Inspiration of an Ideal: Superman Unchained #9

The following is my review of Superman Unchained #9, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

For most of his history, Superman has faced many challenges. Most of them follow a pretty simple formula. Superman is the personification of all that is good and anyone who opposes superman is inherently evil. Therefore, the one opposing Superman is the bad guy and it's up to Superman to stop the bad guy and rescue a pretty girl, if necessary. It's a formula so simple that it's right up there with the basic addition that most kids learn in grade school. It's so basic that it can difficult at times to create meaningful challenges. It's like trying to find a way to make chocolate taste better. There's only so much that can be done.

Superman Unchained dared to take up that challenge. It didn't try to subvert that basic formula. It tried to expand it and despite delays second only to Half-Life 3, it succeeded. It didn't just present Superman with a worthy adversary in Wraith, who has the intimidating presence of Doomsday in addition to a real personality. It deconstructed his entire approach to being Superman, but not in the traditional "noble hero beats up evil villain" sort of way.

This in and of itself is a creative risk. To criticize Superman's commitment to being a hero is like criticizing the Dali Llama, but it still found a way to be meaningful. It helped create a complex narrative that (for those willing to endure the frustrating delays) told a story that highlights everything that makes Superman awesome. But the complexity of that narrative has created a lot of loose ends to resolve and Superman Unchained #9 attempts to do this and thereby make all those delays feel worth it. The results are as close to perfection as it can get without creating a whole new formula. It might not make chocolate taste better, but it still feels just as sweet.

The complex narrative that was so difficult to follow through the delays came together in as meaningful way as possible. There was no M. Night Shyamalan style twist. There were no shocking revelations either. They weren't necessary. It just took all the elements that were established at the beginning of the story and brought them together in a concise, coherent way. Nobody will be left scratching their head. None of the familiar characters involved do anything that will shock anybody. But it will still be satisfying. It's like vanilla ice cream, but with just the right blend of toppings to make it delicious.

That's not to say the story is wholly predictable. This is where Wraith, who entered the story as a Superman wannabe minus the perfect jawline, makes his impact felt. His growth as a character is one of the main driving forces of the conflict. He represented a completely different approach to being Superman. He didn't just fly around in a cape, beating up bad guys and flirting with pretty brunettes. He actually joined forces with the government and helped them shape world affairs. It is a direct violation of Superman's values, but it is presented in a way that has merit.

For a time, it feels as though Wraith's approach might actually be more valid than Superman's. Then, in his most defining moment, Wraith himself reveals why the formula that Superman follows works as well as any basic equation. It comes on the heels of another revelation about who Wraith is and what his people intended to do to Earth by sending him there. This is where the convergence of so many different elements becomes so satisfying. Thanks to Lex Luthor, Wraith now knows that he helped make Earth vulnerable to an invasion from his people. It's an invasion that Superman is in a position to stop. And he does, but not with the same power he usually uses against the Brainiacs of the universe.

It goes back to that basic formula of what makes Superman who he is. A big part of that formula is his power. This is a guy who can bench press a moon, fly to Pluto in the time it takes to cook a hot pocket, and brush off a nuclear explosion the same way most people brush off a light breeze. But his greatest power, by far, is his ability to inspire others to do the right thing. It's an inspiration immortalized by Grant Morrison in All-Star Superman and Russell Crow Superman: Man of Steel when Jor-El told Superman to be a beacon of hope for others. And Wraith, despite the kind of indoctrination that Fox News can only dream of, embraced that hope.

In the end Superman demonstrated the true strength of his principles. He was able to take someone in Wraith, who went out of his way to spit on Superman's values, and inspire him to do the right thing. What makes it all the more satisfying is that it came at Lex Luthor's expense. In the same way Wraith's nature was explored, Lex Luthor's disdain for Superman is given a depth far greater than that of a prototypical villain. He still comes off as the kind of guy who treats his ego like a rocket-powered Lamborghini, but he at least makes an effort to sound reasonable.

Lex doesn't try to come up with new excuses. He doesn't blame Superman for his hair loss or anything quite that petty. He makes clear that he believes Superman is holding humanity back and he attempted to put an end to that by forcing him to make a sacrifice. He just didn't expect Superman's ability to inspire others like Wraith to be so strong. It's the best possible rebuke Superman could've made without throwing in a bald joke.

