Extra Extra, Superman’s Out Of Work

Superman is adding his name to the unemployed  census in a recent turn of events in the comic book world. “Information has  been replaced by entertainment” is just one of the reasons Clark Kent(alter ego) cited for his departure from his long standing job at the Daily Planet.  Clark not to be a reporter at the Daily Planet is certainly taking people by surprise, especially because he quit. As one fan put it, it would be more likely that he was laid off, but to quit? Superman never quits anything, he is a constant source of reliability both in his personal and super-hero life. 

So what prompts the change? Well, according to the writer, there will not be a change in professions, just venues.  Maybe Superman is demonstrating the death of the printed news industry, getting involved in alternative news sources.  The phrase about information replacing entertainment gets me because it is riddled with truth.  If it won’t entertain, it won’t publish is the new world sentiment.  Journalists are becoming actors, not reporters. For a man already playing a part, who can blame him for wanting some real truth in his life? I’m not sure if there is some subliminal messages in Clark’s two week notice, some protest of how media has changed.  One thing for sure, Superman just doesn’t seem the same without the Daily Planet.