Who said what now?

§ June 30th, 2007 § Filed under Uncategorized Comments Off on Who said what now?

From this interview with DC Comics’ Dan Didio:

“DD: There’s something key that’s going on in that Superman/Wonder Woman image and I can’t give away the story beat there. Superman’s crying, and it’s for a good reason, and looking for comfort from Wonder Woman. The position they’re in, how they’re seated…it all gives away bits of the clues as to the pain that Superman is feeling.

“NRAMA: There have been those who’ve said it’s reminiscent of Michelangelo’s Pieta, which is Mary cradling the body of Jesus…a parent mourning over a lost child…”

Michelangelo’s Pietà:

(image from Wikipedia)


Not Michelangelo’s Pietà:


I hear something is like the Pietà, I think of a very specific pose…the body of the recently deceased draped across the lap, and cradled in the arms, of the mourner. Not two people positioned differently, sitting next to each other, both living, both in mourning, one resting his head upon the other. That’s two very different effects upon the viewer: in the first, we’re watching a mother mourn for a lost son. In the second, we’re watching two people mourn together, for unknown reasons, with one providing comfort to the other.

And, yes, I know the “interviewer” said “reminiscent,” not “looks exactly like.” But I don’t find, either in appearance or context, that it reminds me of the Pietà at all. Well, maybe the way Wonder Woman and Supes’ capes drape beneath them, that sorta looks like the statue. Of course, I may be overly nitpicking a statement that’s only there to provide a hint to future shocking DC events (why is Superman crying? Is it related to some kind of “parent/child” relationship in his life, you know, like the Pietà? Is Pa Kent gonna bite it?).

Now, the image on this cover…there, maybe you’ve got a supportable “reminiscent of the “Pietà” argument.

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