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

[Spiderboy12]

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

It was. And since that had a cover date of January 1971, it was nearly sixteen years (to September 1986, again by cover date), not twelve, that he was a broadcast journalist at least part of the time. There were a lot a fun stories from the 1970s and 1980s with Superman...

[manofsteel1979]

I kind of wish , given the New 52 briefly brought Morgan Edge and Galaxy taking over the Daily Planet back into continiuity that they could have had Clark resume his anchor job for WGBS, or have him work as a reporter grunt behind the scenes with Jimmy under Lois' supervision for the on air personalities Cat Grant, Ron Troupe and Steve Lombard. I could see Lombard like the DCU's answer to Ron Burgundy​. He has the cheesy porn stache already lol.

[Kuwagaton]

Cat Grant has become a supporting character for Supergirl, but if things were different I'd have loved to see her become a co-anchor with Clark on WGBS.

You know, I always thought of Lois as a predecessor to April O'Neil. WGBS Clark was like her Vernon Fenwick.

[manofsteel1979]

Cat Grant has become a supporting character for Supergirl, but if things were different I'd have loved to see her become a co-anchor with Clark on WGBS.

You know, I always thought of Lois as a predecessor to April O'Neil. WGBS Clark was like her Vernon Fenwick.

Hmm... Yeah I can see it.

The turtles are chock full of comics tropes nods. Splinter= Stick, April=Lois The Hand= the foot clan , Vernon= Clark etc.

[Kuwagaton]

Steve Lombard could have a chance to be a real character in the supporting cast. This isn't to suggest giving him a very special issue on alcohol abuse, just that he can have a lived in role instead of being a bit player. His appearances could feel less like gags and more like the star of another story making a guest appearance in Superman. I can see him as a cross between Tom Buchanan and Ron Burgundy.

Similar ideas to bring back Morgan and Josh.

[Ascended]

I like my Clark to be socially invisible. It's not that he appears to avoid the spotlight, it's that no one ever even thinks to ask him about it in the first place.

There was a scene in Birthright where Clark's working late at his desk and the janitor says something about no one being left in the building, so he kills the lights, leaving Clark sitting by himself in the dark.

That's how I see Clark Kent. He's not some big clumsy oaf who is always stumbling into tables and knocking over chairs, because that draws attention. He's not a rock star in journalism circles with several awards on his shelf, because that draws attention. He's that guy in the office people barely remember is there.

If I were to update Clark's career, I think I'd make him an editor. He can still contribute articles when he wants to, but I'd like to see him as Perry's #2. And I think if you want to keep the idea that Clark uses the Planet to further Superman's crusade, then Clark using his position to push reporters into writing more relevant articles has some merit.

And if you want to take it a step or three further, I think at some point later in life, after Perry has retired or died, Clark ends up buying the Planet, and uses the organization like a superhero who's power is the media. He'd be fair and without bias, but if a national figure or person with influence stepped over the line, the Planet (at Clark's direction) would go after them guns blazing and pull every dirty secret into the light. Clark's Daily Planet ends up being responsible for President's being impeached, peace talks between nations, greater humanitarian effort from the Federal government, etc.

[JAK]

I like my Clark to be socially invisible. It's not that he appears to avoid the spotlight, it's that no one ever even thinks to ask him about it in the first place.

There was a scene in Birthright where Clark's working late at his desk and the janitor says something about no one being left in the building, so he kills the lights, leaving Clark sitting by himself in the dark.

There's a lot of merit to this, and I definitely see the appeal.

If I were to update Clark's career, I think I'd make him an editor. He can still contribute articles when he wants to, but I'd like to see him as Perry's #2. And I think if you want to keep the idea that Clark uses the Planet to further Superman's crusade, then Clark using his position to push reporters into writing more relevant articles has some merit.

And if you want to take it a step or three further, I think at some point later in life, after Perry has retired or died, Clark ends up buying the Planet, and uses the organization like a superhero who's power is the media. He'd be fair and without bias, but if a national figure or person with influence stepped over the line, the Planet (at Clark's direction) would go after them guns blazing and pull every dirty secret into the light. Clark's Daily Planet ends up being responsible for President's being impeached, peace talks between nations, greater humanitarian effort from the Federal government, etc.

