JMS Quits Superman & Wonder Woman

Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Mr Light, Nov 11, 2010.

  1. DarKush

    DarKush Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2005
    About the comic move....

    I hate to say it but I am relieved. I still think the "Grounded" concept is a good one, but it should've lasted about 5-6 issues, not a whole year. I thought it had the potential to get Superman back down to Earth, interacting with regular people, being 'super' in a different way. That it could lead to some interesting social commentary. I don't think it achieved that. That being said, I'm still interested in reading Earth One.

    As for Wonder Woman, I think JMS has a better grasp on Superman. His Wonder Woman idea just showed how little he got the character. I know its been tough for many writers to 'get' her, but JMS just seemed to destroy WW's world just do to do it, without giving us any new insights into Diana's character or a fresh intrepretation of her world to replace the one he destroyed.

    I liked JMS's Supreme Power and was hoping he could work similar magic with Superman and Wonder Woman. It's a shame he couldn't, but I am glad that either he or DC decided to shift him to the Earth One sequel instead of keeping him on both books.
     
  2. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    I too originally think that "Grounded" should have been one short opening arc and and then get on with the business of Superman protecting the world. I think JMS likes to bring too much politics and issues into his work sometimes when it just needs to be what it is. "Wonder Woman" lost me after the first issue. Morrison didn't even use her new costume in Return of Bruce Wayne #6 which I found hilarious.
     
  3. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2001
    Location:
    AI Generated Madness
    JMS really isnt really that good of a writer, in my opinion. Some of the dialog in B5 would have sounded bad even in a comic book. The show was often unwatchable ( listenable?) because of this. It might have been better off if other writers had polished his scripts and built on his ideas. I'm not sure he's a sophisticated enough writer to deal with "politics and issues" either.
     
  4. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    I meant to type social in front of issues lol.
     
  5. Candlelight

    Candlelight Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Apr 12, 2000
    Location:
    New Zealand
    In terms of structuring a complex story arc over five seasons, over a hundred episodes and dozens of characters, I'd say he's a great writer.

    In terms of character dialogue, well... er... STRAIGHT TO HELL WITH NUTS ON!

    :D
     
  6. DarKush

    DarKush Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2005
    One thing that bothered me about the new direction of Wonder Woman was that it didn't seem to affect the rest of the DCU. I mean, Wonder Woman is a tentpole character and if Themyscira (sp) gets destroyed, the Amazons almost all wiped out, and Wonder Woman disappears, I would think it would get a major reaction from the Justice League or the world. Perhaps since it was supposed to be an alternate reality, parallel universe or whatever, that Wonder Woman's memory had been erased from the 'real' DCU, but I think that was left too vague and I wish more had been done to actually show how heroes would react to her not being around. I think that's a great story device sometimes to show a character's impact through others' reactions. I think Kristin Beyer used it to great effect in the Full Circle novel for example. I really didn't like or get Janeway until I read that book.
     
  7. Stevil2001

    Stevil2001 Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2001
    The only Grounded issue I read was #703, because it took place in Cincinnati, and that's my hometown, but I thought it was dumb. Basically Superman has a pointless argument with Batman, there's some really bad dialogue where a bunch of kids find a crystal, and then Superman beats up a drunk, and the story is all "DO SUPERHEROES CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD!!!?" like it is original, when it is completely not. So I can't say I'm upset by this move.
     
  8. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    The only issues of "Grounded" that I thought were good were the first and the issue where Batman shows him and calls Clark crazy.
     
  9. Allyn Gibson

    Allyn Gibson Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2000
    Location:
    South Pennsyltucky
    Personally, I kinda hope the first issue of Chris Roberson's Superman begins with Superman saying, "Fuck this walking shit. I could be home in Metropolis having some nookie with my wife." Whereupon he flies back to Metropolis and this "Grounded" nonsense comes to an end.
     
  10. God Magnus

    God Magnus Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2001
    Location:
    A world where criminals operate above the law...
    I will go with the thought that this may be a "face saving" measure due to JMS being unable to meet schedules. It's not just personal to him, it seems to be something that happens more in the comic industry now than before. I'm sure there's an industry based explanation for it, but I seem to recall this being less prevalent in the 80's.

    I haven't followed his run on Superman, but I'll put myself in the minority here and say I have been enjoying the Wonder Woman story as an "Elseworlds" style tale (though I am confused as to how it meshes with the main DC continuity right now).
     
  11. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    Okay but it does also have something to do with Earth One being a success and DC wanting a second one out sooner. Having him leave both titles to do a second volume ensures that this will come out sooner than it would have had he just been working on it on the side. They obviously want another one out quick as possible.
     
  12. Nerys Myk

    Nerys Myk A Spock and a smile Premium Member

    Joined:
    Nov 4, 2001
    Location:
    AI Generated Madness
    Yep.
     
  13. Brikar99

    Brikar99 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2002
    I hope a second volume fares better than the first, but if they're rushing it out I probably won't even bother. Easily the worst take on Superman's origin that I've read. I liked some of the concepts he introduces, but otherwise it was just plain poorly written. Artwork was decent, though.
     
  14. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    "Rushing" is a relative term of course, I won't expect it out until at least before summer next year.
     
  15. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2001
    Location:
    Rhode Island, USA
    My only concerns with Earth One had to do with wondering how Superman could possibly keep his identity secret in a universe in which Clark Kent has proven so superhumanly strong/smart in so many Metropolis professions. I also wonder about Clark's abiity to solve that scientific problem prior to his access to Kryptonian educational technologies (unless the ship has been shooting some info. into his subconscious).

    Count me as one of the few who enjoyed Grounded, by the way.
     
  16. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    Unless JMS was hinting at some kind of super-intelligence power that this Clark has, I too wondered about that equation. As for the other professions, my guess it that his tenure in those jobs was so short that people would forget? Maybe JMS will address the repercussions of those public attempts in future volumes.
     
  17. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2001
    Location:
    Rhode Island, USA
    The football incident, in particular, should be a major tip-off to anybody looking for a Superman alter-ego...not to mention the fact that he only starts wearing glasses at the end of the storyline...

    Regarding the equation: it's hard to see how innate intelligence would have been enough to solve the equation. It was a scientific question that involved some very specific background information.
     
  18. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham
    I looked at that panel as JMS saying that this Clark was smart :)
     
  19. Snaploud

    Snaploud Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2001
    Location:
    Rhode Island, USA
    True. Though, I think the concept made more sense when JMS was talking (pre-story execution) about how Clark would have to make a decision whether to use his Kryptonian knowledge to become a famous scientist. The idea that he could solve that scientific problem so quickly without Kryptonian knowledge just doesn't strike me as as realistic. Of course, that's assuming the ship hasn't helped along Clark's education without his knowledge.
     
  20. Admiral_Young

    Admiral_Young Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2002
    Location:
    Gotham