Two big changes in the DCU (spoilers for Action #900 and Brightest Day)

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

In Action #900, Superman stands with protesters in Iran.  The Iranian government feels that Superman is being directed by the American national security team.  So, to make sure everyone knows that his actions come from his code of morality only and are not forced on him by the US government, Superman renounces his American citizenship at the UN.  Now, this is interesting and can lead to many stories, but I have to ask...how, exactly, was Superman a citizen.  Did he vote?  Did he pay taxes?  Sure Clark does those things and I'm sure Clark isn't renouncing his citizenship.  So this seems to be more symbolic than anything else.  This is Superman saying that he's a citizen of the entire planet, not one country and I can get behind that.  With this and Batman, Inc...the world's finest and becoming truly the WORLD'S finest. 

 

The other big change is the erasing of the Vertigo-DCU line by bringing back both Swamp Thing and John Constantine into the world of Aquaman and Firestorm.  While some Vertigo series will continue to be stand-alone books, this is a big change in policy for DC.  And I welcome it. 

 

I don't want to see Gentleman Ghost in iZombie though...wait...maybe I kinda do.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

:)

 

I'm just not even looking at any of it. He's a piece of fiction. In the end, it doesn't matter.

 

Sorry, folks. But it's true.

[Don Collett]

+1 to Jeff Carter!

I only bought Action 900 for the conclusion to the Luthor story.  That one I enjoyed.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

While I agree that the knee-jerks are being stupid about this...fiction, the stories we make up to discuss and examine life, may be the most important human invention.

JeffCarter said:

:)

 

I'm just not even looking at any of it. He's a piece of fiction. In the end, it doesn't matter.

 

Sorry, folks. But it's true.

[Figserello]

JeffCarter said:

:)

 

I'm just not even looking at any of it. He's a piece of fiction. In the end, it doesn't matter.

 

Sorry, folks. But it's true.

WHAT????

Seriously, I'm with Doc. We're all about the stories. Stories matter, ... which is why those right-wing bullies were giving our Don a hard time about a fictional character.

In this one thing those right-wing bullies have a more perfect understanding than yourself, Jeff!

:-)

[Captain Comics]

I  haven't really been following the reaction, as we've been busy at the paper with tornadoes and such. But I know my paper (Commercial Appeal in Memphis) ran the AP story about it. And when I had Twitter on early on Thursday afternoon, some comics pros were complaining about hostile reactions. I follow politics well enough that I'm not the least surprised.

 

As to my own reaction, I have been kinda skimming the Super-titles since Kal-El went walkabout. It was obvious this was going to go on for a while without explanation, which is OK when I'm engaged, but this was kinda dull and I have been mostly tuned out.

 

At the end of the day I agree with those who say "it's just a story." And hopefully one that will be over soon.

[Eric L. Sofer]

PowerBook Pete said:

JFK made him an American citizen.

Yeah, well, JFK made him a West German citizen too... along with all of us.  So, that doesn't count... :) :) :)

 

[Philip Portelli]

I thought the whole "Walk Across America" thing was to reconnect with the country, not renounce it! He could have done that when he was in Kandor! ;-)

Seriously, he's still a citizen of the world and a global figure. Besides his official address is the North Pole, anyway!

I see this as false drama for some storyline tension and quick publicity. Everything will be hunky-dory by the next movie!

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Action Comics #900:

I was ambivalent about the main story. On the one hand, it was an excellent character study clothed as a comic book. On the other, I kind of resented the fact it had a five-issue lead-in from other titles. On the third hand (which I use to pat myself on the back), I didn’t buy those (except Superboy, which I buy anyway).

The back-up features were mostly thought-provoking (except the “storyboards” which I didn’t bother to read), but the real gem was “The Evolution of the Man of Tomorrow” pin-up by Brian Stelfreeze. Of the covers, the main one was crap... way too dark and not iconic enough for such a milestone. The Alex Ross one was nice (What’s more iconic than the cover of Action Comics #1? And such an unusual angle!), but again, a little too dark. I went the one of Superman busting the chains, the burst links forming the number “900”... both bright and iconic.

