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Joe Don Baker posted:If you have any other recommendations, post them, and I'll include them here. The Mark Millar run on Superman Adventures is probably the best work that Mark Millar's ever done. He did the following issues: #16, #19, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27 (great Luthor story), #28, #29, #30, #31, #33, #34, #35, #36 (one of my favorite one-shot Superman stories,) #37, #38, #41 (Millar says 'gently caress decompression' and does 22 one-page stories,) and #52. Many of these were collected in digest format here, here, here and here. Millar also, of course, did Red Son.
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Sep 8, 2011 20:21
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There is an argument I have with some friends that I'd like to get some thoughts on here: Can Superman be wrong, and still be Superman? A lot of people are telling me that no, Superman can't really be in the wrong on something, and that his moral instincts are too sharp. To them, "there is a right and a wrong in the universe and that distinction is not very difficult to make." And moreover, that if Superman ever WAS wrong - even subjectively - it'd be ruinous to the character. They cite "Grounded." I admit that Grounded - the JMS half, I like the Chris Roberson half a lot - is a convincing argument for How Not To Do Something. But I fall into the camp of "he can be wrong and, for the sake of drama, sometimes he should be wrong." To me, Superman's moral strength comes not from him always knowing what the right thing is, but from him always making the effort to find out. To me, it's more interesting if he puts a lot of effort into understanding moral dilemmas and resolving them. If he's right, it's because he's thought about something for a long time, probably while walking on the ocean floor or in a slow orbit around the Moon. If he's wrong, then he's a big enough man to admit it and works to make things right. If he just knows, with no real effort, then the drama is lessened. Not eliminated, but it takes a hit. What do you all think?
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Sep 9, 2011 05:00
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I wish Cornell had gotten a chance to really take a crack at Superman. I liked what I saw of Superman during his Luthor-centric run. It seems to happen a lot with this character, that a creator hops on board and everyone gets excited then, whoops, it's only for three issues.
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Sep 10, 2011 05:26
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Can we add a non-comics property to the fiction list above? If so, I'd like to recommend Miracle Monday, by Eliot S! Maggin, a novel from 1980 or so. The one-sentence plot synopsis is Superman takes on the Devil and inspires a holiday from the future. It's long out of print, but you can find it in second-hand book stores and at cons for pretty cheap, and without getting into  territory it's pretty easy to find online.EDIT: Perfect Superman quote here. Eliot S! Maggin posted:Superman was convinced beyond all reasonable doubt that if he, Superman, were not around to bail people out of spectacular disasters, then industrialists and shippers would not take the air-headed chance of transporting LNG through the places where children played. They would not fly jumbo jets that had cracks in the engine mounts. They would not build skyscrapers in earthquake zones. They would not operate nuclear power plants without sufficient technological information. They would not put whales, snail darters and blue-green algae in danger of extinction. He was sure that his presence on Earth was the reason they took those gambles, and that was why he was infuriated. Mike From Nowhere fucked around with this message at 01:15 on Sep 13, 2011 |
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Sep 13, 2011 01:13
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horsepeen posted:I wonder if he has All-Star Batman in his shop. Funny you should ask.
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Sep 16, 2011 07:49
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On the subject of Christianity and Superman, I grok a great deal of what Chris Bird says here.MightyGodKing.com posted:The appeal of Superman is quite simple and one that is frequently misunderstood by most people because they automatically want to turn him into a Jesus analogue. Admittedly, the reasons for Superman being cast in people’s minds as a Jesus analogue are pretty obvious and straightforward: the combination of godly power with a seemingly bottomless well of compassion and grace. It’s something that just hits the switch in our literary-critic mode that says “hey! Jesus!”
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Sep 16, 2011 07:52
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ChuckDHead posted:I'd like to thank you for introducing me to a webcomic that does humour about comics but isn't written by that utter cock Ryan Sohmer. Anytime! Is Sohmer that guy who did the 'wisecracking Thing at Kirby's funeral' lump of peanut-filled poo poo?
