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Here are Kurt Busiek's answers to questions fans put to him about "Superman #671" and other relevant topics:
Kurt's Answers
L Margolis (Email address withheld by request) asks:Kurt - I liked this issue. I like to see Lana when it makes sense (in the old Silver Age days, I tended to root for her over Lois in the battle for Superman's affections even if she was never destined to win except in Imaginary Stories but I digress). Was that opening scene where Lana was mentally going over her resume your response to some of the readers that were critical of you having Lana take over Lexcorp as CEO? If so, or if not, thanks for doing it anyway since now we know more about her, on this New Earth. Also, I like this take on the Insect Queen (maybe she can meet the new Red Bee). I also like that Superman is using his brain and his brawn in this story. Finally, not to do with this issue, but with all of these other Supermen flying around the DCU and multiverse, we will see our Superman encounter any of them (including Prime) in this book? Thanks and have a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Kurt: Thanks, L. The opening scenes wasn't a "response" -- I don't do response stories, because that would mean that any readers who weren't part of that online discussion would be lost -- it was just a way to introduce Lana and the situation for readers who are either new to the book or haven't seen Lana for a while and could use a refresher.
No plans on my part for other Superman to be showing up anytime soon, but you never know.
Christopher Madden (Email address withheld by request) asks:
Hey Kurt. I enjoyed this issues of Superman. I do have a question regarding Chris Kent. What was with his eyes and the ball of fire? I wouldn't think he could use his heat vision because he was wearing the red sun watch. I was also curious if the insects had any relation to the flea circus from back in the "Up, Up and Away" storyline? And thanks for answering these questions about the comics. I think it is really cool that you do this.
Kurt: That wasn't his eyes, that was him more-or-less vomiting energy. As to what's up with it, the next couple of issues will tell the tale. Right now, you know as much as you're supposed to, and more than Lois does.
Robert Willing (staredcraft@yahoo.com) asks:
I've been enjoying so much how you've been using Chris. Have you and Geoff discussed what you've been doing with him?
Kurt: Yes. I ran everything I'm doing with Chris past Geoff, to make sure we're on the same page.
Satyen Gandhi (satyengandhi@hotmail.com) asks:
First off, this issue was one of my favorites so far from your run. It had elements of everything - insight into Superman as he laments about not having time to check in on Lana, and an awesome action scene with the insect's coordinated attack on Superman, as examples. Now my question. What is the legal relationship between Clark and Lois and Chris Kent? I noticed Chris uses a lot of "Daddy-Clark" and "Momma-Lois" dialogue in this run. Is he a foster child or formally adopted? If he is only Clark and Lois' foster child, are there plans for him to be adopted by other people? If so, is that why he wears his red sun watch to the point of feeling pain - so he can appear normal to prospective future parents? Is he a foster child while Clark and Lois work out the red tape in trying to formally adopt Chris, with all the unique complications he presents? Thanks for your attention, Kurt. I know there was more than just one simple question here.
Kurt: Glad you liked the issue, Satyen. Clark and Lois are Chris's foster-parents at present. I believe they're in the process of adopting him, but that's more a question for Geoff, I'd say. As to the watch, it was covered in #668, and recapped by Lois here -- he's having trouble pretending to be a normal human at school, so Superman and Batman cooked up the red sun watch so he could get used to what it was like to feel unpowered, and would better be able to pose as human once he's used to it.
Elliot Alexander (Email address withheld by request) asks:
Don't take this the wrong way Kurt, but why the need to have Superman fight insects on the moon during the issue, as opposed to more intimidating forces that could look like they occupy the moon? Thanks.
Kurt: And I equally don't mean you to take this the wrong way, Elliot, but Superman doesn't fight insects on the moon during this issue; he doesn't go to the moon at all. He hits a baseball to the moon, but he fights insect-men in North Carolina. As to why he doesn't fight something that looks like it could occupy North Carolina -- this is "Insect Queen Part 1." He's fighting the Insect Queen's minions, and she's not going to be commanding an army of cardinal-men or channel-bass-men or even tarheel-men. She's going to be commanding insect-men.
Superman will fight insect-men on the moon next issue, as it happens, but it's the same answer -- he's not fighting natives of the moon, he's fighting the Insect Queen's army, so they're just naturally going to be bug-oriented guys. As for them being intimidating, I thought Peter and Renato did a pretty good job of making them look impressive. Sorry if it didn't work for you.
Jose (zeloran58@hotmail.com) asks:
Nice of you to take the time to answer our questions. I want to know why the insects are able to pierce Superman's skin? The story suggests it's because they're alien, but that doesn't seem to be a good enough reason, Supes' invulnerability was never bypassed by something or somebody just because it's alien.
Kurt: The insect-men Superman fought weren't able to pierce his skin, though they tried. Some of them were able to burn his skin with their acid secretions, but while they weakened his skin, they didn't make it through. As to why they can do that, the answer is indeed that it's because they're alien -- just as actual blister beetles can burn flesh, these guys are super-blister-beetles and can at least take a shot at burning through super-flesh. As to Superman's invulnerability, you're right that merely being alien isn't enough -- G'Nort's an alien, but that doesn't mean he can bite through Superman's skin -- but at the same time, there are aliens that can overcome Superman's invulnerability. Lobo, for instance, has hit Superman hard enough to make him bleed, so that means he broke Superman's skin. Post-Crisis, Superman's invulnerability has been overcome by characters who can muster enough force (including a fair number of aliens), and pre-Crisis, by those able to get around it by other means (often aliens, though usually one-shot cosmic aliens of one sort or another). So I'd say that Superman's invulnerability has not proved to be absolute, just very, very high, and there have been beings out there (largely aliens) who are powerful enough in one way or another to get through it. These guys are superhuman (super-insectoid?) and are capable of producing an acid-like substance that's in its way "super" enough to hurt Superman, even if it didn't do more than weaken his skin.
Whether the Insect Queen's got anything that might work better, time will have to tell.
Thanks for your participation with the Superman Homepage this past year. We look forward to more great Superman comics from you in 2008.
Kurt: Thanks! Hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas, or whatever seasonal holiday they observe. And a Happy New Year! And, uh, the Atlantean Festival of Lights is right around the corner...
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