Superman and the Authority #1-2 - "All Our Tomorrows"

[laughing_tree]

It started out as one thing, but we integrated it and I spoke with Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who's doing the Superman stuff, and I really like that guy, he's very smart and he has got big ideas for Superman. What I did was kind of retrofit it all in so it absolutely ties in, it's kind of important. If you don't read this, you'll probably die! -- Grant Morrison

Comments

[lordultimus]

Well. No one accused Morrison of being subtle, I guess.

[scorntx]

Has anyone ever accused Morrison of being subtle?
Incomprehensible, sure. But subtle?

[dan_ingram]

Morrison is as subtle as Nat's hammer is small.

[lordy_co]

Natasha Irons vs evil Digimons isn't what I was expecting from this series, but I'm down for it.

[remial]

Nat Irons vs Brainlessniac?

[scorntx]

...
... Well, I was going to start off snarking, but that second issue.
Oh, wow. That's going to take a moment.

Okay, so. Manchester Black.
Now, back in What's So Funny, his thing was he and his were a shot at The Authority, right? That their point, as it were, was "Superman's outdated and ineffectual because (among other things) he doesn't kill people."
And here... maybe it's just Grant's writing, but... Manchester doesn't seem to be making any actual point, or even a pretence of a point to be easily demolished. He's just angrily ranting and raving about nowt in particular.
Or is that meant to be the point? That he's a young rebel without a cause who needs one of his olders and betters to Show Him The Way?


Also: Everyone in the Phantom Zone is a sociopathic super-murderer? Even the werewolf guy? Because I'm pretty sure werewolf guy was not a sociopathic super-murderer.

[remial]

don't forget Val-Or, he isn't a sociopath, just allergic to reality

or something.
(not delusional or anything like that, just if he spends too much time outside the Phantom Zone he starts dying)

[lordy_co]

I could be wrong but having read both issues it seems that Black's point is that Superman never changed the world for the better while he was in his prime and never allowed Black and co. to do it. Now that Supes is old, he comes to Black asking for help, which Black isn't happy to give at first but then changes his mind, so it's less "rebel without a cause" and more "ah, so NOW you want me to to the heavy lifting you should've done years ago?".
In the second issue, Black also talks about Apollo and Midnighter "running around in The Authority with The Doctor and Jenny" (or smth with that effect) with a certain admiration, so maybe Morrison is writing him as someone who's found himself in a very good spot: being able to influence Superman to finally change the world, using some of the people who were trying to do so years ago to help.

Of course I could be wrong, but that's my reading.

[tinygaylaura]

I think that it's intentional that Black is just a mouthy edgelord who wants to piss people off and offend people for attention while acting like not caring about anything makes you cool because caring is dumb

He's South Park if it took on human form

I think even in What's So Funny that was the case. He talked a big game about how he was Fighting The Evils Superman Just Doesn't Have the Balls To Fight but really he was just a douche who got off on murdering people for fun.

Maybe Superman has moved the people who were less evil out of the Phantom Zone and the innocent ones went free while those who are still bad but not as bad he put them somewhere nicer than a hellish ghost realm?

That seems like a thing Superman would want to do he is a good dude

[scorntx]

This assumes Manchester can even experience fun. He's probably too edgy for fun.

If this was the Silver Age, Superman'd probably release the Phantom Zone prisoners into Jimmy Olsen's apartment.
Or Gotham.

[tinygaylaura]

He did it to convince Jimmy there's no such thing as ghosts

There was no way to do that other than faking a haunting of his appartment by invisible superpowered serial killers

[donnblake]

"Look Jimmy, I think of you as almost family. And let's be honest, since the weird psycho-sexual mind games I play with Lois are unlikely to produce a child outside of Imaginary Stories, you're probably the closest thing I'll ever have to a son. Not a super-son, though. Just a normal human son. And that's why I hid General Zod in your closet."

"I think I'm missing a couple steps in your logic, Superman."

"Of course! I forgot to mention that I also super-hypnotized everyone into thinking your name is Ymmij."

[tinygaylaura]

"Wait why would you do that"

"Sorry Ymmij, no time to explain

My super hearing detects that scamp Lois has irradiated herself with Kryptonite in an effort to learn my secret identity. I need to go construct an incredibly lifelike puppet creation I will animate with my super ventriloquism so that I can can continue to gaslight her"

[mazway_75]

Reminds me a bit of his take on Magneto turning into just using his "cause" to excuse mass murder and no longer having a message.

Which was so rough that Marvel had to instantly reveal this was an imposter and the real Magneto ranting "You really think that could be me?"

[lordultimus]

In fairness, they were still reeling from 9/11 and didn't want to portray terrorists in a sympathetic light.

Also, friendly reminder that Grant Morrison uses they/them pronouns.

[blueprintstyles]

I hope Grant addresses that the reason Superman stopped Manchester in the first place was that he wanted to change the world by killing A LOT people, supervillain and normal, and more indirectly through the political upheaval killing leaders -even bad ones- cause. Black's intentions were good but he was immature and reckless.

The premise is something I've wanted to see for a long time, Superman running out of time to make the world grow up and needing to take a firmer hand without compromising his principles. I've loved a lot of Grant's work, so I hope they stick the landing.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

I'm confused by what's going on in the "a finer world, indeed" panel. I thought Superman betrayed him, but then they're still working together later, so... wha?

[tcampbell1000]

That image is hugely misleading out of context. He gives Manchester water to toast to their success, and Manchester's booze-dependent digestive system reacts badly to it.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Ah, thanks! I thought Superman had poisoned his wine or something.

[zachbeacon]

I'm actually kinda interested in this now. It looks like one of the more coherent Morrison things I've seen in a while.

[starwolf_oakley]

Grant Morrison might be doing TV Tropes' "Cool People Rebel Against Authority" for this story. Only with the actual Authority.

The way that goes, it rarely matters if the Rebels are right or wrong as long as they are cool.