Now for the part of the issue that’s going to get the most discussion...

Haven't read either story, but I'm finding the reaction to the Superman news pretty priceless. As calm and evenhanded as I expect from my countrymen.

Remind me... which country are you from? ;)

Honestly, if you had asked me two days ago, I wouldn’t’ve been able to tell you for certain whether Superman was considered a legal citizen of the United States or not. I haven’t yet experienced firsthand any of the $#!tstorm this story is bound to cause (I’m counting on Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert to sort through that for me), but I’ll bet you that none of the critics (read: “detractors”) present it in its proper context. He doesn’t even renounce his citizenship “on screen” but rather informs the President’s National Security Advisor that intends to do so before the United Nations tomorrow.

To me, it’s almost a non-event, like Marvel making an editorial decision behind the scenes not to show any of its characters smoking cigarettes, yet making a big deal about it in-story. So why did DC? For publicity? Well, yeah, maybe partly (there being no such thing as bad publicity, right?), but mainly I think they wanted to do something memorable (if not controversial) for Action’s 900th issue.

And in that I think they succeeded.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

Maybe I'm weird...but I never thought of Superman as an American citizen...maybe it's because I saw Superman IV (twice...yeah, that's right...I wanted to go back a second time) as a kid and he talks about not seeing borders in that film. 

 

And since the writer of this story is David Goyer who is also writing the upcoming film...I think international Superman isn't going away any time soon.

 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

I never thought of Superman as an American citizen.

I agree with you. I never did, either, really. But the point of the story is that, because he’s based in Metropolis USA, he’s perceived as an American citizen. This is the perception he needs to break if he’s going to continue to act globally. I see this move as Goyer “getting his ducks in a row” before moving forward. But as I said before, I very seriously doubt whether this “story” will be presented in context by the mainstream media.

[Doc Beechler (mod-MD)]

I like Mike Sterling's comment about it: causing people who’ve never read Superman comics to threaten to never read Superman comics.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

I can get behind the idea that stories are incredibly potent. A fabulous invention. But Superman has gone through so many interpretations over the years that this can't be said to be THE story or THE interpretation. It's fiction. In that sense, it shouldn't truly matter to anyone.

 

"Superman isn't an American citizen anymore." To me, that statement is no more true today than it was two months ago. My response to that is, "Okay. Neither are Peter Pan or the Creature from the Black Lagoon." 

 

I guess I was probably a little acerbic with my "Sorry folks; it's true" statement, and for that I apologize. I think my brain is just wired differently from many people's, in that I can love love love comic book stories and then put them down and keep them completely separate from what's reality. And I'm not trying to say you guys think that comic book super-heroes are real, so don't get me wrong.

 

I even watch "reality" television (but only when I'm at someone else's house) and I ruin it for them because I will say, "They threw this glitch in there to make a story or an episode. That's not reality."

 

I stand by my assertion that, in the end, it really doesn't matter. Not because Superman is actually a citizen of the world (Which I agree with, and which has been stated before and didn't cause quite such a commotion--leading me to think that THIS was leaked to the press with the hopes for creating a commotion...but I digress), and not of the U.S.

 

I read comics for fun. And every now and then, I'll read one that is incredible. But leave politics out of it. That's when it stops being a story.

 

I'm sorry, but I stand by my statement that it's fiction, and that's why it doesn't matter in the end. But hey, that's just my opinion--everyone else is welcome to theirs! I'm not going to argue. (Although I would like to think that those Right Wing haters are NOT smarter than me, but whatever...)

 

Sorry to have caused a ruckus! :-)

Doc Beechler said:

While I agree that the knee-jerks are being stupid about this...fiction, the stories we make up to discuss and examine life, may be the most important human invention.