Shayne, I somehow missed "Gender Bender" when it was posted, so clicked on the link and read it. I thought it was a very interesting re-imagining of the pilot with gender reversal. I can't see that going the same direction as the series, but it might be an interesting universe to explore. And while it didn't make me uncomfortable, I could tell that these two people had some similarities to Lois and Clark but also had some striking differences. I liked it.
Carol, you wrote:
I'm flexible on the red hair and freckles - I just used that as an example. Still, CK would be slightly built, about 5'8", very fine features - I see him with a hawk-like nose and a bit of a weak chin, blond hair. Maybe grey eyes. Remember his character would still be the same as L & C CK/S though. So how does that sound?
I know that Dandello has already responded directly to this, and for the most part I agree with her evaluation. It's not that being about average height and less attractive (at least, that's what I get from the description, but what do I know about how good-looking another guy is?) would change his character, but it would definitely change the way he grew up, and it would change the way people respond to him, for better or for worse. Clark would either accept being part of the crowd and blend in, or he'd behave in a more aggressive manner in order to compensate. And since the Clark you're describing seems to be less physically attractive than Dean Cain, I'd guess that the "god in tights" description would not be applied to him.
Remember also that part of Superman's "presence" is derived from his appearance. Resplendent Man was just as fast, just as strong, just as super-powered as Superman, but even had he not sent people bills for services rendered, he wouldn't have enjoyed the public acclaim Superman did simply because he didn't look the part. A Superman who doesn't "look the part" is going to have to do something different to compensate.
(I thought Resplendent Man looked dumpy in his uniform, anyway. Chubby guys should
not wear spandex.)
And we haven't even mentioned how Lois might respond to him. Would she be as impressed as "our" Lois was? Would she blow him off personally and treat him only as an interesting source of news stories? Or would it be somewhere in between? And wouldn't that provide some relationship fodder!
That's not to say that you couldn't or shouldn't post a story like this. I know I'd read it, and I think it would be an interesting universe to write about. After all, we're in this to have fun with it, aren't we?
