Me, Clark, Action Comics #585
Aug. 17th, 2006 12:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shankieWhen I started reading comics, it was The Phantom Stranger and mid-to-late 80's Superman, and that was pretty much it for... oh jeeze. A long time. Years maybe. Then one day, I saw Action Comics #833 in a bookstore. It had a wicked awesome cover, which you can see the art for here, and Byrne was listed, so I bought it, and sat outside on a bench to read it.
Thus, I became a DC fangirl. But it all started with Byrne, even if his dialogue can be over the top, sometimes even silly, it's Superman to me.
This issue in my TPB is waterstained, creased hard down the spine right to it, and is the only comic I can actually quote from. I wanted to share it, but only after I could scan from my TPB, which is all re-inked and coloured and shiny. Then, today, when talking about this issue, I realized that I have a scanner now. ::facepalm:: It hates the colours orange and red, and I'm still learning how to use it to it's full potential, but I did my best.
I think if the Stranger appeared in my livingroom with some mysterious task, then transported me to said task... that the first thing I say isn't going to be "Oh for pete's sake!" But that's what Clark says.
Because he's the goddamn Superman, that's why! XD
Soonafter, my favourite Superman page ever. The Stranger's narration, along with how Clark's face and body language shifts into sheer determination just... never fail to get me. Every time, it makes me want to cheer; it just sums him up neatly, dramatically, in four panels.
I'm grinning from ear to ear, because I can't help it. It's so cool, I love it.
I still don't read much new Superman, relatively speaking. After I got into DC more, it was my first inclination... but there was just something missing I couldn't put my finger on, even when it was good. Birthright is the only Supes TPB I own other than my volumes of The Man of Steel and the first superhero story I ever read, The Death of Superman. When I first read that book, it was when it first was published in TPB format; someone had left it out on a table where I was sitting being in trouble for something (which I always was, all through elementary school and high school, haha) and I read the whole thing, even if I had no idea who any of the people in that incarnation of the Justice League were. XD
So that's me and Superman. Now I want to take pictures of Clark, aka, the fangirlmobile. ::laughs:: Maybe tomorrow.
I've posted this whole issue, sadly a less clear and pretty set of scans, over here, if you want to see the rest.
Thus, I became a DC fangirl. But it all started with Byrne, even if his dialogue can be over the top, sometimes even silly, it's Superman to me.
This issue in my TPB is waterstained, creased hard down the spine right to it, and is the only comic I can actually quote from. I wanted to share it, but only after I could scan from my TPB, which is all re-inked and coloured and shiny. Then, today, when talking about this issue, I realized that I have a scanner now. ::facepalm:: It hates the colours orange and red, and I'm still learning how to use it to it's full potential, but I did my best.
I think if the Stranger appeared in my livingroom with some mysterious task, then transported me to said task... that the first thing I say isn't going to be "Oh for pete's sake!" But that's what Clark says.
Because he's the goddamn Superman, that's why! XD
Soonafter, my favourite Superman page ever. The Stranger's narration, along with how Clark's face and body language shifts into sheer determination just... never fail to get me. Every time, it makes me want to cheer; it just sums him up neatly, dramatically, in four panels.
I'm grinning from ear to ear, because I can't help it. It's so cool, I love it.
I still don't read much new Superman, relatively speaking. After I got into DC more, it was my first inclination... but there was just something missing I couldn't put my finger on, even when it was good. Birthright is the only Supes TPB I own other than my volumes of The Man of Steel and the first superhero story I ever read, The Death of Superman. When I first read that book, it was when it first was published in TPB format; someone had left it out on a table where I was sitting being in trouble for something (which I always was, all through elementary school and high school, haha) and I read the whole thing, even if I had no idea who any of the people in that incarnation of the Justice League were. XD
So that's me and Superman. Now I want to take pictures of Clark, aka, the fangirlmobile. ::laughs:: Maybe tomorrow.
