Dear Grant Morrison,
Thank you for being my favorite comic writer of the past decade. I have been a fan of your work on so many DC Comics titles, from Final Crisis, Batman, All Star Superman, and Doom Patrol. I can't truly express how innovative I think your work truly is in this medium.
While I am certain that many individuals at conventions might approach you with critiques and commentaries about your work, asking why you did this or seeking explanations for your creative decisions, I am actually writing because I have a very modest proposal for you to approach with the DC Comics character of Superman, and I believe that you are perhaps the only individual with the creative wit to handle such a task.
Before I get to the meat of the proposal, I want to return to a brief character you created with little back-story who appeared in your run on Animal Man. In one of the alternate versions of Earth that Animal Man encounters during the Crisis 2 storyline, we see Dream Syndicate of America, we meet an African American Superman, the Sunshine Superman. This character only appears briefly in other comics, once in In Infinite Crisis and once more in Final Crisis. However, I would love to see a story with him as the titular character. Of course he needs a villain, and who could he face? No mere Lex Luthor would be appropriate, nor would a Doomsday, Brainiac, Titano, or even a Prankster. He needs something more fitting to the name. Thus I propose drawing on the Donovinian roots and introducing, The Hurdy Gurdy Man.
The story could actually write itself, using the Donovan song, "Sunshine Superman."
Sunshine came softly through my a-window today
Could've tripped out easy a-but I've a-changed my ways
It'll take time, I know it but in a while
You're gonna be mine, I know it, we'll do it in style
'Cause I made my mind up you're going to be mine
I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, all that I can find
Everybody's hustlin' just to have a little scene
When I say we'll be cool I think that you know what I mean
We stood on a beach at sunset, do you remember when?
I know a beach where, baby, a-it never ends
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind
'Cause I made my mind up you're going to be mine
I'll tell you right now
Any trick in the book now, baby, all that I can find
Superman or Green Lantern ain't got a-nothin' on me
I can make like a turtle and dive for your pearls in the sea, yeah!
A you-you-you can just sit there a-thinking on your velvet throne
'bout all the rainbows a-you can a-have for your own
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine
I'll pick up your hand and slowly blow your little mind
When you've made your mind up forever to be mine
I'll pick up your hand
I'll pick up your hand
Donovan's lyrics read like the internal monologue of a maniacal villain…albeit a slightly inept one of the Silver Age of comics.
So here is the plot suggestion, of which you can cull, deviate, or completely use in whole as told using the lyrics.
The Hurdy Gurdy Man is in rundown Apartment looking outside onto the sunny streets below at group of young college students. They are dressed in hip clothes, he is old and outdated. But he has kidnapping on his mind because of love rejected. You see his schemes in flashbacks. Even civilized proposals to win the affections of one of the students we zoom in on that Hurdy is watching.
In classic Silver Age style, Hurdy reaches has come across some arcane information about a pearl that has mind control power. The pearl is in possession of Aquaman and Hurdy must steal it from the Sea King which he does successfully. Hurdy then attaches the pearl to his mind controlling hurdy gurdy that he then uses to make mind control slaves out of the college students.
He proudly declares that he can beat the Justice League when Sunshine Superman shows up with Green Lantern in Tow…And from there a battle ensues. The students are freed and Hurdy learns a lesson in humility.
As you see, Donovan's words create comic cameos from many classic characters. The Rainbow Raider could appear.
Of course, Donovan would need to be given credit for this story since we would be using him as inspiration for this fictional work. But it would be the best comic adaptation of a piece of lyrical work ever!
Mr. Morrison, I implore you to consider this story proposal. I think it would do wonders for both the fictional reality of Superman and for preserving the musical legacy of Donovan. I am certain your creative integrity could do wonders with this concept.
Sincerely,
The Wonderful World of Clutter.
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