This is kind of a random question but a recent announcement got me thinking about my tastes and attitude. I’m referring to a new Superman title starring Jon Kent.
I am absolutely aware that entertainment properties change and change is a good thing. I know, and usually agree with, the mantra of give change a chance. You don’t know if you don’t try it. Don’t judge a book by its cover. etc etc
With all of that in mind, I absolutely hate what Bendis did to Jon Kent and that DC keeps doubling down on it and I refuse to support it. Young Jon Kent was one of the bright spots of the DCU. He was the hope and optimism and positivity DC used to be and it is kind of glossed over the pure psychological trauma he went through. Maybe I got it warped in my memory but what happened to him was completely horrible. Super Sons was my favorite book and thank goodness DC has kept it somewhat alive on a regular basis but it’s not enough.
So that’s what I am stubborn about and the longer it goes on I get more stubborn.
I’m also stubborn that Batman should be mysterious and his secret identity should be a secret but that went out the window a long long long time ago.
Yep, for me I’m stubborn about not liking Superman being married to Lois Lane.
I never liked it from the beginning. And the only time that I felt it was done well was in Greg Rucka’s LOIS LANE miniseries. And that was a special case because of the setting and circumstances of the series, which can’t (or rather won’t) be duplicated or continued on an ongoing basis.
Oddly enough, with not liking the marriage, I do like Jonathan Kent. The aged-up Jonathan Kent.
The kid Jonathan Kent I couldn’t stand. Of course, I didn’t read any of it because the very concept is something that I know that I don’t like.
But aged-up Jonathan Kent in Brian Bendis’ LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES was fine to me.
Anyway, yep, the Superman and Lois Lane marriage I am stubborn about, and refuse to read the comics involving the situation, and rarely have.
So I look elsewhere for my Superman fix – out of continuity and the like. And now I guess the Jonathan Kent Superman series.
Wally West in Heroes in Crisis. Until that’s completely ret-conned out if existence, I can’t enjoy his stories.
I’m pretty stubborn about Tom King in general.
I liked I Am Bane, Mister Miracle, and I LOVED Superman: Up in the Sky. Heroes in Crisis had potential, but the murder mystery aspect and then the reveal ruined it for me.
With exceptions made for “alternate Earth” versions:
Clark Kent is Superman.
Bruce Wayne is Batman.
Diana of Themyscira is Wonder Woman.
Anyone else is a pretender to the throne.
Supersons was one of the best comics that DC put out in years.
I’m of two minds here: on the one hand, they are forever associated with their alter egos and rightfully so. On the other, legacy heroes can bring something fresh to the table when things get stale. Even for the big three.
I’m stubborn about all of them really. When authors mischaracterize characters, when they ignore continuity, or when they create their own (looking at you New 52 Aquaman and New 52 Wonder Woman) it becomes a problem. I’m not precious about the evolution of a character (or even a mantle) so long as it is organic. Jonathan Kent’s evolution has been anything but. It’s a product of a writer who never wanted to write about him and a spineless editorial department that was unwilling to reign Bendis in. It’s one thing when Grant Morrison is uneditable, because it’s evident he actually cares about the history, but letting writers run wild without oversight writ large is part of the reason DC continuity is so nebulous and difficult right now.
My own stubborn things I don’t accept:
Dick Grayson is not a would-be Talon and Haly’s Circus is not a feeder program for the Talons. Dick becoming a spy is a dumb idea in principal and I refuse to acknowlege that was an actual comics run.
Barbara Gordon stepping away from Oracle to become Batgirl again is like stepping down from being CEO to work an entry level job. And besides, Barbara retired from the cowl before she was shot.
And Wally West is not a murderer.
I’m very stubborn about Barbara Gordon. I don’t think she ever should have gone back to being Batgirl, and I don’t think she ever should have “recovered” from her injury. As Oracle, Barbara sent a powerful message to the disabled community about how you don’t need to be an action hero to be a superhero. As Batgirl, she’s just… one of 50 capes in Gotham City.
Barbara Gordon as Batgirl is here to stay unfortunately. They could always have her have a come to Jesus moment where she realizes that she has moved beyond Batgirl, retire and return to her Oracle post, but this is unlikely due to socio-political reasons (the influence of Gail Simone). It would be bad optics to have her back in a wheelchair, despite how, for lack of a better term, ableist it is. For some reason women in comics can only be powerful/have influence if they are out punching bad guys with the boys.
One day a fan of Wally West will write for the Flash or become an editor and retcon Heroes in Crisis. That I’m certain of.
Where I disagree is with the Grayson run. It may have been editorial mandate that Dick Grayson be marginalized, but him going on an undercover mission as a James Bond-like spy, I think works as a weird period in his history, like when the Green Lantern Corps was destroyed or when Wonder Woman was de-powered in Silver Age. Regarding the Haley’s Circus thing, I’m of the opinion that any good ideas Scott Snyder had begins with his Pre-Flashpoint Detective Comics run and ends right after Court of Owls.
I want to be perfectly clear, I’m okay with Babs being un-paralyzed. I just think having her become Batgirl again- especially when she had the “Team Batgirl” dynamic going with Steph- feels like a lot of wasted potential.
If Batman can recover then so can Barbara. I agree that it its a de-evolution of her character to become Batgirl again.
I agree. Becoming un-paralyzed and abandoning Oracle are two very different things, at least to me.
I agree. Barbara Gordon could’ve become Oracle even if The Killing Joke never happened, character-wise.
I completely agree.
They already kind of have. They dumped a lot of the blame onto Thawne and his speed-whispering. (I wish that was a joke)
And that is one of the things I am stubborn on. Wally is a great character and even after Heroes in Crisis he is doing everything he can to be good again. And I don’t think HiC destroyed his character. I actually enjoy Tom King’s work.
As for aging Jon. He is growing on me. I really miss little Jon. But teenager is okay. I just wish it had been handled better. And I wish he and Damian could have a series together besides Super Sons flashbacks. Damian is another character I am stubborn about but I’m said enough already. 
I see what you did there.