method call in __init__ get its result returned to the caller

I hope this example code is explicit enough

class ERROR:
    pass

class B:
    def __init__(self):
        super(B, self).__init__()
        self.build_element()

    def build_element(self):
        return ERROR('body')


def dom_ready():
    b = B()
    return b  # == ERROR()

[Neppord]

GJ! btw the code you wrote as an example is really broken, but since you solved it your self no need for fixing it ^^.
but for reference: super function can only be used with new style classes( which should be almost the only thing you use). New style classes all must derive from object or something that is a new style class.