Do you consider General Sam Lane a Superman villain now?

[Crimson Knightman]

Admittedly, I haven't been keeping up with the Superman books as of late but I noticed that he's been pretty proactive about Superman being a threat to mankind but was he always like this? I remember seeing him periodically over the years and I never really saw him as a villain per se but it seems like that's the case with the upcoming "War of the Supermen" event. What are your thoughts? Do you consider Superman's father in law a member of his rogue's gallery?

[Mr. Holmes]

This isn't really open-ended. Same Lane is definitely a Superman villain, and he's been built as one intentionally. I like Robinson's development of him. He's always seen Superman as untrustworthy and a threat, but after his "death" in Our Worlds At War from an alien invasion, I think that's what accelerated and he's a hardcore racist xenophobe.

[WorstThingUS]

He's been a straight up villain since World of New Krypton began. Killing anyone who gets in his way of "protecting" humanity.

[Crimson Knightman]

He's been a straight up villain since World of New Krypton began. Killing anyone who gets in his way of "protecting" humanity.

As a Superman villain, where would you rank General Lane? Is he up there with the likes of Brainiac, Metallo or Parasite?

[WorstThingUS]

As a Superman villain, where would you rank General Lane? Is he up there with the likes of Brainiac, Metallo or Parasite?

We won't know until we see the end of the storyline and the amount of damage he inflicts.

[dupersuper]

Yeah...I miss the comic relief/Lois annoying character. Not as much as I miss non-crazy Lucy Lane, but still...

[Slaughter]

I don't consider Sam Lane as a villain, but rather a Antagonist. He's far away from the Luthor types, and closer to people like Amanda Waller or General Wade Eiling. His methods are a bit harsh (false flag attacks) and he's very bellicose, but I can undestand why he does that. New Krypton IS a threat to Earth. Even if they left the Ks alone, the Military Guild would see weakness sooner or later, and attack. Its a world of 100.000 Supermen vs Six billion normals. Its a loopsided fight. Now, humanity in the DC Universe is a tough race, even without the meta-humans. And it has acess to lots of alien tech. But those 100.000 Supermen would probrably begin to breed fast as the could (why aren't they doing that already?), and even the average 20 years old Kryptonian can be a threat.

By defeating New Krypton, Lane is not just stopping a Kryptonian attack. He is sending a message to the entire universe: Mess with us, and you will be history. If Earth defeated the Ks, nobody in the know universe would mess with us.

[Wulfmir]

Yes, as long as Superman holds our trust and he doesn't allow General Lane's fears realized.

[WorstThingUS]

I don't consider Sam Lane as a villain, but rather a Antagonist. He's far away from the Luthor types, and closer to people like Amanda Waller or General Wade Eiling. His methods are a bit harsh (false flag attacks) and he's very bellicose, but I can undestand why he does that.

Why exactly does one allow your soldier (Reactron) to murder his ex-girlfriend?

[JCAll]

By defeating New Krypton, Lane is not just stopping a Kryptonian attack. He is sending a message to the entire universe: Mess with us, and you will be history. If Earth defeated the Ks, nobody in the know universe would mess with us.

Then again, sending a message to the universe that your planet is the home of the xenophobic genocidal jackass opens up a whole new can of worms. The Green Lanterns wouldn't appreciate it for example, and guys like Vril Dox and Lobo might take that as a challenge.

It's just lucky that the rest of the universe seems to be preoccupied.

[Retro315]

As a Superman villain, where would you rank General Lane? Is he up there with the likes of Brainiac, Metallo or Parasite?

See, with villains, there's always more that can be done to classify them. You've got your outright "bad guys", and then you've got your "enemies". To that extent, Cat Grant is a Superman villain.

That being said ... right now, yes, of course, General Lane is a villain much the same as how for a while General Zod hasn't been. But the thing about enemies is that sometimes they're a villain, and sometimes they're a good guy. The heel/face turn is classic "enemy" stuff.

Whereas bad guys? Well, they're always bad guys. Brainiac. Luthor. Metallo. Parasite. If they show up, there's ZERO chance something good happens.

I think Lane had established himself as a good second-tier B-List villain. Zod has made the A-List, Lane is his counterpart and is trying to be A-List, but he won't do anything truly villainous to cement himself as a villain. He'll come back from it (recovering villain, kind of like Non).

Heck, even things like ordering Jimmy Olsen snuffed out doesn't seem that villainous, because Lane didn't get his hands dirty. Codename: Assassin did it - now that sycophantic psi-assassin seems downright villainous. He genuinely enjoys doing wetwork for the government.

Mirabai seems downright villainous (she seems like she's playing Lane, as much as a witch always seems like that).

[Mat001]

Then again, sending a message to the universe that your planet is the home of the xenophobic genocidal jackass opens up a whole new can of worms. The Green Lanterns wouldn't appreciate it for example, and guys like Vril Dox and Lobo might take that as a challenge.

It's just lucky that the rest of the universe seems to be preoccupied.

Which would justify his actions. Look at how many alien invasions there have been since the formation of the JLA. The Green Lanterns aren't a threat so long as you make them have fear or find a way to sap the rings. Lobo could care less about Earth unless you provoke him into attacking. Vril Dox has little interest in Earth so long as it doesn't affect him and his ventures.

[dupersuper]

His methods are a bit harsh (false flag attacks)

Brainwashing ones daughter, putting her in an experimental supersuit, and sending her out to kill innocent women (Reactrons ex), teen superheroes (Kara), cops (the new Insp. Henderson) and Secret Service agents (Agent Liberty) goes beyond "a bit harsh"...

[Karl O'Neill]

He's been a straight up villain since World of New Krypton began. Killing anyone who gets in his way of "protecting" humanity.

What he said.

Lane is a villain now.