The Zone

by **Chairman Kaga** on Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:52 pm

unikrunk wrote:Here's the rub; when I think of the greatest comics I have ever read, they are one-offs, TBs, or graphic novels and they are all DC.

I agree except Marvels is in there for me as well. So one Marvel entry.

by **Leckomaniac** on Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:06 am

I am going to repost this because we have moved on to page TWO of this thread:

I am curious as to what people think of Brian A. and Jim Lee's For Tomorrow. From what I have read...it seems that certain people adored it while others found it too preachy. Has anyone here read it? Can they shed some light on it for me?

by **Adam Balm** on Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:07 am

Was that that one where Superman rode a motorcycle and dressed like an idiot?

by **Leckomaniac** on Thu Jul 06, 2006 12:15 am

Adam Balm wrote:Was that that one where Superman rode a motorcycle and dressed like an idiot?

I have no idea....I haven't read it...which is why I am asking about it! :wink:

but I sure hope that isn't the case...Azzarello and Lee? I want it to be good.

by **Leckomaniac** on Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:24 pm

So I just finished reading "The Death of Superman". The first part was strange...with the underworld monsters...but the Doomsday stuff was cool. For someone like me (being 20 years old) seeing the dated JLA stuff kind of took me out of it for a while. But once you strip away all of that...and get down to the core of the story...it really hit me hard.

I am now halfway through "Funeral For a Friend" and that last page of Action Comics...where Bibbo prays...it had me tearing up. Really excellent stuff.

by **DennisMM** on Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:30 pm

Adam Balm wrote:Wait. I just remembered Superman #400.

Great stuff and another great wink, even if the Steranko seems to have shoehorned Supes into a generic SF story.

by **ONeillSG1** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:31 am

http://www.dccomics.com/media/desktop_patterns/Absolute_Kingdom_Come_1024x768.jpg

Though not an exclusive Superman issue, a great story and excellent artwork to boot.

by **Adam Balm** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:35 am

You know, not too long ago I read the interview with Ross where he mentioned that he basically had to browbeat DC into releasing an absolute edition of Kingdom Come. They didn't even know it was the tenth anniversary.

by **Leckomaniac** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:39 am

ONeillSG1 wrote:http://www.dccomics.com/media/desktop_patterns/Absolute_Kingdom_Come_1024x768.jpg

Though not an exclusive Superman issue, a great story and excellent artwork to boot.

Thanks for that O'Neill...Lecko just got himself a new desktop screen saver.

@ AB, that is really unfortunate. The fact that DC might neglect such an amazing story is just...awful.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 12:40 am

I love Kingdom Come but I thought the end was a bit messy.

by **Leckomaniac** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:09 am

Chairman Kaga wrote:I love Kingdom Come but I thought the end was a bit messy.

Hm. Messy? Not too sure what you are trying to articulate here Kaga. Are you referring to the Superman/Wonder Woman/Batman dinner out part? Care to elaborate. I would love to hear your thoughts.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:19 am

Leckomaniac wrote:
Chairman Kaga wrote:I love Kingdom Come but I thought the end was a bit messy.

Hm. Messy? Not too sure what you are trying to articulate here Kaga. Are you referring to the Superman/Wonder Woman/Batman dinner out part? Care to elaborate. I would love to hear your thoughts.

I dislike the fact that everyone who survives just sorta shrugs off the death of hundreds of comrades/children when the US nukes all the rogue "heros". Supes goes nutso for a page or so but after that everyone just says essentially "meh thems the breaks." After the rest of the story's really great writing I found that completely out of whack. The dinner part is just campy goofiness, I don't like it so much but that doesn't taint the story for me so much as the previously mentioned bit.

by **Leckomaniac** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:32 am

Chairman Kaga wrote:
Leckomaniac wrote:
Chairman Kaga wrote:I love Kingdom Come but I thought the end was a bit messy.

Hm. Messy? Not too sure what you are trying to articulate here Kaga. Are you referring to the Superman/Wonder Woman/Batman dinner out part? Care to elaborate. I would love to hear your thoughts.

I dislike the fact that everyone who survives just sorta shrugs off the death of hundreds of comrades/children when the US nukes all the rogue "heros". Supes goes nutso for a page or so but after that everyone just says essentially "meh thems the breaks." After the rest of the story's really great writing I found that completely out of whack. The dinner part is just campy goofiness, I don't like it so much but that doesn't taint the story for me so much as the previously mentioned bit.

