Superman Is Now Grounded

I'm not one to worry overly about what others think of things that I like (or dislike), as I find that my tastes often don't run down the middle of the mainstream as they're apparently supposed to. I loved the show, Lost, because it spoke to me in many different ways, not because it was an "it" program during its first season. And I continued to embrace it when others had moved on to other fads, for the simple reason that it delivered exactly what I wanted in an hour of TV. In fact, I'm usually more surprised when something that I take to proves to be popular than I am when it doesn't.

And so I read this week's Superman # 701, the kickoff to J Michael Straczynski's "Grounded" storyline, with an open mind... despite hearing that many readers hadn't liked it very much. The premise is that Superman feels that he's become detached from the problems of ordinary people on Earth, and so he decides to walk across a stretch of the U.S. in an attempt to re-connect. Each issue will supposedly have him in a different area, acclimatizing himself to the issues facing the locals. Part 1 has him in the City of Brotherly Love, where he enjoys a Philly cheese steak, tries to convince reporters that there's no story happening around his admittedly peculiar actions, sets on fire the stashes of several crack houses, and provides counseling to a would-be suicide. For some fans of the character, I suspect this may have been all too mundane. Given that it's JMS writing it, and that it's beautifully illustrated by Eddy Barrows and J.P. Mayer, I was absolutely entranced!

Every single interaction the Man of Steel has in this issue rang true for me. His comments to the woman who wanted to throw her life away are poignant but not the least bit preachy. When she agrees to get help, and one of the policemen says, "She'll be alright. We'll get someone to talk to her", Clark's response is, "That's good. But maybe it'd be better to get someone who'll listen to her." That's beautiful stuff! I welled up a bit at that line.

If this is indicative of the material that we're going to get in "Grounded", then I'm thrilled to be along for the ride.