It’s good for a person to have a hobby. Even Superman. I have found that there are at least three references to Clark Kent having collected clocks. I grant that, over a period of eighty years, three references are not a lot. Some might say that they’re very very little. But I like the idea of Clark collecting clocks and I’m saying we should bring it back.

The advantages of bringing back Clark’s hobby:

• Collecting clocks is a decidedly “unhip” hobby. There are constant attempts to make Clark “cool” but I don’t like it. Superman is the straight-lacedest of Superheroes. In spite of the attempts to change this, this is actually a thing that most of his fans like about him. They ought to embrace the idea that Clark is a “square” and this is a way to remind people of it.
• It ties in with Jimmy’s signal watch. For those who don’t know, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen is so danger-prone that Superman gave him a watch that, when activated, emits a sound that Superman can hear, so that the hero will come save him. Why a watch? Well, if Clark is a fan of timepieces, the answer to that question becomes obvious.
• Stories could be based around clocks and stuff. It’s a good way to teach kids how to tell time and stuff.
• Clocks could liven up the Fortress of Solitude. Ever since the Donner films, the Fortress has been depicted as this depressingly barren warehouse full of nothing but snow and crystals. It looks patently un-cozy. I’d love to see some rugs and some paintings to liven up the place, but we just need to throw in a couple fancy clocks (even alien clocks) and we’re headed in the right direction.

The disadvantages of bringing back Clark’s hobby:

• There are none! Get outta here, chumps!

Bring back the clocks! Or at least someone start a band called Clark Kent Collects Clocks.

An amoral stand-up comic becomes a high-school teacher and teaches the kids extremely cynical lessons.

Kira Kidder

Kira is a very amoral person. She thought her comedy career would be much further along by now, and since it isn’t she feels she is absolutely justified in doing whatever it takes to make money. One such scheme involved posing as a teacher to attend a fancy dinner. Though a series of mishaps and misunderstandings, one particularly poorly run high school went on to offer Kira a job. She went as a joke at first, but then she started to see it as an opportunity to shape the minds of the next generation. And maybe to get some new material.

Jeanette Voight

Jeanette was the student that made Kira decide to stay. She saw this shy introverted girl in the back of her class and thought “That’s what I’d be if I hadn’t learned to use comedy” and sought to help her. Jeanette doesn’t really like this strange new teacher who is suddenly very concerned about her.

Tom Geddows

Tom Geddows is the class clown. Jeanette things he’s a hack. If Tom is going to be disruptive in her class, she’s going to make him learn how to be funny while he does it.

Carter Towner

Kira hates Carter Towner. This kid is rather smart, pretty nice, and kind of popular. Kira intends to use this school year to tear him down. He’s too naive to even realize it, though.

Lucy Diaz

Lucy Diaz takes school very seriously and she’s starting to get suspicious of the new teacher’s qualifications. She’d look into it, but Kira realized that all she has to do to keep Lucy busy is give her assignments. After all, she takes school very seriously.

I had two types of sitcoms on my list of things to check off: One starring a standup comic, and one about kids in high school. Got ’em both in one.

There’s some news regarding Superman that PDRs will find extremely interesting. This is news important enough that I have knocked today’s scheduled Superman Thoughts post down the line and have to address this now, the day I found out about it. Superman Smashes The Klan is coming.

A story about the Clan of the Fiery Cross radio show! I have wanted this forever.

And apparently it’s news from February, so I am clearly bad at Superman Thinkin’. Here is a news story from the fifth of February announcing this book will come to exist in 2019. Here is a Superman Thoughts posts I scheduled in April in which I lamented that the Clan of the Fiery Cross had not been remade. Clearly, I am not good at keeping up on these things.

I don’t think this is a remake of the Clan story from. From what few scraps I have gathered in the hours since I first learned about this, I think it’s going to be a meta-textual piece about a child who hears the radio serial and how it relates to her life as a Chinese immigrant. That’s great. I’m on board. After all, that means I get this story AND I still get to clamor for a proper remake of the story.

What I am saying is: I am happy this is happening.

Anyway, In another post I have scheduled for next month or so, I talk about how I’d love a standalone book based on the radio show and using the character designs from the Fleischer cartoons. Look at that image up there and tell me it isn’t awesome. Anyway, when that posts finally comes up, keep in mind that I didn’t know about this.