Thanks for the reply Chairman. Although, I disagree with you a bit. Tiny text, ahoy!

Looking over it...Batman does seem to be unphased...but I don't think the way he was written throughout the series...that kind of makes sense. Clearly, Superman is absolutely torn. Evidence of this can be seen when he makes the huge grave site/memorial thing. Not to mention when freaks out...and goes to attack the UN. I would have liked to have seen Wonder Woman act a little less cold. She was meant to have had this emotional break through at the end...but it is never really portrayed in the way it should have. So yeah, I can see where you are coming from. Although, I do feel that Superman's emotion can be seen for longer than "one page" as you put it.

Anyway, thanks again for the response Chairman. Its always a pleasure reading your thoughts.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:37 am

Leckomaniac wrote:
Chairman Kaga wrote:
Leckomaniac wrote:
Chairman Kaga wrote:I love Kingdom Come but I thought the end was a bit messy.

Hm. Messy? Not too sure what you are trying to articulate here Kaga. Are you referring to the Superman/Wonder Woman/Batman dinner out part? Care to elaborate. I would love to hear your thoughts.

I dislike the fact that everyone who survives just sorta shrugs off the death of hundreds of comrades/children when the US nukes all the rogue "heros". Supes goes nutso for a page or so but after that everyone just says essentially "meh thems the breaks." After the rest of the story's really great writing I found that completely out of whack. The dinner part is just campy goofiness, I don't like it so much but that doesn't taint the story for me so much as the previously mentioned bit.

Thanks for the reply Chairman. Although, I disagree with you a bit. Tiny text, ahoy!

Looking over it...Batman does seem to be unphased...but I don't think the way he was written throughout the series...that kind of makes sense. Clearly, Superman is absolutely torn. Evidence of this can be seen when he makes the huge grave site/memorial thing. Not to mention when freaks out...and goes to attack the UN. I would have liked to have seen Wonder Woman act a little less cold. She was meant to have had this emotional break through at the end...but it is never really portrayed in the way it should have. So yeah, I can see where you are coming from. Although, I do feel that Superman's emotion can be seen for longer than "one page" as you put it.

Anyway, thanks again for the response Chairman. Its always a pleasure reading your thoughts.

Well it wasn't just the big three but also the folks GL helped. The characters were perhaps more broken up abut it but it seemed to be thrown together a little too fast for me.

by **Leckomaniac** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:44 am

I wonder if the length of the series had anything to do with it. I mean its only 4 1/2 issues long when you think about it. Just speculating. Thanks for the discussion Chairman

Switching from KC to the more recent...even though I didn't like the end of the final issue...I would say that the new Up, Up, and Away story was one of the best in recent memory. I can't wait to see where Busiek takes the character.

by **Chairman Kaga** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:46 am

The new movie makes me want to go ut and pick up some new stories thanks for the thread.

by **Leckomaniac** on Fri Jul 07, 2006 1:52 am

Chairman Kaga wrote:The new movie makes me want to go ut and pick up some new stories thanks for the thread.

If you're looking for new stories then I strongly suggest Up, Up, and Away. It will be collected very soon in TPB. It is a perfecting jumping on point for readers. It sets a new "status quo" for Superman after the events of Infinite Crisis. The great thing is that you don't have to have any understanding of IC to enjoy the story. It does a great job catching you up on what you need to know...and from then on it works just fine as a Superman story.

by **DennisMM** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:21 pm

I'll echo Adam's support for Secret Identity. It was meant to be a new approach to Superboy-Prime (from the Crisis), in a more realistic setting than even DC's Earth-Prime of the Silver Age. Fine Kurt Busiek scripts, wonderful Stuart Immomen art, a fine human story and good reading all around.

by **Adam Balm** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:31 pm

Thanks Dennis.

I wish more felt the same. For me, honestly it's the best Superman comic story period. I know that's heresy, but for me it is.

