Great New52 Superman Character Moments

[hellacre]

As part of this appreciation thread I think it is nice to have some Grant Morrison quotes in his creation of this character because they support the awesome moments.

The thing that’s been exciting about Superman is to see how the character has developed through generations. Superman started out as the socialist crusader in 1938. He was a Depression era hero who was created by marginalized young men, and he went on to become a patriot during the war years in the ‘40s. In the post-war years, he was suddenly a suburban dad, trying to make sense of his weird extended family and his role in the world, in the same way that all the men coming home from the war must have. In the ‘60s, he became a cosmic seeker. In the ‘80s, he became a yuppie. In the ‘90s, he died and the entire mechanism of Superman was then examined in a post-modern way, through the comics.

It’s slightly different from Batman, but both of them respond in the same way. Batman and Superman tell us what’s going on in the culture, at each stage of their development, and we’ll see it happen again. And now, Superman has been reinvented again [with the upcoming movie]. So, I wanted to encompass the entirety of that character, who could embody all the dreams of what we might be. There’s a messianic aspect to him. Superman is the man who opposes technology overwhelming humanity. Superman stands for our individuality and our sovereign self, in the midst of a gigantic corporate world. That’s why his time is about to come again, and that’s why I wanted to write Superman again, with the Action Comics stuff. It seemed worthwhile to come back and dig back into the roots of it and see if we could grow it again from a seed.

You've been working from Superman's past to his present. When you started the run, you talked a lot about that young character being a blue collar type superhero. Now that you've reached the modern Superman of the New 52, is there a defining principal he has that's different from All-Star or pre-"Flashpoint" or any of the versions we've seen?

I think what remains is a Superman [who] is a bit more proactive and more masculine in the sense that he gets things done. He's got a little bit of a sense of humor, and he's tough again. You can knock him down, and he'll get up. I think the best thing that it's done ultimately is to get rid of that weird emo Superman that was around for a long time. He was constantly fighting against using his powers and was kind of angst-driven. There are so many great characters in comics that are angst-driven that we don't need Superman to be one was well. If anything great has come out of this for the future of how Superman is done, I think it's that the current Superman is proactive and Clark Kent's a little more feisty. And I think the character relationships have been busted up a bit too, and it's more fun because of that.

“Oh very much enjoying writing this youthful energy”, Morrison laughs as he answers. He is immersed, completely comfortable in the role of writing this kind of Superman. “It’s very much part of the fun of it. I’ve written twelve issues of All Star Superman, that was my take on the adult Superman, the mature Superman. Having written that I really wanted to go back and write the young Superman. When he was kinda…”

There’s a break in Grant’s speech and the moment singularizes itself. It’s easy to animate these kind of moments, read comics long enough and you animate such moments with the doubts and passions that are uniquely your own. The process is called closure, not the psychological kind, but the kind where you complete the incomplete information with thoughts and hopes of your own.

For just the briefest moment then, I’m lost in animating this momentary pause. Is Grant lost in his own carefree boyhood? Is remembering his wild college days? Is he just taking in the wow of being able to write into a piece of history?

Whatever my expectations, I’m not ready for what Grant actually says. His words strike a far deeper, far more earnest cord. Superman, simply put, Grant’s response to the kind of hard times we’ve faced recently, the things we’ve just been through, and the events that still loom on our collective horizon.

“What would you be like if you were a liberal activist and you’ve just arrived in this very corrupt city from the very heartland of America, where you’ve been brought up with a very simple morality. And I love the idea of, ‘Can one change Superman’? Can you bring in a kind of wildness? I just felt that this was the right time for that kind of Superman. Time to take Superman and dust him off a little bit. Because I think he’s become almost fossilized into a symbol of the flag, with no personality. So I thought it was very important to give him back a little bit of personality”.

Nrama: When Superman was revamped for the New 52 launch in 2011, there was a feeling he had grown stale. Do you think there's a chance he can grow stale again, and how would you like to see DC and future writers prevent it?
Morrison: Well, I mean, I think if that was to happen, it's going to take a little bit of time to happen. And hopefully we've established a personality for him that's quite easy to reproduce.

For me, everyone has to remember -- and I'm sure I don't need to tell these people, because they're all professional people who've worked it out for themselves -- but for the sake of the fans, we only have to remember that this new Superman is a tough guy, but he's kind-hearted and gentle. There's a distance between this one and the guy we saw throughout the 2000s, who was a bit more riddled with self-doubt and confusion. This is a Superman who absolutely believes what he does is right, all the time, because he's Superman, and he's right all the time because he's Superman.

