Posted in: Batman, Comics, DC Comics, Justice League, Superman | Tagged: action comics, dc comics, slavery, spoilers, suprman

Superman Canceled From The Justice League Over Politics (Spoilers)

Published Sun, 26 Sep 2021 16:27:13 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Recently, Bleeding Cool has covered the increase in a political take for Superman from current writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson. This is hardly new for the character, an immigrant refugee into America, initially fighting against corrupt businessmen, landlords and union busters, he gained a more status quo nature, but was famously used by Frank Miller as a political pawn of the President, and over the years we have seen him in one form or another become President of the USA and ruler of Russia, a political hostage used for propaganda, rejecting (and then accepting) his American citizenship, and redefining just what The American Way is anyway.

In the previous writer's Brian Bendis' run, Superman gained controversy by first revealing his identity to the world, and then representing Earth in the United Planets, gaining him the nickname Superman, King Of Earth. Recently, he has intervened between the US and Atlantis over the possession of an alien artifact, The Genesis Fragment, from a race who had been enslaved by another. And he had been pushing the Justice League to intervene in WarWorld, where these crimes against sentience were carried out. This coming week's Action Comics #1035 sees this come to a double head. With Superman making a promise.

A promise that he will soon be even more emotionally guilted into keeping, even if he wouldn't have done it anyway. But he would, he's Superman after all. And he is fighting against slavery.

But in trying to persuade the Justice League to join him to fight slavery a long way away, this incident with the USA and Atlantis has triggered other issues. And as a result, Superman is no longer a member of the Justice League. Hippolyta, the mother of Wonder Woman explains.

They have to work with world governments, including the USA, the European Union, and Atlantis. Britain is fine with it of course. Would Diana have made that argument if she was still Wonder Woman of Earth? Or is this just realpolitik? Either way, Superman is canceled. Of course, that's hardly going to stop him either and Batman makes that point too.

Recently in Superman & The Authority, we have seen a different Superman put together a team of agents, reviving the concept of The Authority, as created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, popularised by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, then recreated with DC characters in a parallel universe with an older 5G Superman by Grant Morrison and Mikel Janin. This team, to be launched in Batman/Superman & The Authority will be similar but in current DC Comics canon. This could get even more confusing… but just go with "Superman has been cancelled" if you need simplicity.

ACTION COMICS #1035
DC Comics
(W) Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Sean Lewis (A) Daniel Sampere, Sami Basri (CA) Daniel Sampere
Superman keeps the abandoned Warworld weapon out of the hands of anyone who might misuse it. But now the Justice League questions his judgment. It's time for Clark Kent to put up or shut up. In "Tales of Metropolis," the Guardian comes to the city. Is this another step toward Future State?
In Shops: 9/28/2021 SRP: $4.99

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