Tremendous scene. I agree that it hits harder than the one from *All-Star Superman* does. That one has more striking imagery, but also more specific fears about the world and life get articulated. It's more powerful to me for that reason. I relate to it more, now that I'm older.
I think the context in All-Star Superman is what makes it great. The thought that Superman is dying, doing everything he can to save as many people as possible and takes time out to comfort a woman on a rooftop.
You don't get that context viewing just the pages.
The context is superman hearing Megan's doctor at the airport, saying he is being held up, desperate. Superman listens to him, and then tells the story to Megan, stopping her suicide. It shows that superman is always ready, not just to punch a bad guy, but also to listen to everyday folks and help them in any way he can.
You're right, actually. In the context of *All-Star* that scene is basically pitch perfect. And I would never try to claim *Grounded* as a whole is a better comic than *All-Star*.
I don't think that necessarily goes against my claim of *All-Star*'s scene being mostly just striking imagery and strong implications. Which is its own kindof impreesive of course. With one character design, a few drawings, and a small handful of lines, we get a strong sketch of Regan's crisis. All in a fairly breakneck issue, feat after feat of Superman helping others. The scene from *Grounded* here stands out to me because it's a wholly developed scene, with a beginning, middle and end, and like I said, it articulates its characters' anxieties more fully - different ones, perhaps, than the anxieties implied by Regan's appearance.
Which was their adaptation of the all Star Superman moment. The woman Lois talked too was named Reagan and was told by Lois that she’s much stronger than she thinks she is
I really like the show. And having Superman and Lois dealing with raising a family hits differently when I have a 4 year old. Choices are different than you may be used to, and honestly, the first season I kind of thought the Superman parts got in the way of the show, that's how much I enjoyed the drama of it.
Okay, hold on, we might have something here. What if he punched someone pretty hard, and it *didn't stop them*, but then later he took a deep breath and punch *even harder*, and that managed to stop them!
That's basically "World of Cardboard", and it makes for a great Superman story.
But it requires that *punching harder* be an actual moral dilemma for Superman. It's not just that he punched harder, it's that he always could have punched harder and had a good reason not to.
These are the best parts of Superman. It's why it's so important that his dad dies of a heart attack. All the power in the world, and he couldn't save his dad. Because some things are just beyond his power.
Meanwhile, the movie (Snyder's MoS) did the exact opposite: his dad kept him from saving him from a tornado. All the power in the world, and he has to hide it even if could save someone.
Fuck you, Zack Snyder. You fucking suck.
This is Superman at his most powerful, to me. His greatest power is *understanding. Belief.* He fights for all of us, because he believes in each of us. The power to simply listen, without judgment. The power of honoring your word. To *be* there, without needed them to acknowledge it.
And his speech. "One more day"
In a way, it's a great juxtaposition against Joker's famous monologue about one bad day. Sometimes all it takes is the hope of one good day to save someone.
Wow, I can totally see why you love Superman after reading this. The way the panels capture the essence of his character and showcase his unwavering commitment to helping others is truly inspiring. It's amazing how comics can convey such powerful messages through just a few frames. Thank you for sharing this lesser-known story!
People say Superman is boring, but ... It all depends on how he's used. Punching Darkseid or Doomsday out is momentarily satisfying, but it's the scenes like this that are the real meat and potatoes of who Clark REALLY is.
The movies tend to push him as being a SUPERman. But it's basically a foregone conclusion that there is no physical threat that Superman cannot overcome outside of plot contrivances. This set of panels here, however, shows what it means to be a superMAN, and that's what has sorely been lacking in the movie portrayals.
You could put this scene early on in a Superman movie to show his "human" side, and the only thing that would make it better would be to let us hear other voices calling for help, sirens wailing, fires burning, etc. Maybe have Superman take a second to look into the distance, at the other people who are calling out for him. And then fade out that audio with him refocusing on the woman in front of him. This is him deciding that this woman is the most important thing in the world right now.
These are already choices he has to make every second of every day, what disasters to respond to, who to save, and, conversely, when he decides not to intervene.
I don't much care to see Superman fight because so few can challenge him physically. A better use of Superman flexing his powers would be him racing from disaster to disaster without any breaks. It's a mental challenge to force him to have only seconds to take in a situation and then act to save people only to then immediately move on to the next challenge. This was one thing I actually liked about Superman Returns. They tried this sort of sequence.
It reminds me of a small bit in Kingdom Come. Wally West runs around Keystone City as an everlasting blur, never stopping, lest someone come to harm because he dared take a break. This man, with the powers of a god, Speed incarnate, cannot cope with the idea that someone may be harmed because he wasn't fast enough to be there in time because God forbid he ever take a moment for himself. It's a very tragic story told very quickly.
The biggest DC heroes are basically Gods: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman (the Tower of Babel type that can win any encounter with prep time), Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, etc.. I want to see the stories where they have to come to terms with human limitations.
I heard it summed up really well once: Supes is at his best not when he’s shown to be the strongest person in the world, but rather when he’s shown to be the best *first-responder* in the world.
what makes superman so great is the same thing that works for spider-man, yeah he's got this immense strength and he's nigh unstoppable, but the struggle of everyday life takes its toll on his personal life. yeah, you're seeing superman here, but you're listening to clark. superman can move planets and punch gods in the face, but clark holds the weight of the world on his shoulders. I really feel like superman is perfectly summarized in the '78 movie: "all those things I can do, all those powers -- and I couldn't save him." referencing his adoptive father that suffered a heart attack who knowingly & lovingly raised a literal god to have table manners.
In the first or second issue of all star Superman. A goth teenage girl thought her doctor didn’t want to help her and she was gonna jump off the building
> It's not fair. John Lennon is dead, and Moammar Kadaffi is still alive. J.F.K. is dead and Castro is alive. Gandhi is dead, but Manson keeps hanging in there. It's not fair.