Nothing before or since has made me believe a man can fly more than seeing young Clark soaring above those photorealistic cornfields. Although technically not really about Superman, (There's no Metropolis, no Daily Planet. There's only the world outside our window) this is the first thing I'd give anyone who wants to get into Superman comics.

by **DennisMM** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:36 pm

It's too low-key and realistic for many, I think. I have a friend who enjoys Superman, but who read the first issue and asked me what was so special about it. Had he given it another issue I think he would have felt the wonder kick in.

by **thebostonlocksmith** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:37 pm

I'm going to try my best to have a look for 'Secret identity'. I've never really read too much superman, but maybe that could change, i'll check it out when i eventually find it. The stores over here are limited in there number and also in stock.

by **DennisMM** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:39 pm

You might check area libraries, too. I don't know about your area, but comics sections are becoming a big part of some US libraries. These collections bring in the teens with manga and the like and offer mainstream action as well.

by **thebostonlocksmith** on Sat Jul 08, 2006 11:47 pm

I just bought it on Amazon. But thanks for the tip... I'll post back with how i got on comparitivley with the superman i've read previously, which i would say hasn't been anyway near as broad as it should be.

by **Leckomaniac** on Sun Jul 09, 2006 9:18 pm

So I just purchased Superman: Red Son and Superman: For Tomorrow volume 1. I haven't read Superman: Red Son yet...but I just finished Superman: For Tomorrow volume 1 and I really enjoyed it. It is very dark (very much Azzarello's style) and the art is amazing of course. I really want to read volume 2 now...so I just ordered it off of Amazon and hopefully it will arrive soon.

I stopped by the library and picked up Secret Identity. I am going to give it a read and I will post my thoughts on it soon.

by **RogueScribner** on Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:46 am

Regarding Secret Identity. am I correct in reading that it's not really Superman, just some kid named Clark who happens to manifest similar powers? Is this an alternate universe thing?

by **Adam Balm** on Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:12 am

RogueScribner wrote:Regarding Secret Identity. am I correct in reading that it's not really Superman, just some kid named Clark who happens to manifest similar powers? Is this an alternate universe thing?

Alright the quick answer: It's about what would happen if Superman existed in our world, the real world. So yeah, an alternate universe. He grows up in a real Kansas town, he goes to New York not Metropolis. This isn't like the Ultimate Universe where it's kinda/sorta the real world. This IS our universe, where Superman is a cultural icon. The story is actually deeply personal and explored Superman from the ground up. What would happen if you were named Clark Kent as a joke, and your whole life you were made fun of and mocked because of it. Every birthday you could look forward to everyone sending you brilliantly unfunny Superman themed gag gifts. "Wow, a Superman costume. You're the first one to ever think of that. Nicely done, dipshit." Then one birthday, you give up and you put the costume on...and you find that, impossibly, you have powers beyond that of mortal men. It doesn't make any sense, but you ARE what they said you were. The story follows his entire life on into old age, and I can't remember being more choked up at a superhero comic. This really is an idea that just sounds too crazy until you read it. It sounds overly complicated and it shouldn't have worked, but it did.

This was originally based on an old silver age (?) concept called Superboy Prime, which is the same idea basically. Superboy Prime is the one that caused so much trouble in the recent Infinite Crisis event.

by **RogueScribner** on Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:44 am

Interesting. I contemplated getting it but I wasn't sure when I saw that it seemed to be some weird post-modern alternate universe thing. I'll check it out.

by **Leckomaniac** on Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:26 pm

I just recently finished the first chapter of SECRET IDENTITY. I must say that I was impressed. As I have stated before, I am usually not a big fan of â€œelseworldâ€

by **Leckomaniac** on Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:58 pm

[quote="Leckomaniac"]I just recently finished the first chapter of SECRET IDENTITY. I must say that I was impressed. As I have stated before, I am usually not a big fan of â€œelseworldâ€

by **RogueScribner** on Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:15 am

Wow, Lecko, what a huge endorsement! You make me want to go out and get it right now!

by **Leckomaniac** on Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Up next for me is Superman: Red Son...and Superman: For Tomorrow vol. 2...

At the moment my Top 5 looks like this

5) Superman For All Seasons
4) Lex Luthor: Man of Steel
3) Kingdom Come
2) Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
1) Secret Identity

by **Leckomaniac** on Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:45 pm

I changed the title of the thread to encompass all things in comics related to Superman.

So I just read this article that says that RICHARD DONNER will be returning to Superman to write a few issues of ACTION COMICS in October. He will be co-writing with Geoff Johns and it looks like they will be introducing a new GENERAL ZOD into the DC universe.

Boy am I pumped for this.

by **doglips** on Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:30 am

Lecko, what did you think of For Tomorrow Vol1? I read it last week and was impressed. Azzarello has come up with the goods as usual, what a great writer. Lee's art is not too shabby either........let me know how Vol2 turns out.

by **Leckomaniac** on Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:12 am

I actually just read Vol. 2 a couple of days ago and was really impressed. There is a balls out battle between Superman and the mysterious man/woman behind the scenes. The story Azzarello came up with is just awesome (and very plausible). I know a lot of folks find it too preachy...and it took me two reads to understand EVERYTHING that was going on (because in Vol. 2 a lot of shit happens). But it has action, and a hell of a lot of heart...and it goes very deep into the mind of one of the greatest comic book characters of all time.

by **doglips** on Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:16 am

Fuck yeah! I'm ordering it NOW!

