Superman: Earth One Vol. 2 **SPOILERS**

[Auguste Dupin]

And the same doesn't apply to Perry who actually had a face-to-face with Clark over an extended period of time because..?

Because it does but we were talking about Lois.
As I said, the football trainer should have realized Clark is Superman by the end of the first volume. This Clark has one of the worst secret identity I've never seen.

[adkal]

Don't forget the Scientist and Football coach and everyone else Clark talked to.

The scientist didn't see any of Clark's physical abilities. There's recognition by name but, as with the breakdown above with regards to Lois 'knowing', there's nothing there for him to conclude that 'Clark Kent is Superman'.

With regards to the AF-coach, he knows Clark is strong and fast but, again, being strong enough to life a 400lb linebacker (or whatever position that unconscious guy played ) isn't the same as being able to fly and smash through concrete.

If any of them had seen Clark toss a car with ease, for example, then you'd have no disagreement from me about them knowing, but none of them saw anything like that.

See I'll agree with this but it can quickly become...

It 'can', sure, but it doesn't have to. It's certainly not something they should bash us over the head with - 'see that look Lois is giving Clark? She knowssss', 'oooh, Lois gave Clark an 'out' three times this issue. Know why? 'Cause she knows.' That would be bad.

I'm of the view that Perry knew in the old continuity and knows now. I'm of the view that, at this point in time (as in 5 years after his debut) Lois and Jimmy should have known for a couple of years, but that none of the three have told any of the others and probably never will...because they understand why he had to keep it a secret and are willing to wait for him to tell them himself. It's not fear or a game but respect, for both aspects of the man - but two of them are more than willing to chew him out when he needs it.

Alas, Jimmy doesn't know (yet)...unless he's really playing things up by bringing girls back to the place he shares with Superman. Those are some cajones on the young man if that's the case

[Auguste Dupin]

So, just read the thing.
What.The.Hell. Was. That?
Seriously, I thought overall the first volume was readable, even okay, despite my criticisms, but this.....this.....This was crap. Pure and simple.
It's been two volumes only, and I'm already sick of sad puppy eyes Clark Kent with no friends because he is so alooooooone. Those who think he is an emo in the new 52 shouldn't read this because it's like 10 ten worse (at least new 52 Clark had friends). The cat story was ridiculous in its attempts to make us feel sad about him. It just feels false. The "woman of tissue thing" is really to overused to be of any interest, not that JMS tries to do something else with it than make us feel sorry for Clark, mind you. The girlfriend....was allright I guess, I dunno, she didn't strike me one way or another. Lois' substory ,like the rest, is here only to make us feel sorry for Clark, which seems to be the book's main angle and fails hard because it tries way too much. Jimmy, which was the best part of the first volume, is barely here. JMS tries to makes us feel sympathy for the junkie, but he's barely around, so it kinda feels flat.
As for the thing with the Parasite.....well, for once, the action was boring and unoriginal. The character itself, wether it's his motivations, his backstory, how he got his powers... is cliche, uninteresting, and sometimes ridiculous and clumsy (I don't have a problem about the fact he cares about his sister......now, if you could do something with it). As for the dictator subplot.....it was barely addressed, it was treated without style, without exploration of the implications....not even as if it was a big deal. No, the guy was a monster, but Superman totally owned him after acting like a pussy the first time so that's awesoooooooooome! Tell what you want about early Sups from Action, but at least he didn't left Glenmorgan to be brutally murdered (but I'm sure the resistants armed with guns gave him a fair trial........yeah, right).
As for the revelation in the end of the book.....pff, I can't even tell if it's a good idea , I stopped caring about what I was reading before that point. I just want to mention that "Lex 2" is really a stupid nickname.
If that's the best JMS can come up with after preparing his book for 2 years, then dude, just publish your first draft next time. it would be less work for you and it can't be possibly worse than this. Damn, I used to like what you write, what happened?

[Mr. Holmes]

Yeah this was just really bad. You can tell JMS is trying so hard to make this feel cool, young, and sexy, and it just falls flat in the most laughable way possible. Parasite was just really generic and uninspired, as well as the fight with that. Just too many logic holes to even count. Won't come back for the next volume. Oh well, hopefully the Smallville trade is better.

[adkal]

When Lisa first turned up, I was sure I had seen her before. I had a flick through volume 1 and I reckon that's her on the page showing Clark's arrival in Metropolis

[Auguste Dupin]

When Lisa first turned up, I was sure I had seen her before. I had a flick through volume 1 and I reckon that's her on the page showing Clark's arrival in Metropolis

Maybe. When drawn by Shawn Davies, every women look the same to me (seriously, when I read it, there was a point when I wasn't sure if it was Lisa or Lois I was looking at ).

