Superman comics (and the recent Man Of Steel movie) have, every now and then, shown Superman at odds with a military figure or two, though usually it all gets resolved and everyone fights on the same side.

That's what's happening (ish) in the current Man Of Steel comic from DC Comics and two of their highest profile creators Scott Snyder and Jim Lee. As co-publisher of DC, artist Jim Lee is also Snyder's boss. So basically their book can get away with a lot of things other titles may not.

And in this issue, General Lane, that's Lois Lane's dad, takes Superman into his inner sanctum, the discovery of which could probably win Lois every Pulitzer for the rest of the century. And chews him out something rotten.

The C-Word! But he doesn't leave it there, he backs it all up.

That is the dichotomy that a number of Superman writers have struggled with over the years. But it's very difficult when the father of a close friend – and someone who may one day be a lot more – calls you a coward and a mass murderer.

It might make conversation round the Thankgiving dinner a little forced in years to come. Especially if Superman saves another kitten.

Over the last few years, Superman has renounced his US citizenship, hooked up with Wonder Woman and recently discovered that a predecessor of his was the actual bomb that destroyed Nagasaki (more on that in a minute). But this is going to be a lot harder to walk away from…

As to the new alternative history of the DC Universe, it's getting closer and closer to the likes of Maximortal, Bratpack and Watchmen, with super characters being responsible for all sorts of other moments of the twentieth century, such as Cuba and Russia…

Makes me wonder if somewhere there's a A 6.5 mm 160 gr round-nosed fully copper-jacketed bullet supposedly fired from a 6.5 mm Carcano Model 91/38 rifle in a glass case from 1963 in a trophy case there as well.

Because if they'd do the below, they'd do anything…

Comics courtesy of Orbital Comics, London, currently exhibiting the Dead Cats work of Christian Ward.