I've posted this whole issue, sadly a less clear and pretty set of scans, over here, if you want to see the rest.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 11:06 am (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-17 12:51 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-08-17 11:49 am (UTC)What I almost always find missing from Superman (and often from the Justice League although surprisingly less often from the Justice Society) is any sense that he even could lose. Any sense that he is in real danger from Lex Luthor's latest scheme or the Monster of the Month™ - and this makes the stories unsatisfying and to have a complete lack of tension.
The other thing I feel the stories lack is him thinking - he normally charges straight in there relying on his superpowers (and his plot immunity which I've more than once suspected he knows about) to simply muscle his way through. And it isn't hard to be a hero if you know you're not going to lose.
There are honourable exceptions to these rules. And the one I always think of is Superman vs The Elite - where he does suspect he will be killed - see the little note he leaves for Lois as an example of this. Also where he uses his powers effectively - such as by brain surgery or by using his speed to suck the air out of someone's lungs.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 01:09 pm (UTC)That sense that everyone's always going to win in the end isn't really a fixable problem. I think that's also a big part of why Flash comics appeal to me so much; DC can, will, and has killed off Flashes. Done horrid, permanent things to them, changed their status quo dramatically. Not always; but enough to have me really worried that something's going to go down in a big way.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 01:41 pm (UTC)Interesting. To me, the 1950s are when Superman went pear-shaped and he hasn't recovered yet. I'm much more a fan of 1930s Superman who would probably have joined the (Ellis, not Millar) Authority and otherwise acted to make the world a better place and damn the consequences. Or, in particular , 1940s Superman who inflicted a real and almost crippling blow on the real world KKK by having a radio series where he beat them up - and managed to broadcast all their secrets to most of America*. The 1950s was when his morals became "Thou shalt protect" and "Thou shalt not kill" rather than trying himself to make the world a better place.
As for the sense that everyone's going to win in the end, it's why I like the Batfamily. Yes they normally win - but many of the victories have been decidedly phyrric. (I would like the Flashes - but the Speedforce being such a deus ex machina gets on my nerves - and I've never really had the chance to get into them).
* The second worst thing that can happen to such a secret society is for their secret words, identifiers, and phrases (such as Klonversations in the Klavern and all the titles) to be broadcast to the world to be seen for how silly they are. The worst is for the kids of some of the leaders to be playing Superman vs The Klan with them in the role of the bad guys. Both these happened.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 02:02 pm (UTC)During the 50's, the KKK had a rather disturbing amount of power; and people working against them were having a lot of trouble. A reporter for a leftist newspaper decided to go undercover, to learn all their secrets, and use them against them.
He continued doing it for a while, feeding updated passcodes and keeping the writers for the radio show updated on exactly how to humiliate them the best that week.
And that's totally freakin' awesome. ::laughs::
But, yeah, that was his turning point. But I have to say? I like the way he turned out. If he'd been some other way, he wouldn't be nearly the iconic character he is.
The Speed Force can be a deus ex machina; but when it is, it's usually going to cost. I think that's the moral of Flash comics in general; victory is knowing the price of winning, and being willing to pay it.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 02:51 pm (UTC)40s. Superman vs The Klan was in 1947.
But, yeah, that was his turning point. But I have to say? I like the way he turned out. If he'd been some other way, he wouldn't be nearly the iconic character he is.
I think that the turning point was actually something far more malign. Seduction of the Innocent, the creation of the Comics Code Authority, and the Comics Code itself and the resulting hoo-ha. The Comics Code was intended to uphold respect for authority and society - and Superman behaving as he had in the 1940s and 1950s would never have got past them. (The entire Silver Age from Barry Allen onwards was a response to the Comics Code).
And Superman may be an icon - but so is Che Guevarra. I'm not keen on either of them.
The Speed Force can be a deus ex machina; but when it is, it's usually going to cost. I think that's the moral of Flash comics in general; victory is knowing the price of winning, and being willing to pay it.
