Action Comics #973 (SPOILERS)

[Sacred Knight]

Actually in a way its very counter to Jurgens' old way of thinking, should there be some meta here like you describe. Back in his heyday, Clark was the true self. It was all Clark all day every day. Superman was just some act, pretty much. To now kinda show Clark without Superman is way off...that's putting an importance to his Superman side that wasn't put all that on display in the 90s. If there is something there on a metatextual level, that is.

Still thinking that the Lois and Clark from before were not real and this new Clark is a manipulation as well. And the current Lois and Clark will be explained to be native of both worlds kind of like Wally and that reality has been altered or some such as to explain Convergence.

This becomes more unlikely by the day. Today actually going a long way to nearly squashing the theory completely. With Lois remembering what happened to New 52 Lois in Superwoman, as if it indeed happened to her, and Lana now having memories of not just New 52 Superman, but now the current Superman, the finger is pretty much dead set on the idea that these entities are the same people. The only question is how.

[SuperCrab]

I think he's some sort of manifestation. He shows no response to pouring rain, and the doorman in the apartment building has never even seen him enter since this doppleganger showed (he relates he hasn't seen Kent in maybe months, so the last time he probably saw him was the real New 52 Clark). Is he just breaking into the apartment? Or is he sometimes not corporeal? I don't think he's any actual version of Superman either. If he was, why would so much emphasis be placed on Lois finding him creepy? No Lois has ever found any Clark creepy in the predatory sense this issue conveys her feeling. Uninteresting? Nerdy? Yes. Outright uncomfortable to be around? No way. So that's a big sign to me that this isn't something positive, whatever his origins might be. He may be proven to not be Hank in this issue, but I still think the evidence is pointing to a malicious entity regardless.

Solar Superman?

[SuperCrab]

IDK the creepy clark acts like a 80 year old

Well, he did say one word that was kind of anachronistic.

I've always thought it would be fun to have some sort of Clark Kent/Superman character who just went around in a modern world acting and talking like he was a very stereotypical Superman from like 1945, played up for laughs. Obviously, it wouldn't be the main Superman. It'd almost have to be an Elseworlds type limited run book, or something like this where it's in the main books, but it's not the main Superman. I don't think they can really do it with this Clark full bore, though- he's not only missing the Superman side, we also have seen him in place for like almost two years worth of issues because of double shipping, or at least a year and a half's worth of issues, and he's just not *that* anachronistic, only a little. Plus, he's too menacing to be funny, and they look like they are (and really kind of have to because it's dragging on too long) wrapping this up by the end of March. But it's something that could be done in the future with someone other than whomever this Clark winds up being.

Not sure if WB and DC Comics would sign off on that, though. They seem very protective of portraying Superman as being someone who shouldn't be portrayed in an overtly comical way on a regular basis- even out of continuity. Justice League 3000 got away with it for a while, though- kind of.

[Truman Burbank]

It can't be her.

Unless I'm forgetting something, she's still trapped in the Phantom Zone.

If you mean Shay Veritas...she's working with the DEO in the Supergirl book.

[Sacred Knight]

Are you kidding me? They gave another supporting character of Superman's to Supergirl? Why do they keep doing this? I'm a Supergirl fan but let her build her own supporting cast. Banshee, Livewire, Lana and Lucy for a time, Blaze, Cat... How long before they decide that since Maggie is a woman, she needs to be transferred to Supergirl as well? Not to mention she's probably going to be the main Super involved with the Legion when they come back.

Its just tiring. She's part of the family so its not quite the same as other franchises stealing his characters, but still. Enough is enough.

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

If you mean Shay Veritas...she's working with the DEO in the Supergirl book.

I didn't know they had brought her back.

Then she's a possibility.

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

MaLois: "He's actually nice, and he doesn't act like a creepy guy."

You do realize that Lois herself called DoppleClark creepy in this very issue, don't you?

[Super4Ever]

Are you kidding me? They gave another supporting character of Superman's to Supergirl? Why do they keep doing this? I'm a Supergirl fan but let her build her own supporting cast. Banshee, Livewire, Lana and Lucy for a time, Blaze, Cat... How long before they decide that since Maggie is a woman, she needs to be transferred to Supergirl as well? Not to mention she's probably going to be the main Super involved with the Legion when they come back.

Its just tiring. She's part of the family so its not quite the same as other franchises stealing his characters, but still. Enough is enough.

She also is in possession of a female version of the Superman Blue suit.

[rui no onna]

MaLois: "He's actually nice, and he doesn't act like a creepy guy."