The culmination of so many diverse elements make Superman Unchained #9 as satisfying a conclusion as anyone could hope for without enduring more delays. It makes all the right personal and emotional connections without getting too melodramatic. It's only real shortcoming is that the aftermath of this beautifully crafted conclusion is somewhat lacking. We don't get to see how Lex Luthor or General Lane react to Superman's thorough rebuke of their criticism. We're just left to assume they're all banging their heads against the wall in frustration. It might not be the most poetic ending, but it will still feel as sweet and satisfying as any piece of chocolate.

Final Score: 9 out of 10

Scanned Thoughts: Superman Unchained #7

I'm going to skip the usual anecdotes about my last trip to Tijuana or my high school horror stories this time so I can get one thing out of the way. Yes, I know I used to review a lot more DC comics on this blog. And yes, I know seeing this review for some is like seeing Walter White going from meth cook to weed grower. My goal is still the same. I want to get everybody who reads this high on the awesome of comics. It would definitely help if more people drank or smoked pot while reading these books, but I can only provide so much without the DEA riding my ass like the IRS rides Willie Nelson. And Superman Unchained is to DC comics what Walter White's blue meth is to tweakers. It doesn't come often, but fuck if it doesn't embody everything that's awesome about Superman. And since this week is the 4th of July and I'm feeling patriotic, it's only fitting that I review a comic about the hero that embodies truth, justice, and the American Way. Fittingly enough, Superman Unchained #7 is a book that has the American way attacking Superman on his own fucking property because he has something they want and for once it isn't weed, blow, or Edward Snowden's address. So in the spirit of Independence Day, I'm going to salute and gorge on apple pie while getting drunk and watching Superman kick the asses of the Dick Cheney's of the world. God bless America indeed!

The situation is simple enough for even Bill O'Riley to understand. Lois Lane now possesses the Earth Stone, which to the American military is like possessing nuclear launch codes and the keys to Bill Clinton's porno stash. Superman, naturally, attempts to protect Lois by sheltering her in his Fortress of Solitude. So General Lane, who happens to be Lois' father and probably has voted republican since 1980, does what any reasonable American with an army and an obscene budget. He attempts to invade Superman's home armed with a bunch of big fucking AT-AT style tanks that are probably overbudget as fuck. This kind of shit might give Rush Limbaugh a boner, but this is as un-American as it gets. Nobody needs to know the full story of the Earthstone or why Lois Lane has it. They just need to know that General Lane wants it and he looks at Superman the same way Vladimir Putin looks at watered down vodka. It's not the first time the American military has harassed Superman, but on the same week as Independence Day, it feels that much more relevant.

Naturally, Superman's first inclination is to protect Lois from the attack. Unlike him or Wonder Woman, she's composed of frail fleshy bits that don't stand up to a typical artillery shell. Lois, knowing her father is a bigger asshole than anyone gives him credit for, warns him that he's packing weapons specifically designed to hurt him. With a budget like his, he can probably afford to cover those weapons in gold. But even though Lois is probably telling the truth and as a great ass, Superman doesn't heed her warning and is prepared to fight back. If for no other reason than to make Lois horny at the sight of someone attacking her asshole father.

Beyond the obvious daddy issues, there's actually a much more profound conversation going on that only makes sense for those who read the earlier issues in the series. For a good chunk of this series, it has basically criticized and deconstructed Superman's approach to helping people. General Lane and Wraith, a far less sexier but far more pro-American superpowered alien, basically tell him he's pissing into the wind with what he's doing. Being Clark Kent and Superman is a setup that can't work in the long run, no matter what he does. But Lois points out that he makes the choice to follow this path because he believes it. And since he's fucking Superman, it has to be right on some levels. It's a nice moment that is fittingly ruined when General Lane jumps the gun and starts shooting at the fortress. It causes both property damage and I imagine it probably causes some pretty awkward moments with hookers.

Speaking of Wraith, who basically looks like the bastard child of Kratos from God of War and Drax the Destroyer, he has his hands full as well. After slugging it out with Superman in a few early issues, he opts for what he probably thinks is an easier fight against one of the allies that helped him secure Lois. He's just a man in that he has no powers. By all accounts, this should be as easy for Wraith as killing a fly with a shotgun. The problem is that man happens to be the goddamn Batman. And unlike most flies, Batman has a kickass cave and a fleet of awesome cars.

