DC Comics Ongoing Discussion

[The Realist]

Wtf? Even Zack Snyder knew better than that.

There's a misogynistic subgroup of fans who despise Lois. Much of it seems tied to a macho power fantasy idea of Superman, that resents him being "domesticated" by a woman. It doesn't help that Lois isn't properly submissive and deferential to Supes.

(These same fans are often all for Clark being with a superpowered companion, like Wonder Woman or Maxima. My guess would be that, as creatures of pure comicbook fantasy, they don't trigger these guys' insecurities and resentments the way a more "real" woman does.)

 

[theenglish]

There have been a couple of attempts to pair Kal-El and Diana over the years. I think it is actually a good pairing, but doesn't really seem to give the writers a lot to work with.

 

[The Realist]

I am ride or die for Clois. For me, that is the Superman story; all else is secondary. So I'm afraid I have no interest in or patience for any other "pairing."

 

[theenglish]

I am ride or die for Clois. For me, that is the Superman story; all else is secondary. So I'm afraid I have no interest in or patience for any other "pairing."

Oh, I agree--I think the dynamic between the two was the best thing Byrne did for Superman. I was just saying that Wonder Woman and Superman worked as a relationship and "made sense" as an alternative. I think that writers, when Diana and Clark have been paired, soon realize there is a reason why Lois and Clark work.

 

[JD]

The only one of the Absolute Trinity that bothers me is Batman, and that's just because he's so over the top big. I've always thought of Batman as a more athletic character, and that doesn't really work when you're that huge.
It's nice that they're coexisting with the original versions instead of replacing them, so at least they've learned a little from the mistakes of The New 52.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

Like Marvel's Ultimate line, in that coexisting style.

 

[The Realist]

Speaking of Lois, it looks like in the main continuity (not Absolute), they may be giving her superpowers again. I really, really, really hate when they do that. Lois's humanity is her essence, her strength, and central to her thematic role in Superman stories. Plus it shows an incredible dearth of imagination on the part of creators when they can't figure out how to tell stories with non-powered characters in superhero stories. (This was also a major flaw of the Arrowverse, which seemed compelled to have Every. Single. Character. take on a costume and codename eventually.)

ETA: More info has come out to suggest that the woman in this teaser image

is probably not Lois, despite a somewhat similar appearance, so bullet (hopefully) dodged. Everything I said above still applies on general principle, though.

 

[Smiley]

I'm excited about the news of Waid and Samnee working on Batman and Robin: Year One. Their work on Daredevil was great and proved that a more lighthearted take on a typically brooding character is viable.

 

[YLu]

Since they're not around to replace the original versions, as the main DCU will still go on, I don't really mind that much that they are this much different and "kewl". I'll keep an open mind.

Exactly. The regular versions already exist. Hell, the regular Superman stars in not one but two separate titles and regular Batman in even more. What would even be the point of doing an alternate version if it's not wildly different? The only way this Absolute stuff will have legs if it *doesn't* feel redundant, and you don't get that by sticking to the norm.

I'm already seeing complaints online that these new versions don't match how these characters 'should' look. I say that's like grabbing an Elseworlds comic and complaining that it takes place in the 1800s and not the modern day. The difference is the point.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Speaking of Lois, it looks like in the main continuity (not Absolute), they may be giving her superpowers again. I really, really, really hate when they do that. Lois's h

In the latest issue Lois is rocking a Luthor power suit so she can save the fam from Waller’s goons. That might be all there is to the Lois gets powers thing.

 

[The Realist]

In the latest issue Lois is rocking a Luthor power suit so she can save the fam from Waller’s goons. That might be all there is to the Lois gets powers thing.

I did hear about that, but this was separate speculation/concern based around that artwork I posted, which appears to be for a new Superman arc starting in September. But the artist, Dan Mora, said that it was a "new" Superwoman, which doesn't completely rule out Lois -- because she would, technically, be a new Superwoman, just not a new character -- but does tend to suggest it isn't her. (Thanks to her Lois-ey appearance, however, including the purple eyes, some have speculated she may be Clark and Lois's daughter from the future. Or, it occurs to me as I type, she could be the Lois of another Earth, which might actually be kind of interesting.)