You do realize that Lois herself called DoppleClark creepy in this very issue, don't you?

SuperDad: "You do realize I can tell when you're lying, right?"

[Patrick Gerard]

Actually in a way its very counter to Jurgens' old way of thinking, should there be some meta here like you describe. Back in his heyday, Clark was the true self. It was all Clark all day every day. Superman was just some act, pretty much. To now kinda show Clark without Superman is way off...that's putting an importance to his Superman side that wasn't put all that on display in the 90s. If there is something there on a metatextual level, that is.




This becomes more unlikely by the day. Today actually going a long way to nearly squashing the theory completely. With Lois remembering what happened to New 52 Lois in Superwoman, as if it indeed happened to her, and Lana now having memories of not just New 52 Superman, but now the current Superman, the finger is pretty much dead set on the idea that these entities are the same people. The only question is how.

Jurgens has pretty much always been writing other people's Superman to some extent. He indicated this once in a discussion at a con floor where he was talking about his work on the early New 52 Superman. He's also expressed disagreement with Byrne's take in some ways and I know he wanted Kara Zor-El back for most of his career.

I think his take is somewhere between Bronze Age (particularly O'Neil/Adams) and Lois and Clark with a dash of Man of Steel. I feel like we're really only now getting to see the "full Jurgens" take, really, outside of Hunter/Prey and a few standalone Superman issues in the 90s. But he's even now of the school that says you acknowledge the takes of a character that disagree with yours.

If he's in charge of which Krypton we end up with, for instance, I'm really not sure what he'd go with. But my inkling as to what his preference is would probably be Silver/Bronze Age but made more sleek with a spin on a Silver-Age Jor-El design more like Extant, Booster Gold, or a Green Lantern costume.

[Patrick Gerard]

Well, he did say one word that was kind of anachronistic.

I've always thought it would be fun to have some sort of Clark Kent/Superman character who just went around in a modern world acting and talking like he was a very stereotypical Superman from like 1945, played up for laughs. Obviously, it wouldn't be the main Superman. It'd almost have to be an Elseworlds type limited run book, or something like this where it's in the main books, but it's not the main Superman. I don't think they can really do it with this Clark full bore, though- he's not only missing the Superman side, we also have seen him in place for like almost two years worth of issues because of double shipping, or at least a year and a half's worth of issues, and he's just not *that* anachronistic, only a little. Plus, he's too menacing to be funny, and they look like they are (and really kind of have to because it's dragging on too long) wrapping this up by the end of March. But it's something that could be done in the future with someone other than whomever this Clark winds up being.

Not sure if WB and DC Comics would sign off on that, though. They seem very protective of portraying Superman as being someone who shouldn't be portrayed in an overtly comical way on a regular basis- even out of continuity. Justice League 3000 got away with it for a while, though- kind of.

I think the anachronistic word was a clue. Part of why I thought he might be Silver-Age Superman.

The clues we've got:

Loves Lois but has been keeping her at arm's length.
Knows Lois, Jimmy, and Perry well but not necessarily the New 52 status quo.
Doesn't trust Luthor.
Creepy/hiding something.
Disappears suddenly.
Eats thousands of calories in a meal.
Passes a lie detector saying he's human. (But he's clearly lying or mistaken in places.)
Passes a gene scan saying he's human. (But may have cheated it somehow.)
Uses anachronistic words.
Is obsessed with Geneticron.

[Netherman14]

She also is in possession of a female version of the Superman Blue suit.

But New 52 Superman was in possession of that suit (even if it was just a nod technically).

[Flash Gordon]

If you mean Shay Veritas...she's working with the DEO in the Supergirl book.

Shay is back?? That's a character that I was 100% into and Johns came on the book and dropped all plot lines with her.

[Flash Gordon]

Reborn is going to reveal that the current Superman and Lois Lane are just 2nd cousins of the New 52 Superman and Lois Lane. New 52 Superman was Clark Joseph Kent and this dude is Clark Jerome Kent. As for how that makes sense? Who cares!

[adkal]

What if it's (Flark) a manifestation of Blanque's power (and Blanque isn't even aware)?

He can get into Kal's head - and has done so a few times - and maybe his abilities since being contained in the mountain have mutated, allowing him to do something along the lines of what Brainiac did way back in the Dead Again saga.

We don't know Blanque's origin, only that he enjoys what he does and what he does can be really, really grim. He's telepathic, telekinetic, and bloomin' powerful. Mayhap, his origin is tied to Geneticron and, although he mostly doesn't care about that, a part of him does. A part that somehow molded itself on another element of good it found nearby: Clark.