DC's New 52: Reviews and Discussion (Spoilers welcolme and likely)

Remember "Monitor Duty" in the JLA? That's from as far back as the 70's so the reporter angle was pretty much obsolete then.

As I said, Clark Kent being a reporter was for a very specific reason. And that reason was because he lived in a world with limited access to information. He didn't have telescopic vision, super hearing, couldn't fly and dealt mainly with events in a localized area and so the local information hub was a newspaper.

Clark Kent does not need to be a "reporter" anymore since he only needed to be one in order to be near the radio's and phones when emergencies came in. Considering that people have a one stop device that has camera, video, phone, and messaging capabilities, and considering how many emergency events are reported by regular folks, it makes sense for Clark to be manning a desk where this information comes in. In other words...the low tech version of Monitor Duty, except it's more difficult to get away than the JLA version of it....because the latter is dedicated to seeing and responding.

In the 21st century, especially in the tech advanced 21st century of the DCU, he can get information much more efficiently. Monitor Duty being a more efficient way since it monitors transmissions from a host of sources, and not just news agencies. I'm sure the JLA has some coordination with government agencies and their information networks as well. Super hearing would be another way, since we know he can hear certain frequencies. But he doesn't need to be near the phones and radios, or the gig that allows him to be near those.

Clark Kent is a reporter for nostalgia's sake. Because he's always been one and that's what people are used to. It's also a perfect example of why he's considered stale by alot of people. It's time to bring the "Man Of Tomorrow" into the world of today.

 

Just read justice league dark, I vampire graphics and love this story arc. Now does lost legion tie into or are they just crossing over with the teen titans which I love

 

I was more addressing your point about where PEOPLE get their news from. Not Kent.

That's the 1930s Superman.

The end of your logic is: Why does Clark Kent even need to exist? Clark could just sit in his spandex all day listening for trouble.

Him being a reporter, also allows him to be a hero in a different way. It also humanizes him. It gets him involved with people in a different way than saving them from Trouble of the Week.

It also allows a writer to have a way to tell MORE stories than Clark in Spandex swooping in because he heard Brainiac was robbing a bank.

 

^ But the internet connects people too. I think the fact that he is a blogger allows him to be involved globally not just with people in Metropolis, but people all over the world with net access.

Most of these bloggers attached to newspapers are responsible for editorial commentaries or being news aggregates that just repost material from other places. I think DC wants him to be relevant, but still do the investigative journalism angle.

 

When I started reading comics, Clark was a news anchor, not a reporter. It was Byrne who retroed him back to being a reporter.

It would be a good decision I think though to make the Planet an online paper. Bruce Wayne could buy the name from Edge and our supporting cast can just change offices to the new dailyplanet.com.

 

Yeah, I did jump tracks there. Sorry Prof.

Well, that's sorta the point, IMO. It's a carryover that's not really needed. Like how people point to Trek and bemoan the lack of a tech update relative to the real world because people are used to certain things. Communicators having less functions than a cell phone as an example.

It does end up there, yeah. Personally, I'd be okay with that. The "not needing to be Clark" part, obviously the sitting part would be a bit of a bore.

Or he could pretty much wander freely as Clark without really ever having to worry about having his identity exposed.

It does, but it's not the only way to tell those stories. In an era when technology gives everyone the ability to get themselves out there, the reporter angle just feels dated to me, though YMMV.


I am waiting for the softback of Action to come out, so how well do they represent modern tech and social media in the nu52? You'd think some heroes would blog about the whole hero gig, or have a website. Or do the Tarantula thing and write a book about the hero community and experience.

 

Was it Byrne? Clark was an anchor when I started reading comics too....but I thought he'd gone back to being a newspaper reporter before Byrne.

 

Which is immensely sad, really. But most legit internet news sites still have ties to real-world newspapers and journalists.

Anyway, I really enjoyed the issue and find it an interesting path to go with things. Great art in the book, I could have done without some of the expository caption boxes though. I mean, thanks book, but not only have these characters and such existed for nearly 70 years this particular take on them has lasted for one year. So we don't need you telling us who Jimmy Olson, Perry White or what any of these other people and things are.

