Clark Kent's dozen-plus year career as a TV reporter for WGBS

[Buried Alien]

When people think of Clark Kent's professional career, what comes to mind immediately is his being a reporter for Metropolis' DAILY PLANET newspaper...a job that Clark has held for decades not only in the comics, but in just about every media adaptation of the SUPERMAN mythos.

During the Bronze Age of DC Comics, however, Clark spent about a dozen years as a TV newscaster for WGBS. Clark's switch from DAILY PLANET news writer to WGBS TV reporter started near the beginning of the Bronze Age and didn't end until COIE rebooted continuity and sent Post-COIE Clark back to his more traditional job of DAILY PLANET reporter.

Curiously, however, no media adaptation has ever chosen to run with this aspect of the comics, not even in the 1970s and 1980s when it would have helped to update Clark's image and make him more current with those times.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[RedWhiteAndBlueSupes]

When people think of Clark Kent's professional career, what comes to mind immediately is his being a reporter for Metropolis' DAILY PLANET newspaper...a job that Clark has held for decades not only in the comics, but in just about every media adaptation of the SUPERMAN mythos.

During the Bronze Age of DC Comics, however, Clark spent about a dozen years as a TV newscaster for WGBS. Clark's switch from DAILY PLANET news writer to WGBS TV reporter started near the beginning of the Bronze Age and didn't end until COIE rebooted continuity and sent Post-COIE Clark back to his more traditional job of DAILY PLANET reporter.

Curiously, however, no media adaptation has ever chosen to run with this aspect of the comics, not even in the 1970s and 1980s when it would have helped to update Clark's image and make him more current with those times.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

I've always liked this time is Superman's history it would be cool if they would at least put in a wgbs throwaway line in the upcoming Comics or something.

[Who The Shock?]

I've been reading some from this Era lately. Anyone know which issue Clark first got the TV gig in?

[manofsteel1979]

I've been reading some from this Era lately. Anyone know which issue Clark first got the TV gig in?

I think it was the " Kryptonite nevermore!" Issue of SUPERMAN. Issue #233.

[JAK]

When people think of Clark Kent's professional career, what comes to mind immediately is his being a reporter for Metropolis' DAILY PLANET newspaper...a job that Clark has held for decades not only in the comics, but in just about every media adaptation of the SUPERMAN mythos.

During the Bronze Age of DC Comics, however, Clark spent about a dozen years as a TV newscaster for WGBS. Clark's switch from DAILY PLANET news writer to WGBS TV reporter started near the beginning of the Bronze Age and didn't end until COIE rebooted continuity and sent Post-COIE Clark back to his more traditional job of DAILY PLANET reporter.

Curiously, however, no media adaptation has ever chosen to run with this aspect of the comics, not even in the 1970s and 1980s when it would have helped to update Clark's image and make him more current with those times.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Hey, Buried!

I think we haven't seen it adapted because they may think that seeing Clark on TV would make more people think he looks like Superman and put two and two together.

It would be cool if they could find a way to make it work, as it would make for interesting story conflicts in this day and age.

[beetee]

Funny thing... That move went a long way to "modernize" the character. I think it would still work today, but yeah... The Secret Identity Thing.... The very features that would make Clark photogenic would be a dead giveaway for people to recognize Superman under the glasses.

[FishyZombie]

Has Clark ever done any radio work?

[Patrick Gerard]

Funny thing... That move went a long way to "modernize" the character. I think it would still work today, but yeah... The Secret Identity Thing.... The very features that would make Clark photogenic would be a dead giveaway for people to recognize Superman under the glasses.

I always had this idea that, to protect his son, Jor-El included a gene modifying virus in the rocket that caused, say, 10,000 human males to have identical features to Kal-El as a "cover". Part of my master pitch file. :-)

[gwangung]

Funny thing... That move went a long way to "modernize" the character. I think it would still work today, but yeah... The Secret Identity Thing.... The very features that would make Clark photogenic would be a dead giveaway for people to recognize Superman under the glasses.

Oh, quite possibly, but I was thinking more along the lines as consultant, or guest panelist on cable news shows...still visible, but not nearly as central as an anchor......

[The World]

It's always weird going back to this era but with a modern day mindset and expecting it to last for a hot second before reverting back but it's like 'nope this happened and it was that was for a while'.

[Ascended]

I think it was a cool idea at the time, but I dont think I'd want to see Clark in that role again.

But that's more about how I see Clark Kent than it is anything else.

I would however, fully support Clark exploring a different kind of journalism. I loved the idea of him running a news blog (even if Lobdell and editorial dropped the ball) and wouldn't mind seeing something like that again.

I have always thought that Lois should be a tv reporter; out in the thick of it, dodging fireballs and hurricanes and whatever to live-stream the story to the Planet app. Jimmy would be her cameraman of course. Seems like a good way to put Lois in the middle of the action without changing her character or career very much. And she can still write exclusives and articles when not in front of the camera.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

While I would love for Clark's time for GBS to be part of his modern history, I think our modern perception of TV reporters don't quite jibe with many people's view of Clark Kent, who goes out of his way to not call attention to himself.

There's also the reality that many TV reporters are not really the finest examples of journalism. With few exceptions, successful TV reporters have to care more about ratings than actually informing the public. Again, this doesn't really jibe with our view of Clark Kent as a great reporter.

[gwangung]

I think it was a cool idea at the time, but I dont think I'd want to see Clark in that role again.

But that's more about how I see Clark Kent than it is anything else.

I would however, fully support Clark exploring a different kind of journalism. I loved the idea of him running a news blog (even if Lobdell and editorial dropped the ball) and wouldn't mind seeing something like that again.

I have always thought that Lois should be a tv reporter; out in the thick of it, dodging fireballs and hurricanes and whatever to live-stream the story to the Planet app. Jimmy would be her cameraman of course. Seems like a good way to put Lois in the middle of the action without changing her character or career very much. And she can still write exclusives and articles when not in front of the camera.

Yuppers. This suits Lois to a T. She's photogenic, she can play the ratings game AND she breaks big important news. I can buy that.

And, dammit...blogger suits Clark. Particularly if he can syndicate his work or work a deal with the Planet. He's his own boss, but he still has reasons to be at the Planet.

[Jadeb]

Would make more sense for Clark to be a producer working behind the scenes than as on-air talent. Having him anchor was a nice modernization, but it's silly if you think about it. In addition to the secret identity question, he'd have to be in the same place every day, without the flexibility reporting provides. Taking him out of the field and putting him in a studio defeats the point of him being a reporter in the first place.

Too bad for the people who had an emergency while Clark was busy anchoring the evening news.

[Kuwagaton]

The thing about Clark keeping out of sight is that the suggestion doesn't separate the idea of Clark being not well liked from whether or not Clark is well known. When it comes to Clark's identity I say the opposite: that he hides in plain sight. The longstanding newscaster status came about in the era when Clark was most obscured by Superman. Kal-L and Post-crisis didn't entirely obscure themselves and I don't think they had to. This is what the average person thinks of Superman's private life:



Clark as some guy who seems mysterious and obscure often raises more questions. A secluded guy who looks like Superman is more suspect than a guy who doesn't hide that he isn't Superman, you know?

As far as appearing on tv tipping his hand goes, it's part of the magic of comics. It doesn't matter if ten or ten thousand people see Clark, the idea is that people don't get it. And in today's world, who even knows what their local newscasters look like?