Could King and Mann's Action 1000 Story Mean the Kents are Coming Back?

[Green Goblin of Sector 2814]

Some say that it actually means that DC isn't planning to bring them back, but...pay attention to the epitaph:



Why would they have "grandparents" on their epitaph if they died well before Jon was even born? Honestly, would Jon's birth prompt Clark (or anyone) to go back and add "grandparents" to their gravestone? I don't know many people who would do that.

I may be reaching, but do you think maybe this was a little hint by DC that they're bringing them back soon (or at least bringing back Martha since she was the only one alive Pre-Flashpoint anyway)?

[Sacred Knight]

Standing alone, I think it means virtually nothing. Its possible to be a beloved grandparent with said grandchildren never able to tangibly know them. All that's required to be "beloved" is that someone love you. And its more than possible for a grandchild to love the idea and memory of his deceased grandparents, based what they learn about them second-hand. Hell in a mythos such as Superman's, you can even go a step further and imagine something like time-travel or alternate realities could gain Jon the means to meet his grandparents without the necessity to retcon them back to life.

Now do other things make me think they might bring them back? Sure. I hope not, but sure. Frankly until Watchmen 2 is over I'll have it on my mind and not consider the case closed one way or another. But this doesn't really make me think twice.

Thematically though IMO this short just shows how the relationship between the adult Superman and his parents is so much more powerful when its in this classic vein.

[Superlad93]

Why would they have "grandparents" on their epitaph if they died well before Jon was even born? Honestly, would Jon's birth prompt Clark (or anyone) to go back and add "grandparents" to their gravestone?

In the story King establishes that Clark goes back often to keep the marker in tip top shape. If he didn't go back at all, then it would've have degraded down to an illegible pile of scrap long before then, so I don't see why it's at all a stretch to say that he wrote "grandparents" on the marker too. I mean, I know people who introduce their kids to their dead grandparents' gave sites, and I'm sure they'd all add the title if they could. He's Superman, and he can, so he did. Nothing really suggest otherwise.

I don't know many people who would do that.

To be perfectly fair, none of us know people who have lived for billions of years and visit the grave makers of their dead adopted parents just before the Earth gets sucked up into a red giant, so I figure it's safe to play this one by ear.

[RepHope]

I doubt King has any clue whether the Kents are coming back or not, since it seems Johns is playing his cards close to his chest.

[Zero Hunter]

Man I really hope so. I HATED that Morrsion got rid of them just because "they were dead in the golden age, and I love the golden age" nonsense. They just bring a deeper layer to Clark as character when they are still around. That and seeing them interact with their grandson would be great.

[Sacred Knight]

I doubt King has any clue whether the Kents are coming back or not, since it seems Johns is playing his cards close to his chest.

My strong hope is that when it comes to Superman, he doesn't have any cards to play anymore.

But if he did, it is highly unlikely King and Mann would have any clue about it to even make a hint about it in a short story, I agree.

And you know, the reason often given to bring back so much post-Crisis stuff is that it worked for 20 years. I say its more than fair play to throw out there that this worked for about 50. Making them deceased again is not just a call-back to the Golden Age. Its a call back to every single age, and indeed the bulk of his existence, prior to the Crisis.

Would I be surprised though if there are plans to bring them back, or at the very least Martha and bring back the verbatim Brainiac story arc? Not at all. They're in a post-Crisis frame of mind today. Not unlike the early 2000s when they took on a Silver Age frame of mind. When they want a renaissance, they go for it. So if it happens, and that's the last of the post-Crisis love affair to seep back in, I'll actually consider myself lucky. Still will be disappointed, I'll contend its the wrong move, but there could be worse moves.

[MajorHoy]

Man I really hope so. I HATED that Morrsion got rid of them just because "they were dead in the golden age, and I love the golden age" nonsense. They just bring a deeper layer to Clark as character when they are still around. That and seeing them interact with their grandson would be great.

The idea that John and Martha had died before Clark was active as Superman in Metropolis had actually lasted into the Silver and Bronze Ages, too.
It wasn't until the post-CoIE relaunch of Superman under John Byrne that we had them still alive when Superman was much older, and it was a very strange concept to some of us readers when it was first introduced.

[superduperman]

My strong hope is that when it comes to Superman, he doesn't have any cards to play anymore.

But if he did, it is highly unlikely King and Mann would have any clue about it to even make a hint about it in a short story, I agree.

And you know, the reason often given to bring back so much post-Crisis stuff is that it worked for 20 years. I say its more than fair play to throw out there that this worked for about 50. Making them deceased again is not just a call-back to the Golden Age. Its a call back to every single age, and indeed the bulk of his existence, prior to the Crisis.

