docshaner: calamityjon: Another page from Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite. What makes Lex Luthor Superman’s most implacable foe? Over the course of many decades, Superman’s greatest power has proven time and time again to be the rightness of his convictions. In the earliest stories of the 1930s and 1940s - either by example, encouragement or threat - Superman won his battles not by knocking out the teeth of his enemies but by convincing them that they were wrong to be cruel, greedy, selfish, craven or hard-hearted. The vast majority of Superman’s adventures in his first fifteen or twenty years ended with the villain swearing off his wrong deeds or the victim picking himself up and realizing that the things he held precious are worth fighting for. Even after that, Superman’s victories more often came in the form of solutions rather than knockouts - invading aliens were provided alternatives, mad scientists were made sane, discomfited spirits found peace. Eventually, even some of his classic villains either reformed - take, for instance, the original Toyman, or the tyrant sun Solaris - or found themselves allied with Superman as often as opposing him, such as with Mxyzptlk. But never Luthor. In All-Star Superman - arguably the greatest Superman story ever written - even though Luthor is given a chance to literally see humanity as Superman’s elevated perception allows the Man of Steel to see us, even though Luthor has an enlightened moment to perceive all life as a vital and interdependent connected network of which even he is only a part, he refuses to let the experience change him. He finds comfort in, at the end, being the man who killed Superman and nothing more. Paul Cornell tackled the same idea in this week’s Action Comics #900, which I’ll avoid discussing in detail inasmuch as it’s such a recent release. Suffice it to say, the lesson at the end is always the same: Luthor cannot be humbled. He will always refuse the lessons and ethical code which Superman represents, no matter how right or relevant, and that is what makes him the greatest ever enemy of the Man of Tomorrow… Jon’s on fire with these today. Do Black Adam next, Jon! I am not a Superman fan, but this is facinating. A friend that Superman was a character metaphor for US immigrants which was curious as well. So I’ve learned enough not to dismiss this comic outright. That said, Batman is way the hell better.

docshaner:

calamityjon:

Another page from Justice, by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger and Doug Braithwaite.

What makes Lex Luthor Superman’s most implacable foe?

Over the course of many decades, Superman’s greatest power has proven time and time again to be the rightness of his convictions. In the earliest stories of the 1930s and 1940s - either by example, encouragement or threat - Superman won his battles not by knocking out the teeth of his enemies but by convincing them that they were wrong to be cruel, greedy, selfish, craven or hard-hearted. The vast majority of Superman’s adventures in his first fifteen or twenty years ended with the villain swearing off his wrong deeds or the victim picking himself up and realizing that the things he held precious are worth fighting for.

Even after that, Superman’s victories more often came in the form of solutions rather than knockouts - invading aliens were provided alternatives, mad scientists were made sane, discomfited spirits found peace. Eventually, even some of his classic villains either reformed - take, for instance, the original Toyman, or the tyrant sun Solaris - or found themselves allied with Superman as often as opposing him, such as with Mxyzptlk.

But never Luthor.

In All-Star Superman - arguably the greatest Superman story ever written - even though Luthor is given a chance to literally see humanity as Superman’s elevated perception allows the Man of Steel to see us, even though Luthor has an enlightened moment to perceive all life as a vital and interdependent connected network of which even he is only a part, he refuses to let the experience change him. He finds comfort in, at the end, being the man who killed Superman and nothing more.

Paul Cornell tackled the same idea in this week’s Action Comics #900, which I’ll avoid discussing in detail inasmuch as it’s such a recent release.

Suffice it to say, the lesson at the end is always the same: Luthor cannot be humbled. He will always refuse the lessons and ethical code which Superman represents, no matter how right or relevant, and that is what makes him the greatest ever enemy of the Man of Tomorrow…

Jon’s on fire with these today. Do Black Adam next, Jon!

I am not a Superman fan, but this is facinating.

A friend that Superman was a character metaphor for US immigrants which was curious as well. So I’ve learned enough not to dismiss this comic outright.

That said, Batman is way the hell better.

  1. petesimon reblogged this from docshaner and added:
    I am not a Superman fan, but this is facinating. A friend that Superman was a character metaphor for US immigrants which...
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    these today. Do Black Adam next, Jon!
  8. calamityjon posted this
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