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Sep 16, 2011 20:27
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Red undies on the outside is okay if you are a woman
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Sep 20, 2011 07:38
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Ropey costume aside - I like how she's apparently NOT going to be the "don't piss her off!!!" type character the solicits told us to expect. All she is, is totally unfamiliar with the planet Earth - and that fits perfectly with the character coming to Earth at an older age. Supergirl's the one who'd say "Great Rao!" when Superman really wouldn't.
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Sep 20, 2011 18:43
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One to add to the media pile: It's Superman! by Tom de Haven, found here. It is set in the 30's, features a Superman still growing into his powers amidst the Depression. It has Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, giant robots, and a closing passage that might just up and kick All-Star Superman's rear end when it comes to making me sentimental for the character.
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Sep 28, 2011 06:08
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Hot drat, is that Brainiac at the end there? Hints of Metallo too. And John Irons, who is always awesome. I'm even to the point I like Casual Fridays Superman more than the armored version. This comic is drat cool.
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Oct 6, 2011 05:42
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My dream artist would be Chris Sprouse, but there's no way in hell he'd keep a deadline. He'd be perfect for Action Comics, though. I like Rags. Yes, his art's got the occasional hiccup in it, but I like how his artwork evokes the feeling of a semi-normal world that got Superman chucked into it and hasn't fully assimilated him yet.
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Oct 8, 2011 07:48
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Favorite part of Action #3, unquestionably, was Clark addressing the cops tossing his apartment. "I'm not MAD - I'm just disappointed. You could do so much more with your time, is this really why you became police?" There are many kinds of badass. I would love it if Morrison took over the other book took, taking strong control of the character's past and future. But I'm drat happy with having just the one great Superman book (I haven't read the other one.)
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Nov 4, 2011 03:00
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I still liked Action Comics #4, but felt it was a bit of a dip from the prior 3 - big long fight scene will do that though. Lovin' the new design for Brainiac - he looks like the appendix to something much bigger than himself. A friend had a theory that Brainiac doesn't have a shrink ray - he is just THIS drat huge. I don't think it'll hold up, but it's a fun thought. Anyone else get a copy where Superman was wearing a white shirt all the way throughout? I thought that was... odd.
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Dec 8, 2011 09:15
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Semper Fudge posted:You know, I kind of like that color on him. I actually do too - I just thought it was odd that he switches to this shirt with no real explanation. If they were going to radically redo Superman's costume, white would be a great sub for blue (though he'd just look like Good Plutonian, at this stage.) I'm not American but I've heard the legend of John Henry before, and I really do like Steel - or more precisely I like the idea of Steel, as a man who is inspired by Superman, but not to the point that he's a knockoff of Superman. He sort of puts the lie to the notion that no one could really be inspired by Superman because Superman's heroics come from his inborne power - Steel doesn't have any powers asides from being comic-book-smart. But asides from 52 I've never read a Steel story that really gripped me, though if they're going to make him this prominent going in that might change. Does anyone have any recommendations?
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Dec 8, 2011 21:25
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Today I realize that Metal-Zero is also spelled "Metal-0." It took me nearly a week. I'm a moron.
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Dec 12, 2011 23:36
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I admit that I get mildly cheesed whenever a writer thinks I have the I.Q. of grapefruit, but all the same: coloring mistakes DO happen in comics and I wouldn't have minded some kind of throwaway line about the shirt's change. Still, white IS a good look on Superman.
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Dec 29, 2011 07:22
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"Superman, thanks for saving my life and all, but did you have to wear that shirt with those pants? I mean, really?"
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Dec 29, 2011 21:48
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I like to think that raised-on-a-farm Clark Kent recognized a dead calf when he saw one and that's why he burst out laughing. I thought last issue was a bit off, but this was a return to form for me. I'm not sure I like the idea that time travel tomfoolery with the Legion of Super-Heroes is what created Kryptonite, but we'll see where this goes. I have a feeling that the ship A.I. is going to be incorporated into the Collector of Worlds somehow, and this'll be where the villain gets his name. We'll see, won't we? Still not a fan of that costume, though. With it, it's tough to fully grasp that this IS "Superman," as opposed to "Superman from an alternate reality," since the number one visual shortcut to denote someone from an alternate reality is a different costume. It's a really interesting alternate reality when it comes to the story of Superman, but all the same - we know he's going to be back in the classic look in a few years, because there's only so much tweaking you can do to the world's most iconic costume (most major changes to the look were over and done with within ten years.) Why mar what's sure to be a classic run with what'll be a dated costume? Loved the backup, and I am as hardened an agnostic as an agnostic gets. Another word for God in this context is 'hope,' and there's no better word to describe what Superman means to people.