[Jean-Michel]

Hi guys,
After reading this thread, I think... I'll not buy the JMS' run

[dupersuper]

Yaaay! I'm a week late, but I finally got it. I look forward to reading it.

[The Man From Room X]

WTF was this pretentious crap?

Superman's new girlfriend is sexy, sexy, sexy!!! Did you know she's sexy? Well she's sexy! God, what an amateurish attempt at being 'cool' and 'hip' this was, falling flat on its face. I paid good money for it too.

Forced as hell. Do NOT buy, and therefore support JMS churning out this crap.

[dupersuper]

Yaaay! I'm a week late, but I finally got it. I look forward to reading it.

Still looking forward...stupid "work" and "real life".

[adkal]

Maybe. When drawn by Shawn Davies, every women look the same to me (seriously, when I read it, there was a point when I wasn't sure if it was Lisa or Lois I was looking at ).

Yeah...still think this woman looks like her

[kane]

WTF was this pretentious crap?

Superman's new girlfriend is sexy, sexy, sexy!!! Did you know she's sexy? Well she's sexy! God, what an amateurish attempt at being 'cool' and 'hip' this was, falling flat on its face. I paid good money for it too.

Forced as hell. Do NOT buy, and therefore support JMS churning out this crap.

She is not his girlfriend (just a friend) and it was quite obvious from the start that she is not girlfriend material. But I am sorry for the poor guy that he did not get at least one bang out of this.

[dupersuper]

Still looking forward...stupid "work" and "real life".

Here comes the weekend: that should do it.

[pud333]

Just finished the book. I've got some thoughts on the two volumes thus far. Some of these are minor issues, some more major.

Minor issues:

- Shane Davis - He's a fine enough artist. The artwork does pop off the pages. However, can I get a little emotion please? It's like he's channelling Keanu Reeves.

- That protective suit Clark wears when he takes on Parasite is stupid. No other way to see it. It was just dumb. I thought, "So Superman's lubed up now? Wut?"

- Lisa - She's definitely written very... broadly. Shane Davis draws women sexy enough. No need to hit us over the head with it. Ultimately though, I do know women like her (two in particular, one being someone I work with, and the other is my longtime girlfriend. And no, they are not hookers. Just women who are very forward about what they want and very flirtatious to the point of being almost too much.) So I didn't have too much of a problem with her.

- The cat story - That was horrible. That's some sort of thing that you tell a girl just to sleep with her. The problem is, it wasn't coming from some sleaze. It was from wholesome Clark. And he meant it in the most straightforward, wholesome way. Which made it stupid.

- Lex - This is a minor issue that may turn out to be a major one later in volume 3. Right off the bat, he's written wrong. It's just a pretty obvious mistep from the get-go.

Major issues:

- Clark / Superman - In volume 1, Clark puts on the suit and goes to action after an invasion. It's almost like his hand was forced, and he reluctantly accepts his destiny. This, from a kid who actively avoided sticking out in school, who made himself so... mediocre, to disappear and almost step out of society. I get the loneliness bit, I get the part about not fitting in. Those are themes that when handled right, like in Birthright, can be very powerful since I'm sure everyone in their lives, even the popular kids, felt like they didn't fit in or felt lonely at one point in their lives. The problem here, is that JMS pushes it too far to the point where it's almost a "poor Clark" scenario. I never thought that Clark ever felt sorry for himself, but that's the impression I get here. Also, at the core of who Clark is, I believe, is someone who wants to live up to his potential. Who doesn't necessarily know his destiny growing up, but knows he has special powers and knows he must do his best to fulfill expectations. It's a Clark that wants to help people, and accepts the responsibility of Superman not because his hand is forced, but because he wants to. I just felt JMS writes Clark as if this destiny is thrusted upon him, where I always felt Clark's destiny was always out there, and he chooses to reach out and grab it. There's a major difference between a man who becomes super because he has to, and a man who becomes super because he choses to fight for it.

- JMS is obviously a fan of Superman, but this reads like fan fiction almost. It's like if Michael Bay directed Twilight.

That said, I did enjoy the work for what it was. But that's probably because I already knew what I was getting into beforehand. I had read all the bad reviews about it, and I still bought it, since I'm a Superman junkie, and I appreciate new takes on classic characters. I'm certainly not someone that freaks out when the movie isn't exactly like the book, you know? Whether a new take on a classic character succeeds or fails is secondary, IMO, because if we didn't get new takes, then it would be pretty boring. We can't live in the past forever.

[Poe1809]

I haven't gotten around to reading it yet. It's still sitting where I left, so that's good I guess. Just so I'm clear, I don't have to worry about the villian in volume 3 being Super-Syphillis, do I?