Now I won't want the comments section of this review to turn into another bullshit Batman vs. Superman argument. There have been enough of those going on since the 1950s and we don't need to have that argument until Ben Affleck skews it in Dawn of Justice. But I will say that pitting Wraith against Batman helps create a welcome change of pace in the action, which to this point has basically been super-powered aliens punching each other. Now it's the goddamn Batman, armed with a fleet of cars and a fucking jet, against a super-powered alien. Sounds like a fair fight to me and unlike Dawn of Justice, we know who to root for.

There's no ambiguity here on who deserves to get punched. Batman battles Wraith. Superman battles General Lane and his overbudgeted army of "Fuck the Constitution, let's bomb some shit until the problem is solved" friends. That doesn't mean there aren't tough decisions to make. Despite Lois' insistence that she have a front row seat so she can watch Superman beat up her father and pleasure herself during every glorious second, Superman turns her down. He sticks her in some protective cell, much to her dismay. I doubt she'll be able to pleasure herself to the thoughts of her father getting his ass kicked there. But this is part of the hard choices Superman has to make. I know fans of Superman/Lois don't want to hear this and Superman/Wonder Woman fans will dance naked in the streets to this, but Lois is human. She's vulnerable and even if she doesn't want to be protected, Superman is going to protect her, damn it. General Lane certainly doesn't give a shit that there might be human casualties. I'm sure he thinks that's the kind of shit that hippies, the ACLU, and communists only care about.

In that respect, he's taught Wraith well because he treats Batman and his private Batcave the same way. I know I made it seem like a fair fight when I said he's the goddamn Batman and he's got a fleet of awesome cars to fight with. But let's face it, this is a fair fight in the same way our tax laws are fair. Wraith brushes off the attacks by Superman's cars the same way Brett Favre brushes off a concussion and a broken thumb on game day. That means Batman has to fight unfair and rely on more than just his gadgets, his money, and his brilliance. I know that's like the Koch brothers winning an argument without bribes, but Batman just happens to have a power ring that he keeps handy in case he has to fight a Superman-level villain. Why does he have this and where the fuck did he get it? It doesn't matter. He's the goddamn Batman. It evens the odds, but Wraith still has the upper hand. Like General Lane and assholes like him, he prefers an unfair fight.

Batman is smart enough to know Wraith's preferences. He doesn't become the goddamn Batman without taking them into account when choosing to confront someone who could crush his bones like a stale cracker. So he finds a way to make it an unfair fight in the opposite manner. How? He invites Superman's girlfriend, Wonder Woman, to join the battle. So now Wraith has to take on the goddamn Batman and Superman's pissed off girlfriend, who probably doesn't appreciate him or General Lane fucking up his bachelor pad. It's as lopsided as it sounds, but anyone who has been following this series to this point has already developed a burning hatred for Wraith. So seeing him get his ass kicked by both Wonder Woman and Batman is more satisfying than a beer and a blowjob on a Saturday.

The battle between Superman and General Lane is slightly more balanced, but only slightly. Once he has Lois secured and has blocked out her angry bitching, he dons a little war gear of his own and unlike General Lane's, it didn't cost the taxpayers a goddamn thing. I'm not sure where the armor came from, but seeing as how he's currently sleeping with the daughter of Zeus, I'm just going to assume he has connections. With this armor, he is basically a cross between Iron Man and Hulk, but with less alcoholism and anger issues.

The fight is once again pretty basic, but it's not all punching and whining. Along the way, Superman finds the time to educate General Lane on this whole bullshit approach to using war and weapons to do the right thing. That's like drinking to get sober or using orgies to promote chastity. These weapons, he argues, detach people from their humility. And given the long history of unjust, bullshit wars that people have raged over the centuries, he's not wrong either. Of course, General Lane isn't going to suddenly realize how wrong he is and join the Libertarian Party. But it's a nice response to his bullshit criticisms from earlier issues.

