Wal-Mart Superman Comic imagines torture and death of Lois Lane?

[MajorHoy]

Well, they sell them next to the Pokemon cards so you have to sort of infer that they were aimed at kids.

No, you are inferring it; it doesn't mean everyone else has to, nor does it mean that's what Walmart intended.
Is everything sold in that are specifically kid-friendly / "aimed at kids"?

[adrikito]

I saw the image with Lois and Luthor.. I hate it.

[Flash Gordon]

I was more irritated that King didn’t write Supes thinking about anything else. Krypto starving because no one fed him, Perry firing him for being gone for so long, Darkseid invading, instead it’s just more of the “I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT LOIS AHHHHHHH WHAT IF SHE DIES!?!?!?” crap. God I hate this characterization of Supes.

Exactly, just more of the same. Miserable story telling. So edgy!

The Luthor/Lois page is terrible.

[cookies]

we all know Superman will come to Lois faster than speeding bullet when shes in danger. Lois can die or injured in the story but those graphics was really unnecessary. tho i loled at the image she was eaten by a shark. really Clark? you think she has a time to go surfing in Great White territory? XDD

[JAK]

Walmart is a company that stopped selling Cosmo (or something like that) because people complained about "scantily-clad" girls basically being "smut at kids' eye level." And yet THIS passed muster?

No, I'm sorry, this doesn't get to be a preference thing - it's a mistake on DC's part. This is sold next to other things marketed at kids, so the stories should at least be all-ages friendly to a certain extent.

[Yoda]

That opening page never should have gotten through a competent editorial staff. Full stop.

The general story idea, Superman having an anxiety attack, shouldn't have either for this book. He wants to explore that do that in the main books (but not really because it's still a dumb idea) not a Walmart book that's supposed to be marketed to casual fans who are going to pick up a book with an awesome Kubert cover and expect some Superman and Lois adventure. Not Tom Kings latest depressing deconstruction.

[Sacred Knight]

It sounds like a really terrible story on more than one level, but beyond that I can't really form an educated opinion on the children angle because like MajorHoy, I don't know exactly where they're located and now they're advertised in the store. I avoid Wal-Mart at all costs here so I still haven't ever seen them on shelves with my own eyes.

I was more irritated that King didn’t write Supes thinking about anything else. Krypto starving because no one fed him, Perry firing him for being gone for so long, Darkseid invading, instead it’s just more of the “I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT LOIS AHHHHHHH WHAT IF SHE DIES!?!?!?” crap. God I hate this characterization of Supes.

Yeah, its always annoying when a writer fails to capture anything about Superman other than an almost robotic edict of Keep Summer--I mean, Keep Lois Safe. Superman cares about everything. Lois is always up there but the man is freaking king of multitasking. He can and should multi-worry too.

[Yoda]

They are generally placed in the aisle with Pokemon cards, baseball cards, Shopkins, etc. So there is nothing that would indicate it's anything but a generic Superman comic. The trade dress is even like the old school comic covers with fun blurbs about the stories.

This was announced as some new reader friendly, non-comic reading mass market push to get books in the hands of people who don't read comics. Why would you have Superman having an anxiety attack and reapetedly visualizing Lois Lane dying or being tortured as the draw? What about that screams new reader friendly?

[Sacred Knight]

Okay, the Shopkins thing caught my eye. My five year old niece plays with those. I don't know what DC was thinking then. Also good point that even for a general casual reader, panic attack Superman isn't exactly the greatest a draw anyway.

[Vordan]

They are generally placed in the aisle with Pokemon cards, baseball cards, Shopkins, etc. So there is nothing that would indicate it's anything but a generic Superman comic. The trade dress is even like the old school comic covers with fun blurbs about the stories.

This was announced as some new reader friendly, non-comic reading mass market push to get books in the hands of people who don't read comics. Why would you have Superman having an anxiety attack and reapetedly visualizing Lois Lane dying or being tortured as the draw? What about that screams new reader friendly?

Well to be fair the King story is just one part of the 300 page Giant and we’re on like part 5 of a 12 part story. There are other stories inside besides King’s. It’s pretty damn dark though. I don’t know why King wouldn’t just make this a BL Superman book, I would’ve been fine with that.

[Yoda]

I'm sure it varies by location. But I'be literally had to dig them out from underneath some display of like $0.99 stuff animal keychains a few times. And the covers are like bright big images. It's just not something you'd expect this type of content in.

[Yoda]

Well to be fair the King story is just one part of the 300 page Giant and we’re on like part 5 of a 12 part story. There are other stories inside besides King’s. It’s pretty damn dark though. I don’t know why King wouldn’t just make this a BL Superman book, I would’ve been fine with that.

I mean, page 1 is Lois getting shot in the face by a ranting Lex Luthor demanding she beg for her life. So I guess in a sense it can only go uphill from there.

[Flash Gordon]

That opening page never should have gotten through a competent editorial staff. Full stop.

The general story idea, Superman having an anxiety attack, shouldn't have either for this book. He wants to explore that do that in the main books (but not really because it's still a dumb idea) not a Walmart book that's supposed to be marketed to casual fans who are going to pick up a book with an awesome Kubert cover and expect some Superman and Lois adventure. Not Tom Kings latest depressing deconstruction.

I avoid Wal-Mart like the plague so hopefully I can just skip this.

I really hope King can get past his current excesses. I was a big fan of his for a while but with this, Heroes in Crisis, and Batman...he's having a rough streak.

[JAK]

Okay, the Shopkins thing caught my eye. My five year old niece plays with those. I don't know what DC was thinking then. Also good point that even for a general casual reader, panic attack Superman isn't exactly the greatest a draw anyway.

Nothing to do with the topic, but just thought I'd mention that:
"Panic Attack Superman" sounds like a 2000's era action figure idea. And now I can't get it out of my head.... lol

[rpmaluki]

If the purpose of this story was to showcase Superman's anxiety, there was no need to be quite so gratuitous with all the Lois deaths, although the title was accurate in this regard so we shouldn't have expected anything less. It was just tacky and horrible. DC should have screened this before giving the okay considering the market they are trying to attract with these Wal-Mart books. And they should have vetoed the art, if nothing else. How many parents have bought this issue and without reading it first gave it to their little ones to read and have now traumatised their children? I get that Superman has some anxiety every time he's away from earth for long extended periods but using countless Lois' death is shortsighted and rather foolish.