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Jan 5, 2012 04:19
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I described the plot of this comic to a friend and his reaction was "oh, we're getting THAT Grant Morrison back? I missed him, he was cool."
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Feb 3, 2012 08:24
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I was sincerely worried that we were getting a repeat of "Brainiac blew up Krypton," but the reveal there was perfect. Krypton destroyed itself, and Earth is on its way there - either due to an unrevealed threat or simply due to climate change or the threat of nuclear war. To Brainiac, Earth is a lost cause. To Superman, there's no such thing. And that's why they're enemies.
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Mar 8, 2012 05:00
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d00gZ posted:After #5-6, little dude is definitely Mxyzptlk. I dunno, Clark's landlady doesn't have any vowels in her last name... something's going on there.
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Mar 8, 2012 11:37
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I have absolutely loved this take on the origin of Superman, though I wish the art hadn't taken such a weird turn on the final few pages. That close-up of Superman flying was a little weird perspective-wise. Also - we all know he'll be back in the classic costume in a few years, so this'll feel dated the second that happens. But otherwise I can't find an awful lot wrong with it. That said: I am 100% looking forward to Grant Morrison taking Superman to new places and meeting new foes. A big game hunter with alien-killing bullets sounds just my speed.
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Apr 5, 2012 07:51
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I was hoping for Morrison to get to the trippier stuff once the origin was re-done. He did not disappoint. EDIT: Opopanax posted:By being Morrison. What are they going to do, fire him and let him go work for Marvel? I would not be surprised if DC fired Morrison over this. Yes, it made it to the printed page - that doesn't mean that anyone at the company actually understood what it was publishing and that there won't be consequences once they figure it out. Yes, firing Morrison would be a boneheaded move, but let's not forget what comics company we're talking about. I'm not saying they WILL - but it wouldn't surprise me. Mike From Nowhere fucked around with this message at 09:25 on May 3, 2012 |
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May 3, 2012 04:21
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What amuses me is that Calvin Elliot a) does not wear glasses, and b) is President. It's like Grant Morrison looked at the glasses disguise and said "well, I can make that look perfectly sane." I wonder if Morrison watched Super President as a kid at all?
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May 8, 2012 05:01
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Is this the one where everything is done Mort Weisenger-style but set in the modern day, with Steel and Superboy and an around-the-world baseball game? Loved that one, myself.
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May 30, 2012 19:35
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"Hi, is this the Mayor of Comic Books? Yeah, I have a question. Why is this not a real comic?"
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Jun 3, 2012 02:09
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The bit where Superman tries to get the League to adopt his hamsters might be my new favorite Grant Morrison Superman moment. Also, a Lois Lane spelling joke that did NOT make my eyes roll so hard they popped out of my head? Oh wow. Mike From Nowhere fucked around with this message at 05:58 on Jun 7, 2012 |
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Jun 7, 2012 05:54
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Space_Butler posted:Upon a second read-through of #10 I noticed that Lois' step-neice, that Lois is going to give the hamsters to, is named Susie (an nod to the Lois of pre-crisis Earth 2's niece, Susie Tompkins). I then wondered why that name seemed familiar in THIS incarnation, so I flipped through the older issues. In issue 6, before the Legion returns to the future, one of the Legion members says that the past Superman will soon "have his hands full with Susie and Earth's first Superman". So unless it's a gag or a red herring, Susie might be playing some part in this or the next storyline. Since everyone figures the Little Man who keeps popping up and making Superman's life hell is Mr Mxyzptlk, I wonder if Morrison is reimagining the story from this issue of Superman. This would be totally awesome. I'm going to betray the fact that I am NOT the greatest Superman trivia expert of all time by asking this, but why is Mxyzptlyk's name spelt differently on that cover?
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Jun 10, 2012 05:22
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It's like he finally leapt through the page after being in mid-jump all year.
