Lois And Clark : In Love. At Work Relationship Dilemma

[superfangirl1]

Action Comics #1067 Back up story

Writer
Rainbow Rowell

Artist
Cian Tormey













Action Comics #1068 Back up story

Comments

[shadowpsykie]

LOL that last one...

Lois does have a point... why can't clark take these "small stories" and infuse them with what he was brought up with, down home compassion? i see a senior veteran getting a medal... why can't that be something he honors? a condition he brings to light? ma and pa should have a talk with him...

don't get me wrong., i get his issues... but....

[numeronone]

It does feel absurd. Superman's whole thing is meant to be about looking out for everyone, right? Stopping buildings from coming down but also rescuing cats out of trees, giving a depressed person a hug, etc.

Why can't Clark see the beauty and wonder in the small stuff too?

[coldfury]

I mean, the man's career was basically just tanked, by his wife of all people. I think he's allowed to be disappointed, professionally.

He's either got to be happy treading water reporting dog shows for as long as Lois is editor, or he's going to have to quit and work elsewhere. That's really the only two solutions here, and the first one assumes that he'll get his beat back when/if Perry returns.

[bradygirl_12]

👍

[numeronone]

Does he even need to be working at the Planet, though? For the passion of it, he could work for an indie publication, and for the cost-of-living, surely Lois' paycheck would cover both of them. Maybe he could even take up a hobby!

This is barely a problem. If it were on "Am I The Asshole" I'd find it childish.

[jlbarnett]

he's a quality reporter though, why should have to minimize himself because Lois got a promotion?

[numeronone]

What's minimizing about taking the focus somewhere else?

[jlbarnett]

the Daily Planet is clearly positioned as the best paper in the DCU, so it would be a lesser paper. And taking up hobby? How insulting

Clark actually cares bout his journalism career

[shadowpsykie]

Lois said it was temporarily until she figured something out, and in the mean time, she is giving another reporter a fair chance.

[nyadnar17]

That's the great part that's not shown here. He totally does.

Clark Kent is a great writer and he fucking WRITES these "nothing" stories.

[zachbeacon]

Yeah, Lois has a point about the conflict of interest.

(Even assuming Perry never knew Clark was Superman....he's put Clark on a lot of things he knew Clark was heavily involved with.)

...and Clark is generally very good with the "small" stories anyway.

But it is wild that Lois would effectively bench another Pulitzer-winning Journalist.

[jlbarnett]

She didn't stop writing stories about Superman after she found out who he was and married him. Her conflict of interest is nearly as great

[zachbeacon]

Yeah, and in a lot of continuities she used to date Lex prior to her one-woman crusade against him. And she writes about her dad.

Not saying she isn't a hypocrite, just saying she has a point.

[huntleyhaverstock]

In my short career as a reporter, I covered shootings, robberies, house fires, scandals, and federal court cases. I interviewed former Polish partisans who'd survived Nazi concentration camps, and a few of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen. And while those last two were especially awe-inspiring, the best thing I ever covered was an American citizenship ceremony. No massive breaking news, nothing juicy. (Although I still remember the poor guy who took his citizenship oath on crutches, recovering from the car accident that had killed his wife.) Just a beautiful moment of everyday life. If Clark's lost sight of that -- and I can see how he might! -- then I suspect this assignment will prove good for him.

Also, Lois is absolutely correct; having Superman write stories about Superman is and always has been an ethical nightmare.

[blues32]

TAKE THE PICTURE, JIMMY!

[cygnia]

"...they will never find your body, Jimmy..."

"What?!"

"I said 'take the picture, Jimmy'..."

[lbd_nytetrayn]

I was thinking something like that. XD

[scorntx]

The next day, Jimmy was abducted by a race of hyper-evolved fire ants, who had somehow been led to believe he was a famous scientist they had a grievance against, on account of their looking almost identical, save that the scientist is a woman (and doesn't wear bowties).
Clark's phone record would conclusively prove he was in Gotham while this unfortunate incident was happening.

[tcampbell1000]

This is about as close as Superman comics have ever gotten to acknowledging the moral quagmire that is Clark Kent's career. I mean, he's a reporter with a secret ID who regularly pretends to interview himself or report objectively on his own actions--that's how he broke into the field, in most versions--and his only rival when it comes to reporting on Superman is his wife (or in some versions, primary love interest).

Clark's main reasons for being a journalist were (1) to have an assignment where he can be close enough to the action that he can jump right in without anyone asking too many questions and (2) a general commitment to truth, or at least to truth about everything other than himself. And sure, there are arguments that a secret identity is necessary, that he needs to be able to spend time not being Superman for a bit and maybe shouldn't advertise to every villain with a grudge that his parents are farmers in a dinky town in Kansas.

And clearly, Superman being able to save zillions of lives (and to be clearheaded while he does it) is more important than this level of ethical violation.

But if it's a necessary measure, it's still a necessary lie--and at this point in his life, it might not be as necessary as it was when he was coming to Metropolis with no connections. Like, he could literally be a freelance writer or nonfiction author and people would ask even fewer questions about why he was at a particular place. And I don't think he and Lois are hurting for money.

[thenicochan]

This ethical dilemma feels well depicted. You can see where both Clark and Lois are coming from. It can be difficult to work with your spouse anyway, but adding all the layers of complexity here? Woof. Honestly, good on Lois for standing her ground (not that she's ever had a hard time doing so!)

[bruinsfan]

Perry never had a problem with it when he didn't know Clark was Superman. Didn't he put a moratorium on Clark writing Superman articles once he revealed his identity? At the very least, I distinctly recall him consulting the legal department about the Planet's liability for having a reporter cover his own activities without full disclosure.

[superfangirl1]

Yes. Perry was force to fired Clark, because of the legality problems of him writing stories about himself as Superman.

https://screenrant.com/superman-fired-daily-planet-secret-identity/