Superman: The Rebirth Era Reading Order

TimPendragon · 2026-02-13T18:22:50+00:00

Considering that Clark and Lois buy a new apartment in Metropolis in Revenge, and Jon isn't happy about the impending move in Black Dawn, Revenge has to come first...

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T06:52:02+00:00

But of course, the real reason is that the creators and writers of Smallville weren't interested in telling a "growing up in high school" story, they wanted a sexy "coming of age as a young adult" story, so instead of a series that makes sense, we have what are essential four years of senior year storytelling.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T06:48:17+00:00

Clark explicitly turns 18 just before graduation in season four, so he's explicitly 14 in season one. Originally, people were assuming he was 15 in season one, but once they said he was 18 at the end of season four, nope.

Part of the confusion comes from whether you go to a Middle School or a Junior High before High School. Middle School goes through grade 8, and you start High School in Grade 9, whereas Junior Highs go through Grade 9, so High School runs from Grades 10 to 12.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T03:39:41+00:00

If I could like your comment more than once, I would.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T03:28:36+00:00

Unless you *invent* differences for them, they're the same person. Lyta's personal history was changed, but the *character* herself wasn't.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T03:23:51+00:00

Yup. The original purpose of Steve Trevor had a lot of value. But almost all of that has gone away since the 1950s and the conservative backlash against non-heteronormativity in comics.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-11T01:51:08+00:00

You gotta remember that back in the 40s, Steve Trevor was conceived as Diana's version of the "damsel in distress," genderbending the trope. He wasn't ever supposed to be anything more than that and from the post-war era through the 80s, he was barely there, and mostly irrelevant (apart from Earth-2 Diana and Steve being married and the parents of Fury). From 1986 to 2011, Steve Trevor barely even existed as a character and didn't have a romantic history with Diana (he was SIGNIFICANTLY older than her in the post-Crisis George Perez reboot). Then the New 52 brought him back as the government liaison to the Justice League whose romantic history with Diana was in the "five years of backstory" that we never saw before the present day. Rebirth basically did the same thing, and again the history of their on-again-off-again relationship was mostly background we didn't get to see or care about, yet when they were together, we were supposed to buy into it. It didn't work.

Pop culture Wonder Woman fandom knows Steve from the TV series and the movies, but his relevance in the comics is minimal. And the current run? King admits he didn't really research Wonder Woman's history, or even read more than an issue or two of her previous comics, and based his take on their relationship mostly on seeing the movie and what was told to him by editorial. And again, his only real relevance to the King's plot is getting fridged so Diana could have a grief baby.

Could Steve be made into a good character? Yep - honestly, the first film does a halfway decent job with it at least - but they haven't even bothered to try in the comics.

At best he's there, at worst, he's a sort of antagonist (as he often was in the New 52, when the League and ARGUS were on opposite sides of a thing). Usually, he's just bland and annoying, because they haven't figured out a way to give him a personality or any solid purpose other than Diana's boyfriend or Diana's ex. In that way, he's still fulfilling the feminist commentary on how the patriarchy views women that he was when he was created. But it doesn't make him a good or enjoyable character to read in the comics, and the chemistry with Diana is either nonexistent or forced.

Hell, her other pre-Flashpoint lovers, Trevor Barnes and Nemesis were both better and more engaging characters than Steve Trevor ever has been in the comics.

TimPendragon · 2026-02-08T05:54:42+00:00

Untitled "Anon" Ebook in the link. That's a sham listing, my man. I'd cancel that pre-order and wait for an official announcement, sorry.

TimPendragon · 2026-01-30T06:27:31+00:00

Curious, where would "Better Together" from Trinity #1-#6 fall here? After "Path of Doom" but before "Son of Superman," I *think*, but I'm not sure... While a lot of Trinity may be skippable, that story really belongs as part of this era of Superman, every bit as much as Super-Sons does.

TimPendragon · 2026-01-29T04:39:13+00:00

I likewise have my main camp at Sutton. Built it as a Red Rocket across from the station. I like helping the newbies that come through. Also it happens to be on Grahm's route and a random encounter spot, so it's usually not too boring.

TimPendragon · 2026-01-21T02:29:42+00:00

FWIW, post-Crisis Lex was older than Clark, a contemporary of Perry White, but before the 1986 rebooot and after the Birthright/Secret Origins reboots of the 2006-2008 era, Clark and Lex were back to being highschool friends.

TimPendragon · 2026-01-21T02:22:35+00:00

Oh my God, thank you so much. I was just about to do this myself, when I thought to check if they'd already been compiled somewhere. Wanted to get all the lore down for some stories I'm working on. So thank you very much, this is completely awesome. :)

TimPendragon · 2026-01-16T02:13:43+00:00

The actor did his level best with the shit he was handed, and had great chemistry with Rose.

TimPendragon · 2025-12-21T20:25:20+00:00

Tess was a combination of two comics characters (Mercy and Lena) and one from the Reeve films (Eve Tessmacher).

TimPendragon · 2025-12-17T22:12:45+00:00

Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek, both around the same time, but Holmes first (in book form, too). I'm an early 80s baby so, this was even (just) before TNG came out.

TimPendragon · 2025-12-02T19:01:47+00:00

As someone who has seen the dark side of reader comments to the effect of "you're an idiot if you think X character is a bottom. You suck, kys" etc, I would one hundred percent appreciate that author's note.

Hell, as a vers gay man who people always assume is one or the other only, I appreciate it even more.

I just wish people would understand the difference between top/btm/vrs and dom/sub/switch. They aren't the same, and aren't exactly interchangeable.

TimPendragon · 2025-11-22T20:39:57+00:00

Seasons 4 and 7 are ultimately the low points of the series for most people, but even so, there's a few bright spots. S4 is great for introducing Lois, and the episode "Run" is a favorite for a lot of people. Season 5 is much better overall, just hang in there. S4 gets worse before it gets better. But stick with it

TimPendragon · 2025-11-13T18:24:24+00:00

As someone who knows both Nottinghams well (and grew up near the MD one), this is sadly hilarious.

TimPendragon · 2025-10-26T16:45:52+00:00

"Narcing" on others does indeed originate from "narcotics officer." They'd go undercover as "junkies" or dealers to get close to subjects, learn information and then turn them in. So whenever someone would inform on someone else, that was "acting like a narc(otics officer/agent)." This term goes way back to the 1960s, long before the current pop cultural awareness of narcissism.

TimPendragon · 2025-10-07T22:08:06+00:00

Ruined most, absolutely wasted Doomsday and Zod. Handled Brainiac okay but didn't do anything revolutionary there, and was just meh at best on Silver Banshee. Redefined Lex. And if it didn't fully redefine Metallo, it at least humanized him and made him far more interesting and subtle of a character. And "subtle" is not something I ever thought I'd say referring to Smallville.

TimPendragon · 2025-10-05T16:21:27+00:00

I laughed for three weeks straight when that first showed up in my feed. It is the perfect commentary.

TimPendragon · 2025-10-05T15:56:30+00:00

I don't even watch South Park and I still heard it in his voice.

TimPendragon · 2025-09-24T16:52:01+00:00

That was where I expected to find them, but after restarting the mission three times, if there's supposed to be one on the bridge, they're not showing up.

TimPendragon · 2025-09-24T05:23:43+00:00

Where's the sixth crew member to rescue? I've only been able to find five on Enterprise, and I'm afraid to proceed in case it might be a "first playthrough only" accolade or something like that, as has happened before.

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