Great ideas - only thought being that he should stay as #2. Being in charge may bring more notice, negating some of your first point. The boss can't be invisible, after all. I do love the idea, though, and wanted to see a lot more done with it back in the 90's when he took over for Perry for a bit.

[gwangung]

I like my Clark to be socially invisible. It's not that he appears to avoid the spotlight, it's that no one ever even thinks to ask him about it in the first place.

There was a scene in Birthright where Clark's working late at his desk and the janitor says something about no one being left in the building, so he kills the lights, leaving Clark sitting by himself in the dark.

That's how I see Clark Kent. He's not some big clumsy oaf who is always stumbling into tables and knocking over chairs, because that draws attention. He's not a rock star in journalism circles with several awards on his shelf, because that draws attention. He's that guy in the office people barely remember is there.

If I were to update Clark's career, I think I'd make him an editor. He can still contribute articles when he wants to, but I'd like to see him as Perry's #2. And I think if you want to keep the idea that Clark uses the Planet to further Superman's crusade, then Clark using his position to push reporters into writing more relevant articles has some merit.

And if you want to take it a step or three further, I think at some point later in life, after Perry has retired or died, Clark ends up buying the Planet, and uses the organization like a superhero who's power is the media. He'd be fair and without bias, but if a national figure or person with influence stepped over the line, the Planet (at Clark's direction) would go after them guns blazing and pull every dirty secret into the light. Clark's Daily Planet ends up being responsible for President's being impeached, peace talks between nations, greater humanitarian effort from the Federal government, etc.

Love, love, love this. Though a bi harder for for an editor to take off an disappear...

Great ideas - only thought being that he should stay as #2. Being in charge may bring more notice, negating some of your first point. The boss can't be invisible, after all. I do love the idea, though, and wanted to see a lot more done with it back in the 90's when he took over for Perry for a bit.

ng

Yeah...but being the owner and #2 wouldn't be incompatible. As in, Bruce Wayne fronts an LLC, the silent partner fronts the money.....Bruce would TOTALLY do this (actually, come to think of it, you could even have Clark be a named partner, but everyone thinks Bruce is fronting all the money....).

[JAK]

Yeah...but being the owner and #2 wouldn't be incompatible. As in, Bruce Wayne fronts an LLC, the silent partner fronts the money.....Bruce would TOTALLY do this (actually, come to think of it, you could even have Clark be a named partner, but everyone thinks Bruce is fronting all the money....).

True - I was thinking owner/editor in this scenario, judging by Ascended's description. As just an owner, that'd work. But if he's in there all the time and they have to see him "take charge" of the group a lot, it might start raising questions.

[Mister BoMan]

I kind of wish , given the New 52 briefly brought Morgan Edge and Galaxy taking over the Daily Planet back into continiuity that they could have had Clark resume his anchor job for WGBS, or have him work as a reporter grunt behind the scenes with Jimmy under Lois' supervision for the on air personalities Cat Grant, Ron Troupe and Steve Lombard. I could see Lombard like the DCU's answer to Ron Burgundy​. He has the cheesy porn stache already lol.

That would have been great to see.

[Ascended]

Thanks for the positive feedback guys, but as is often the case, it looks like I gotta clarify myself a bit.

I think that Clark working as an editor and Perry's #2 could work in the "now." It'd be one of those things where Clark disappears for hours or even days on end and has a really strange, hands-off, unusual management style that takes getting used to, but his results speak for themselves and its those results that keep him in the job. Perry would still yell at him about deadlines, Lois would still cover for him to keep Clark out of trouble, so in a way little about the dynamic would change but it would give Clark a new avenue from which to conduct his never ending battle and it'd keep his name and face out of the public's eye.

It does put more pressure on Clark to be at the office on a regular basis, but that just adds more spice to the mix.

