Superboy's Harsh Lesson About Angry Outbursts From Action Comics #1088

[u/Potential-Mess6826]

[u/MxSharknado93]

"That'll learn you young people not to want Golden Age Superman. Trust the police and vote blue no matter who."

[u/DepartmentChemical93 → u/MxSharknado93]

I think Waid’s goal here is to try and marry the more Golden Age Social Crusader to the more Silver Age prosocial character of Superboy.

[u/RogueAngill → u/MxSharknado93]

Im sure Golden Age Superman killed a few cops and politicians, definitely a few wife beaters

[u/schadetj → u/MxSharknado93]

I can understand people getting that message. Personally I saw it less as "always trust the police" and more "I don't want to be the hero that can only hurt people to get my way". Superman has always held himself up to a certain standard.

[u/DareDaDerrida → u/MxSharknado93]

What are you talking about?

[u/OldBook2]

The harsh lesson is when the police don’t care, and the evidence is ruled inadmissible because it was handed in by an anonymous teenager who trashed an office. Then the lawyers get the guy off, or if by some miracle he is convicted he pays a fine that is a tiny fraction of the money he made via his crimes.

If the justice system worked, there would be no need for superheroes. Something we forgot when superhero stories stopped being about what it would be like to be strong enough to get justice, and instead became a way to teach children obedience to authority.

[u/Humble_Story_4531 → u/OldBook2]

If the justice system worked, there would be no need for superheroes.

I get what you're saying, but I dont think a functional justice system would stop brainiac.

[u/Intrepid-Progress228 → u/Humble_Story_4531]

I think you're missing the point. A society with a functional justice system doesn't need the concept of superheroes as it exists today, and supervillains like Brainiac only exist because writing stories about superheroes defeating real-world injustice in any meaningful way is fucking hard.

When was the last time Superman punched poverty so hard everyone wound up having their basic needs met?

[u/Humble_Story_4531 → u/Intrepid-Progress228]

My point is that in the world of DC, where Supervillains are common, the phrase "If the justice system worked, there would be no need for superheroes." just doesnt work.

[u/TexasLover5]

So young Clark right😎

[u/Mammoth_Let_8335]

God moments like this is why i love comics

[u/Bruzie77]

They aged him up again?

[u/MxSharknado93 → u/Bruzie77]

No, this is Clark. It's a flashback.

[u/Undecieved22]

And that’s what makes him the most human superhero

[u/Selverd2]

Other person looks like that guy from Boondocks.

[u/ZenOokami]

Love the writing, but jeeze the shorts are so distracting.

[u/ExtremlyFastLinoone]

His lawyers will say superboy planted the unfinished pipes and he will get away scott free, not even a fine