DC 52 Superman - thoughts?

[Captain Canuck]

What is everyone's thoughts on the direction of the new Superman comics? I am finding that beyond the poor stories, I am becoming less and interested in the art. The lack of detail in the drawings and colors makes it hard to visualize the story the writers are trying to depict. It is almost as if DC has given up on Superman as a character and rather spend their time focusing their attention on Batman, better stories and artists. Lois trying to destroy Clark? Very different direction the characters have always been going in. And don't get me started on how different the cover art and style is different from the art and style inside the book. Very disappointing!

 

Superman 45

 

 

[techvoodoo]

I haven't kept up with Superman since the first few issues of the new 52 reboot, but the artwork on that link looks pretty good to me. The story on the other hand might be terrible, I wouldn't know, but I like the art style.

[Mr 9.8]

Dc has been dead to me since the new 52.

 

[Thawk]

I have been keeping up and I agree it's not going well. I've been looking forward to some of the other Supes titles which may be a bit more traditional:

 

Superman Lois & Clark

Superman American Alien

Coming of Superman

 

I have enjoyed Superman/Wonder Woman more than the others. JRJR has really hurt the book in my opinion - though the jeans/t-shirt look can't be doing him any favors.

[revat]

I have been keeping up and I agree it's not going well. I've been looking forward to some of the other Supes titles which may be a bit more traditional:

 

Superman Lois & Clark

Superman American Alien

Coming of Superman

 

I have enjoyed Superman/Wonder Woman more than the others. JRJR has really hurt the book in my opinion - though the jeans/t-shirt look can't be doing him any favors.

 

agree Superman/WW is the best Superman book going now. and JRJR is truly awful on superman. A new low for him and for superman.

[Captain Canuck]

I have been keeping up and I agree it's not going well. I've been looking forward to some of the other Supes titles which may be a bit more traditional:

 

Superman Lois & Clark

Superman American Alien

Coming of Superman

 

I have enjoyed Superman/Wonder Woman more than the others. JRJR has really hurt the book in my opinion - though the jeans/t-shirt look can't be doing him any favors.

 

agree Superman/WW is the best Superman book going now. and JRJR is truly awful on superman. A new low for him and for superman.

 

I have been speaking to some comic artists and writers and they have mentioned the people at head office have been slowly killing off Superman through the direction they have been taking him in. As well, by changing the reason we love him as a character. It would explain why Batman has become number 1, also has been dictated in box office sales. 2 stand alone Superman movies have not done as well as Batman and required Batman to be in the current one to help with sales.

[slym2none]

Needs more Frank Miller.

 

 

 

-slym

[Davenport]

I have been speaking to some comic artists and writers and they have mentioned the people at head office have been slowly killing off Superman through the direction they have been taking him in. As well, by changing the reason we love him as a character.

The impression is DC hates their flagship character and everything he represents. It's like they see him as Columbus-in-a-cape or something, an oppressive iconic cultural embarrassment they desperately long to retcon from existence.

 

DC ought to just get it over with. Have Superman attempt self-loathing suicide, but instead it transforms him permanently into 'Brother Visitor the Meek', champion philosopher and occasional crotch-kicker.

[Thawk]

I have been speaking to some comic artists and writers and they have mentioned the people at head office have been slowly killing off Superman through the direction they have been taking him in. As well, by changing the reason we love him as a character.

The impression is DC hates their flagship character and everything he represents. It's like they see him as Columbus-in-a-cape or something, an oppressive iconic cultural embarrassment they desperately long to retcon from existence.

 

DC ought to just get it over with. Have Superman attempt self-loathing suicide, but instead it transforms him permanently into 'Brother Visitor the Meek', champion philosopher and occasional crotch-kicker.

 

Wow - you don't have a formed opinion on this do you?

[Davenport]

Wow - you don't have a formed opinion on this do you?

Do, sort of. It just comes from a place of growing up with the character and being a life-long fan. Comics, George Reeves, Fleischer stuff, Chris Reeve, the Bruce Timm animation. Good stuff.

So it's tough to see what DC is doing, but MAINLY I'm grateful to have gotten the best of it for so long a time. And there's hope DC will wake up at some point.

 

 

 

 

[TheRealVenom]

In my humble opinion the only Superman book story or arc that has felt fresh, new and exciting has been Injustice.

