POBB August 6, 2022

Pick of the Brown Bag

August 6, 2022

by

Ray Tate

Welcome to the second part of the Pick of the Brown Bag that explores the DCU that's evolving in issues of Batgirls, Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El.  

This exploration may be ginchy for some, but others may need to know a recommendation toot sweet.  For those fence sitters, you can still find me on twitter with some quick words about the books I review: #PickoftheBrownBag.  

Tom Taylor writes Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El.  So, it was a safe bet that they would crossover at some point, and so they do, frequently.  A Batgirl appearance also isn't uncommon.

And yes they finally get Babs' eye-color correct.

What you cannot predict is that Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El benefitting some of the best Batman appearances ever.

Awww...Dude

Superman Son of Kal-El #11

Taylor banks on the idea of Batman and Superman being the World's Finest team.  Now speaking in strict continuity terms, not just historical, which is way easier to identify, that always was the case. 

In the New 52 era, Geoff Johns and/or Grant Morrison revealed that Batman and Superman worked together as a team soon after the Justice League formed.  Greg Rucka in a done-in-one short story for a Wonder Woman Annual explained that Batman and Superman met Wonder Woman before they combined forces with the Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and Green Lantern.  

Taylor commingles the histories of Superman, Superman Jr, Batman, Nightwing, Batgirl, Jonathan and Martha Kent and Lois Lane even more within the pages of Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El. 

Nightwing #89

He even thoughtfully explains how Jonathan Kent happens to be a teenager in a kind of reverse Grandfather Paradox that allows Lois Lane to be a perpetually youthful mother.  

Yeah, nobody read that. 

If you're wondering.  Lois is in her early thirties.  She's a contemporary of Batman and Superman.  Nightwing and Batgirl are about twenty-seven.  Jonathan Kent could be anywhere from twenty to twenty-two.  I reckon Jason Todd falls into that range as well.

When Jonathan Kent fails to save innocent lives, truly beyond his control, he turns to his holographic Dad for advice.  That simulacrum proves less than helpful.  Fortunately, Superman's robot, Kelex eavesdrops and turns to Nightwing.

Nightwing #89

Kelex, created by John Byrne, drifts in and out of the Superman titles, almost independently from the writer, but I think Taylor is the first to give Kelex a real personality.  

This meeting paves the way for the official Nightwing/Superman team-up pitting the heroes against a villainous two-for comprised of Lex Luthor and Henry Bendix.  Bendix is the ruler of the isle of Gamorra who superficially looks a lot like Lex Luthor.

You may vaguely remember those G and B names from T7, a latecomer to the New 52, that dealt with an eponymous group comprised of such luminaries as Dinah Drake, Amanda Waller, John Lynch, Slade Wilson, Steve Trevor and Cole Cash.

Lex and Bendix are screwing around with meta-humans to mind-control them and make them their mercenaries.  If they don't obey, well...

You may be asking yourself why would Lex Luthor do this.  The answer.  I don't know.  It's risky business playing Scanners with people.  Practically speaking, it's unprofitable.

One school at DC really wants Luthor to be a villain even if he's lost every motive that makes him want to kill Superman and/or the Superman Family.  

Superman Family #1

Usually when they want Lex to be a villain nowadays, they flex toward racism.  Lex just doesn't like aliens.  The earth is now full of them.  I've never seen him try to kill Starfire or the Hawks.  What about Power Girl and Huntress? They're technically aliens.

If you look at all the media portrayals of the villain, a definite motive drives Lex Luthor.  The comic book Lex however has everything the other Lexes don't: wealth, fame, power, women if he wants them.  So, I really don't buy Lex Luthor's villainy anymore.  He doesn't seem to have a rationale other than he's bored and wants to be a villain.  

My only thought about Lex in Superman Son of Kal-El is that he's more of a reflection of where we are today.  An autocrat that lacks a single redeeming quality and looks like an orange toad left in the sun too long can incite a murderous mob of acolytes to overthrow democracy and get away with it. 

What the fuck are you waiting for!

Lex Luthor can get in bed with Bendix on this scheme to put bombs in meta-human heads and get away with it.  

Whatever.   I'm not in this for the explosions.  For a change.  I'm in this for the amazing character moments, the comedy and the sweet, sweet artwork.

One of the themes that works extremely well in Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El is The Truth.  The Truth is an online guerrilla journalism project run by Jay, Superman's boyfriend. 

Chap with the Magenta Hair

Most writers portray Bruce Wayne as merely the weaker face of Batman who uses his persona to better his crimefighting.  To be sure, when writers do attempt to demonstrate Bruce's philanthropy, we seldom see the result.  Taylor emphasizes Nightwing's want to make the world a better place in tangible realistic ways.  

Nighwing #89

Nightwing decides to invest, keeping Jay and making Lois Lane the face of The Truth.   This makes perfect sense assuming something happened to The Daily Planet, as is frequent. 

Superman Son of Kal-El #9

Lois is the DCU reporter.  A Pulitzer winner and the wife of Superman senior.  Historically, every generation knows who Lois Lane is.  She permeated through radio, newspaper strips, serials, cartoons, television and movies.

Mind you.  Dan Jurgens reworked all of Superman's history to the point where Wonder Woman mid-wifed Lois and helped deliver Jonathan.  So we owe him a debt.

In Taylor's version of the shared worlds of DC, Lois is even more powerful a figure.  Lois is a confidant.  She knows every hero's secret identity and history through her marriage to Superman.  Let's see what happens when Lex attempts to promote a smear campaign against her son.  Again, no rationale.  Just a reflection of a "Fake News," spouting amoeba-brained cult leader.

Superman Son of Kal-El #10

Taylor emphasizes throughout Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El, that she and the other heroes are old friends.  She furthermore takes an active part in the work they do.

In the next installment, we'll see how Tom Taylor trades guest stars between Nightwing and Superman Son of Kal-El to strengthen the story and how this whole shebang is still a chess match between Lex Luthor and Batman.  That still doesn't explain Lex's villainy.  Sorry.