 

[The Realist]

Well, shit.

Spoiler

It is Lois after all.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Not even a little happy, for reasons already stated. Thankfully, though, it'll inevitably prove temporary.

 

[kirk55555]

Its unfortunate that the upcoming DC stories are all spinning out of Absolute Power. I dropped Superman because of House of brainiac and was hoping it might return to its original (pre-HoB) status quo, but it doesn't look like it is. Well, I guess Superman getting a decent 12 issue run was more then I could have expected from DC, I guess I'll check back in with Superman after the next reboot. I will miss the "Superman running Lex Corp, and Lex is actually honestly trying to be helpful" era, it really deserved more then 12 issues.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Well, shit.

Spoiler

It is Lois after all.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Not even a little happy, for reasons already stated. Thankfully, though, it'll inevitably prove temporary.

Well, fuck that, but for another reason:

Lois Lane is NOT a new Superwoman. Her New52 version was, however briefly, Superwoman at the beginning of DC Rebirth.

 

[theenglish]

I will miss the "Superman running Lex Corp, and Lex is actually honestly trying to be helpful" era, it really deserved more then 12 issues.

How was any of that changed?

 

[The Realist]

Well, fuck that, but for another reason:

Lois Lane is NOT a new Superwoman. Her New52 version was, however briefly, Superwoman at the beginning of DC Rebirth.

True. I didn't much care in that case, about the powers or her fate, since we were getting a superior version of Lois back anyway.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

Well, at least the news on Action Comics is good. Will become a weekly book, with both a Superman feature by Mark Waid & Clayton Henry, AND a Supergirl feature by Mariko Tamaki & Skylar Partridge.

Green Lantern appears to keep its writer Jeremy Adams (and even Phillip Kennedy Johnson, who currently writes the John Stewart book that I'm to lazy to look up what the actual title is, it's the goddamn John Stewart book anyway, is still in the mix), despite the "bold new direction".
Si Spurrior also stays on The Flash.
Oh, and Tom King stays on Wonder Woman. Very good news.

Green Arrow will return to original numbering for #350, with both a last bow from Joshua Williamson and a story from the new creative team.

Tom Taylor on Detective Comics almost made me consider getting back in the Bat-books for, but then I read the synopsis (if one can call it that) and going back to Batman's origins, "rattle the very foundations of the Dark Knight", "Things may never be the same again". Fuck all that! Just do detective stories. Pulpy-dark detective stories. Why is this so hard? Don't answer that, I know why, too many people only buy a book if they think the story will be some kind of transcending material.

The solicits for the trinity's Absolute titles have also dropped, and frustratingly, the common theme seems to be what they don't have.

Absolute Batman #1
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Nick Dragotta,
October 9th
In this iteration, fans will be introduced to a version of the Dark Knight that doesn't have the money, mansion, or butler of his core-line counterpart.

Absolute Wonder Woman #1
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Hayden Sherman
October 23rd
For Diana, there is no island paradise, no sisterhood to shape her, nor a mission of peace—so what is the purpose of an Amazon warrior in this new universe?

Absolute Superman #1
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Rafa Sandoval.
November 6th
Writer Jason Aaron and artist Rafa Sandoval join forces to present a new Man of Steel with the launch of Absolute Superman #1. This Superman has no family, no Fortress of Solitude, and no home. Will he still stand for truth, justice, and a better tomorrow in this new universe?

 

[JD]

Those Absolute titles do sound kind of interesting as alternate takes on the characters.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

They don't sound like anything. The synopses basically just tell us what they aren't, not what they actually are.

 

[JD]

I just meant that I find the idea of versions of those characters who didn't have the things mentioned in the descriptions interesting.