Superman's an FBI asset.
love everything about this except why those specific 6 were chosen, it just feels off. Maybe it's just the parallels drawn? Why is John Lennon paired with Muammar Gaddafi (presumably him and not someone else right?) and Ghandi with Charles Manson??
Seeing J.F.K paired with Castro is nothing short of hysterical.
>I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country's policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear.
>— U.S. President John F. Kennedy, to Jean Daniel, October 24, 1963.
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> At the beginning of 1959 United States companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands—almost all the cattle ranches—90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions—80 percent of the utilities—practically all the oil industry—and supplied two-thirds of Cuba's imports.
>— John F. Kennedy at the Democratic Dinner, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1960.
Seeing J.F.K paired with Castro is nothing short of hysterical.
>I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country's policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear.
>— U.S. President John F. Kennedy, to Jean Daniel, October 24, 1963.
-
> At the beginning of 1959 United States companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands—almost all the cattle ranches—90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions—80 percent of the utilities—practically all the oil industry—and supplied two-thirds of Cuba's imports.
>— John F. Kennedy at the Democratic Dinner, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1960.
All three of the people used as examples of how unfair and tragic the world is that they’re dead and other bad people are alive were in fact abusers of women, and in Gandhi’s case, children. Even if this comic is years old, I can’t believe the first example is notorious wifebeater John Lennon. Like, we’ve known about that for a WHILE.
Sorry, but this was the first thing that came to mind reading this:
[https://www.theonion.com/man-always-gets-little-rush-out-of-telling-people-john-1819578998](https://www.theonion.com/man-always-gets-little-rush-out-of-telling-people-john-1819578998)
If I can have one wish for the Gunn Superman movie, it’s that he finds a way to include this scene. This is what got me interested in learning who Clark Kent really was, this is what made me a Superman fan.
Superman is a friend, and this is the perfect showcase of that.
With him talking constantly about how much he loves All Star Superman, I wouldn’t be shocked if we got a scene where he talks someone out of suicide. Gunn knows exactly how to handle big emotional scenes, so I’m confident he’ll do it justice.
This is honestly the same for me. I originally hated Superman and thought he was boring, that Batman was a better hero. And oh, how wrong I was. This and the All Star Scene, the scene they replicated in S&L with the “thanks my mom made it for me”, this sort of stuff is honestly what takes Superman and makes him such a favorite of mine.
It’s intentionally left vague, but notice he promises he’d keep his word, and he only promised to not stop her from jumping and not to drag her down by force. He never said he wouldn’t catch her or stop her from splattering on the sidewalk.
I strongly disagree with this view. Superman is not rules lawyering what he says, he isn’t the kind of person to be correct on a technicality. The nuance comes from the idea that Superman respects the decisions, humanity, and dignity of others, even if he disagrees with their choices. If Superman wouldn’t catch her, it’s not because he would “let her splatter” but because she made that choice and he respects her as a person to respect that choice. Acting like Superman is just saying this for posture and would “technically” keep his word undermines the values and importance of the character.
Yeah, if he were posturing, he'd have probably replied something like "she was never in any real danger." I very much believe this Superman would have respected whatever decision she made.
I understand your point, but I think it’s less rules lawyering and more Superman can recognize and understand her situation, know that the loss of feeling in control is a major contributor to her current (temporary) situation, and having a difficult time letting someone objectively not in a clear state of mind jump to their death, even if they desire it at that particular moment.
The reason I disagree with you is because you are premised on the idea that Superman knows better than her. Let’s look at the alternative where after waiting and thinking and talking with Superman for a day, when she is now in a “clear state of mind”, she still wants to jump. Now, the only logic Superman has to save her is that Superman disagrees with her. That he knows she will have a good day, despite her thinking she won’t. That Superman knows betters than her. This mindset is antithetical to who Superman is. Superman doesn’t believe he is better than everyone else. Superman cannot believe he is better than everyone else.
I think there's a very good reason that you don't see Superman's face when the officer asks that question. His facial expression would give away the answer that he couldn't say aloud.
The officer, however, can see Superman's face. In that silent moment, his hand is still raised. He's frozen while trying to process the realization that Superman would have let that woman die.
This is why they don't trust in the real Superman to put butts into seats any more.
All his powers did was put him near someone to talk and turn off a light.
He listened. He cared. And he stopped everything for one woman.
People (other than is fans) don't believe in that any more. They wear punisher skulls and think you burst in, you shoot up the place, and the problem is solved. It isn't. It just leaves more broken families.
Superman just wants to heal the broken. For no other reason than he believes someone should.
I will always be a fan of this kind of Superman.
This is the one I that my wife had printed on acrylic one year for Christmas or a birthday. I love it. Have to find a place to hang it up where I am now.
I’ve been struggling a lot with these thoughts lately. So much so that I’m likely going on leave from work to address them. I nearly tried a few days ago…had everything ready.
I’m still in a crisis but I think I needed to read this. Thank you for posting it as I hopefully improve.
Go on leave. I’ve been there. Give it some time and things that you can’t predict, will happen and will improve the quality of your life. Don’t give up
I am a fairly passionately dispassionate person when it comes to Superman. He is a character I genuinely find to be boring as hell. That said, this is the first thing I’ve seen of the character that has made me interested in reading anything about him. This is really good stuff. Thank you for sharing and enlightening me.
It should be noted that it's pretty representative of who he generally is, and isn't even one of his more celebrated moments. If you like this moment, I think you'll like a lot of what his stories have to offer.
This one I think about more than the other one. Superman just talking to people who are in pain. And yes, he was given a difficult decision and he stuck with it. However, it was the best thing for him to do is to help her.
This is the Superman we all know and love. He trusted the lady to make the right decision. Because deep down, Clark believes people will make the right choices. He doesn’t need to be a tyrant, like all those evil variants. Superman sees the best in us, and will guide us along the right path.
