Somebody Asked Me A Question on Tumblr . . .

What are your feelings/thoughts on the last issue of superman? While I did love the description about Lois (and ngl clark’s strong feelings made quite clear in the issue), I’m still not sure and a bit scared about how the writer is going to tackle clois and their relationship.

 Anonymous

Loved the Lois full page panel. Might make that into a poster and hang it on the wall.  Had to be narration because this Clark Kent does not have that much introspective self awareness at the moment.

Last Sun G2 said if Clark and Lois had a passionate discussion about their relationship, we would be happy.  They did that in spades.  Unfortunately, I think Clark was a little over the top at times and rather than it being snark or banter — it got nasty.

The answer to the mattress of solitude remark made me wonder if there had been an occasion where Lois had been in that bed (which I would love to see)— but after more panels of Clark, I started to think his remarks were more cutting than necessary.  It was like the short time he spent with Jason in Red Hoods and the Outlaws had rubbed off on him.

We know Lobdell can write a relationship — Superman #0 was perfect.  Jor-El and Lara were what Clark and Lois should be.   Let’s just say that Lobdell fumbled the ball in #14 — whether that’s a reflection of his entire game is yet to be seen.  Anyone who can write Clark’s parents brilliantly surely has the potential to recover… unless he’s not permitted to.

The Lois panel was a dangling carrot — not just for the issue but probably for future issues to come.  The fauxmance is taking center stage.  Unfortunately the Clark and Lois fans who have waited through the no-more-marriage announcement, the reboot, how putting Superman in a love triangle would make him interesting, 4 writers on the Superman book and the five year gap between Action and Superman are just going to have to head for the trenches because it’s not going to be fun this winter, maybe not even by spring.  And all because DC Editorial planned the bullship.

I don’t know if Scott Lobdell has as much editorial interference as Perez did.  The obligatory fauxmance panel was nauseating.  Sorry, I’m not having any more books on my pull list which have the potential for that shit in it.  I read comics for enjoyment — not pain and no hope.  I’m a Superman fan — hope is in my blood, all because of the Man of Steel.  But the new 52 Superman has no hope — and in Superman #14, he’s just a tepid mess.  This guy’s going to inspire the world and encourage people to aspire???

There were some good things in the issue and I appreciate them.  I thought Lois was the most mature person in the room for sure.  Also, I still believe that Lois will fight for the integrity of the DP from within — but if the writing is on the wall, she may change her employment status (Matt Idelson said as much). If she goes back to reporting — that’s one of the signs we need to look for that the tide is turning for our couple.

The fauxmance is really putting the characters in a bad light.  Clark has been apparently holding Lois at arms length for five years.  He never asked her out for a date? He didn’t even know she had a boyfriend in Superman #1!  Now he’s having a complete emotional (YAY) breakdown because Lois has okay’d her boyfriend moving in.  He feels bad.  He’s angry.  He hates Lois considers him a ‘best friend’.  If he thinks of them being something more than why hasn’t he ever told her?  Answer:  Editorial’s bullship.

S14’s Clark Kent is VERY HUMAN.  He’s emotional and he’s in pain (of his own making actually).  Contrast that with the emotionless automaton macking on Wonder Woman in Justice League.  Oh yea, I forgot, Superman is ALIENATED. whatever.  At least Johns is trying to keep the bullship at glacial speed — I’m hoping it’s to show how it develops into a great friendship.  It’s the only way to save the icons.  Diana is not 2nd best to Lois if Diana becomes Clark’s best friend and not a romantic interest.  And it would save Clark from super-douchery.

Does DC Editorial know that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person?  Cause Clark Kent seems to be relating to humans just fine, despite the ‘alienation’ of Superman.  It’s all very disheartening — and I’m pretty sure Clark and Lois fans were disappointed the first scene by the latest writer with our favorite couple was an argument — and Clark was not exactly fighting fair.  But it was passionate, and we see that both Clark and Lois care deeply about one another.  Neither one wants to lose the other.  Lois wants him to come back to the DP despite his aversion to Morgan Edge.  He doesn’t want her to take her relationship with Jonathan to the next level.  But as always happens in comics — they get interrupted.  Clark can pump iron in the middle of the Earth for 5 days without a cry for help for Superman, but five minutes with Lois and, BAM, interruptus.

We won’t get an issue of Superman in December but will get 2 in January.  *rme

The only way fans can truly let DC know we don’t like what they’re doing is to remove the stories you don’t like from your pull list.  This reflects in the monthly order numbers which DC and other comic publishers use as a measure of success.  You can still buy a comic if you like what’s inside, it just may not show up in the order numbers.  Comic book store owners use pull lists to decide the amount of their orders and they usually do that 3 months previous to the issue release.

As for the behind-the-scenes-on-the-internet crap that’s been going on.  I was raised with the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  I think we need to have that posted on all social media sites.  Maybe we should dig out Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” too.  There’s too much grenade launching going on from all sides — and its beginning to interfere with the enjoyment of comics.

Everyone needs to take a deep breath and realize that not only fans have felt bludgeoned, but also creators who have to deal with editorial mandates which may or may not be popular with the fanbase.  The plotpoints of the bullship were planned two years ago.   DC is just now rolling that out.

Am I worried about Superman?  Damn straight.  But I have been since WONK.  Yes, I’ve been waiting that long for someone at DC to get a clue about the Man of Tomorrow and what Lois Lane means in his story and in his super life.

We have to live through 2 crossovers — H’El and Helspont and then probably the Trinity War.  Looking at Clark Kent now in Superman #14, there is no way he has the strongest heart to open Pandora’s box and find hope inside — but the beauty of comics is — things can change from book to book, page to page, and even panel to panel.

Like the guy in the crow’s nest who searches the horizon for land after a long voyage, I have a few plot points which will give me hope, our hero and his lady (Lois) will find their way to each other.

— Lois and Clark banter without anger and/or Lois pulls him out of a fugue (like she did in Action 12)

— Superman rescues Lois Lane (She’s saved his ass a few times as an executive producer with camera crews.  And waking him in space by calling out, Clark!)

— Clark and Lois reporting together (Andy Diggle said he was writing this — but is it a flashback or present timeline?)

The thing that disgusts me about the new 52 Superman is …Superman is not only a superhero, but he is a romantic hero.  A character that leads with his big heart.  We have not seen that man in the new 52.