Action Comics #9 Preview/Eventual Discussion

[SilverZeal]

it boggles my mind that so many people look at this parallel superman and think "superman wouldnt x or do y" when the multiverse was set up specifically for those purposes. I mean, the crime syndicate universe superman is still superman, but i don't see people complaining that superman would never be evil or do harm to others.

it seems like if right from the get-go writers establish an alternate superman as flat-out evil, that supes is given a free pass by critical fans. They just accept it. But tell those same fans an alternate superman is a hero, that one gets scrutinized from every direction.

quoted 4 truth....co-signd!

[SilverZeal]

Do you think those principles apply to Ultraman and Superdoom? I know those are extreme examples, but the point stands - Superman doesn't have a set of guidelines that would apply to every universe.

Here, here...

Auguste Dupin

Basically. You can't expect every Superman to be as morally irreprochable than the "real" one. It's going against the idea of parralel universes.
So, yes, this Superman, by trying to do good, has put himself in a position where he has to compromize his integrity to help other people. That's the good part about it (and the fact the book basically ends on that statement, even if said statement isn't made by Morrison, is probably not a coincidence).

Agreed.

[SilverZeal]

Don't forget Sarge Steel, the guy with the metal hand.
I suppose the idea was a Cabinet of Steel(s).

Lead by d "Man of STEEL"....gd gracious dat is absolutely brilliant of Morrison. D more uncoverd of dis issue d betta is gets....so who here would want Morrison 2 continue "President Superman" down d line?

[Bo-Man]

I actually enjoyed this issue and was thinking the worse with it... I hope to see more of the Superman on Earth 23!

[SilverZeal]

I actually enjoyed this issue and was thinking the worse with it... I hope to see more of the Superman on Earth 23!

Same here Bo-man...co-signd!

[sandmountainslim]

I actually enjoyed this issue and was thinking the worse with it... I hope to see more of the Superman on Earth 23!

I enjoyed it too! Luthor figured prominently in this story so I wonder if "Earth 23" is reference to Action Comics (Vol 1) #23 which was where Luthor made his first appearance?

[Retro315]

Lead by d "Man of STEEL"....gd gracious dat is absolutely brilliant of Morrison. D more uncoverd of dis issue d betta is gets....so who here would want Morrison 2 continue "President Superman" down d line?

A major role in Multiversity, and popping in as a guest-star in one-shots here and there, I'd be happy to see that. I like President Superman enough that I feel like I want Earth-23 to be one of the most popular parallel universes. It'll never quite be up there with "Anti-Matter/Crime Syndicate" universe, but this universe is just plain awesome, and that's well beyond the initial gimmick of it being the "Skintone Swap Universe".

I'm more curious if Superman's willingness to be President has anything to do with growing up in an urban environment, rather than Clark who grew up rural. More interested in meeting Calvin's earth parents, learning how he managed to actually "tame" his version of Brainiac. How Nubia presumably defeated Diana in the contest to go to "man's world". The Steel Cabinet, definitely - that's one of those great etymological ideas. Multiple generations of "Steel" titled heroes, running the country.

How about Bruce's relationship with Calvin? Is it as tight as our Bruce and our Clark? Do they have more in common, both being seemingly from cities? (I'm assuming the city thing based on the shot of the rocket landing ... that background felt like Chicago or Detroit to me).

[Kevin Street]

And I really enjoyed Action Comics #9. Good story!

I'd like to say something about Calvin Ellis, but there have been so many insightful comments in this thread there isn't much to add.

But isn't that a good thing to not unilaterally tell the reader President Superman is right or wrong?
I mean, the position he's in isn't exactly black and white. In a way, he's Superman up to eleven. He's doing much more good (for what we've seen), but he also put Superman's contradictions (being about truth, yet lying on who he is, the fact he's an external element changing things on a worldwide scale) much further. You can't say "he's right" or "he's wrong to such". The book is actually quite equilibrated. The main part shows us that, morally speaking, this Superman probably doesn't have much to learn from "our" Superman, and the back up is pointing out the shortcomings of his position, and is hinting that things could go wrong. I really liked that. This idea that he could be just as good, and yet may have (or may not) made a big mistake is actually quite appealing to me.

Me too. Those are excellent points, Auguste Dupin. It's that contradiction that makes this Superman so interesting. He's double-super, saving the world in both identities, but that makes the stakes so much higher if he fails. If "our" Superman's secret identity is revealed it could be dangerous for his family and friends - but if Calvin is revealed to be Superman everything he's built as President could come crashing down, causing turmoil, maybe even economic crisis and war.

(Oh yeah, and this is the world where Prez Rickard was President in the 70s! Awesome.)

And then there's that other Superman, who was focus-grouped into existence by a huge corporation and meant to appeal to everyone, but who became a horrific monster instead. Fascinating!

[Jody Garland]

Lead by d "Man of STEEL"....gd gracious dat is absolutely brilliant of Morrison. D more uncoverd of dis issue d betta is gets....so who here would want Morrison 2 continue "President Superman" down d line?

The Steel Cabinet isn't from Morrison, but Sholly Fisch. I love Grant's writing too, but let's give Sholly his due!

[wyokid]

I think the thing that I liked most about this issue was just getting to learn that Morrison hates what DC has done to Superman as much as I do. This single issue put the whole series in new light for me.

[Superlad93]

I think the thing that I liked most about this issue was just getting to learn that Morrison hates what DC has done to Superman as much as I do. This single issue put the whole series in new light for me.

I don't think that's really the point of it at all. Morrison has always been pro change when regarding superheros and as long as you keep them familial then he's cool with it. I think he was sort of giving us a worse case situation (Superdoom) and a best case (prez Superman) and we have our Superman sorta finding his own way in the middle so to speak. Almost like the 2 angels on the shoulder sorta thing but for the reader.

I mean the very fact that he made Superman black and the president should tell you that he is good with change just as long as you can still find the core at the end of the day which I can do with the new Superman whom I am an extremely big fan of.

for me really it seems like the Superman that everyone not happy with the reboot wants is the 1st Superman that Clark and his friends made with the thought device....ya know the one that made them cry because he was so pure and good.

But really when have we EVER had that Superman??? NEVER! You can't do a comic with him in it because he is only the template the thing to aspire to. That Superman is the one that all others hope to be, even ours, because they are real characters and they have flaws, need, and desires just like us. That thought Superman is what our Superman looks up to whether he know it or not.

He was just that a good idea. Well at least that's how I saw the issue if we are dealing with it in that context.

[Jody Garland]

I'm not even sure it's about the Siegal case, considering Grant apparently spoke against Siegal's family in Supergods.

[Jon Clark]

I'm not even sure it's about the Siegal case, considering Grant apparently spoke against Siegal's family in Supergods.

It could be that Morrison is basically against most of the wave of "Superman is X" whether it be from DC management, other creators, or those of us in fandom. He seems to have taken his inspiration from early work by Jerry and Joe, so it could be he thinks they got it right in the 1930's. After that he might have some ideas he thinks were following the "true spirit" of that character and others that he feels were forced in an attempt to appeal to different audiences that "corrupted" that spirit. So Superdoom isn't DC's creation as much as every bad idea anyone fan or pro ever tried to make Superman fit.

[Jody Garland]

That's pretty much the vibe I got. Superdoom isn't anyone's Superman in particular, it's just the Platonic Bad Superman with a dash of Wertham's bully thrown in.

[sandmountainslim]

I am gonna have to say that I LOVE the current direction of Action Comics. The stories continue to get more and more interesting and while characters have changed they all have a very familiar feel to them. Can't wait to see where it goes from here. I hope for more Alternate Earth stories in the future.