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“You mean that business with Magpie?” responds Bruce, and with that line I’m hooked. Bruce is making a reference to the classic Man of Steel origin story of 20 plus years ago by John Byrne. It’s a great little Easter egg inserted by current Superman scribes J. Michael Straczynski and Chris Roberson. Not many current Superman readers under a certain age would automatically pick up the reference. It’s a nice little nod to both characters’ extensive and, in this case well written, history in print. It nicely frames the two characters’ history and hints that the story being told within the frame of Clark and Bruce’s little catch up session is going to be a significant one. Is this a bit of hubris on the part of Straczynski and Roberson? After all, they are subtly comparing their story within to Byrne’s Man of Steel. After reading through the issue though, one discovers that it isn’t hubris if you live up to the potential. Superman #710 “Grounded Part Eight” is definitely worthy of consideration alongside its referenced Man of Steel #3.
The story of what actually appears to be Clark and Bruce’s first meeting takes place in Bhutran, a sort of fictional DCU stand in for Tibet. Both Clark and Bruce have ties to the country's current leader, Terri Chung, whom now goes by the title of Rhana Bhutran, a sort of fictional Dali Lama character. With the introduction of Terri we see that it’s not only Byrne’s Man of Steel that is being referenced here, but also the Superman: The Odyssey one shot issue which establishes Clark’s relationship with Terri, the current Rhana Bhutran. Bruce’s connection to Bhutran is extensive, as readers of his titles know. Terri needs the help of both men to stave off an attack by Vandal Savage, the undying evil villain of the DCU (that was revealed to be the original honest-to-God Cain of The Bible during Final Crisis—a storyline that has sadly never been followed up on). Savage is using a faction of the Chinese Red Army to attempt to sack Bhutran in order to learn the location of the ever moving city of Nanda Parbat, the fictional DCU equivalent of Shangri La. The story is a thinly veiled reference to the current issue of Chinese repression of the real world Tibet, and it’s Tibetan Buddhist monks and leader, The Dali Lama. Straczynski and Roberson craft a tale that intersects the thematic world of Superman and Batman with the real world. The two’s actions in defense of Bhutran from Savage and his cohorts take on characteristics their soon to be debuted public superhero personas will display. Clark battles in the light with sheer brute strength, and Bruce utilizes the tools of fear that will become so integral to his quest for justice.
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Both characters' approaches to the plight of Bhutran represent and reinforce the Western World’s approach to the plight of Tibet metaphorically. Both Batman and Superman are arguably representatives of the American led Western World’s response to the threat of Communism during the Cold War, a time period that logically represents the setting of the story told within the frame of Clark and Bruce’s little catch up session while Clark continues his walkabout through America. Superman and Batman, as fictional creations, have grown into two of the biggest pop culture and metaphorical representations of America over the years along with McDonald’s and Disney. Superman represents the shining ideal of what America strives to be: the “Shining City on a Hill” dedicated to the promotion of truth and justice worldwide. Batman represents the darker underbelly of American world intervention (especially as he was metaphorically portrayed in The Dark Knight (2008).), even though his motives are the same, Bruce Wayne/Batman has less respect for the rule of law and due process. The two combine to represent, not what is best and worst about American ideals on intervention and justice, but the realities of the multifaceted American ideal in general. When they both work together, as in the case of their fictional and metaphorical defense of Bhutran, they can accomplish many great things. Bhutran is saved and liberty is preserved.
What is so interesting about Straczynski and Roberson’s portrayal of these metaphorically personified American ideals is that they do not show them in any kind of critical light, as is the norm with most tales that allegorically or metaphorically tackle the question of American intervention worldwide. Clark and Bruce are the clear cut good guys and Vandal Savage and the Chinese Red Army are the clear cut bad guys. It can be argued that the Red Army is simply the pawn of Savage, and Savage is motivated by a human biological failing, the desire to be free of pain. Savage is seeking out Nanda Parbat in order to obtain aid from the monks of Rama Kushna to alleviate the immortal pain that he suffers from physically due to his undying nature and the undying nature of “the cancer [that can never kill him], but at times the pain [from which] made him wish he was dead.” Individuals suffering from great physical pain will go to great physical and mental lengths to seek respite from such pain. Nonetheless, while subtle arguments focusing on the greater validity of the motivations of men, superheroes, nations, and Superman and Batman’s validity of action can be discerned from consideration of Savage’s physical motivations vs. Clark and Bruce’s political and humanitarian motivations, Bruce and Clark are still first and foremost in the eyes of the reader the good guys who are and can do no wrong. Straczynski and Roberson’s story is, more or less, a story told in metaphoric black and white where the representatives of American intervention and philosophy are virtually flawless in their actions and motivations. Such a presentation of American ideals is rare these days in comics. The point here in this essay is not to argue the pros, cons, or validity of the argument on American intervention, etc (which are highly debatable), but to point out the uniqueness of Straczynski and Roberson’s tale. Again, it is rare in the realm of comic book themes these days.
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I originally intended my look at Superman #710 to be a sort of a simple jump start review of my regular looks at The Superman Family of titles. I was just going to simply discuss the pro and cons of this issue and the “Grounded” storyline overall, which is now eight chapters long. I’ve been quiet on Superman recently, but I have been reading his books steadily. Obviously, this ended up not being a simple review, and I love it when that happens. Superman #710 is definitely a great jumping on point though for a new look at what’s been going on in Superman’s titles, and shows once again the thematic potentiality that superheroes and superhero books embody.
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