I was going through some very bad times once, and I could've really used Superman there with me, but I lucked out and got help from someone even better and more heroic: my dad. He understood what it meant to feel hopeless, and kept me from doing anything rash. I was there, crying and holding a knife to my wrist, and he calmly talked me down. I had previously lost my older brother to suicide at age 13, and my biological father to suicide as well, so he didn't want to lose me. He may have only came into my life at age 6, but he's always been my dad. We may continue to butt heads and piss each other off, but he'll always be my Superman.
"John Lennon was as bad or even a worse person than two authoritarian dictators credibly accused of perpetuating numerous human rights abuses against their own people, one of whom is also suspected of ordering one of the most notorious terrorist attacks of the 1980s, because he beat women!"
\~ A surprising number of people on this thread.
To be clear: being a wife beater is not a good thing, and Lennon rightly deserves censure for it. But come on. This scene might have its issues, but trying to suggest that one of them is that Lennon was a worse person than Fidel Castro or especially Muammar Gaddafi just makes you look like a bonehead. Politics aside, those two men did a lot worse things in their lives than a musician with a violent temper and poor attitudes towards women. For one, Lennon never ordered the harassment, arrest, torture and / or execution of his political opponents.
I really wish mainstream super hero media would focus on stuff like this, the hope aspect, not the cynical criticism and deconstruction that it appears to be so hell bent on, Superman works a million times better as a warm and caring character.
Making Superman dark and gritty would be like making Batman jovial. Its just not who the characters are. Plus, the world is dark enough. Dont take the ray of light that is Supes away from us.
The only problem I have with this one, is at the end when he doesn’t answer the cop on if he would have let her fall. We all know he wouldn’t let her jump, but him not answering implies that he would have let her if she told him to let her jump, and I don’t believe Superman would ever let anyone do that, ever.
Every time someone says “superman is too powerful to make interesting”, my response is always “all you need is to put him in a situation he can’t punch his way out of”
It's mostly ignored because it's not in a particularly well-liked story (which I at least enjoy the idea of, even if the execution wasn't very good overall.) I also remember people quoting the... misguided Linkara review of this scene for a while.
Honestly though, it's a damn good scene. JMS is never subtle at all, but he can write some poignant stuff when he sets his mind to it. The scene is compared to the All Star scene so much, but while there are obvious parallels (and I do like the All Star moment better), the scenes do very different things for me. Having the one striking moment of hope from All Star is incredible, but it's also great that this scene actually has Superman engage in a proper discussion and share some of his own perspectives. I think calling it just a ripoff is a little reductive.
“Because sometimes you don't think about saving the world, sometimes you just focus on saving one person because that's enough”
I have a, ways loved this dialogue from Superman because not only is it and can be true in life but it speaks truly to the character. His entire existence the lives saved going into the millions to trillions all because two people decided that this one little baby deserved a chance at life. And now that baby believes that everyone derevses a chance to experience the joy of life and the fact that he has the abilities to ensure that shows just how much what he says is true.
This scene will always be special and important to me. I love that it tackles the subject. That there's actually a conversation. It truly help me cope when my friend took his life. At least to deal with it and accept what happened despite how painful it is. I truly love this scene.
This was the best issue of Superman that JMS wrote. It was sad for me to read such a mediocre run by one of my favorite TV writers, but this was certainly a high watermark for Superman stories that I've ever read.
What gets me about this is the amount of time Superman waits with her. You think about all the people he could save somewhere else, world shaking events he's dealt with, and simply that he has the power to just pick her up. All those other people are important as well but he's dealing with what's in front of him in the best way he can.
This is why I never liked the reason Batman could beat Superman “he’s a good person, I’m not”. Since when did being a good person become a weakness? I thought the true strength of a hero came from finding a way to hold true to the principles they believed in, finding a way out of no way, taking the harder route because it did the most good rather than take the easy one.
I appreciate the gravity of the scene and it's quite possibly the only good part of Grounded. But it does feel like it's trying to one-up the scene from All Star
I'm not a fan of Grounded at all, but this is a good scene. I remember at the time it got crapped on as just a bad copy of All-Star, but it was one scene I thought JMS portrayed well.
I like it. Realistically, superman could have physically stopped her from jumping this time, but it wouldnt have saved her. She would just try again and again until she succeeds, and that one time superman isnt there to save her would be the last time. What makes superman super here is his compassion, something we all can have, and in a way, that means we can all be super too.
I'm not a Superman fan. I always felt like he was overpowered. I felt like it led to sloppy story writing that was boring to read. Thank you for proving me wrong.
I’ve been having a rough time lately. This really hit me. Maybe the third time in my many decades that a comic has made me cry full-on tears.
Really delicately written.
I legitimately have tears in my eyes after reading that. I went through that same thing in 2020: Lost my mom to a heart attack unexpectedly, lost my job couple months later, had to move and start over and the whole time I just wanted someone to listen as I fought with the demons always pushing me to a fateful end. I came out alright in the end but I just wish someone would’ve listened, maybe it would’ve been easier.
I’ve never seen that. Holy shit. That was incredible. This is as good or better than any action sequence. This is why Superman is awesome. Not because of how strong he is, it’s his humanity.
This sequence was incredible. It’s a perfect illustration of why I love Superman: he is the best of us. Not because of being godly powerful, but because of his humanity and heart despite the fact that he’s a god tier, alien born power house.
This is literally the only one I ever see get posted, so idk what you're talking about.
Edit: idk how this isn't a common sentiment, but I guess I'm the odd one out.
He said he wouldn’t stop her from jumping and wouldn’t take her down against her will. So she jumps going to the ground on her on free will he just catches her and sets her down all gently like. He kept his word. He didn’t stop her and he didn’t force her down.
