Controversial Superman Opinions

[Kuwagaton]

Well, I'd still say the example that always worked for me was thinking of it like a videogame with character attributes... Superman having generally more points than others and having the most even distribution. If he went from 7-10 in speed, you'd see Barry at a 10 in speed but much lower in a number of other things. One of my favorite bits of Superman as a detective:


Because really, even without dedicated learning or exterior means, he's a man who has what's needed to finish a given job.

[daBronzeBomma]

Controversial opinion/idea:

The Superverse is allowed to make meta references to real - life people (actors, directors, writers, and artists) so long as they never reference their comic - book connections.

For example: Clark is a big fan of Christopher Reeve, but only ever refers to his non - Superman work. Like, maybe he mentions he is a big fan of the comedy NOISES OFF and in particular of Reeve 's work in the film.

Lois too. She should be a big fan of Amy Adams in AMERICAN HUSTLE and ARRIVAL.

Or, take Lex: huge fan of THE FRENCH CONNECTION and Gene Hackman's performance, also loves Kevin Spacey, esp in HOUSE OF CARDS.

Again, their comic - book related work does not exist for these fictional characters and are never referenced, but everything else is fair game.

[Ascended]

Controversial opinion/idea:

The Superverse is allowed to make meta references to real - life people (actors, directors, writers, and artists) so long as they never reference their comic - book connections.

For example: Clark is a big fan of Christopher Reeve, but only ever refers to his non - Superman work. Like, maybe he mentions he is a big fan of the comedy NOISES OFF and in particular of Reeve 's work in the film.

Lois too. She should be a big fan of Amy Adams in AMERICAN HUSTLE and ARRIVAL.

Or, take Lex: huge fan of THE FRENCH CONNECTION and Gene Hackman's performance, also loves Kevin Spacey, esp in HOUSE OF CARDS.

Again, their comic - book related work does not exist for these fictional characters and are never referenced, but everything else is fair game.

If I ever become a comic book writer and find myself writing Superman, I'm stealing this idea.

Just so you know.

[daBronzeBomma]

If I ever become a comic book writer and find myself writing Superman, I'm stealing this idea.

Just so you know.

Haha, thanks! By all means, I hope so!

Of course, this would also mean that John Henry Irons is a big fan of the non-comic book-related work of Dr. Shaquille O'Neal, PhD.

As in Steel unironically loves KAZAAM.

[Ascended]

Haha, thanks! By all means, I hope so!

Of course, this would also mean that John Henry Irons is a big fan of the non-comic book-related work of Dr. Shaquille O'Neal, PhD.

As in Steel unironically loves KAZAAM.

Doesnt everybody?

[Adekis]

There's people who don't love Kazaam? You're joking!

For a controversial opinion, I don't like that his favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird. It's pretty clearly meant to imply that Atticus Finch is a model for "mild-mannered" Clark Kent in-universe, but in fact I don't think Atticus does nearly as much as Superman or Clark Kent would to challenge the corrupt society of the novel. Atticus largely just sort of exists in that corrupt world and lets it be, as most people did. He does stand against it eventually, but only once given a call to adventure, whereas I think to Kal the society itself would be the call to adventure.
That doesn't mean that he can't admire Atticus to a certain extent, but given that he himself would go further than Atticus did, I think that making To Kill a Mockingbird Superman's actual favorite book is kind of insufficient somehow.

Granted, I don't know what I'd pick instead for his favorite novel.

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

Granted, I don't know what I'd pick instead for his favorite novel.

Off the top of my head, maybe, 'Song of Solomon' by Toni Morrison?

If I were to give it some thought, I'd probably decide on something that's less of a universal classic than 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

[Jim Kelly]

You know, I'm still bitter that the Legion of Super-Heroes didn't get a fair shake from DC's editorial management--not once, not twice, not three times but more times than I've bothered to count. The reason this belongs under the heading of Superman is that the Legion were given the shaft often for the sake of the Action Ace.

When they were booted from ADVENTURE COMICS--the first insult to injury--it was on account of their sales biting into the sales of other Superman family titles. And through a strange calculation--figuring that the main Superman characters deserved those sales--the upstart Legionnaires were put in the back of ACTION.

This and all the other examples of the Legion getting the shaft would be times when DC cut off its nose to spite its face. If DC had just had faith in the Legion--which had a growing and loyal fanbase--the team would have brought them great sales. And those sales would have profitted the Man of Tomorrow in the end.

The LSH were DC's X-Men. So what if Superman had to be the Wolverine of the group--he still would have won from the bargain. But DC squandered all that good will from the Legion fans. It's like if DC did everything in its power to dilute Harely Quinn's popularity so as to promote Batman's.

I understand why people think that the original concept of Superman is worth preserving--and that Man of Steel was never Superboy, never had cousins that survived Krypton, never had extreme power levels. But I like Superman as Superboy--and I like those adventures with the Legion of Super-Heroes.

