Inter-Action
"Ask Eddie" Fan Forum Archives
Here are Eddie Berganza's answers to questions fans put to him in December 2002:
Eddie's Answers
Shane Fleury (moxpearl@mts.net) asks:I have a question regarding Superman's ability to move a planet, specifically JLA #75 and OWAW. Are these feats due to his strength? ie: lift capacity, or are they due to his flight ability? ie: propulsion. Basically what I am asking is if Superman can indeed lift the entire weight of the Earth?
Eddie: He can't move it without help. In each case, there's been mystical aide or a power boost that brings him well beyond his normal levels. And we don't want to get into any real physics on what would happen if you were to really move the Earth.
jason lavigne (jsalvigne@yahoo.com) asks:
Supes has faced some big threats in his lifetime, but are there any villains that Superman would actually admit to being afraid of? Basically, what villains would you say give Supes nightmares?
Eddie: Without question the guy that killed him, Doomsday, but a nagging one is, of course, Lex Luthor. With what he knows about him, how can he sleep soundly with Lex in the White House?
Gary Robinson (weisinger73@hotmail.com) asks:
I've been a fan for more than 40 years. When I was a boy, it wasn't uncommon to see one of my classmates sneak-reading a comic--Superman or some other title--only to have the teacher jerk it off his desk! It bothers me that kids don't read comics, particularly Superman, anymore. Oh, they know of the character by way of movies, TV, "Smallville," etc., but not by way of what we used to call "funnybooks." Does this bother you as well? Can you tell me what, if anything, is being done to reverse that trend?
Eddie: It bugs me a lot when kids are now having their gameboys or electronic pets being taken away in class. At least with comics they were reading. I think things like the 10¢ comics and Free Comic Book Day are a serious effort to get kids back into them again. Harry Potter proves they want to read, we just have to make them accesible to them--and that's the hard part.
Sam Johnstone (andramus@useoz.com.au) asks:
I was wondering what is Clark/Superman's view on the death sentence in the US, not as a jury member having to decide if someone lives or dies, but simply as a personal view of a member of the public? Does he believe in it or not? Is he opposed to it? If he's opposed to it what action as Superman or Clark does he take against it?
Eddie: Clark believes in justice above all, but he also treasures life and would go to any means to save that person even from themselves. Of course, for some there is no redemption and that troubles him, and he has to allow the law to handle it the best way they can, but you will never ever see him endorsing the death penalty. Having become an executioner once in his career showed him that there must be other ways.
Michael (qrchandc@lycos.com) asks:
We all know about Superman's telescopic/microscopic & x-ray vision. What I would like to know is when he uses his x-ray vision, what is he actually seeing? Would it be like looking at an x-ray or something else? There have been so many variations, from the Christopher Reeve red bone version to the current "Total Recall" style version in "Smallville"...
Eddie: Since he's not actually shooting X-rays, it's more how he is able to focus on something to such an extent that he is able to go through the layers. It would appear fuzzy and with a lot of grain like an old movie. SUPERMAN artist and our colorist Richard and Tanya Horie are trying to come up with an FX that properly shows it. But I do like the SMALLVILLE FX a lot, and that also has to do with the cool sound effect they add.
Christopher J. Adams (familysamurai@excite.com) asks:
Thank you for the time you take and the patience you give in answering these questions! I am a huge Superman Fan and he has helped me get through some tough times. My question is in our present time where our morals and ethics and general sense of right and wrong have been skewed, where once things were Black/Evil and White/Good are now are every color of the spectrum. How does Superman stay strong, how does he remain that unwavering pillar of quiet strength?! I ask this because our times are reflected in comics and even though I struggle to be an example, people drag you down into the gutter. Thank all who contribute to the legend of the only person to embody the word "HERO"!
Eddie: Thank you very much, as I mentioned before, Superman can't give in to the thoughts of revenge or go to the extent of murder. He has to be better than us. He has to inspire, and in these troubled times we really need someone like that. That's why the Man of Steel is such a hard sell. People like to see their costume characters act out their fantasies of retribution, but we gotta rise above that because sadly human history is in reruns as far as war and violence is concerned. Superman is there to give us hope. Living in New York, I'm glad I work with him.
Bob Hundhausen (rhundhau@amfam.com) asks:
I am 36. I have been reading comics since I was 7. I am married with 2 kids. When I go to the comic book store, I think that I am an average fan. I appreciate the respect that DC has shown for the marriage of Lois and Clark. I have heard that Marvel is going to divorce Peter and Mary Jane. I have also heard that marriage is the deathkiss for heroes and that the writers don't like to write married heroes. My question is this: Do the writers understand who their fanbase is? Why is it impossible for them to create drama, comedy, romance and tension around a married couple? I hate what Marvel has done with Spiderman. DC and Marvel made the decision many years ago to marry their two main heroes and they should suck it up and stick to their decision.
Eddie: The problem that's inherent in that decision is that some reader identification is lost for our younger fan base. All of a sudden their heroes are their parents. That said on the Super-books we've tried to make it a young and adventurous marriage. Clark and Lois aren't sitting down at six for dinner or doing their bills. They're out in danger somewhere. It's all about keeping it exciting.
Jeff (DarthHoey@aol.com) asks:
What are the chances of seeing Chloe Sullivan (from "Smallville') in the regular comic continuity?
Eddie: I love that character a lot (in my mind, she's the reason Clark will later fall so hard for Lois), and I think Allison Mack is excellent, but for now she's staying in SMALLVILLE. Do look for the second issue of the bi-monthly SMALLVILLE comic to spotlight Chloe and include an interview with Allison.
Thanks again Eddie!!
Eddie: Always a blast!
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