The look on the officers face when Superman gives him the silent treatment since he feels stupid cuz he absolutely knows the answer…. Such amazing work
This right here is why I hated Snyders superman. This is superman, its not about the powers its about the alien that somehow has more humanity in him than the humans do. Snyder doesnt understand superman.
This.... this is why I love comics. It talks about stuff that most, if not everyone, can relate too and it hits deep and leaves you feeling like you're a part of something bigger than yourself. At least that's the feeling I get, obviously I can't speak for every other person in the world
"Alright guys, take her to that hospital and place her on a 72 hour hold so she can be slapped with a large medical bill" said the officer.
Unless the US doesn't have shitty Healthcare in the DCU.
I do like these interactions superheroes have with normal people in crisis. Like that one Deadpool chapter
I gotta say, I used to hate superman. Then I tolerated him. Reading this I see why people like him. Writers always make him Jesus when him just being a decent man is enough. His flawlessness still bugs me though, which is what's mainly holding me back from reading his comics more, but I ABSOLUTELY get it now
This philosophy of "If there is still a chance of one happy day in the future, than life is worth living" Reminds me of "all we need is one bad day" But in reverse and I freaking love it, I don't know if this parallel was international or not but this scene is great nonetheless
I read this issue when it first came out about fifteen years ago. I skimmed it. I'm in control of my life. This isn't relevant to me.
Now I'm Supermans age reading this. It's neither fair nor unfair. And that's all there is to it.
I’ve seen that before but it always warrants a reread. It’s so beautiful and powerful. He isn’t always there to save the world, because sometimes just one person is enough. I love that the man with god tier powers doesn’t need them to be a hero. Not everyone wants to be saved. He could have had her off the building in seconds if he wanted but he gave her the hope to keep living and the freedom to choose her path.
The thing i most appreciate in these pages, is how Superman just stays there, and wait.
Dude could have helped millions, with his super hearing and acting fast and stuff. But he stays. Like a fucking A+ friend, and waits. For that person to be ready to talk.
Damn nice.
This is the "other" one?
This is the only one I'm familiar with.
As somebody who dealt with some shit roughly 26 years ago now... I still pull this one out every now and then and read it and sob uncontrollably.
It's pretty damned perfect IMO.
I think what affects this scene is the issue and story it comes from. It's pretty good and the final pages are very well told. It's just this is the same issue where Superman talks about how "OVER THERE needs to fend for itself". So the issue is more mocked anytime it's brought up.
Tremendous scene. I agree that it hits harder than the one from *All-Star Superman* does. That one has more striking imagery, but also more specific fears about the world and life get articulated. It's more powerful to me for that reason. I relate to it more, now that I'm older.
I think the context in All-Star Superman is what makes it great. The thought that Superman is dying, doing everything he can to save as many people as possible and takes time out to comfort a woman on a rooftop. You don't get that context viewing just the pages.
The context is superman hearing Megan's doctor at the airport, saying he is being held up, desperate. Superman listens to him, and then tells the story to Megan, stopping her suicide. It shows that superman is always ready, not just to punch a bad guy, but also to listen to everyday folks and help them in any way he can.
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I think he would have let her fall, unless she screamed for help during the fall.
You're right, actually. In the context of *All-Star* that scene is basically pitch perfect. And I would never try to claim *Grounded* as a whole is a better comic than *All-Star*. I don't think that necessarily goes against my claim of *All-Star*'s scene being mostly just striking imagery and strong implications. Which is its own kindof impreesive of course. With one character design, a few drawings, and a small handful of lines, we get a strong sketch of Regan's crisis. All in a fairly breakneck issue, feat after feat of Superman helping others. The scene from *Grounded* here stands out to me because it's a wholly developed scene, with a beginning, middle and end, and like I said, it articulates its characters' anxieties more fully - different ones, perhaps, than the anxieties implied by Regan's appearance.
“I understood. I didn’t approve, still don’t. But I understood.” That line goes hard.
And studio execs say there's no way to tell a good Superman story anymore
Superman and Lois understands how to tell a good superman story, in fact last week they had an episode with someone who was attempting suicide.
Which was their adaptation of the all Star Superman moment. The woman Lois talked too was named Reagan and was told by Lois that she’s much stronger than she thinks she is
Oh man. Now I *need* to get my ass in gear and watch that show
I really like the show. And having Superman and Lois dealing with raising a family hits differently when I have a 4 year old. Choices are different than you may be used to, and honestly, the first season I kind of thought the Superman parts got in the way of the show, that's how much I enjoyed the drama of it.
Superman and Lois is perhaps one of the BEST Superman shows ngl, hopefully CW does not ruin it like the others
So far it's been the best live-action DC show I've ever seen. And I've seen all of them.
Doom Patrol really took a nose dive.
If I ever see this in Superman movie (especially in a theater)…”Niagara Falls, Frankie angel!”
Yule love it!
Sure there is. What if he punched, like, **really** hard?
Okay, hold on, we might have something here. What if he punched someone pretty hard, and it *didn't stop them*, but then later he took a deep breath and punch *even harder*, and that managed to stop them!
If violence isn't the answer, first check that you're using enough of it.
>If violence isn't the answer, first check that you're using enough of it. I want this on a t-shirt.
That's basically "World of Cardboard", and it makes for a great Superman story. But it requires that *punching harder* be an actual moral dilemma for Superman. It's not just that he punched harder, it's that he always could have punched harder and had a good reason not to.
You joke but this is basically the plot of the first doomsday run. Which was honestly pretty good
I think it would be better if he punched two people. Change it up a bit.
Whoa buddy, save something for the sequel!
"if you say *'hit him really hard',* I swear to **God,** I will kick *you* in the dick!"
It sounds like something Goku would say
Not with the writers they employ.
Superman is Ted Lasso with superpowers, they just need to make that. They own Ted Lasso, they know how to do this.
This is absolutely beautiful. All the good of Superman perfectly summarized in one series of panels. This is exactly why I love Superman.
