Random Happenstance

So I made fun of this storyline and made a few guesses about Wonder Woman's then-new costume back in 2010 without reading any of their actual comics. Better late than never, as we've got one checking both boxes today! From 2011, Superman #708, "Grounded, part 6" Plot by J. Michael Straczynski, script by Chris Roberson, pencils by Eddy Barrows, inks by J. P. Mayer with Julio Ferreira.

This was a crossover with Wonder Woman, around WW #600, which was Straczynski's other big-time project at DC at the time...both of which he was kind of asked to bail on. By WW #605 Phil Hester was co-writing, because DC had asked Straczynski to focus on Superman: Earth One. The GCD notes read like he didn't have as much input on Superman, and the plots may have been a little bare-bones, and there was an issue pulled in there somewhere? Was that the one where Clark has a beer with his dad and somebody, possibly imaginary, complained? No...Superman #712 was pulled, possibly because of a Muslim superhero featured, and replaced with a long-shelved and ridiculously sad Kurt Busiek Krypto story set after Superboy had died. And what did it matter anyway, since the New 52 was looming: the "Grounded" storyline would continue to the last issue, #714. I don't recall DC doing anything big or special for the end of this continuity; possibly because they may have wanted to leave it open in case they had to run crying back to it.

Back to the issue at hand: Superman is greeted by four young super-people in variant S-costumes, who bring him to the Fortress of Solidarity. Supes knew of the Superman Squad from Kal Kent, the Superman from the One Million event's 853rd century; and this fortress is explained as not a place for them to be alone, but a place for them to come together. They even glance at a past (fake-)event, the "Crisis in Infinite Eras," but that's not why they're visiting Superman: after the destruction of New Krypton, Supes had lost seemingly all faith in "truth, justice, and the American way." His walkabout was an attempt to rekindle his belief; and the Squad believes either he will, and there will be Supermen for ever, or he won't and the legacy will end there. (Or create an alternate timeline without them, but either way.)

They drop Superman off in Lincoln, Nebraska; because they knew he would go on to inspire someone there. Supes isn't sure his legacy is best for humanity, but his reverie is interrupted by a bus going over a bridge. That's easily handled, but does catch the attention of an unfamiliar looking woman--to him, anyway: it's Wonder Woman! Except her continuity was straight-wrecked at that point: either Diana had never been Wonder Woman before at all, or no one remembered she had. They don't know each other, but as the flood waters rise and a tornado approaches, Superman trusts her to help save people from the flood while he takes the tornado. She apparently hadn't been a "superhero" as much as a warrior at that point, but does well, until one of the victims throws her down for wrecking her plan: a mysterious woman had intended to give Superman the old impossible choice, save the few or the many, but WW stepped on that. Still, she doesn't get to finish the fight, since she still had people to rescue, but Diana does later thank Superman for maybe showing her something.

Hmm. I think I pulled this issue out of the same quarter box as most of Infinite Crisis, and doesn't Batman have a line in there to the effect of "the last time you inspired anyone, you were dead"? Sometimes DC seems to have a really hard time sorting out Superman as an inspiration, and him not realizing his own influence seems almost willfully naïve. You show Supes generations of heroes directly inspired by him, and I could see a humble, farmboy "ah shucks" to it. Instead, he looks at them like "...really?" I know for a fact I say "that wasn't very encouraging" quite a bit; but I think it fits here.