“Homelander?”
Clark paused, feeling it was a little odd.
“Why this name?”
Luke tried to hold back his smile as he imagined superman, wearing the American flag, pretending to smile at the media.
“Using the name ‘Homelander’ will allow the government to lower its vigilance. They will want to turn you into … a propaganda tool. For something like selling government bonds and making movies, they will also accept your existence more easily.”
As his older cousin said so, Clark shook his head more and more.
He didn’t like being the center of attention, especially being pushed onto the stage.
That wasn’t in line with the Kent family’s education and philosophy.
Becoming an idol wasn’t something suited for Clark.
“Well, I just said it off the top of my head.”
Luke smiled and got back to the point.
If left to its own devices, the plot moves forward on a trajectory that has long been mapped out.
Then his arrival would be meaningless and a waste of time.
So, Luke was more than happy to see changes.
For better or for worse.
The emergence of Superman meant the opening of a new era of superheroes.
He would come into contact with more key figures, and his connection with this universe would deepen day by day.
Dr Manhattan could no longer erase its existence, like deleting files.
“I hope Jonathan won’t blame me for setting you on an unknown path, Clark.”
Luke rubbed his cousin’s curly hair. This opportunity appeared subtly, neither too early nor too late.
“This is my own choice, cousin.”
Clark’s eyes were firm, and he was already fed up with the various troubles caused by swallowing his anger and hiding his ability.
If, as Luke said, he could stand up and show his good intentions.
Maybe everything would be better.
“It’s decided then.”
Luke crushed the can in his hand and accurately threw it into the trash can in the distance.
The latter followed suit, but it was a little short.
The coke can hit the edge, and with a bang, it bounced out.
“Learn to control your own strength.”
Luke said.
His younger cousin nodded. When he faced the bandits…
He didn’t completely lose control of his strength as before.
According to the news received by his older cousin, those two unlucky guys weren’t in danger.
It was only a severe concussion at most, plus extensive contusion and bone fracture.
If this was in Gotham, where the bank robbers were caught by Batman.
They would at least have double-digit broken bones and be scared half to death.
Then, Luke chatted casually and left the hospital.
Clark needed to have an honest conversation with his adoptive father, and he was responsible for planning Superman’s debut.
Regarding public opinion, debuts, and all sorts of PR … they weren’t something to be taken lightly.
It might be better if this was the Marvel Universe.
With the official status, the power, the aura of influence, no one could stand in their way.
‘I don’t have to worry about the debut. There are so many mutants in town due to long term exposure to kryptonite radiation. They’re excellent opponents.’
Luke sat in the car, like an entertainment agent, thinking carefully about how to pack his little cousin and create a good image.
…
…
The Kent kid had extraordinary powers?! The news quickly spread through the town.
From the beginning, Clark fought off rumors about the two armed robbers.
In just under half a day, it had already turned into beating down hordes of criminals.
He took a shotgun blast, which later also gradually evolved into suffering bombardment from a machine gun.
Such an exaggerated amount of people and firepower?! The uninformed would have thought the town had been subjected to a terrorist attack!
Jonathan and Martha felt very upset when they got home. Friends who usually went to church together, close neighbours next door … They all asked about Clark as if they had nothing better to do.
The police also came several times because no one knew why the surveillance cameras suddenly broke down. They also had no way to prove that there was anything unusual about the high school kid.
For a while, their peaceful life was ruined.
Even when Clark was at school, people around him were whispering and observing secretly.
Their eyes were strange. He could feel them.
Everything was just as his big cousin expected; it was going down a bad path.
Clark had already heard his parents mention moving in the middle of the night.
Frankly, he inexplicably felt aggrieved.
‘Didn’t I do something good? Why am I being treated like this?’
Inwardly, Clark’s anger rose. He finally understood what his older cousin was talking about when he talked about gossip, rumours and vilification.
He thought that only someone with an extremely strong heart and a strong will could bear this agony and become some kind of symbol in his father’s words.
The miserable life lasted for a week, and the situation finally got better.
The public’s attention was drawn to a superhero, a guy called ‘Superman’ who appeared in Metropolis.
With a red cloak, strong body, ability to fly in the air … instantly set the news media ablaze.
“It’s a Bird… It’s a Plane… It’s …. Superman!”
The Daily Planet quoted this sentence first and published it on the front page.
Everyone was talking about who Superman was, where he came from, how he managed to lift a runaway truck and rescue a falling plane …
“Superman?”
Clark scratched his head. He felt that the other person’s image was very similar to that when he first met his cousin.
However, thanks to the appearance of Superman, few people in town paid attention to the old news that a high school student stopped bank robbers.
The gossip that people passed on by word of mouth gradually lacked credibility with the passage of time.
After all, in the increasingly exaggerated rumours, Clark had become a powerful figure who fought an army alone and wasn’t afraid of rocket launchers and bazookas.
So, from initial conviction to scepticism and then to ridicule…
The story about ‘Wonder Child of the Kent Family’ came to an end.
“Big cousin, you are ‘Superman’?! “
Clark said in surprise when he saw the familiar uniform.
He had a vague suspicion before but couldn’t be sure.
That is, until arriving at Luke’s house, purposely early, for daily training.
“No, we’re both ‘Superman’.”
Luke corrected.
He didn’t mean to hide it. He wouldn’t have gone to Metropolis to make a superhero cameo if it wasn’t for the sake of restoring peace to his little cousin’s life.
“I’m just making a temporary appearance; it’s up to you from now on, Clark.”
Luke redeemed a Superman suit for his cousin from the Item Shop, the more common one, a red cape with a capital ‘S’ on the chest.
Actually, he thought about buying the classic red underpants uniform.
However, he just couldn’t get past his own preference and conscience.
After all, before Clark changed into it, Luke had to wear this thing to save people and fight crime.
‘What a shame!’
“Me?”
Clark looked at the special, simple and generous Superman uniform, a little hesitant.
“Welcome to the Superman family, cousin.”
Luke smiled. As the saying goes, when in Rome… The superheroes in this studio formed a family system.
For example, Gotham’s Bat-Family was composed of Batman himself, in addition to several generations of Robin and several generations of Bat women.
In the Superman family, there were Clark and Kara, then generations of Super boys, and Krypto, the super dog.
The Flash’s family was even larger, and it was completely possible to form a team of speeders.
“From now on, you are Superman junior, the intern superhero of Metropolis. “