EDIT - Dammit, not out here till December........

by **Leckomaniac** on Mon Jul 24, 2006 10:36 am

thedoglippedone wrote:Fuck yeah! I'm ordering it NOW!

EDIT - Dammit, not out here till December........

Bummer. I got myself the HC copy. Is the soft cover not out yet?

I honestly don't get why people have a problem with For Tomorrow. I see a lot of people bashing it on other message boards and I really don't understand it. Is it a traditional Supes tale? No. Its a darker tale...but it has tons of heart...which is what a good Supes tale needs, IMO. This and Azzarello's Lex Luthor: Man of Steel are some of my fav. modern Supes tales.

by **doglips** on Wed Sep 13, 2006 1:55 pm

Just read Supergirl - Power.

Jeph Loeb writes a great story and script, I loved the fact that the book features JLA, JSA, The Teen Titans and The Outsiders!

Nice art by Ian Churchill, I am going to have to look at some more of his stuff.

Enjoyed it, a good superheroine fix!

by **doglips** on Thu Sep 14, 2006 7:56 am

OK, so I just read All Star Superman 1&2 - Brilliant, so much humour!

Quitely's art is fantastic and Morrison writes a really intelligent story.

Spoilers!

I love the one page, four panel origin and the fact that Morrison starts off a new series with the beginning of the end for supes.

Great premise for the book, I hope it delves more into sci-fi territory as it goes along.

The re-imagining of the fortress in #2 is brilliantly written and drawn, all the little extras, like the baby sun eater and the 'Keep out - Superman at work' made me chuckle with delight.

Can't wait to see Super Lois in action - if we do, that is.

Not very often you read a comic with a broad smile on your face all the way through, but this delivers on all levels.

Just got to wait for issue 3 to arrive now, I must be strong and not peek at #4!

by **TheButcher** on Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:12 pm

DC Comics has provided Newsarama with an exclusive look at the full Alex Ross image that will make up the covers to Superman #681, Action Comics #871 and Supergirl #35 - encompassing parts 2-4 of the nine part "New Krypton" storyline.

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: It's Raining Kryptonians - Hallelujah!

From Newsarama: SDCC '08 - Talking to the Superman/'New Krypton' Team

Action Comics# 868 preview: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=20714

From Comic Book Resources: CCI: Superman The Man Of Tomorrow

by **Leckomaniac** on Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:52 pm

TheButcher wrote:
DC Comics has provided Newsarama with an exclusive look at the full Alex Ross image that will make up the covers to Superman #681, Action Comics #871 and Supergirl #35 - encompassing parts 2-4 of the nine part "New Krypton" storyline.

EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW: It's Raining Kryptonians - Hallelujah!

From Newsarama: SDCC '08 - Talking to the Superman/'New Krypton' Team

Action Comics# 868 preview: http://www.newsarama.com/php/multimedia/album.php?aid=20714

From Comic Book Resources: CCI: Superman The Man Of Tomorrow

Butcher: The Man With The Links.

Thanks for compiling all of this stuff and really kicking the dust off of my beloved Comic Book Forum.

by **TheButcher** on Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:18 pm

Your welcome!

by **TheButcher** on Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:03 pm

Comic Book Resources has a story about the Superman stories of Elliot S! Maggin.
Link: ELLIOT S! MAGGIN'S NOBLE HUMANITY

by **TheButcher** on Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:52 pm

Newsarama:
Friday Flashback: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/080926-FridayFlashbackSuperman.html

Neil Gaiman’s upcoming story in Batman and Detective Comics is titled “Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?” When this was announced, longtime readers and/or Alan Moore fans instantly recalled a story with a very similar title. The story, printed in 1986, also took over two premier titles, in this case Superman #423 and Action Comics #583. Alan Moore wrote, Curt Swan and George Perez drew, and they together created a story that looked back on the life of Superman, the Man of Tomorrow. The story was designed as “the last” Superman story, a clear precursor to many other “possible future” stories, including Marvel Comics “The End” stories.