It's a pretty epic struggle that finds a way to stay balanced. General Lane hits Superman with some badass weapons that probably make defense contractors jizz their pants. Superman hits back with some badass weapons of his own. Along the way, General Lane and Superman keep debating their respective philosophies. It makes me wish they had used this approach during the last presidential debate. It would have been way more entertaining. But before they can start pandering to independents, a certain complication enters the battle. She has dark hair, a nice ass, and a knack for getting into trouble. Yes, it's Lois again. And apparently, the Earthstone didn't like being protected either.

To be fair to Lois, she contributes to this battle thanks to the Earthstone. She uses it to block an incoming attack. I'm sure she didn't want Superman to have all the fun of pissing off her father. That's supposed to be her job. The role of the Earthstone is still somewhat ambiguous. In fact, it's the only real ambiguity in this whole issue. Seven issues in and I'm still not sure what the fuck they're supposed to do or why it warrants a full scale invasion by General Lane. I mean it's not like it's oil. But that doesn't make the battle any less satisfying.

It's even more satisfying when Superman finally manages to get to General Lane, who is probably confused and even more pissed off at seeing his daughter caught up in all this. I doubt this would have stopped him from launching his precious invasion. I'm pretty sure nothing short of personal kick in the balls from the President would have stopped that. But this gives Superman a window to end this battle before General Lane can fuck up his home and piss away more tax dollars than he already has. I know it doesn't seem American, Superman taking on an American General. But it's not like he's choking Ben Franklin or anything. This is General Lane, who would probably have been Benedict Arnold's prison bitch back in the 18th century. In that sense, the way Superman confronts him makes him the most American son-of-a-bitch in the goddamn world.

Once he has a little face time with General Lane, Superman is able to simplify things pretty fucking fast. He doesn't give him a lecture on the 5th Amendment or the balance of power. He just asks him where the fuck Wraith is so he can end this bullshit and probably make his daughter horny in the process. General Lane might be a hard-nosed military asshole the likes of which make up at least half the villains in every Michael Bay movie, but he understands that there's no way to win a battle against Superman once his overbudget toys have been destroyed. He breaks faster than a North Korean smart phone and Superman finds out that Wraith is busy fighting Batman. So after leaving Lane to face his pissed off daughter and contemplate all the ways he just pissed on the constitution, he flies to the batcave where he's prepared to have a little chat with Wraith. But unlike previous issues, this one promises to involve more punching and less bullshit.

The overarching themes in this book would make both Glenn Beck and Rachel Maddow cry tears of joy in many respects. There's a tyrannical, asshole authority figure in General Lane attacking Superman on his own property and Superman is there defending it in ways that would make George Washington himself proud. I almost felt like raising a flag over my front door, saluting it, and singing the star spangled banner. Unfortunately, I could not find my pants or my keys. There was a time in comics where Superman never went against the American government and the American government didn't go against its citizens, provided they were white, Christian, tax-paying, working, married, straight, and whatever traits wouldn't get them lynched by the KKK. But this is the post George W. Bush America where freedom means only as much as what the NSA, the DEA, the FBI, and Congress agrees. For Superman, he has the power to give a massive middle finger to this kind of bullshit freedom and embrace the truly American freedoms. The NRA might bitch and complain that he didn't defend his property with an assault rifle, but I'm pretty sure Superman gave them the finger too in standing up to the All-American asshole that is General Lane. My patriotism is literally oozing out of every pore here and I proudly give Superman Unchained #7 a very American 9 out of 10. So for all the patriots out there, turns off Fox News and stop giving Cliven Bundy the attention he doesn't deserve. Pick up this comic and see what true American values look like. It wears red and blue, it kicks the asses of invading armies, and it hooks up with pretty Greek demigoddesses. What could be more American than that? Nuff said!

Deconstructing Superman's Philosophy: Superman Unchained #6

The following is my review of Superman Unchained #6, which was posted on PopMatters.com.

When it comes to battling Superman, history shows that beating him physically is like trying to win a tug-of-war with a black hole. He has taken on aliens, gods, evil geniuses, deranged clones, and a whole host of other threats that the Lex Luthors of the world can only fantasize about. But Superman has his share of vulnerabilities. Kryptonite is the most well-known and the method of choice for those looking to bring the Man of Steel down a peg. But there is another vulnerability that is rarely attacked. It may not make Superman as weak as a mountain of Kryptonite, but it can shake the foundation of who he is and why he does what he does down to its core. It’s a vulnerability that even Lex Luthor usually doesn’t exploit, if only because it seems so underhanded for someone of his genius. But in Superman Unchained #6, this vulnerability is attacked on an unprecedented level. And for once, Superman’s power and ideals cannot protect him.

