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Nate Binker writes...
Hey Greg, I wanted to ask about Superman/Superboy; since the premiere, Superboy's been wanting Superman in his life as he is a clone, while Superman doesn't seem to want anything to do with him, and even snaps at those like Batman when it is brought up or even him being referred to as a "father" or Superboy as his "son". I think I could understand: out of nowhere, someone cloned him and he feels violated. But Superman acting this way is very un-Superman-like; even if he was cloned and even if he doesn't want to be a father, he could be a brother or simply a friend, because in the end Superboy is there, he IS him at a young age, and wants to be like him. So he should be in the boy's life because if he isn't, he could go the wrong path and something might happen and Superman would HAVE TO accept guilt for it, which seems to be the current situation judging by each one of their attitudes toward one another and the situation, regardless of the rest of the heroes. I like this character next to Batman, but even I want to slap the Man of Steel for acting this way. With that said, here's what I want to ask:
1) When will this Superman/Superboy situation change?
2) If what I suggested is wrong, then why is Superman acting this way?
And 3) to you Greg and the team; what led to this decision to have Superman act this way on the show (or at first on the show)?
Thank you and keep up the good work.
Greg responds...
I should probably just write "ASKED AND ANSWERED" to this entire post, but...
Let me start by REITERATING that I just flat out don't agree that Superman's response here is somehow UN-Superman-like. That, admittedly, is an interpretation many fans share, but I'm ALSO a fan, and I just don't agree. Especially since we haven't SEEN Superman's complete response (only the results of it), as the series is told from the POV of the teens (in this case, Superboy).
What Superman SHOULD do is debatable. I get you wanting to "slap" him, but I think you're being incredibly insensitive to Superman's POV on this. He's rationalized that the kid is better off without him. He's wrong, I agree. But it's understandable given his current feelings of violation. How useful could he be to Superboy, emotionally or otherwise, until he gets his own head on straight?
And Bruce, well meaning though he might have been, didn't do either Clark or Superboy any favors by positioning the issue in father/son terms. I think THAT little speech said more about Bruce Wayne's father issues than anything else.
As for your questions:
1. "SPOILER REQUEST. NO COMMENT."
2. I'm NOT saying you're wrong. Just that myself and pretty much every person working on the series disagrees with you. But it's all just opinion. You're entitled to yours. I just wish people would stop viewing the issue in such black and white terms. To me, the drama is in the greys. And it is very, very grey.
3. It felt honest.
(Somewhat incidentally, it also seemed to match up with Superman's less than stellar history in the comic books as a mentor: "Hi, I'm your cousin Kara from Krypton." "Great, cuz. Let me stick you in an orphanage." But that was a secondary bonus. The main answer is still: "It felt honest.")