Additionally, if this were to happen it might be time for Perry to finally admit that he knows who Clark is and has for years. That would take some of the heat off Clark from upper management while still keeping his feet to the fire with the rest of the staff.

The idea of Clark buying the Planet and being its owner would have to be something that happened in the future, at a point we're not likely to ever actually see as main continuity. It could be mentioned by time travelers, or maybe Clark could visit his own future and see it for himself, but its not something that would actually "happen."

[Mister BoMan]

I like my Clark to be socially invisible. It's not that he appears to avoid the spotlight, it's that no one ever even thinks to ask him about it in the first place.

There was a scene in Birthright where Clark's working late at his desk and the janitor says something about no one being left in the building, so he kills the lights, leaving Clark sitting by himself in the dark.

That's how I see Clark Kent. He's not some big clumsy oaf who is always stumbling into tables and knocking over chairs, because that draws attention. He's not a rock star in journalism circles with several awards on his shelf, because that draws attention. He's that guy in the office people barely remember is there.

If I were to update Clark's career, I think I'd make him an editor. He can still contribute articles when he wants to, but I'd like to see him as Perry's #2. And I think if you want to keep the idea that Clark uses the Planet to further Superman's crusade, then Clark using his position to push reporters into writing more relevant articles has some merit.

And if you want to take it a step or three further, I think at some point later in life, after Perry has retired or died, Clark ends up buying the Planet, and uses the organization like a superhero who's power is the media. He'd be fair and without bias, but if a national figure or person with influence stepped over the line, the Planet (at Clark's direction) would go after them guns blazing and pull every dirty secret into the light. Clark's Daily Planet ends up being responsible for President's being impeached, peace talks between nations, greater humanitarian effort from the Federal government, etc.

Yeah.. I could see Clark as Asst. Editor to Perry.

[Patrick Gerard]

Re: Clark as an editor. He was Editor in Chief on Earth-2.

I do like him as assistant crime editor or something like that. (The Planet really should have an editor for each beat: city, social, arts and culture, etc.) Or assistant copy editor.

That would make him #3. And as for "disappearing", he could work remotely, answering e-mails and such. The key is probably having some kind of holographic belt projected PC interface with a "subspace internet connection" so he can do desktop work on while watching a volcano in Chile or while on Mars. That also provides an argument for something like the old Supermobile. He doesn't need it TO FLY. He needs it to read and do work while autopilot lets him focus on paperwork.

[Kuwagaton]

He was also an editor twice post crisis: he blew the gig at Newstime due to the Eradicator, and filled in temporarily for Perry shortly before the marriage.

I think the trickiest thing about WGBS was that you couldn't lose that DP connection.

[Patrick Gerard]

He was also an editor twice post crisis: he blew the gig at Newstime due to the Eradicator, and filled in temporarily for Perry shortly before the marriage.

I think the trickiest thing about WGBS was that you couldn't lose that DP connection.

I'm surprised they made Daily Planet a newspaper in the New 52, honestly. If you're doing a reboot, that would have been the time to change it to a website or an NGO consulting group or something.

I have to admit I get nostalgia for the newspaper element like anyone else but I'd be tempted, if doing an Earth One take, to make the Daily Planet into a research and policy think tank. Dr. Lois Lane heads up poli sci and business innovation. Perry White is an administrator and friend of charitable mogul Franklin Stern. (Incidentally, I find it funny that we have Franklin Stern, Morgan Edge, and Morganstern as owners. We just need a Franklin Edge now.) Jimmy Olsen starts off as an intern and becomes Perry's personal assistant and booking manager.

The whole point of the newspaper setting was always that it was an information hub Clark could use. The problem (and perk) was always that a newspaper had a slightly different visual language than a comic book. I think, based on how modern comics flow, that have the Daily Planet basically be a think tank with a heavy TED Talk style component (so you can have cinematic Powerpoint lectures) would be the way to go. The name sounds like a newspaper but it could just as well sound like a non-profit real time crisis strategy group that specializes in problems where global solutions to human issues have to be delivered in 24 hours or less.