But found the book to be very good and am interested to see where it heads down the road in this particular run. Really liked the art in it more than I thought I would from the preview too.

 

I don't mind that he would be writing online, that makes sense to me. But when I think of blogging, I don't think of journalism. I think of some guy writing about Battlestar Galactica, why the old one was superior or political tin hat diatribes.

Is this new Clark as "blogger" more like Drudge, sans a particular political agenda?

 

Demon Knights 13: Another fun issue, including a good Vandal Savage scene. Justice League Dark: Good but not great, and the idea that I have to read the finale in an annual makes me feel 13 again; I have a feeling this issue is really just advancing things for some fireworks in the annual. Batman Inc 4: Textbook method of turning a basic superhero plot into something fantastic. The final scene with Damian is (or would be) heartbreaking (if we didn't know this is now officially "before" the new 52, so it all works out).

 

I forgot to give my thoughts on Wonder Woman #13 from last week. I thought it was another terrific issue. Azzy continues building his story and the art is terrific (I think there was a guest artist last week, Chiang just did the cover). The interaction between the Greek Gods is just fascinating.

 

Interesting interpretation on the scene in Superman in The Daily Planet. When Clark goes on his little rant about the media and the position The Daily Planet is taking he does it after taking off his glasses. Suggesting that isn't "Clark" the character in the book going of on this rant "for show" but Superman espousing his beliefs on the status of media, playing the "role" of Superman in trying to be a symbol of inspiration for people.

 

What? Clark took off his glasses... and nobody recognized him?

 

Yeah, in the middle of his anti-media rant before quitting/leaving the Daily Planet and trying to inspire others to go with him. He was in a sweatshirt/hoodie and sweatpants at the time and maybe not with a Superman hairstyle, I dunno. "People don't see him as Superman" is a trope we've had to deal with this character on for 80 years. For those curious, when he leaves The Planet his speech only inspires Cat Grant to leave with him. Lois apparently having her journalistic integrity surgically removed is more concerned about bullshit with the newscast and texting her beau.

 

He was shown in that exact same style back in "Superman #1" if one recalls as well and in "Action Comics" as well. Bleeding Cool has called the this his "Jerry McGuire" moment. Heh.

Batman Incorporated #4: This was just a brilliant issue. So far the best of the second volume in my opinion. We finally get confirmation of the identity of Wingman which was set up all the way back at the conclusion of Morrison's "Batman and Robin" run. We also get our first real hint at who Talia's bodyguard is, which some of us have speculated on earlier in the thread. Just masterful story telling. Chris Burnham's art is sensational as well. He is the perfect compliment to Morrison as Quietly is as well. I can not wait for next issue...as we return to Future Damian!!!

 

Man, some serious "Holy shit!" moments this week.

The Wingman reveal in Batman Inc. for one. Now I need to go back and reread Morrison's run to see if I should hitting myself for not realizing it.

The second was Gorilla Grodd ripping the Trickster's freaking arm off!

 

I didn't see the Wingman thing coming either. I hope we get an issue exploring how that came about.

 

We kind of did. Just we haven't seen him as Wingman until now. Like I said Morrison set this up way back at the end of his run on "Batman and Robin". I don't remember exactly when or what issue, but there was panel where Bruce comes up to a man wearing and tells him this has to be kept a secret.

 

I remember that; I guess I mean something that ties it into Red Hood and the Outlaws, although the more I think about it, the more I think it has been, and I just need to go back and re-read it. I don't quite recall how we got from Angry "I really have red hair" to this.

As I said before, though: brilliant. Batman Inc makes me actually literally glad I read comics.

 

I agree. We're heading to an epic finale. I can't wait for Future Damian next week. From the cover and description it kind of looks like Morrison's take on Arkham City...since the entire city of Gotham is supposed to be Arkham Aslyum literally now.

I too was thinking that it would be nice to see how it ties into Red Hood and the Outlaws if at all. I also noted Jason had dark hair again. Last time we saw him in "Batman and Robin" he still had his orange hair.