Superman #2

[superfangirl1]

Comments

[shadowpsykie]

*sigh* i'm going to have to buy this book aren't I?

[misterbug]

See, this is why I prefer DC to Marvel, even when I'm not buying books from either of them. THIS is how you write an adult couple who used to be together, in the context of one of them being the star of the book. The drama is all unspoken and subtle; the interaction between the two is mature and likeable.

With the same plot dilemma (the universal continuity being re-started) and a similar character problem (the protagonist is no longer with his longest-running and most-popular love interest), in two issues Perez has managed to achieve what Joe Quesada, Dan Slott & co. haven't gotten right in close to 4 years of ASM.

That's...almost unbelievably tragic for Marvel. But then again, Perez is an experienced professional.

[shadowpsykie]

*nods*

Perez is hit and miss with me, but yes i agree. this "break-up" has been handled with soooo much more maturity that (and i am loathed to say it) i don't really mind the break up... do i want them back? GOD YES, but it isn't making me hate the very sight of them... i still hate saint barry... but that is another long, angry story....

[misterbug]

The fact that they're handling it with this much maturity is actually an indicator that they might actually be playing the long game and separating them to make it that magical when they get back together...ala JMS keeping Peter & MJ apart so as to draw out the tension between them properly at the beginning of his run, THEN getting them back together by taking their unspoken emotions to the logical conclusion.

Besides, unlike Slott & co. they haven't brought about several potential new GFs to bait the audience with. Heather Kelley could turn out to be the new Carlie, but above they have Clark simply shrugging at the possibility and admitting that working with her wouldn't be the same as with Lois. The old potential flames are all negated as well - Lana's nowhere to be found, Maxima is slated as a Supergirl foil, Peeg is waiting for Mr. Terrific to do the honourable thing and power her up, and maybe Lori Lemaris will turn up in 'Aquaman' at some point to ask if anyone's seen her frisbee.

Also, Jonathan Whatsisface is just as much of a non-character at this point that having Metallo accidentally trip him up out of a seventh-storey window wouldn't bother anyone, in the book or reading the book.

[jlbarnett]

I like that they're trying to keep them close, and it just occured to me to wonder about them "double dating" if Jonathan is just a friend from out of town. Can he really expect her to not have someone to date whenever he's in town, or did he notice something between them.

On the other hand, I feel like this makes the first issue an aborted plot point due to negative fan pressure, or an obnoxious bait and switch.

[filthysize]

Something I'm not clear on: were they a couple that broke up? I thought in the first issue, Lois said that she and Clark were never an item?

While I agree that this is on a whole much better written, I have to be fair to Slott and say that a full retcon of a relationship into never happening as your starting line is probably easier to work with than whatever the weird status of Peter and MJ is. Because right now, they're having a hard time deciding what exactly MJ's role is supposed to be as a supporting character if not Peter's love interest, so she's just presented really badly at the moment. I think the biggest mistake Marvel made was retconning only the marriage instead of the entire relationship. It was having their cake and eating it too. If they want a single Spider-man, they should've gone all out and either divorced them and write dramatic stories about Peter being a divorcee, or just completely start over with them. Either one of those choices wouldn't be ideal, but still preferable to this magical wishy-washy shit.

[misterbug]

Jury's still out on that first one - it could have been something she just said to reassure Whatsisface, or what actually happened. *Shrug*

Slott wasn't given the best deal, yes, but there are a ton of writers who could have made better creative choices and not deliberately baited the fans, nor go online to troll the hell out of them. Same with Steve Wacker. The degree of unprofessionalism in the Marvel publishing house at the mo is, well, shocking.

[jlbarnett]

I don't think they're a former couple the relationship stress is a friendship/partnership stressed by the fact Clark's basically accused Lois of selling out.

[skalja]

Shockingly enough, after four years of post-OMD fumbling from everyone concerned, Slott really knocked it out of the park with Peter and MJ's dynamic in the issue that came out today.

[eyz]

'nuff said!

To the point!

[biod]

Am I the only one who switched to Shatner voice when Supes started monologuing?

[book_of_daniel]

I was actually more weirded out by the big 1993 caller ID box on his desk.

[littlepunkryo]

I really enjoyed this, and I liked the art a lot in most places, too. Usually I only like one or the other, it was nice to get both at the same time. And I am not even noticing the lack of red undies on the outside anymore so I'd say the costume change works for me. I even find the high collar flattering.

[mrstatham]

Can we get a Sam Lane who doesn't come across as a crazy xenophobe? We've got Lex for that.

[jlbarnett]

the last thing Superman needed is a comparison to The Hulk. THis is seriously derivative. I'd rather have the Sam Lane who's a farmer and would've gotten on well with the Kents than Thunderbolt Ross for the DCU

[mrstatham]

As I said, we've already got Lex to be the xenophobic 'defender of humanity' that he believes he is, and that's more interesting because there's far more layers to that - That Lex doesn't really give a damn about humanity and that he's more interested in what becomes of his own skills and massive intellect in the wake of the someone 'better' than him. And that, come to think of it, would make him a better foe for the majority of the DCU in general.

General Lane is, as you say, just a Thunderbolt Ross ripoff here, and it's the last thing the franchise needs. As it is, it just seems like DC clutched at the most recent thing they could for Lane and plastered that in there.

[stubbleupdate]

Are the baddies from this the baddies from JLA Year One?

[fifthie]

Be nice to see Clark actually doing any of those stories about the homeless, instead of some more lazy offhanded informed-attribution to the notion that Clark gives a fuck and then back to the ol' Punching Aliens and Shit.

[superboyprime]

Beware. Saying there's too punch alien-punching in a Superman comic is what leads to things like Grounded.

[mrstatham]

As SPB says, no-fighty Supes either leads to Grounded, or Superman Returns, both of which were possibly the most neutered takes on Superman ever.

Not saying a well-done take on the concept of Superman dealing with 'issues' isn't possible, but given we only just escaped the blandness of Superman going around and seeing the 'real' problems in America, I wouldn't be in a rush to do it again.

[eyz]

This is pretty good!
Though I admit, I still miss our pre-New 52 Lois, Clark, status quo, stories, DCU, etc..

[stillanerd]

You know, I really have to wonder if the various folks at DC, with the exception of Grant Morrison, were sitting around their conference table listening to Five For Fighting's "Superman (It's Not Easy)" and thought that was an actual description of the character and not an extended metaphor--because you could practically hear that song in the background when reading those panels of Supes listening to Lois' voice message. For crying out loud, what is this obsession with DC in having a brooding loner emo Superman? Good grief!

That being said, this issue was still pretty decent.