It's kind of allowing him to be what he was meant to be, which was our best ideal for what a good guy would be. You know? And he takes no shit, and he stands up for people about the bullies. And he's that guy, you know? He's tough. That's the main thing.

Nrama: It sounds like a key to this new Superman is that he's confident.

Morrison: Yes, absolutely. Confident is the word. That's who he is. He knows who he is. He's not a man who suffers from self-doubt. There may be occasions and it does go wrong, and I think that's interesting, but even when he's down, he always finds a way back. You know, we can see Superman in the state of vulnerability, but by the turn of the page, he'll be figuring something out. And I think that's the important thing to keep in mind. He always saves us.

I am so sorry DC killed this. Just to go back on a wave of nostalgia and shun the modern idealism and energy and fiesty new 52 Clark brought for this time for meat and potatoes and long boxes and the whole tone changing to Dad comics. This is what I enjoyed and what DC is giving Superman fans now with Rebirth...just does not interest me because it doesn't give you a chance to see this new journey this when you have an older, conservative family man.

[hellacre]

[hellacre]

[hellacre]

[A Guy's Name]

I could've gone along with more New-52 Superman facing off corrupt people in power. Setting in various places, not just in the USA. Taking away warlords that were kidnapping kids for building up their infantry, holding generals in with the military-industrial complex by their ear after Supes stood in solidarity with demonstrating Vets who felt warmongering by their government for profit was deeply insulting and wrong. Insisting and enforcing a weapons-off thing (NO ONE gets to shoot/kill) to start real peace talks with 2 countries/nations (somewhat veiling the Israel-Palestine problem). Some of it can take in space. Though, a human face might drive the themes and points of the stories home better.
All with the tone and personality of New-52 Superman.

Always like the idea of an idealist Superman, not Millar's SuperJesus/Holy Trinity or a Thumb-twiddling emo Superman. A rise against all the bureaucratic techniques and the smoke and mirrors of the modern state and state apparatus.
Perhaps with a touch of an Edward Snowden-inspired journalism. Outing state and corporate atrocities, them reacting with various methods and creation of baddies, trying to find the leak (Clark Kent, under various online pseudonyms), Clark as an online journalist, asking tough questions. Acting extra-legal at times like something Snowden-esque without outing his ID. Fast-paced in the action parts, fleshes the themes out also.

The people's Superman.

Thought this out listening to 60s surf rock.

[suemorphplus209]

As part of this appreciation thread I think it is nice to have some Grant Morrison quotes in his creation of this character because they support the awesome moments.


I am so sorry DC killed this. Just to go back on a wave of nostalgia and shun the modern idealism and energy and fiesty new 52 Clark brought for this time for meat and potatoes and long boxes and the whole tone changing to Dad comics. This is what I enjoyed and what DC is giving Superman fans now with Rebirth...just does not interest me because it doesn't give you a chance to see this new journey this when you have an older, conservative family man.

To me, New52 felt a lot like Ultimate Marvel, except that it was a canon universe as opposed to a "second option". Ultimate Marvel got me interested that I had versions of Marvel characters that were starting off in my day and age. If you were to ever ask me why New 52 got me a little interested in DC again, it would probably be that same appeal that I was seeing characters get their start in their story "in my day". I don't hate older characters, but I can't deny being charmed by seeing a story starting over for a character either, like I did for Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimates, and even recently, New 52 Superman.

I do understand the shock at what is going on now in the sense that it is DC promising to fix what they kind of messed up on years ago. If anything, it is understandable that this would frustrate someone when it's like receiving a promise from a politician. At this point however, I don't know what will happen, but I can't say that I didn't enjoy times for this new interpretation of the character, and it sure was nice to hear Morrison talk about how he enjoyed a young take on the character himself.

[Sacred Knight]

That was exactly the appeal for me as well. As a reader for over two decades I was never there when any incarnation began. I was never there in the early years. I can totally understand that for some fans that's not even a remote issue. But it became a focus of interest to me; I was burned out the way things were and thought it'd be fun to start over, hence why I currently prefer the younger heroes over the aged veteran trope. That's why going back to that for Superman, in the most literal sense they could, was so disappointing, and so deal-breaking for me in a way I've never been so diametrically opposed to a DC creative decision for Superman before.

[SuperCrab]

What titles and issue numbers are the panels in post #109 from? They are two of the few that I don't recognize off the top of my head. I probably bought them and read them at some point, but I don't know which ones they are.

[A Guy's Name]

What titles and issue numbers are the panels in post #109 from? They are two of the few that I don't recognize off the top of my head. I probably bought them and read them at some point, but I don't know which ones they are.