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Jun 12, 2012 08:13
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I loved the comeback to the "Superman makes us irrelevant" line of criticism, which is that he only renders people irrelevant if they are in competition with him. And Superman doesn't compete - he cooperates.
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Jul 4, 2012 22:30
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So the League has been working together for five years and "they don't know a thing about Superman."  I'm glad I'm not missing anything by skipping that book. What's this thing about Superman not talking that much in Justice League? That doesn't seem to quite fit.
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Jul 6, 2012 02:58
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There's a saying that it's easy to be a saint in paradise. I admit, it's got a point. If Superman doesn't really care about his home planet, his parents are alive, and Lex Luthor is just some dude, and Superman's a great guy - good for him, but it feels less special than if he cares about the loss of his homeworld, the loss of his birth parents, and the fact that Luthor could have been a good man if things turned out slightly different. If Superman is a good man despite having all those reasons to be villainous or apathetic, then I feel it makes him a more admirable individual. I also think that it sets up a nice contrast with the bog-standard my-folks-are-dead origins a lot of DC characters seem to be getting (hello there, Barry Allen.) Superman's parents are gone, yes, but they are gone of natural causes. What's Superman going to do, punch out old age? Heat-vision the flu? Superman can't avenge their deaths, and it would defeat the point of Superman's character if he wanted to for any length of time beyond the initial loss. Instead, Superman has to cope with their deaths, which makes him more relatable since one day, everyone on this board is probably going to have to do the same. (Believe me, I don't like to think about it either.) I realize there's a lot of good arguments for keeping the Kents alive, so this is personal preference. But I grew up in an era where having Martha Kent still alive was considered non-canon. I'll gladly accept a lot of the improvements that the Byrne revamp brought to the table - Lex as a businessman just makes too much sense to ignore - but the Kents being alive never sat well with me. EDIT: NorgLyle posted:I'm not sure but I'd really like to see, in the next reboot, Martha dead and Jonathan alive. That's the one configuration I don't think I've ever really read before and I'd be curious to see how it would change things. The phrase 'the next reboot' depresses me because I know it's coming. But that out of the way, pick up 'It's Superman!' which is a novel set in the thirties where much of the book plays out in the scenario you describe. I recommend it on general principle because it is awesome. Mike From Nowhere fucked around with this message at 10:56 on Jul 13, 2012 |
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Jul 13, 2012 10:48
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Is it my imagination, or is Jor-El directly quoting the last issue of All-Star Superman there? Because if All-Star is on the influences list, my faith in this project just shot up by infinity percent.
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Jul 22, 2012 07:34
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I would love to see Mark Waid writing Superman, but only if they gave him carte blanche to write the book the way he thinks he ought to. I doubt this will happen with DC in the shape it's in - Bob Harras is not a man known for his light editorial touch - but it could happen. It does feel like there's a hole in the universe where a classic Mark Waid Superman run should be.
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Jul 27, 2012 07:50
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I'm amazed that Grant Morrison got away with referencing the marriage. I wonder if the old universe is as dead as we think it is.
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Aug 2, 2012 08:15
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Rhyno posted:That's fairly amusing. There's a fairly large Klan presence in my state (Indiana) and many of them cling to Superman as a White Power symbol. I was lucky enough to inform a few of them that Superman was in fact created by two Jewish men. Their faces were priceless. Ah ha haaaaaaa, you are gonna love this book.
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Aug 11, 2012 19:37
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Rhyno posted:The art in the Superman Annual is so loving bad the main artist should have his fingers cut off. You can't drop a bomb like that without posting a panel or two.
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Aug 29, 2012 21:05
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Where the hell is his God drat spit curl.
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Aug 30, 2012 04:46
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Seconding Ben Oliver. He gave the pages a timeless feeling that sold every emotional beat. I'll admit that having Superman's debut be connected in any way, shape, or form to another God drat helicopter was a bit of an eye-roller, but his in-the-papers debut came later and, I felt, had a lot more punch. Saving the life of one child where no one else could, even after his own father abandons him. Too often, superhero comics are about saving vast statistical numbers, but a hero who saves even one person's life is a hero nonetheless.
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Sep 7, 2012 08:06
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