Controversial Superman Opinions

[DochaDocha]

You mean Beyonf universe as in, superman starts becoming less physically powerful, but makes it up by using his mind more?

Sorry, meant that to be two separate ideas. Didn't want to double-post.

I meant a Superman story where he's fighting futuristic villains, maybe alongside Terry McGinnis. Basically, it's my way of suggesting a story that is different, may appeal to a lot of readers, and doesn't revolve around Jon...

[marhawkman]

Sorry, meant that to be two separate ideas. Didn't want to double-post.

I meant a Superman story where he's fighting futuristic villains, maybe alongside Terry McGinnis. Basically, it's my way of suggesting a story that is different, may appeal to a lot of readers, and doesn't revolve around Jon...

With or without Lashina? It's surprisingly easy to write Lashina into a future Superman story, at least in DCAU's timeline.

[Tzigone]

Here's one:

Supergirl should be Superman's replacement as originally intended and Jon should be her side-kick.

The problem with that to me is that the age gap simply isn't sufficient. It's less than 15 years (per her original debut). By time Superman is ready to retire, she should have already adopted her own adult ID, and would no more change that than Superman would start calling himself Powerman. Even with the Rebirth ages - Superman has superpowers that means with his abilities he still far outclasses most of the rogues and can be a superhero at 60 (as can Flash), unlike Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Ted Kord, etc. who, as they age, will become a liability to themselves and others.

I admit, though, that I am not a legacy fan. I find it disrespectful in-universe to the newbies - that they have no hope of establishing themselves as important or their names as revered as those that came become them. The idea that the best they future can hope for is to inherit someone else's greatness/respect/status instead of earning their own from the ground up like Clark and such did is insulting.

[Sacred Knight]

Supergirl's earned it far more than Jon has both in strength of character sense and narrative sense. That said though, Superman should never be replaced no matter who it is.

[Hizashi]

Is it controversial to love both the liberal, social crusader Superman and the conservative, "American Way" Superman?

[Alkaeus]

Is it controversial to love both the liberal, social crusader Superman and the conservative, "American Way" Superman?

Unusual, definitely. Would you mind elaborating on it?

[Hizashi]

Unusual, definitely. Would you mind elaborating on it?

Well, I know people who think that Superman shouldn't lean on those golden age roots of fighting for the oppressed and being very proactive and that it makes him a bully/thug. I also know people who think that the dad Superman who loves America and embodies that sense of hope is an incompetent dupe. I think you can take both too far, but I appreciate both iterations and think Morrison did a good job with Action Comics in taking Superman from one end of the scale towards the other without losing the strengths of either. That's why I'm trusting that this book will come through in the end.

[kryptonian]

There are two ways to go about this social justice/American way characterization

Use Jon as social justice Superman whose in conflict with his father...American way Superman

Or the second way


Have Superman be an apple pie American way Superman, who slowly transforms into social justice Superman because of humanity’s failings

[Hizashi]

There are two ways to go about this social justice/American way characterization

Use Jon as social justice Superman whose in conflict with his father...American way Superman

Or the second way


Have Superman be an apple pie American way Superman, who slowly transforms into social justice Superman because of humanity’s failings

I think the first could work well - Jon could take up a role similar to the early New 52 Superman, including the lower power level, as a street-focused/corruption-focused Superman, with Clark focused on the country/world and crises. Neither character has to be denigrated and despite their differences they can still have a good relationship - who agrees with their father 100% of the time?

[Tzigone]

I think the first could work well - Jon could take up a role similar to the early New 52 Superman, including the lower power level, as a street-focused/corruption-focused Superman

To me, it's just another way to take an element of Clark's (like the Legion) and hand it off to someone else (Smallville Superboy for Kon, etc.). It further diminishes Jon's distinctiveness/personality if he's just being given hand-me-downs of things are no longer doing with Superman.

[kryptonian]

Well...nobody likes my Nightwing idea where I proposed that Jon gets his own superhero identity

Sol Invictus

So its not like I have a lot of options left

[witchboy]

Well...nobody likes my Nightwing idea where I proposed that Jon gets his own superhero identity

Sol Invictus

So its not like I have a lot of options left

I would prefer that over Jon being Superman.
My first choice is still to restore Jon to being a kid, but DC seems determined to keep pushing adult Jon.

[Ra-El]

Well, I know people who think that Superman shouldn't lean on those golden age roots of fighting for the oppressed and being very proactive and that it makes him a bully/thug. I also know people who think that the dad Superman who loves America and embodies that sense of hope is an incompetent dupe. I think you can take both too far, but I appreciate both iterations and think Morrison did a good job with Action Comics in taking Superman from one end of the scale towards the other without losing the strengths of either. That's why I'm trusting that this book will come through in the end.

The real problem, imo, with making Superman nowadays like he was at his beginning, is his current power level. Whe he was created, he was powerful, but not enough to change the world. Now he is, if the Superman we have today was to act the same way he did in Action Comics #1, the DCU wouldn't resemble our world in anything. So he have to be less proactive, and pretty much be a protector of the status quo.

I don't think is a coincidence Morrison depowering him in Superman and the Authority.

[Hizashi]

To me, it's just another way to take an element of Clark's (like the Legion) and hand it off to someone else (Smallville Superboy for Kon, etc.). It further diminishes Jon's distinctiveness/personality if he's just being given hand-me-downs of things are no longer doing with Superman.

That's a fair point. We don't have to do that, I just think if we want to have both interpretations that's one way of working it out.

[Hizashi]

The real problem, imo, with making Superman nowadays like he was at his beginning, is his current power level. Whe he was created, he was powerful, but not enough to change the world. Now he is, if the Superman we have today was to act the same way he did in Action Comics #1, the DCU wouldn't resemble our world in anything. So he have to be less proactive, and pretty much be a protector of the status quo.

I don't think is a coincidence Morrison depowering him in Superman and the Authority.

Power level definitely played a role; the questions of how much help is too much and when should Superman step in or not are interesting.

Personally I don't think there's anything wrong with Superman protecting the status quo, if by that we mean the general stability of the world.