Top: Batman/Superman #2
Mid: Action #1
Bottom: Batman/Superman #16 (A good New-52 Superman moment here is also his reaction to a guy cosplaying as him (to entertain sick kids) who was shot, as well as him juggling to entertaining the sick kids himself. Very touching.)

[Ascended]

That Batman-Superman arc, with Earth-2 and Jae Lee on art.....man, I loved that. The reaction the two heroes had to each other was great fun, and with Clark at that low-end power level their fight was a lot more entertaining and legit than what we normally get with a fully-powered Clark.

And that scene you posted where Clark runs into the Kents of Earth-2? F**king heart breaking in the best possible way.

I wish DC had done a "Rookie Year" mini or something. I have always wished they had spent more time there. That arc of Bat-Supes, Morrison's first arc, a Zero Year tie-in with Pak....maybe a few other flashbacks, and that was it. So much territory and story left untold with that reckless, admirable young social crusader......

You'd think with all the hype and support Bernie Sanders has gained, DC would have done at least something with t-shirt Superman.

[A Guy's Name]

That Batman-Superman arc, with Earth-2 and Jae Lee on art.....man, I loved that. The reaction the two heroes had to each other was great fun, and with Clark at that low-end power level their fight was a lot more entertaining and legit than what we normally get with a fully-powered Clark.

And that scene you posted where Clark runs into the Kents of Earth-2? F**king heart breaking in the best possible way.

I wish DC had done a "Rookie Year" mini or something. I have always wished they had spent more time there. That arc of Bat-Supes, Morrison's first arc, a Zero Year tie-in with Pak....maybe a few other flashbacks, and that was it. So much territory and story left untold with that reckless, admirable young social crusader......

You'd think with all the hype and support Bernie Sanders has gained, DC would have done at least something with t-shirt Superman.

He's gonna be what? A socialist Superman? This time without the Marx-Leninist or Stalinist BS of a political confusion that Millar peddled like the usual uninformed and unread people.
Maybe Superman in this way will be a Debsite Socialist? Or a type of Libertarian socialism?

Wishing real hard for a 2-Superman status quo right now. With 2 different takes on Superman. Bernie Superman in contrast to establishment Superman (SuperDad).
Will be a HOOT!

[Sacred Knight]

The two Superman set up, eventually, is really the only answer that makes any sense considering all avenues. That doesn't make me confident it will happen mind you. It keeps some hope alive but that it should be the end result, at least one to play with for a while until they get tired of it or in the event it proves unpopular, does not mean it will be the end result.

[suemorphplus209]

How a double system would work is kind of mysterious to me. I wish in hindsight that DC gave a type of treatment similar to Ultimate Marvel to their characters instead of N52, because that establishes separate characters in separate universes, but what's done is done. At this point, though, it would seem that if you wanted a double system, you would essentially give Nuperman the "Nightwing" treatment, where he, like Grayson, is a young adult hero who acts mostly independent and maybe teams up on occasion with the other Super-characters.

[Ascended]

He's gonna be what? A socialist Superman? This time without the Marx-Leninist or Stalinist BS of a political confusion that Millar peddled like the usual uninformed and unread people.
Maybe Superman in this way will be a Debsite Socialist? Or a type of Libertarian socialism?

Wishing real hard for a 2-Superman status quo right now. With 2 different takes on Superman. Bernie Superman in contrast to establishment Superman (SuperDad).
Will be a HOOT!

Superman was always a socialist. I dont think he was on Bernie's level except, maybe, in the early Golden Age, but he has almost always been a socialist to one degree or another.

I myself am not the biggest Bernie fan. I do think he was the only person chasing the nomination that talked about the root causes of some problems, and seemed the only one actually interested in fixing those issues (everyone else just provides lip service to get votes and nothing more), but I disagreed with how he wanted to do it most of the time. Im just saying, given how popular he turned out to be, Im surprised DC didnt try to capitalize on it with rookie-year Nuperman. Not a team-up or anything, just something to take advantage of that progressive movement.

[adrikito]

I am so sorry DC killed this. Just to go back on a wave of nostalgia and shun the modern idealism and energy and fiesty new 52 Clark brought for this time for meat and potatoes and long boxes and the whole tone changing to Dad comics. This is what I enjoyed and what DC is giving Superman fans now with Rebirth...just does not interest me because it doesn't give you a chance to see this new journey this when you have an older, conservative family man.

Wave of nostalgia.. the cause of this.. and superdad, the superman I've always tried to avoid... I was naive thinking this had been modernized ..

They tricked me(and worst, another fans during 5 YEARS) to put again this character.. I care the previous superman, not this, do not fool me with this trick.. I Only continue in AC by that Clark Kent, once die or end this saga, I have finished.

rebirth exude too nostalgic.. There are only some new52 things that interested DC..