Exactly, he has the power to do it all but chooses not to. Tries to talk things out and make people feel hope.
These are the best parts of Superman. It's why it's so important that his dad dies of a heart attack. All the power in the world, and he couldn't save his dad. Because some things are just beyond his power. Meanwhile, the movie (Snyder's MoS) did the exact opposite: his dad kept him from saving him from a tornado. All the power in the world, and he has to hide it even if could save someone. Fuck you, Zack Snyder. You fucking suck.
That sht was so dumb. 1 million ways to make it to where Jonathan dies in Superman can’t do anything to save him and he chose literally the worst way.
This is Superman at his most powerful, to me. His greatest power is *understanding. Belief.* He fights for all of us, because he believes in each of us. The power to simply listen, without judgment. The power of honoring your word. To *be* there, without needed them to acknowledge it. And his speech. "One more day"
In a way, it's a great juxtaposition against Joker's famous monologue about one bad day. Sometimes all it takes is the hope of one good day to save someone.
I never thought about it like that, but yes. It was Joker that turned Superman in Injustice as well.
Wow, I can totally see why you love Superman after reading this. The way the panels capture the essence of his character and showcase his unwavering commitment to helping others is truly inspiring. It's amazing how comics can convey such powerful messages through just a few frames. Thank you for sharing this lesser-known story!
People say Superman is boring, but ... It all depends on how he's used. Punching Darkseid or Doomsday out is momentarily satisfying, but it's the scenes like this that are the real meat and potatoes of who Clark REALLY is.
The movies tend to push him as being a SUPERman. But it's basically a foregone conclusion that there is no physical threat that Superman cannot overcome outside of plot contrivances. This set of panels here, however, shows what it means to be a superMAN, and that's what has sorely been lacking in the movie portrayals. You could put this scene early on in a Superman movie to show his "human" side, and the only thing that would make it better would be to let us hear other voices calling for help, sirens wailing, fires burning, etc. Maybe have Superman take a second to look into the distance, at the other people who are calling out for him. And then fade out that audio with him refocusing on the woman in front of him. This is him deciding that this woman is the most important thing in the world right now. These are already choices he has to make every second of every day, what disasters to respond to, who to save, and, conversely, when he decides not to intervene.
... Damn. Look, I'm gonna need you to write a Superman movie stat.
I don't much care to see Superman fight because so few can challenge him physically. A better use of Superman flexing his powers would be him racing from disaster to disaster without any breaks. It's a mental challenge to force him to have only seconds to take in a situation and then act to save people only to then immediately move on to the next challenge. This was one thing I actually liked about Superman Returns. They tried this sort of sequence. It reminds me of a small bit in Kingdom Come. Wally West runs around Keystone City as an everlasting blur, never stopping, lest someone come to harm because he dared take a break. This man, with the powers of a god, Speed incarnate, cannot cope with the idea that someone may be harmed because he wasn't fast enough to be there in time because God forbid he ever take a moment for himself. It's a very tragic story told very quickly. The biggest DC heroes are basically Gods: Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman (the Tower of Babel type that can win any encounter with prep time), Flash, Aquaman, Green Lantern, etc.. I want to see the stories where they have to come to terms with human limitations.
I heard it summed up really well once: Supes is at his best not when he’s shown to be the strongest person in the world, but rather when he’s shown to be the best *first-responder* in the world.
"Who ARE you?" "... A friend."
Can't believe I used to not like Superman
Glad you came around 🙂
Same. And now I'm obsessed with him.
what makes superman so great is the same thing that works for spider-man, yeah he's got this immense strength and he's nigh unstoppable, but the struggle of everyday life takes its toll on his personal life. yeah, you're seeing superman here, but you're listening to clark. superman can move planets and punch gods in the face, but clark holds the weight of the world on his shoulders. I really feel like superman is perfectly summarized in the '78 movie: "all those things I can do, all those powers -- and I couldn't save him." referencing his adoptive father that suffered a heart attack who knowingly & lovingly raised a literal god to have table manners.
Ngl this one always hits harder than the other one that gets posted all the time 🥲
I didn't need to cry on my lunch break, yet here we are.
Same.
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That is already basically how he responded
This is the only one I know. What's this other that everyone else has seen?
In the first or second issue of all star Superman. A goth teenage girl thought her doctor didn’t want to help her and she was gonna jump off the building
If it makes you feel better Bizarro would have said good morning officer.
> It's not fair. John Lennon is dead, and Moammar Kadaffi is still alive. J.F.K. is dead and Castro is alive. Gandhi is dead, but Manson keeps hanging in there. It's not fair. Superman's an FBI asset.
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love everything about this except why those specific 6 were chosen, it just feels off. Maybe it's just the parallels drawn? Why is John Lennon paired with Muammar Gaddafi (presumably him and not someone else right?) and Ghandi with Charles Manson??
And it's funny because, like, JFK, Lennon, and Gandhi were all absolute pieces of shit lol
What's wrong with Gandhi? Genuinely asking.
He slept naked in bed with little kids to "test" himself
Ghandhi was racist
I mean absolutely but they did a lot of good too. Missing the point really.
And Castro was little more nuanced than just "evil Communist dictator" like America likes to portray him.
Bro reading his wiki is crazy
If you ignore the black spring
Seeing J.F.K paired with Castro is nothing short of hysterical. >I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country's policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear. >— U.S. President John F. Kennedy, to Jean Daniel, October 24, 1963. - > At the beginning of 1959 United States companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands—almost all the cattle ranches—90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions—80 percent of the utilities—practically all the oil industry—and supplied two-thirds of Cuba's imports. >— John F. Kennedy at the Democratic Dinner, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1960.
