What makes a good super heros story? Discussion split from Superman & Lois Show

Um… yes, for most Superheros that is largely true - although I’m not a fan of their personal lines turning into soap operas.

The exception would be Superheros that have a detective aspect (in my opinion). Situations where they have to use intellect and cleverness as well as “powers” to solve the problem(s). Or where they have to work around a significant disability - in the case of Daredevil that’s a literal disability. Sure, he has his “radar sense” but he’s still truly blind. If someone says “push the red button” he has no way to know which button is red (this was lampshaded at least once in a Daredevil/Spiderman team up) Touch screens are not something he can use. A clock covered with glass is useless to him, which is most clocks. Everyone can see through a window except him. And so on. When he’s well-written how he deals with that can be as interesting as his relationship with Foggy Nelson, his law partner.

The Flash was interesting for years not because of his silly rogue’s gallery but because he had a married life. When well-written, Batman was interesting as a detective and not just a guy with a gadget for every eventuality in his utility belt.

The downside, of course, is that given the production schedule of comic books not every book or story is great, or well-written. Sturgeon’s Law.

And, of course, Clark Kent doesn’t deal with Darkseid - that’s why the world needs Superman.

I suspect “kryptonite” will be invoked at some point. Or that whoever these meta-humans are, none of them have the full suite of Kryptonian powers and/or have some sort of weakness or limitation.

I also liked the balance between small-scale human/family issues and big Superman problems.

I think the teen angst is at a level that makes the show interesting but doesn’t overwhelm it. It’s normal, but serious, teen angst (which in the case of Sarah gets very serious) which is being folded into the overall storyline. Yes, clearly Jordan and Sarah are going to be an “item”, but for once it’s the nerdy, dark-haired introvert getting a girl instead of the blond-haired blue-eyed jock.

I also think they’re doing a decent job of balancing sibling rivalry with the fact the twins do love and care for one another. They fight among themselves, but they’ll join ranks against a threat from outside the family. Jonathan doesn’t say he loves his brother, but his sacrifices for him show that he does. Which makes the apparent lack of relationship between Lois and her father glaring in contrast. Sure, there’s probably off-scene stuff, but I’d like to see those two interacting as family. Maybe dad getting pissed about moving the family to Smallville and arguing with his daughter about that, because clearly dad has some concerns about his daughter’s choice of husband. Maybe it will be Lois that tells her dad that Jordan is displaying powers and they thought dealing with this at a farm would be easier/better than doing so in Metropolis.

We’ll see.