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  1. #1
    Spectacular Member
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    Default Why is Superman center of DC Universe in Morrison Interpretation?

    As title say, Superman seems to be the center of Morrison cosmology. In stories related to Superman like Justice League, Action comics, Final Crisis ,multiversity,etc, Superman has been big guy and the center of Morrison universe. In DC One Million, Superman seems to be like second coming of Jesus.
    So,Why does Morrison always put Superman at center of DC universe? or is it only my misconception?
    What is so important about Superman, not Batman?
    Please teach me.
    Last edited by catman; 10-18-2019 at 10:49 PM.

  2. #2
    Astonishing Member stargazer01's Avatar
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    Maybe because Superman is a cosmic force for good and great inspiration for the others superheroes? Superman embodies everything good and noble about the human race.

    Batman seems so small in comparison to me.

  3. #3
    (formerly "Superman") JAK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catman View Post
    As title say, Superman seems to be the center of Morrison cosmology. In stories related to Superman like Justice League, Action comics, Final Crisis ,multiversity,etc, Superman has been big guy and the center of Morrison universe. In DC One Million, Superman seems to be like second coming of Jesus.
    So,Why does Morrison always put Superman at center of DC universe? or is it only my misconception?
    What is so important about Superman, not Batman?
    Please teach me.
    It's pretty simple, actually. Because without Superman, Batman wouldn't exist.

    Morrison making Superman the center of the DC Universe is a metatextual reference to Superman being the true kick-off of modern Super-heroes (hence the name) as we know them today.
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    I frankly don't understand why every Crisis doesn't revolve around Doctor Occult and Slam Bradley.
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    (formerly "Superman") JAK's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by K. Jones View Post
    I frankly don't understand why every Crisis doesn't revolve around Doctor Occult and Slam Bradley.
    lol - I do think it'd be cool if they did get used for something. That'd be a neat callback.
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  6. #6
    The Man Who Cannot Die manwhohaseverything's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by K. Jones View Post
    I frankly don't understand why every Crisis doesn't revolve around Doctor Occult and Slam Bradley.
    When was the last time these guys appeared? Also, didn't dc publish phantom. Can they still use him? Phantom is the first superhero i ever got introduced to.

  7. #7
    Incredible Member Superbat's Avatar
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    There wouldn't be a DC Universe if Superman didn't exist.

  8. #8
    My Face Is Up Here Powerboy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catman View Post
    As title say, Superman seems to be the center of Morrison cosmology. In stories related to Superman like Justice League, Action comics, Final Crisis ,multiversity,etc, Superman has been big guy and the center of Morrison universe. In DC One Million, Superman seems to be like second coming of Jesus.
    So,Why does Morrison always put Superman at center of DC universe? or is it only my misconception?
    What is so important about Superman, not Batman?
    Please teach me.
    Different writers see things different ways. Some see Batman as the center of the DC Universe and some the Flash or Wonder Woman. Maybe he sees Superman as the center and he traditionally was. Maybe he just likes Superman the best of all characters or sees him as the center of the things he considers important.
    Power with Girl is better.

  9. #9
    Father Son Kamehameha < Kuwagaton's Avatar
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    *shrug*

    I think Batman means more in his DC lore.
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  10. #10
    Unstoppable Member KC's Avatar
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    Superman was DC's first costumed superhero and helped establish a lot of the tropes of the Superhero genre as it exists today. I think the importance of that is a big thing for Morrison.
    “Somewhere, in our darkest night, we made up the story of a man who will never let us down.”

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  11. #11
    Black Belt in Bad Ideas Robanker's Avatar
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    Because Superman built DC comics. Batman was only created as a response to him. Bob Kane's editor asked him if he had the next Superman and Kane's only question was how much they would pay for that. The number was enough that he said "for that much, I'll have it on Monday." That's Bob Kane's actual recollection of the origin of Batman. Now granted we know that Bill Finger was instrumental in the later stages where Bruce really came together and became the character who appeared in Tec 27, but even the current biggest superhero (Batman) was originally just a cash in on Superman.

    Until the mid to late 80s, Superman was DC comics. He kept them afloat. He was their ambassador to pop culture. His was the first comic book blockbuster. He was their trademark and he was the gold standard for superheroes bar none.

    He gets that level of importance because he's the horse from Animal Farm; the entire organization (and genre) was built off his back but he's gotten long in the tooth and is seen as a bit embarrassing by his current handlers. Like the horse, they seem content to mangle him for their own ends while claiming a long standing respect for his significance, but all of us can see the emperor is naked so to speak.