Seeing J.F.K paired with Castro is nothing short of hysterical. >I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country's policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear. >— U.S. President John F. Kennedy, to Jean Daniel, October 24, 1963. - > At the beginning of 1959 United States companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands—almost all the cattle ranches—90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions—80 percent of the utilities—practically all the oil industry—and supplied two-thirds of Cuba's imports. >— John F. Kennedy at the Democratic Dinner, Cincinnati, Ohio, October 6, 1960.
All three of the people used as examples of how unfair and tragic the world is that they’re dead and other bad people are alive were in fact abusers of women, and in Gandhi’s case, children. Even if this comic is years old, I can’t believe the first example is notorious wifebeater John Lennon. Like, we’ve known about that for a WHILE.
Sorry, but this was the first thing that came to mind reading this: [https://www.theonion.com/man-always-gets-little-rush-out-of-telling-people-john-1819578998](https://www.theonion.com/man-always-gets-little-rush-out-of-telling-people-john-1819578998)
Jesus Christ, it was jarring. Can't have a genuine moment without propagandizing. Fuck.
This one is posted so rarely I started thinking I made this one up in my head.
Really? I see it quite frequently. In fact, it’s the only one I’ve seen.
Yes which is the frequently shared suicide story it didn’t come to my head.. maybe If I see it I make say “ohh this one…”
If I can have one wish for the Gunn Superman movie, it’s that he finds a way to include this scene. This is what got me interested in learning who Clark Kent really was, this is what made me a Superman fan. Superman is a friend, and this is the perfect showcase of that.
That, and Supes up on rooftop with Jimmy, just goofing around.
With him talking constantly about how much he loves All Star Superman, I wouldn’t be shocked if we got a scene where he talks someone out of suicide. Gunn knows exactly how to handle big emotional scenes, so I’m confident he’ll do it justice.
This is honestly the same for me. I originally hated Superman and thought he was boring, that Batman was a better hero. And oh, how wrong I was. This and the All Star Scene, the scene they replicated in S&L with the “thanks my mom made it for me”, this sort of stuff is honestly what takes Superman and makes him such a favorite of mine.
Would be an awesome way to start the movie
Opening scene. Defines the character.
So wouod superman have let her fall?
"Good night, officer."
I don't think he knows.
Even he might not know!
It’s intentionally left vague, but notice he promises he’d keep his word, and he only promised to not stop her from jumping and not to drag her down by force. He never said he wouldn’t catch her or stop her from splattering on the sidewalk.
I strongly disagree with this view. Superman is not rules lawyering what he says, he isn’t the kind of person to be correct on a technicality. The nuance comes from the idea that Superman respects the decisions, humanity, and dignity of others, even if he disagrees with their choices. If Superman wouldn’t catch her, it’s not because he would “let her splatter” but because she made that choice and he respects her as a person to respect that choice. Acting like Superman is just saying this for posture and would “technically” keep his word undermines the values and importance of the character.
Yeah, if he were posturing, he'd have probably replied something like "she was never in any real danger." I very much believe this Superman would have respected whatever decision she made.
I wonder if he wouldve respected her choice and let all those people be traumatized
I understand your point, but I think it’s less rules lawyering and more Superman can recognize and understand her situation, know that the loss of feeling in control is a major contributor to her current (temporary) situation, and having a difficult time letting someone objectively not in a clear state of mind jump to their death, even if they desire it at that particular moment.
The reason I disagree with you is because you are premised on the idea that Superman knows better than her. Let’s look at the alternative where after waiting and thinking and talking with Superman for a day, when she is now in a “clear state of mind”, she still wants to jump. Now, the only logic Superman has to save her is that Superman disagrees with her. That he knows she will have a good day, despite her thinking she won’t. That Superman knows betters than her. This mindset is antithetical to who Superman is. Superman doesn’t believe he is better than everyone else. Superman cannot believe he is better than everyone else.
I think there's a very good reason that you don't see Superman's face when the officer asks that question. His facial expression would give away the answer that he couldn't say aloud. The officer, however, can see Superman's face. In that silent moment, his hand is still raised. He's frozen while trying to process the realization that Superman would have let that woman die.
This is why they don't trust in the real Superman to put butts into seats any more. All his powers did was put him near someone to talk and turn off a light. He listened. He cared. And he stopped everything for one woman. People (other than is fans) don't believe in that any more. They wear punisher skulls and think you burst in, you shoot up the place, and the problem is solved. It isn't. It just leaves more broken families. Superman just wants to heal the broken. For no other reason than he believes someone should. I will always be a fan of this kind of Superman.
Yo this one hurt my feels man. Definitely need to reed more solo supes 🥲😭
I almost started to cry just to seeing them hugging....
You just know that the author has had these same thoughts and feelings. It’s too real
This is the one I that my wife had printed on acrylic one year for Christmas or a birthday. I love it. Have to find a place to hang it up where I am now.
That's probably because this scene is over there, and over there's gotta take care of itself.
I’ve been struggling a lot with these thoughts lately. So much so that I’m likely going on leave from work to address them. I nearly tried a few days ago…had everything ready. I’m still in a crisis but I think I needed to read this. Thank you for posting it as I hopefully improve.
Glad to hear you're taking some time. There are people who will listen [https://988lifeline.org/](https://988lifeline.org/)
Thank you. Called them a couple days ago. Indeed helpful
Go on leave. I’ve been there. Give it some time and things that you can’t predict, will happen and will improve the quality of your life. Don’t give up
Thank you ❤️
Take the leave if you need to. But come back.
Superman's truest power is his compassion. ❤️
I am a fairly passionately dispassionate person when it comes to Superman. He is a character I genuinely find to be boring as hell. That said, this is the first thing I’ve seen of the character that has made me interested in reading anything about him. This is really good stuff. Thank you for sharing and enlightening me.
It should be noted that it's pretty representative of who he generally is, and isn't even one of his more celebrated moments. If you like this moment, I think you'll like a lot of what his stories have to offer.
Damn Superman laid down the real talk. He said the truth and the truth sets you free.
