he is made off by others"....which is brilliant if you think about it), but objectively, I think he's blaming himself too hard, 'cause really, he's the victim here.

Lol oh my apologies then. Yeah I agree with you 100%. Pak's Superman take is really quite interesting especially when he puts Superman in these sorts of situations (Pak's Superman is due for a mental break one of these days from all the stress he puts himself under ). I'm reminded of Morrison's JLA run where he has Superman (electric blue) talking to Flash and lamenting on the astronomical expectations he deals with and how he doesn;t think he can live up to his own legend (he does later over a moon and wrestle and angel though lol) Oh and Superman is 200% the victim here. But I get where he's coming from and what the fallout could have been had it just been a cop.

[adkal]

I'm only speaking from the confines of this run and this issue. How other continuities or even other books handle the character doesn't really hold much weight in the confines of this book unless specified (IMO). The reason why he felt shame over punching Binghamton is spelled out clear. Superman let this bad cop get to him and he could just as easily have become part of the confusion and mayhem as he let his (rightful) anger compromise him. I mean did you not see the big as life smile on Binghamton's face when Superman charged him? He even says 'finally'. He knows this will validate what he's doing. He know this will give him a free pass to spin hate and vitriol about Superman and the people that support him. Superman gave in and it could have ended a lot worse for him and those people. That's why he feels such shame.

I saw it, I just don't accept the 'pick and choose' approach that's being put forward. The two incidents came out the same month - in one he's incited to punch a cop, in the other he knocks out numerous secret service agents in order to get to the President.

It should be noted that, chronologically, the secret service knock-out takes place before Cop-Punch.

How would the public have reacted to footage of Superman breaking into the White House?

His after-the-fact-speech does absolutely nothing to address how they're supposed to protect themselves, even though he makes it abundantly clear that they are going to have to. How does the speech work when set up against all the times he has taken action against authorities, foreign and domestic?

The way you're putting it across is that it was only 'shameful' because it was a cop and was done in public - that isn't shame, that's hypocrisy.

The shame is misplaced - again, in continuity, he has knocked out cops, soldiers and so on - to just dismiss those incidents because they're not a part of 'this run' isn't fair as it distorts what has been established, especially since a key part of this run is that it's building on what has been put forward over the past 4 years.

Superman isn't a pacifist, he (only) uses violence as a last resort. Here, handicapped with the loss of some of his abilities (no heat vision or super breath), he punched.

And Binghamton - the guy who had already told other officers to list Dante smacking back the tear-gas can accidentally fired by an officer as 'unlawful deployment of chemical weapons' - milked it.

That his zealous reaction blew his shadow-cover is a separate issue. One can only turn the other cheek so many times before action has to be taken to stop the abuse/attack/assault.

From the start of the New52 (carrying on from the cycles in the pre52 (Legends is a key example) the figures of authority have been against Superman and the public divided. This time, instead of Robin getting beaten to pulp and the crowd feeling guilty it was Superman, and the officers having mixed reactions.

Well she wasn't one of the cops I was talking about in that particular moment.

Plenty of officers on scene were against what Binghamton was ordering them to do: Davidovitch (the guy who accidentally fired the tear-gas), Mizoguchi, etc.

Plenty of others, though, were with Binghamton: Metro S.W.A.T for starters.

I bring her up in my first post actually. She brings up the point that a shadow monster cop and an alien reporter aren't all that different if you think about it. She has her bias and need to protect one of her own. You see it all the time on TV when a cop who did something awful is being defaced, and some of his/her fellow officers come to the defense. They know they're wrong and only making strawman arguments but at best but they do it because that's one of their own. I thought it was a smart idea for Pak to add that in there.

And, like I said in my first reply: her hypocrisy irks me, even though I understand it. As for 'they know they're wrong', we'll have to agree to disagree: over the years, from what I've seen, they believe they're right. Period. It takes a lot for any of them to let go of that - and it's one of the reasons why soldiers, cops, rangers etc have such fraternity and end up closing ranks against 'outsiders' when one of their own is threatened (and are such hypocrites when others do the same against them).

[adkal]

But I get where he's coming from and what the fallout could have been had it just been a cop.

If it had been 'just a cop' the punch wouldn't have had the same outcome - Clark is certain he didn't punch him that hard and, frankly, I believe him. Binghamton probably did well on the football (soccer) pitch.