2000--Action Comics #766 (D.O.A.)

[mithen]

Action 766 (June 2000), titled "D.O.A.," features a Kryptonite-poisoned Clark asking Bruce to help him save Lois, who's been kidnapped by the Parasite.  The writer, Joe Kelly, strikes a nice balance between adversarial and friendly--with tempers worn to a frazzle due to the situation, Superman and Batman snapping at each other seems quite plausible

Comments

[ava_jamison]

OMG! Fantastic emotional moments there. That's FANTASTIC. Really interesting writing--there's a ton of depth there. Very interesting details, too. (I'm thinking specifically of Bruce thinking of Alfred, but they're throughout.) Thank you so much for sharing!

LOL at the Interruption of Intense Monologue, too.

[mithen]

Isn't it impressive? 2000 really marked a serious uptick in the amount of emotion between these two, somehow. I think Kelly struck a good balance here, and I agree, there are some nice little touches like Bruce thinking about Alfred (and being annoyed at Clark because of it, lol).

[ilovetobefree]

Although I feel like we're supposed to side with Superman here, I do think this is an excellent explanation of Batman's "heartlessness," and a refutation of the idea that he doesn't care about the people involved. Because he does say when the case is closed he mourns, but while it's open he can't afford to care at an emotional level.
This is exactly what I have thought while reading those scans.

Lois needs me.
I gave her my life, Bruce, she gave me hers.
I like these lines.

And...Superman is dead! Oh noes!
I got really scared reading the last scans and the first sentence. (I refused to believe he would be really dead, though. :))

I enjoyed this story and your comments on it. (I agree with you about Batman and Superman’s way of thinking, their emotions and feelings.) Thanks for sharing!

[mithen]

Like kawahori mentioned when she pointed me to these scans, Joe Kelly is great because he ships Clark/Lois but also kind of "ships" Clark/Bruce, lol. It leads to some nice interactions between the three of them and about the three of them...

[kawahori]

Joe Kelly is great because he ships Clark/Lois but also kind of "ships" Clark/Bruce, lol.
There's another interesting fact--Joe Kelly is also known as a BIG Batman/Wonder Woman shipper. One of his JLA story (The Obsidian Age) and JLA #90 are THE "must-read" to all BMWW shippers. Personally, I firmly believe he ships Clark/Bruce, LOL!

I really, really love "D.O.A.", and you've said everything I couldn't express fully myself--Thank you! :D But I also really, really, really HATE the art! Like sometimes Batman has THREE Bat-ears, sometimes Batman looks more like Owlman or Midnighter, and sometimes Superman is just...ugly! Guh! But I love this story nevertheless.

p.s. The TPB (Superman: Critical Condition) is strongly NOT recommended. Go find this issue!

[mithen]

That's right, Obsidian Age! So he's basically a Clois and Bruce/Diana shipper who likes some S/B bromance. :)

I agree about the art! I try not to dwell on art when I like the story, but there were panels where it seriously distracted from my ability to enjoy it. Not just because Clark is glowing green, either! He just seems to look like a... "big lug" sometimes, like a kind of brawny and not very smart man, and it's distracting!

[mithen]

It is a really great issue for defining them as very different, yet not in the simple sort of alpha-male "Grr! Me no like you!" sort of way, lol. It's very much a turning point in how they and their relationship is written, I think...

[snake_easing]

From what you've posted here, I disagree that it's tilted towards Superman's side of things. Does Superman get a long monologue? Even if he does, the fact that Supes later adopts Bats' technique (he doesn't want to know that lady's name) means that Bats won the argument, as it were.

That is, he won it until Superman teaches him the true meaning of love. Then they're even.

It's a perfect little technique at the end to have Bats be all happy about Lois' case closing and then lose Supes and collapse into "It's a homicide after all."

Joe Kelly is a lot better than I expect comics writing to usually be. He really plays the two characters off each other and it works.

[mithen]

From what you've posted here, I disagree that it's tilted towards Superman's side of things. Does Superman get a long monologue? Even if he does, the fact that Supes later adopts Bats' technique (he doesn't want to know that lady's name) means that Bats won the argument, as it were.

Oh good, I'm glad to hear it. I tend to be biased both toward Supes and toward a more sentimental way of dealing with human relations, so I wasn't sure it would come off balanced to everyone, even though I thought Batman made excellent points and made them well. Kelly writes Superman and Batman as very much a match for each other in wits and ethics and snarkiness, he's pretty much always a good read with them.

[starsandsea]

*wibbles* I can totally understand Bruce here, how he truly has no other choice than to see people as victims, because when you think of what he must see, what, every night, almost...? That truly would be the only way to endure it. And I think it's utterly fascinating how Clark later adopts it as well! (Though his green glowyness freaks me out, lol)

[mithen]

I agree, I think this is a really well-articulated explanation for Batman's apparent "emotional distance" in the field--I always love when people explore that in canon. It's like social workers and police officers in our world, there has to be some distance or you break down and you're no good to anyone...