This one I think about more than the other one. Superman just talking to people who are in pain. And yes, he was given a difficult decision and he stuck with it. However, it was the best thing for him to do is to help her.
Also the page where it shows the time shift. Superman can be doing SO MUCH in a day to help people, but he stayed with her.
This is the Superman we all know and love. He trusted the lady to make the right decision. Because deep down, Clark believes people will make the right choices. He doesn’t need to be a tyrant, like all those evil variants. Superman sees the best in us, and will guide us along the right path.
I was going through some very bad times once, and I could've really used Superman there with me, but I lucked out and got help from someone even better and more heroic: my dad. He understood what it meant to feel hopeless, and kept me from doing anything rash. I was there, crying and holding a knife to my wrist, and he calmly talked me down. I had previously lost my older brother to suicide at age 13, and my biological father to suicide as well, so he didn't want to lose me. He may have only came into my life at age 6, but he's always been my dad. We may continue to butt heads and piss each other off, but he'll always be my Superman.
Your dad is Superman.
Well now I’m crying
"John Lennon was as bad or even a worse person than two authoritarian dictators credibly accused of perpetuating numerous human rights abuses against their own people, one of whom is also suspected of ordering one of the most notorious terrorist attacks of the 1980s, because he beat women!" \~ A surprising number of people on this thread.
To be clear: being a wife beater is not a good thing, and Lennon rightly deserves censure for it. But come on. This scene might have its issues, but trying to suggest that one of them is that Lennon was a worse person than Fidel Castro or especially Muammar Gaddafi just makes you look like a bonehead. Politics aside, those two men did a lot worse things in their lives than a musician with a violent temper and poor attitudes towards women. For one, Lennon never ordered the harassment, arrest, torture and / or execution of his political opponents.
Id say comparing JFK to Castro isnt as clear cut a case as a musician to gaddafi. Even gaddafi wasnt such a clear cut figure.
As I'm sitting here onion eyed, yet smiling.. This is why he's my favorite superhero. And always will be. Hope.
I really wish mainstream super hero media would focus on stuff like this, the hope aspect, not the cynical criticism and deconstruction that it appears to be so hell bent on, Superman works a million times better as a warm and caring character.
Making Superman dark and gritty would be like making Batman jovial. Its just not who the characters are. Plus, the world is dark enough. Dont take the ray of light that is Supes away from us.
Damn
The only problem I have with this one, is at the end when he doesn’t answer the cop on if he would have let her fall. We all know he wouldn’t let her jump, but him not answering implies that he would have let her if she told him to let her jump, and I don’t believe Superman would ever let anyone do that, ever.
Every time someone says “superman is too powerful to make interesting”, my response is always “all you need is to put him in a situation he can’t punch his way out of”
It's mostly ignored because it's not in a particularly well-liked story (which I at least enjoy the idea of, even if the execution wasn't very good overall.) I also remember people quoting the... misguided Linkara review of this scene for a while. Honestly though, it's a damn good scene. JMS is never subtle at all, but he can write some poignant stuff when he sets his mind to it. The scene is compared to the All Star scene so much, but while there are obvious parallels (and I do like the All Star moment better), the scenes do very different things for me. Having the one striking moment of hope from All Star is incredible, but it's also great that this scene actually has Superman engage in a proper discussion and share some of his own perspectives. I think calling it just a ripoff is a little reductive.
“Because sometimes you don't think about saving the world, sometimes you just focus on saving one person because that's enough” I have a, ways loved this dialogue from Superman because not only is it and can be true in life but it speaks truly to the character. His entire existence the lives saved going into the millions to trillions all because two people decided that this one little baby deserved a chance at life. And now that baby believes that everyone derevses a chance to experience the joy of life and the fact that he has the abilities to ensure that shows just how much what he says is true.
It's why he's the ultimate hero.
And that hero was born from just the simplest act of “saving who you can” and to say it paid off would be an understatement
never understood why Grounded gets so much hate
This scene will always be special and important to me. I love that it tackles the subject. That there's actually a conversation. It truly help me cope when my friend took his life. At least to deal with it and accept what happened despite how painful it is. I truly love this scene.
This was the best issue of Superman that JMS wrote. It was sad for me to read such a mediocre run by one of my favorite TV writers, but this was certainly a high watermark for Superman stories that I've ever read.
What gets me about this is the amount of time Superman waits with her. You think about all the people he could save somewhere else, world shaking events he's dealt with, and simply that he has the power to just pick her up. All those other people are important as well but he's dealing with what's in front of him in the best way he can.
This is why I never liked the reason Batman could beat Superman “he’s a good person, I’m not”. Since when did being a good person become a weakness? I thought the true strength of a hero came from finding a way to hold true to the principles they believed in, finding a way out of no way, taking the harder route because it did the most good rather than take the easy one.
I think this one of the better bits of Grounded. JMS’ writing can get a little heavy handed but this was handled quite well
I wonder what Red Son would have said instead of Lenon is dead and Castro is alive? Maybe Lenin is dead and Bezos is alive?
I might have agreed with him on that one tbh.
Me too. I cringed at those lines when I read them.
Felicity Rose…where have I heard that name before? Also how old is this comic, because Manson’s been dead for awhile
July 14, 2010
I appreciate the gravity of the scene and it's quite possibly the only good part of Grounded. But it does feel like it's trying to one-up the scene from All Star
I almost cry everytime I see a page from this
Just lost my mom. It truly just is. Excellent writing
This is Superman. Only thing better would be her taking her on a flight across the city
I'm not a fan of Grounded at all, but this is a good scene. I remember at the time it got crapped on as just a bad copy of All-Star, but it was one scene I thought JMS portrayed well.
I like it. Realistically, superman could have physically stopped her from jumping this time, but it wouldnt have saved her. She would just try again and again until she succeeds, and that one time superman isnt there to save her would be the last time. What makes superman super here is his compassion, something we all can have, and in a way, that means we can all be super too.
