Grant Morrison Talks About “Superman & The Authority”

Superman & The Authority

In an exclusive interview with CBR.com, writer Grant Morrison talks about the upcoming comic book miniseries “Superman & The Authority,” what we can expect from the series, and the idea of an authoritarian Superman.

This book is coming out at a time when we’re seeing a lot of authoritarian Supermans and Superman analogs. What do you think is behind this trend of subverting Superman into something more sinister?

It’s something I’ve come to terms with and pared down to it coming down to the patriarchal structures that have been oppressing us and Superman can easily be made to be representative of that. This dad-like figure looking out for us can be made authoritarian but I think that’s a mistake. I think the idea that Superman would react to the death of Lois Lane by becoming a tyrant is ridiculous; my mum and dad died and I didn’t become a tyrant. If I can handle it, Superman can handle it.

But I think there’s a certain degree of, if he’s that powerful, couldn’t he change things? We’re kind of leaning into the idea that he’s a really good man and wants to do the best for us but he’s not actually human. He doesn’t want to break us but he’s gotten to the point where he thinks maybe he should break us, maybe we need this. It’s slightly scarier than Superman as an authoritarian dad with heat vision eyes, it’s more of an alien perspective saying, “I’ve had enough of you. You’ve been messing up too long and are really going to hurt yourselves if I don’t do something.”

You can read the complete interview at CBR.com.

“Superman & The Authority #1” will be released on July 20.

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bhof
bhof
June 29, 2021 10:19 pm

“ And I just do not like the idea that Superman would ever be dictatorial or would watch his loved ones die and not be able to deal with it like the rest of us do.”

“ I think the idea that Superman would react to the death of Lois Lane by becoming a tyrant is ridiculous; my mum and dad died and I didn’t become a tyrant. If I can handle it, Superman can handle it.”

Thanks, Grant Morrison. Now can we get more people at DC to think this way?

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
June 30, 2021 12:14 pm

While I generally like the answers by Morrison, the fact that some higher up at DC came to him and said, “we’d like you to do Superman as an Authoritarian” is the real problem. When will the higher ups let this stupid idea die? When will let let it go ? It’s creatively bankrupt to me and it feels like it’s been done over and over for 20 years now. Enough already ! smh

MattComics
MattComics
July 1, 2021 9:51 am
Reply to  lcmcbain

It often seems like writers can give good answers in interviews that one can get behind and it won’t mean much in the execution of what they are doing. Remember when Bendis assured us he had no intention of mucking with Rebirth?

Also why is doing Clark doing Tom Strong/KC mash-up cosplay?

lcmcbain
lcmcbain
July 1, 2021 10:55 am
Reply to  MattComics

Sadly true. And Bendis’ name and Superman should be stricken from the record forever. Rebirth was so good generally and then it was all ruined..

MattComics
MattComics
July 2, 2021 7:13 pm
Reply to  lcmcbain

But you do have a point about the higher ups. They are the ones who either ask for a pitch based on a particular direction or idea or they greenlight one.

NeoRanger
NeoRanger
July 3, 2021 10:09 am

Fine, but isn’t this basically “Red Son”, just with a lot less communism?