When Superman Unchained began, Superman faced yet another physically demanding challenge from Ascension. On the surface, Ascension isn’t too different from the usual run-of-the-mill terrorists. They see all this progress and civilization in the same way a pyromaniac sees a pile of matches and a gallon of gasoline. It’s just meant to be destroyed. So using alien technology, they launch every nuclear missile on the planet. It sounds like the kind of thing Lex Luthor would do when he’s bored on a Saturday afternoon. But what Ascension does isn’t the greatest source of conflict. Them capturing Lois Lane isn’t even cause for much conflict. The true meat of the story comes from Superman’s tentative ally/enemy, Wraith.

In many ways, Wraith is an eerie reflection of Superman. He’s no Bizarro and not just because he can speak in complete sentences. He has Superman’s power and even shares his desire to use it for the greater good. But the concept of “the greater good” is very different for Wraith. Part of what makes Superman such an icon and an ideal is his willingness to save the whole world and everybody in it. This all seems so noble and for the most part it is. But in the same way communism sounds good on paper, that nobility hides an unpleasant complication to Superman’s approach to his mission.

This approach has to do with serving mankind in a more pragmatic way. Wraith constantly berates Superman about making hard decisions. For Wraith, that means allying himself with the likes of General Lane and the United States military. To Superman, that makes him a puppet whose strings are attached to easily corruptible men. Any old liberal would probably agree with that. However, this is what makes Wraith’s decision so hard. He understands that allying himself with General Lane is dangerous and makes him prone to acting as their trained pit-bull. But he’s willing to accept that danger in order to serve the greater good.

General Lane already showed Superman just how much good Wraith has done over the past few decades. He goes so far as to call Superman a coward for choosing to be adored by the world rather than getting his hands dirty and actually changing the world for the better. And he’s not wrong either. He and Wraith look at Superman like a man with a gun aimed at someone who is about to kill an innocent bystander. Superman would rather not fire that gun and not take that life, even if it means putting that bystander at risk. It’s difficult for someone who isn’t a four-star general to see because nobody ever hears about a war that is averted or a crime that is never committed. Superman has the power to stop those wars and those crimes, but he chooses not to.

That’s not to say that General Lane and Wraith’s choices are somehow more noble than Superman. When Ascension launches the missiles, Wraith’s first inclination is to protect the United States from destruction. That’s where he chose to place his loyalty. That means he is loyal to protect only one house from the path of a hurricane rather than save the neighborhood. But Superman goes after Ascension and once again defies all odds to stop every nuclear missile. This effectively demonstrates why Superman’s approach has merit. By not allying himself with only a segment of humanity, he is better able to save the entire world when it is threatened. Wraith thinks locally. Superman thinks globally. That’s what sets them apart, aside from Wraith looking like a World of Warcraft monster.

Superman Unchained #6 acts as a response of sorts to General Lane’s challenge for Superman. By not making the same choice as Wraith, he is able to save the world. Wraith didn’t even try to save the world. The puppet strings that General Lane attached wouldn’t allow him. But Superman takes it a step further. When Wraith comes back to attack him, Superman shows that being an idealist doesn’t mean he can’t be cunning. With help from Batman, he humbles Wraith in a way that is probably more satisfying than Superman would ever admit. He essentially finds Wraith’s version of Kryptonite and shoves it in his face. It doesn’t completely undermine Wraith’s approach, but it makes clear that Superman doesn’t share it.

At the same time, however, this clash of philosophies feels incomplete. Wraith gave his reasons for doing what he does. Now Superman has given his. But neither one of them really confronts the flaws in their approach. They both come off as stubborn. They choose to resort to mindless fighting as if that ever won an argument outside a boxing ring. That takes away from the larger conflict that has linked all the physical struggles that have manifested throughout Superman Unchained. But by the end of Superman Unchained #6, both sides show that they’re as cunning as they are stubborn so this philosophical divide might not be over. It’s a divide that can’t be resolved by resorting to Kryptonite, but for now it seems to be the favored approach.

Final Score: 8 out of 10