Assessment: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

1. What is your reaction to the text you just read?

Initially I was a bit confused by the reveal at the end of the story, but a brief reflection on the story as a whole helped me make sense of it and realize that the suggestion of Superman's fate was evident all along, but more so in the way Lois told the story than in the story itself. The way Lois was portrayed, the calmness with which she handled herself and recalled the story, should have made plain that something was off-- that Superman's fate was not as the story suggested on the surface. What's interesting is that she wasn't being dishonest, technically, because it was true that she never saw Superman again-- she saw a normal, human man, free of his superpowers. I was ultimately pretty satisfied by this ending, especially given that the entire piece had this overarching tone of unavoidable doom, but ended on a positive note. 

2. What connections did you make with the story? Discuss the elements of the work with which you were able to connect. 

I was able to connect with Lois above all else, unsurprisingly; when Superman is down on himself for breaking his oath and killing someone, I agreed with Lois that he did nothing wrong. Given the circumstances of the situation, there seemed to be no other sensible option. Having to defend yourself and others is ultimately a worthy cause. In fact that whole dilemma kind of brings to mind the issue of violence towards people with inherently hateful ideologies; I can imagine if my significant other punched a Nazi I wouldn't take any issue with it, especially if it was in self defense. 

3. What changes would you make to adapt the story into another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make? 

I can't help but want to see this story presented as a live action film. In this format I'd like to introduce some more scenes; perhaps some flashbacks to Lex Luthor's ship being destroyed would be an interesting addition and give more punch to that character's intentions/motivations, especially for audiences that aren't entirely familiar with Superman (like myself). I'd also be interested in seeing the reactions of other heroes at Superman's apparent death, and perhaps some very subtle clues as to whether or not anyone other than Lois is aware that Superman is technically alive. I'd probably also change the character designs, namely in regards to the villains, because I'm not sure that those designs would read as particularly villainous to modern audiences as much as they would seem silly or comical.