Do We Really Need a Rebooted Superman

There’s an old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. DC Comics might in some way both remembered and forgot that old, ancient saying when they rebooted their entire universe (after the events of Flashpoint) with the biggest change of all happening with Superman.

My biggest question is not really about the reboot but rather its if we really, really needed the reboot or if its just DC’s way of taking money away from our pockets.

Lets measure the pros and cons of DC’s rebooted Superman cosume and everything else.

The Costume:

The costume itself composed of the blue, red and yellow has been an icon in and of itself. It has been aped a hundred times over and has also been a subject of ridicule by a lot of people (yes popculture can be brutal sometimes)…

But the same thing remains ever since Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel created the Man of Steel decades before, he did retain that red underwear over the blue tights.

The new book seems to have changed all that in favor of a different kind of costume. A more futuristic look.

Marital Status:

I’m calling it now, I believe that Superman post reboot will be a younger version meaning he “magically” loses his marriage to Lois Lane.

They may or may not be a couple when the book starts but they’ll definitely hook up.

I have no problem with that. Actually I’m all for it. You have to remember that the real reason for Clark and Lois getting married in the old DCU was because of the timely wedding of TV’s Lois and Clark (Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher). Many DC execs have ok’d the idea of the two officially tying the knot. Here’s were they lost me.

There were a lot of great stories wherein a married Superman beats the bad guys and goes home to loving wife Lois. Sure there were still some dalliances and a stolen kiss or two in between but the dynamics remain the same. But so far, the best Superman stories were the stories where he was still single.

We had some tensions back in the Silver Age between Lana Lang and Lois Lane even that mermaid chick Lori made the Man of Steel melt like butter. These story elements keep the character from really aging and at the same time keeps him more “updated”.

I sure as he’ll wouldn’t want to read a comic book about Superman: Earth’s Most Powerful Husband.

Eccch.

If you want more proof of a character getting back on his feet 100% after a stern wave of the magic wand, you don’t have to look no further than Spider-Man and the controversial decision by Marvel bigwigs to cancel out the marriage of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

Fastforward to the last few issues of Amazing Spider-Man and the sales increases and the renewed following after “One More Day” and “Brand New Day”.

The Supporting Cast

Do we need a reboot? Yes. In my opinion Superman’s world has been weighed down by so much relationships with his supporting cast that it’ll take a while before we get accustomed and know each and every character by heart. Superman’s saved so many lives that we can’t possibly remember everyone of them right?

But who should make the cut. Provided that we have an idea of the plot for the rebooted Superman books, we know that the standards would be there. Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and Lois will be staples. Maybe we get a sneak at the world of Smallville as well with Lana, Pa and Ma Kent and good ol’ Krypto.

And then there would the superhuman community comprised of the Big 7 of the Justice League.

And then there would also be the standard Rogues gallery like Lex Luthor, Parasite, Bizaaro and even the Toyman. With all these casts of characters, how are we going to see a reboot in this? Aren’t we just going in to see a remake? Or worse a trip down memory lane to the 90s era of comic books?

Maybe yes, maybe no. But who knows right? There might be something good for that.

Verdict: IN THE AYER.

The Plot

Here’s what we know so far, there will be a big baddie that will wreaking havoc on Metropolis which will lead Superman to finally reveal himself to the rest of the world. What’s great about this based on the DC Comics solicits for September 2011 is that the events that transpire in Superman # 1 will set things off for the returning Stormwatch # 1 which will fold in neatly some Wildstorm characters such as The Authority’s Apollo and Midnighter (who themselves are parodies of Superman and Batman) as well as Jack Hawksmoor and the Martian Manhunter.

VERDICT: HELL YES!

Timeliness

I think its timely enough especially since Superman’s decades worth of continuity is starting to weigh in on who the character is, what he stands for, and what he means to the rest of the world. This will also be a good time for DC Comics to wash their sins clean of letting a writer get away with Superman renouncing his U.S. citizenship in the pages of Action Comics # 900.

Its also a good time for spring cleaning now that former Marvel honcho Bob Harras is the new EIC. (Which I am still reserving judgment as of the moment.)

Based on the points stipulated above I am fairly stoked for the new iteration of Clark Kent, Superman and the rest of his world. Hopefully though the new stories will be good and entertaining and pack a one-two punch.

Earl Maghirang is the owner and writer for Thefanboyseo