I may have to start reading the Flash in that case. Most of what I know of the various Flashes comes from the JLA (a.k.a. Superman, Batman, and friends) and the JSA. Oh, and Bart in Young Justice.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 03:07 pm (UTC)The turning point was, without any doubt, The Seduction of the Innocent, but it's just another reflection of cultural climate that can't be helped. As an anthropologist, even as an ameteur who hasn't finished her degree (Bad, bad Shae!) I can't really see it as either bad or good; it's what happened, for X reasons.
Che Guevarra is an icon, sure; but not like Superman. People may look up to Che for various reasons, but Superman is an inspiring force, and one of the few good things that the cultural wasteland we live in still has that's almost like a universal.
Superman as an icon has nothing to do with comic books.
Getting into the Flash via one of the groups is a good way to do it. You may be surprised at what goes down when they aren't with other superheroes, heh. ::points at this (http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/2079779.html), this (http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/2090566.html), and this (http://community.livejournal.com/scans_daily/2202555.html), only to name a couple of striking issues.
Wally was prolly tortured or doing painful almost-fatal things more than any other superhero when he was the Flash, and his life was so supremely fucked-up that watching it unfold was half the fun.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 06:18 pm (UTC)I'm never sure how much of the 1950s was bottom up and reflections of the cultural climate, and how much of it was top down and attempts to create exactly that cultural climate. I know from a friend studying fashion that the corsets and A-line skirts were deliberately designed to foster the society America had in the 1950s, and there are so many astroturf movements out there (like grass roots movements but manufactured) that I can't tell what is influencing and what is reflecting. Particularly on either the strongly authoritarian side (like the 1950s) or the Libertarian side.
Getting into the Flash via one of the groups is a good way to do it. You may be surprised at what goes down when they aren't with other superheroes, heh. ::points at this, this, and this, only to name a couple of striking issues.
Interesting, thanks. Of course, his life with the Titans wasn't a bed of roses - see Raven for details.
Incidently, regarding current Flash - is Bart Bart or is he currently being Wally MkII?
Oh, any chance of seeding the Batman Chronicles torrent? I'm 1.5% away from completion and it's geting annoying.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 06:25 pm (UTC)Also, there's more scans from The Flash in this post (http://victoria-wayne.livejournal.com/55610.html) all linked and stuff.
Bart's being... emo. Not a happy camper. But it's looking up, and I'm bouncing in anticipation for #3.
And I deleted all that Batman Chronicles stuff after I got what I wanted out of it... I do that, heh. Space on my harddrive is kinda a premium for comics, because my digital collection is out of hand. Unfortunately I've yet to find a solution, so lots of things get trashed even when I really want to keep them, heh.
no subject
on 2006-08-17 07:24 pm (UTC)There's a difference between self-created through a simple positive feedback loop and a cabal deliberately setting up such conditions.
I could go into agonizing detail about this period in particular, heh, but I'll spare you.
Don't worry on my account - I like learning random things :)
Bart's being... emo. Not a happy camper. But it's looking up, and I'm bouncing in anticipation for #3.
Wah! Want Impulse back.
And I deleted all that Batman Chronicles stuff after I got what I wanted out of it... I do that, heh.
No problem :-)
For a solution, a CD burner?
no subject
on 2006-08-17 07:41 pm (UTC)It was what people wanted, and what naturally happened with a boom of families being formed; the whole country was one big piece of suburbia, what with women's lib taking a back seat to the focus on all these new children being born.
I have mixed feelings about no more Impulse. I have to wait and see how he is as the Flash... but this has been all set up to happen. He was, at first, created without any idea of what would ultimately be done with him, but once he came into his own as a character, I don't think anyone ever doubted he'd come to this. Perhaps not so soon, but even so.
I could use the CD burner... I'm not keen on cutting up my larger runs and all, but it's an option... I've had bad luck with data CDs, so I'm shy to them now, but it may become inevitable.
no subject
on 2012-05-11 05:02 am (UTC)no subject
on 2012-08-02 11:46 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2012-09-12 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2012-10-09 05:20 pm (UTC)