[Kuwagaton]

Thinking of the popularity of either a golden age Superman (leaping around like the new 52 version) with no one else around or George Reeves, or the love of feats that put him above... to me it's not really an alpha hero thing if he's one lion with nothing else around or a lion amongst wildcats, versus being a really big lion in a pride with a few other big lions.

[Agent Z]

Maybe Superman is better off in his own separate universe

[Ascended]

Maybe Superman is better off in his own separate universe

I've thought about that. There is a certain appeal to it......I mean, lots and lots of negatives that would probably outweigh the benefits if you added them.....but I can't say I'd be totally against a new world where it was just Clark, his legacies and supporting cast, and maybe a small handful of select C-list IP's that fit the setting really well and don't really have a home anywhere else (The Atom for example, fits Superman's universe really well and I wouldn't be against him being the "Bulleteer" to Clark's "Captain Marvel").

Thinking of the popularity of either a golden age Superman (leaping around like the new 52 version) with no one else around or George Reeves, or the love of feats that put him above... to me it's not really an alpha hero thing if he's one lion with nothing else around or a lion amongst wildcats, versus being a really big lion in a pride with a few other big lions.

He's not the only really big lion around, he's just (should be) the undisputed biggest.

[Stanlos]

Just because you have access to the speed force shouldn't mean you are automatically faster than those without the link,it just means you use it to have super human abilities imo.

I am totally ok with Superman being able to run as fast as a speeding bullet,but he should fly as fast as light speed.

I see Kryptonians powers maybe a lil different than some in that I see ever Kryptonians natural base level at Golden age levels,and over time after puberty under a yellow sun they have auras that get stronger and stronger that enhances those base level to God levels.

Superman flying = flash running imo easily

Finally! This I can swallow. But Speed Forcers eclipsing other superspeed users is ridiculous particularly in the case of the three alphas

[Soubhagya]

This has already been discussed but where else can i post controversial opinions.

I was reading Batman/Superman. The first appearance of Kara Zor-El post-crisis. I read something which i did not like. Why does Superman keep thinking that i am alone? Its a dreadful read. Doesn't he have a wife back home? Kents were alive. He is friends with Batman. Definitely he has friends. Why does be keep feeling sorry for this? Its ok if people like this. Its a way to tell a story. But i did not like it.

Imo Superman shall feel at home in Earth. For this if Clark Kent is who i am is the basis i would love that. Jon Byrne did well to severe him from too much attachment to Krypton. One shall respect one's past. But not at the expense of the present. When he says he cherishes Krypton as curious mementos isn't this how a person would react to in reality? He has not lived there. He has not seen his parents die in front of his eyes. He has not seen Krypton destroyed. He can have a vague feeling of loss. Its not possible to feel the true weight of its loss when he has not lost it. One feels truly sorry when one loses something that one possess to begin with.

I am alright if he chooses to respect Krypton in his own way. Trying to practice some of its customs. Learning its history and culture. Feeling happiness on meeting Kara. Trying to converse in Kryptonian. Even writing a book on Krypton. That's healthy. I was always alone. That's not healthy. Superman's story shall be about winning over tragedy. He lost his home but found one. Does one feel alone at home?

[Jim Kelly]

I don't think that, before Crisis, Kal-El was overly maudlin about Krypton. Not to the extent that Bruce is maudlin about his parents dying. Of course, before the '70s, Batman didn't dwell too much on his sad origins, either.

Sure, there was the occasional story, where Superman would flashback for a couple of panels to the destruction of Krypton. But that's because the comics had to review his origin for all the new readers--it was less about Clark's character development.

What we actually saw a lot of in the pre-Crisis stories was how Superman and Supergirl celebrated Krypton. There were all the mementos and treasures. And there were tales told about Krypton's past and traditions. The Fortress of Solitude was virtually a Krypton Museum.

In other words, Clark was like any geek who collects a lot of memorabilia and keeps a special room in his house dedicated to his fan obsession. As with most geeks, that doesn't mean he doesn't have an active social life, a career and healthy pursuits. It's just his own hobby and there's no shame in that.

It's a hobby he started as a kid and he's kept up with it as an adult--partly out of nostalgia and partly out of intellectual interest. Not that I would know anything about that.

[Soubhagya]

Thank you for your insights. Superman of 70s sounds cool. A geek who collects memorabilia. That's nice. Celebrating Krypton. That's good. I loved a recent issue of Supergirl. Superman visited Kara after Reborn. It was a joyful read. Conversing in Kryptonian. Celebrating Kryptonian day of Truth. That's good.

I have been reading posts here and after reading a sample from that time it appears that i won't be able to enjoy the noughties so much. But once invested in the story and the setting one can't help but move ahead. I will worry about it when i reach there.