InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Dancia-wut wuld ur prnts think"

jkcarrier (jkcarrier) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-06-08 20:36:00

Entry tags:

char: lex luthor, char: superman/clark kent, creator: curt swan, creator: elliot s! maggin, series: one perfect moment week

One Perfect Moment: Superman / Luthor

The set-up: Superman notices that, every year on March 14th, Luthor turns up in public, usually doing something nonsensical: Driving a motorboat off the shore of New Jersey, hanging out in a European patent office, sneaking into the library at Princeton University. Finally, as he's getting ready to haul Luthor back to jail for the umpteenth time, he puts the pieces together...

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	besamim 2009-06-08 07:56 pm UTC (link)
	Awww...the man has a hero apart from himself. Sniff Too bad Einstein didn't set an example for him morally. (Not that Einstein was a saint but at least he tried to do good.) Also...Luthor actually thanked Superman for something? Boggle boggle Usually, even when Supes saves the bastard's life he's still all "Aargh bargh I'll get you someday, see if I don't." (Reply to this)

	volksjager 2009-06-08 08:45 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. Please tell me you have the next issue and will post it ! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	jkcarrier 2009-06-08 09:24 pm UTC (link)
	The "Warlord of Mars" one? I'll see if I can dig it out. But it's not nearly as cool as it sounds. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	volksjager 2009-06-08 09:31 pm UTC (link)
	well I bet the "teaser" cover is. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	ar_feiniel_ 2009-06-08 09:10 pm UTC (link)
	Lex Luther: Creepy Stalker (Reply to this)

	perletwo 2009-06-08 09:22 pm UTC (link)
	Oh that's beautiful. Never before have I wanted to hug Luthor! (Reply to this)

	blake_reitz 2009-06-08 10:33 pm UTC (link)
	Isn't Lex's Lexcorp building AI called Einstein in GM's Earth 2? If so, nice touch. (Reply to this)

	cmdr_zoom 2009-06-08 10:50 pm UTC (link)
	Was this written by Elliot S! Maggin? I remember that in Last Son of Krypton, Einstein was significant to both Lex and Kal. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	jkcarrier 2009-06-08 10:54 pm UTC (link)
	It is indeed Elliot S! Maggin. I couldn't figure out how to add his name to the tags. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	galateus 2009-06-09 03:43 am UTC (link)
	Why is there an exclamation mark in his name? Is his middle initial so awesome it must be shouted? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	tanetris 2009-06-09 06:36 am UTC (link)
	http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_S!_Maggin#Origin_of_professional_name But your explanation is better. (Reply to this) (Parent)

psychop_rex
2009-06-09 12:05 am UTC (link)

One of the things I always liked about Luthor is that, while he's obsessed with beating Superman and will go to virtually any lengths to achieve that goal, he DOES have moral limits and human moments. I remember particularly one story where he's hiding out from Superboy in the past, as it happens, on the exact same day that Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. Upon realizing this, Superboy resolves to try and stop the assassination, but before he does, Luthor traps him in a freeze-ray. Naturally, this is classic 'got you where I've always wanted you!' territory, and he spends hours taunting the captive Kryptonian and laughing his ass off at his enemy's predicament - but then, just as he's about to zap Superboy into oblivion once and for all, he notices what date it is - and realizes just why Supes wanted to get away so badly. Aghast and guilt-stricken that he's effectively responsible for Lincoln's death, Luthor passes up the chance to finish off his nemesis, and flees into the future, filled with remorse. The rest of the story isn't that great, but that one moment stayed with me - and that same Luthor is the one shedding a manly tear at Einstein's memorial. THIS Luthor is clearly a bit more human than the current version.

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	mysteryfan 2009-06-09 12:16 am UTC (link)
	Aw! I really liked that! Go Elliot S! Maggin. (Reply to this)

	khaosworks 2009-06-09 12:47 am UTC (link)
	Luthor's hero-worship of Einstein is a plot point in Maggin's most excellent novel Superman: Last Son of Krypton, which also reveals Einstein's connection to Superman. I cannot recommend this boom enough. It's one of those defining books of my childhood. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	cricharddavies 2009-06-09 06:57 pm UTC (link)
	The sequel, Miracle Monday, is pretty good, too, and explored some of the themes that Mr. Maggin explored in the other story in this issue. (Reply to this) (Parent)

lyraeinne
2009-06-09 10:44 am UTC (link)

Oh goodness, that was beautiful. I like my Lex best with a little depth and humanity now and then, though that may just be the Smallville in me talking. But that moment in particular really is perfect just because it changes nothing ultimately in terms of Lex being a criminal or Superman needing to stop him. There's no ulterior motive whatsoever other than that it's something Lex badly wants that happens to be with Superman's means to provide.

Do you have an issue number by any chance?

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	jkcarrier 2009-06-09 12:32 pm UTC (link)
	It's Superman #416, from 1986. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	silverzeo 2009-06-09 09:25 pm UTC (link)
	Man, if they had Modern Lex be like this, I would just die of emotion! (Reply to this)