 

If DC was smart they would have somehow merged that continuity with the new 52 universe. That is a superman I enjoy every aspect of.

[Mr 9.8]

And there's hope DC will wake up at some point.

 

 

 

Don't bet on it.

[Thawk]

Wow - you don't have a formed opinion on this do you?

Do, sort of. It just comes from a place of growing up with the character and being a life-long fan. Comics, George Reeves, Fleischer stuff, Chris Reeve, the Bruce Timm animation. Good stuff.

So it's tough to see what DC is doing, but MAINLY I'm grateful to have gotten the best of it for so long a time. And there's hope DC will wake up at some point.

 

 

I totally hear you and agree

[Point Five]

In my humble opinion the only Superman book story or arc that has felt fresh, new and exciting has been Injustice.

 

If DC was smart they would have somehow merged that continuity with the new 52 universe. That is a superman I enjoy every aspect of.

(thumbs u

 

 

[romanheart]

I liked the return of superman series after his death (Return of Sup). Didn't think much of his actual death.

[ahsieh]

I wouldn't say I'm really happy about the current Superman run, but I generally do like Gene Luen Yang's material, so I'm definitely biased. I do think Yang's writing is definitely suited for more comedic stuff, and his writing does seem a little bit off when it comes to the voice of Superman that we've all come to know and love.

 

What I am happy about, though, is the kind of modern threats that Superman is going against. And no, I don't mean the police brutality (although, let's be totally honest, that's definitely perceived as a "modern threat"-- not being political, but I'm 25 years old, and I'll just tell you that most of my friends don't trust the cops).

 

What I'm talking about is Root. Root, the social network evil Zuckerburg-type villain that Superman fought in the first arc of Yang's run, could probably have been executed (no pun intended) better, but the idea that a social network could be a villain is definitively modern. I think it makes sense to the teenage reader that Sueprman's villains have modernized beyond "smart guy in power suit," and you know ... we do need young people to keep reading these comics

 

You could draw parallels between Supes and the Sam Wilson Cap right now. It's a cross-publisher change that, cynically, you could say is trying to draw in younger readers, rather than keep old ones. My wonder is if it's succeeding.

 

tl;dr: writing's a little off sometimes but the threats keep Superman modern

[Batman1fan]

Unless and until they get rid of his new costume and give him back his old one, I won't even give the new 52 Superman so much as a glance.

[Prince Namor]

Wow - you don't have a formed opinion on this do you?

Do, sort of. It just comes from a place of growing up with the character and being a life-long fan. Comics, George Reeves, Fleischer stuff, Chris Reeve, the Bruce Timm animation. Good stuff.

So it's tough to see what DC is doing, but MAINLY I'm grateful to have gotten the best of it for so long a time. And there's hope DC will wake up at some point.

 

I certainly wish DC would publish a Batman Adventures and a Superman Adventures type of comic every month. The hobby needs it.

 

Of course, when they do, young readers don't much support it, and all the people who complain they can't read classic style DC superhero stories don't support it, and it ends up with a print run of 5-7,000 copies, and they cancel it.

 

It's difficult to get publisher's to print those type of stories when no one seems to support it when they do.

 

Marvel has a Spider-man, Avengers and a GOTG all ages comic, and I support those by carrying them in my store (to minimal success), but all I really get from DC that even comes close is Scooby Doo Team Up. (Which is really fun - the team up with Jonny Quest a few months back was a hoot).

[romanheart]

I like Sup/WW. It's one of my only 3 print titles I still collect. Sadly, the new Superman is reflected in this series.

[Dale Roberts]

Wow - you don't have a formed opinion on this do you?

Do, sort of. It just comes from a place of growing up with the character and being a life-long fan. Comics, George Reeves, Fleischer stuff, Chris Reeve, the Bruce Timm animation. Good stuff.

So it's tough to see what DC is doing, but MAINLY I'm grateful to have gotten the best of it for so long a time. And there's hope DC will wake up at some point.

 

 

 

 

I agree with this. Make Superman iconic. Make him heroic. Make him noble and good, even if it makes him an old fogey. Don't cross lines that shouldn't be crossed. That's what is Super about Superman. You have all the power in the world, but you care too much about life and people to take advantage of that power. Ma & Pa Kent are who created Superman, not Jor-el and Lara.