Would I be surprised though if there are plans to bring them back, or at the very least Martha and bring back the verbatim Brainiac story arc? Not at all. They're in a post-Crisis frame of mind today. Not unlike the early 2000s when they took on a Silver Age frame of mind. When they want a renaissance, they go for it. So if it happens, and that's the last of the post-Crisis love affair to seep back in, I'll actually consider myself lucky. Still will be disappointed, I'll contend its the wrong move, but there could be worse moves.

I suspect that Johns is either off of Superman or he's at least relinquished complete control over him. With Doomsday Clock occupying most of his time, I would imagine Superman isn't his biggest concern anymore. Keep in mind they also did a story where he has both glasses and heat vision in the fourth grade so we know at least some aspects of SO are out. So my guess is that Johns doesn't have the influence over Superman he used to. 1000 raised a number of questions going forward about Superman's new status quo. See the thread about Supergirl possibly being his sister based off some offhand comment that Terrax ripoff made.

[Kirby Krackle]

I would love to see the Kent's return. If only just Ma even.

[Jackalope89]

Jon could use some grandparents not xenophobic (Sam Lane)/brainwashed by a higher being (Jor-El).

[Sacred Knight]

I'd hate to sacrifice the great dynamic Superman has with the spirits of his parents, as this particular short so beautifully illustrates, just on the justification that Jon gets more grandparents. Sam isn't perfect, and who knows Jor-El's long-term status, but its what he's got. And Sam isn't straight-up evil anymore so there's room to work there.

I suspect that Johns is either off of Superman or he's at least relinquished complete control over him. With Doomsday Clock occupying most of his time, I would imagine Superman isn't his biggest concern anymore. Keep in mind they also did a story where he has both glasses and heat vision in the fourth grade so we know at least some aspects of SO are out. So my guess is that Johns doesn't have the influence over Superman he used to. 1000 raised a number of questions going forward about Superman's new status quo. See the thread about Supergirl possibly being his sister based off some offhand comment that Terrax ripoff made.

I definitely suspect that this is by and large that is the case too, so I agree, though I do think its more because of Bendis than because Johns just doesn't have time. Its just that I still wouldn't be surprised if one or two mandates still sneak by in the wake of Doomsday Clock since it was in the works well before Bendis. Which is why I'm still holding out for that story to end before I breathe a sigh of relief. Quite possible this post-Crisis relic still comes to fruition. But after that, I think Johns' influence will be largely over for some time.

[Frontier]

I'd hate to sacrifice the great dynamic Superman has with the spirits of his parents, as this particular short so beautifully illustrates, just on the justification that Jon gets more grandparents. Sam isn't perfect, and who knows Jor-El's long-term status, but its what he's got. And Sam isn't straight-up evil anymore so there's room to work there..

When you put it that way, it sounds like he could really use some better grandparents .

And at least if you bring Martha back he's got a Grandmother. Probably more likely to happen then Jon meeting Lara or Lois's mom.

[Sacred Knight]

Sure, but I mean, not everyone is gifted with great grandparents. Hell some people don't get to know any. Its a sad eventuality, but its far from uncommon. The fact Jon has two (though probably more realistically one, if we consider Jor-El will probably go back to his old status quo and death eventually), its still not anything to sneeze at. Again, Sam has his issues, but he's not a bad man. Not in this incarnation, which has omitted his NK complete heel turn.

In the end I wouldn't feel as strongly one way or another about if I didn't feel this current and classic status quo augments Superman's characterization. If it was negligible I wouldn't care, if it outright hurt him I'd support it. But, in my opinion, it just so happens to add an immensely touching and beautiful aspect to his characterization. It doesn't serve to darken the character, as is often the strawman argument when it comes to this with people asking inaccurate rhetorical question of "Why make him like Batman?"

[Frontier]

Sure, but I mean, not everyone is gifted with great grandparents. Hell some people don't get to know any. Its a sad eventuality, but its far from uncommon. The fact Jon has two (though probably more realistically one, if we consider Jor-El will probably go back to his old status quo and death eventually), its still not anything to sneeze at. Again, Sam has his issues, but he's not a bad man. Not in this incarnation, which has omitted his NK complete heel turn.

This hits me where it hurts. I only got to know my paternal Grandmother for a brief time .

But I think it'd be neat to have Martha around and throw in some more variety.

[Sacred Knight]

I'm sorry to hear that. I got lucky. VERY lucky. I'm just about at the year anniversary of losing my final grandparent. Two years ago I still had two. I'm in my late 30s. My brother almost made it to 40 with a grandparent still in his life. My brother, sister and I were very blessed in that area.

So yeah, let it be known that if this were reality, if Jon were real and I had the power to give or take away grandparents, in that context I'd give them all to him, heh.