I No Longer Just Get Regular Sick, I Must Get Spectacularly Sick!

[vigilante_wake]

I figured that my sore throat, head aches, muscle aches, congestion, and fatigue meant I had the flu, so I stayed home and rested all week. Then on Friday morning, I passed out about 5 minutes after I woke up. Fortunately, I realized I was going to faint and layed down on the floor before I actually lost consciousness so I didn't hit my head or

Comments

[mithen]

Then, there's "Superman discovers that there is a darkness even more immense than outer space: the darkness of the human heart turned against itself." OK, Superman has been fighting evil since what, 1935? I think he knows about the "darkness of the human heart" or whatever.>

I hadn't even really thought of this! It really makes it sound like JMS thinks he's teaching Superman some Valuable Life Lessons here, and that grates on me. Although, I dunno, Superman teaching others Valuable Life Lessons is like fingernails on chalkboard to me too--I hadn't expected that in "Grounded," and was kind of surprised by how much I disliked it. It smacks of all the things about Superman that the Modern Age has tried to get past--the preachiness, the sanctimoniousness. "Remember to stay in school! And child abuse is bad!" :P

[vigilante_wake]

Thank you for taking a look at this last night! I just wanted to make sure I hadn't been unintentionally offensive or something. I trust your opinion :)

Although, I dunno, Superman teaching others Valuable Life Lessons is like fingernails on chalkboard to me too--I hadn't expected that in "Grounded," and was kind of surprised by how much I disliked it.

I feel JMS is using Superman as a mouth piece and that really bothers me because I doubt he has a lot of first-hand experience with inner city drug trade or whatever. It really comes off as condescending.

Huh. I just realized that I don't have a solo Superman icon. I may need to remedy that.

[starsandsea]

Eeeek! *hugs you tightly* How are you feeling now? Any better? *hugs again*

I'm completely ignoring the Superman story, because it's just so... Argh, I just really don't like the idea of it. It's just... I don't like it. :(

I hope you feel well enough to do a post about the rest of the solicitations! They make my day, whenever you do. :)

[vigilante_wake]

*hugs* Thank you! I'm somewhat better! I went back to work tonight, but I'm kind of regretting it as I feel really weak. Blargh. At least I can sleep for 10 hours when I get home.

Argh, I just really don't like the idea of it. It's just... I don't like it. :(

It took a lot of effort for this post not be "This is stupid!" over and over again :P

They make my day, whenever you do. :)

*glomps* Thank you! I'm happy you enjoy them so much! :D

[stubbleupdate]

I'm not sure how to think about this.

On one side, from what I've seen of Grounded, hamfisted and wrong-headed come to mind.

He destroys some dealers' stash, but doesn't do anything about reporting them. He sends them away to another neighbourhood in order to protect the one that he's walking through just now.
He sees a guy on the porch of a house and tells him to get a heart exam at the doctors, then walks on.
It really reads like Superman - The Least I Could Do (I checked)

However, I disagree with the idea that the comic is not an appropriate place to discuss complicated issues. I quite like having though provoking discussions in my comics - that's one of the things that I enjoy about Ex Machina. I hope that this won't be a challenging discussion(what pro-child abuse argument could there be?)

[I had more to write, but I stopped for an hour and I've lost my flow]

[vigilante_wake]

However, I disagree with the idea that the comic is not an appropriate place to discuss complicated issues. I quite like having though provoking discussions in my comics - that's one of the things that I enjoy about Ex Machina.

I have no problem with comics dealing with complicated issues, it's just that this comic has been dealing with real-life issues so far in incredibly dumb ways, as you pointed out. I can't see it handling child abuse any better.

The difference between Superman and Ex Machina is that Ex Machina is a creator-owned book from an adult imprint that was always meant to deal with serious, real-world issues. Of course it has fantastical elements, but it's not pure wish-fulfillment. It's not like the Great Machine saved all of the victims of 9/11 and everyone lived happily ever after (If it was, I might find it kind of distasteful

[vigilante_wake]

I AM SORRY I WAS (AM) SICK TOO. I did end up going to Bob's birthday party but I just sort of sat there and coughed a lot. I'm glad you were able to catch up on sleep at least!

...but I think it's especially true of Superman in particular; the character just lends himself too well to shortcuts and simplistic moralizing because it's kind of written into his DNA.

That's pretty much exactly what I was trying to say, although I didn't quite get there. Thank you. That is why you are a grad student and I am not!

Like, I would trust Grant Morrison to write a Superman comic that dealt with child abuse. JMS? No way. Maybe I should change my post to "THIS particular author on THIS particular book should not be doing a story about child abuse." :P

Also, I'm not reading Superman right now either. Er, well, I'm reading it, but I'm certainly not going to pay for it. *looks shifty* I've at least read the parts that were relevant to this discussion!

[vigilante_wake]

I had no idea this story was even in existence until your post, but thanks, this is some real food for thought.

I just hope I didn't overreact. I don't know. Child abuse is a delicate subject.

Thank you for the well-wishes! I'm doing much better now.