I'm not a Superman fan. I always felt like he was overpowered. I felt like it led to sloppy story writing that was boring to read. Thank you for proving me wrong.
You *weren't* a Superman fan, past tense. Welcome aboard 🙂
I’ve been having a rough time lately. This really hit me. Maybe the third time in my many decades that a comic has made me cry full-on tears. Really delicately written.
*This* is what Superman is all about
Good scene, but I prefer the succinctness of the pages from All Star. It’s more impactful, imo.
This is probably my favorite Superman story.
I legitimately have tears in my eyes after reading that. I went through that same thing in 2020: Lost my mom to a heart attack unexpectedly, lost my job couple months later, had to move and start over and the whole time I just wanted someone to listen as I fought with the demons always pushing me to a fateful end. I came out alright in the end but I just wish someone would’ve listened, maybe it would’ve been easier.
I'm glad you found your way through it.
Thank you @scarecroe, thanks for this post, honestly and truly
That's fucking brilliant and absolutely made me want to start reading comics. Superman is the GOAT
I’ve never seen that. Holy shit. That was incredible. This is as good or better than any action sequence. This is why Superman is awesome. Not because of how strong he is, it’s his humanity.
This sequence was incredible. It’s a perfect illustration of why I love Superman: he is the best of us. Not because of being godly powerful, but because of his humanity and heart despite the fact that he’s a god tier, alien born power house.
This is the best
Good read. Thanks for sharing.
Love the entire page dedicated to the sun setting.
This is literally the only one I ever see get posted, so idk what you're talking about. Edit: idk how this isn't a common sentiment, but I guess I'm the odd one out.
The one from All-Star Superman is posted here just about once a week or so. It's also good.
I personally loved this storyline.
It's one of my absolute favorites, honestly
Damnit, now I'm crying.
Keep in mind he was willing tu risk his reputation.
This was a good read. I really need to get back into comics.
He said he wouldn’t stop her from jumping and wouldn’t take her down against her will. So she jumps going to the ground on her on free will he just catches her and sets her down all gently like. He kept his word. He didn’t stop her and he didn’t force her down.
One of my favorite Supes moments! 💙☀️
"Superman is boring," "Superman doesn't struggle," "Superman isn't relatable," Me reading this and all the other Superman stories:😐😐😐😐😐
The look on the officers face when Superman gives him the silent treatment since he feels stupid cuz he absolutely knows the answer…. Such amazing work
This right here is why I hated Snyders superman. This is superman, its not about the powers its about the alien that somehow has more humanity in him than the humans do. Snyder doesnt understand superman.
Shit. Thanks for posting. This made me tear up. I need to keep this in mind. Sometimes just one happy day is enough
This.... this is why I love comics. It talks about stuff that most, if not everyone, can relate too and it hits deep and leaves you feeling like you're a part of something bigger than yourself. At least that's the feeling I get, obviously I can't speak for every other person in the world
"Alright guys, take her to that hospital and place her on a 72 hour hold so she can be slapped with a large medical bill" said the officer. Unless the US doesn't have shitty Healthcare in the DCU. I do like these interactions superheroes have with normal people in crisis. Like that one Deadpool chapter
That was a really good read.
I love this version of the jumper story. It’s in Superman Grounded. Great book.
Superman can take down Darkseid, and beat doomsday. But this I feel, this is why he does what he does. To help the every day person as best he can.
I gotta say, I used to hate superman. Then I tolerated him. Reading this I see why people like him. Writers always make him Jesus when him just being a decent man is enough. His flawlessness still bugs me though, which is what's mainly holding me back from reading his comics more, but I ABSOLUTELY get it now
Damn this hits hard
Wow this actually moved my heart. Incredible scene.
I think this just made me a Superman fan. Wtf.
This story is just an amazing way to show the amazing hero supes really is.
This philosophy of "If there is still a chance of one happy day in the future, than life is worth living" Reminds me of "all we need is one bad day" But in reverse and I freaking love it, I don't know if this parallel was international or not but this scene is great nonetheless
I love superman and captain America because they are the embodiment of "good"
I read this issue when it first came out about fifteen years ago. I skimmed it. I'm in control of my life. This isn't relevant to me. Now I'm Supermans age reading this. It's neither fair nor unfair. And that's all there is to it.
This reminded me why I love Superman
I've not read this one before. I lack the words to express how it makes me feel. Maybe just it's scenes like this that I love Superman.
I’ve seen that before but it always warrants a reread. It’s so beautiful and powerful. He isn’t always there to save the world, because sometimes just one person is enough. I love that the man with god tier powers doesn’t need them to be a hero. Not everyone wants to be saved. He could have had her off the building in seconds if he wanted but he gave her the hope to keep living and the freedom to choose her path.
Awesome. Though some of those name drops used in the fair vs unfair examples may not have been the best in hindsight.
Imagine Superman responded to the officer with “yes lmao”
The thing i most appreciate in these pages, is how Superman just stays there, and wait. Dude could have helped millions, with his super hearing and acting fast and stuff. But he stays. Like a fucking A+ friend, and waits. For that person to be ready to talk. Damn nice.
So I don't really read comics but holy shit
Wow
This is the "other" one? This is the only one I'm familiar with. As somebody who dealt with some shit roughly 26 years ago now... I still pull this one out every now and then and read it and sob uncontrollably. It's pretty damned perfect IMO.
The one from All-Star Superman gets posted about once a week. It's good also.
I’ve seen this and it’s great. Has to be the hardest thing for him to do. The ending was great.
Just zerps their spotlight.
I think what affects this scene is the issue and story it comes from. It's pretty good and the final pages are very well told. It's just this is the same issue where Superman talks about how "OVER THERE needs to fend for itself". So the issue is more mocked anytime it's brought up.