    To be a bit more succinct... He's the trailblazer. It doesn't matter who walked that path after him or how tall they stood, they always did it in his footsteps. Every hurdle DC has cleared was lept in a single bound and long-time fans generally accept that without Clark, their favorites would never have lasted so they can read about them today.

  12. #12
    Astonishing Member LordMikel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catman View Post
    As title say, Superman seems to be the center of Morrison cosmology. In stories related to Superman like Justice League, Action comics, Final Crisis ,multiversity,etc, Superman has been big guy and the center of Morrison universe. In DC One Million, Superman seems to be like second coming of Jesus.
    So,Why does Morrison always put Superman at center of DC universe? or is it only my misconception?
    What is so important about Superman, not Batman?
    Please teach me.
    I'm going to have to disagree with your premise. At least when it relates to Morrison's JLA run.

    We had evil Martian Manhunter and who did he go toe to to against? Plastic Man.
    When heroes were vanishing, both Superman and Batman were gone, Oracle had to solve it.
    Batman set up the "how to defeat the heroes protocols."

    So it has been a few years since I've read JLA, what makes you say they are Superman centric.
    I think restorative nostalgia is the number one issue with comic book fans.
    A fine distinction between two types of Nostalgia:

    Reflective Nostalgia allows us to savor our memories but accepts that they are in the past
    Restorative Nostalgia pushes back against the here and now, keeping us stuck trying to relive our glory days.

  13. #13
    Astonishing Member Soubhagya's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by catman View Post
    As title say, Superman seems to be the center of Morrison cosmology. In stories related to Superman like Justice League, Action comics, Final Crisis ,multiversity,etc, Superman has been big guy and the center of Morrison universe. In DC One Million, Superman seems to be like second coming of Jesus.
    So,Why does Morrison always put Superman at center of DC universe? or is it only my misconception?
    What is so important about Superman, not Batman?
    Please teach me.
    Though stories can be told about Batman being the 'centre of the universe', when you look at it from a storytelling perspective, he is just a vigilante in Gotham city. Batman isn't really a 'cosmic' character. But Superman's very origin is cosmic. Last survivor of a doomed planet. This character becomes a God like being at the end of DC One Million a possible future for DC universe. That's much more fitting for Superman then Batman whose primary appeal is in being just a man walking among gods. Its more fitting for Superman. Plus, Morrison likes being meta.

  14. #14
    Father Son Kamehameha < Kuwagaton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordMikel View Post
    I'm going to have to disagree with your premise. At least when it relates to Morrison's JLA run.

    We had evil Martian Manhunter and who did he go toe to to against? Plastic Man.
    When heroes were vanishing, both Superman and Batman were gone, Oracle had to solve it.
    Batman set up the "how to defeat the heroes protocols."

    So it has been a few years since I've read JLA, what makes you say they are Superman centric.
    Yeah Superman was like... the shoulders of JLA. Big deal name, carried the brand... but Batman was the brains and ran the show. Superman would be like, "welcome to the League, Orion, we follow rules here." Step one of fighting the League, scramble up Superman's brains.

    Between that and a bigger Batman run than his major (and beloved of course) I don't really see his Superman as bigger than the lip service he gets.
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  15. #15
    Ultimate Member SiegePerilous02's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LordMikel View Post
    I'm going to have to disagree with your premise. At least when it relates to Morrison's JLA run.

    We had evil Martian Manhunter and who did he go toe to to against? Plastic Man.
    When heroes were vanishing, both Superman and Batman were gone, Oracle had to solve it.
    Batman set up the "how to defeat the heroes protocols."


    So it has been a few years since I've read JLA, what makes you say they are Superman centric.
    Quote Originally Posted by Kuwagaton View Post
    Yeah Superman was like... the shoulders of JLA. Big deal name, carried the brand... but Batman was the brains and ran the show. Superman would be like, "welcome to the League, Orion, we follow rules here." Step one of fighting the League, scramble up Superman's brains.

    Between that and a bigger Batman run than his major (and beloved of course) I don't really see his Superman as bigger than the lip service he gets.
    Waid wrote both of those though, not Morrison, so they shouldn't entirely count. He also may have wrote that evil MM one, I can't recall anything like that in Morrison's JLA.

    I wouldn't say Morrison's run was purely a Superman show, but I also wouldn't say it was more of a Batman show either. Especially with stuff like Bruce nearly playing into the Key's hands and the day being saved by Connor Hawke, Michael Haney seeing through Starro's illusions mainly because it was Superman who was missing from the world, and Prometheus mainly gunning for Superman at first and taking Batman out off screen. And Superman played a big role in Maggedon's defeat at the end.

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