Newsarama:
Baltimore Comic Con '08: Superman Panel
http://www.newsarama.com/comics/090827-baltimore-superman.html

By Vaneta Rogers
posted: 27 September 2008 06:10 pm ET

The Superman panel Saturday at the Baltimore Comic Con took place in a very hot room before a crowd of fans who were fanning themselves, but putting up with the heat so they could hear:

Matt Idelson, Superman books editor
Sterling Gates, Supergirl writer
James Robinson, Superman writer
Geoff Johns, Action Comics writer
Jamal Igle, artist on Supergirl

Idelson said that October is going to be a huge month for the Superman books. "Probably our biggest month in a long time," he said.

The first issue of Supergirl by the new creative team of Gates and Igle comes out Wednesday and features a media blitz by Cat Grant in a story called, "Why the World Doesn't Need Supergirl."

Robinson said Gates is doing a lot for the Supergirl series, including giving Supergirl a rogues gallery. He said Gates' writing is fantastic and Igle's artwork is fantastic. "I think they're going to be one of the greatest combinations that DC has seen for a long time."

There will be a Jimmy Olsen special by James Robinson coming up, Idelson said. "This is our attempt to turn Jimmy into a vibrant young man of 22," Robinson said. "This is going to be the beginning of him as an investigative reporter. He'll go out in search of answers in different places in a story including the Guardian.

Johns will finish up the Brainiac story in Action Comics and it will continue into the New Krypton Special. All the Superman-related books will have the triangles on the front. "Each one of our books will deal with the bigger story but also threads that our characters deal with," Johns said.

Igle said in Action Comics #869, Supergirl's parents are alive, and Igle will flesh out the story. Gates said Supergirl #35 will explain everything that's happened up to this point with Supergirl and how that fits with the discovery of her parents.

The Guardian will be in a special, and Robinson explained that Jimmy Olsen will find out all kinds of horrible secrets about his past as he's refolded back into the Superman Universe. Idelson added that it will fit into the New Krypton story.

The crossover will spiral the books into different directions, Idelson said. And Action Comics is going to take a really different direction, although Johns said he couldn't talk about it now.

New Krypton checklist:
SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN SPECIAL -- Sort of a prequel to "New Krypton" and on sale 10/15.

SUPERMAN: NEW KRYPTON SPECIAL -- "New Krypton" Part 1, on sale 10/22.

SUPERMAN #681-- "New Krypton" Part 2, on sale 10/29.

GUARDIAN OF METROPOLIS SPECIAL-- "New Krypton" Part 3, on sale 11/5.

ACTION COMICS #871-- "New Krypton" Part 4, on sale 11/12.

SUPERGIRL #35-- "New Krypton" Part 5, on sale 11/19.

SUPERMAN #682-- "New Krypton" Part 6, on sale 11/26.

ACTION COMICS #862-- "New Krypton" Part 7, on sale 12/10.

SUPERGIRL #36-- "New Krypton" Part 8, on sale 12/17.

SUPERMAN #683-- "New Krypton" Part 9, on sale 12/31.
http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?p=7553650

by **Leckomaniac** on Wed Oct 22, 2008 5:15 pm

New Krypton came out today. Anybody pick it up? I thought it was a fantastic beginning to what surely will be a major story line for Supes history.

by **TheButcher** on Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:02 am

Superman's origin is getting another reboot.

From Newsarama:
Dan DiDio: 20 Answers, 1 Question
Geoff Johns: Telling Superman's Secret Origin
Exclusive: Superman Secret Origin Covers
http://io9.com/5099866/supermans-origin-to-be-retold-revised-secretly-in-2009

by **TheButcher** on Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:55 am

From Newsarama: Gary Frank: Envisioning Superman: Secret Origin

by **TheButcher** on Mon Oct 25, 2010 8:03 pm

AICN COMICS EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW of SUPERMAN EARTH ONE!

by **TheButcher** on Tue Oct 26, 2010 12:11 am

From Bleeding Cool:
Is Mark Millar Paving The Way Back To DC Comics In The Next Ten Years?

by **TheButcher** on Wed Oct 27, 2010 3:44 am

From CBR:
Roberson Takes "Superman/Batman" Back to the Future

Kiel Phegley wrote:Every DC Comics fan has their favorite underutilized corners of the DC Universe. From Dinosaur Island to Earth-8 and beyond, the cosmos of the DC heroes is full of strange and shiny ideas that don't always get their day in the sun.

But this December, writer Chris Roberson will be resurrecting one of DC's forgotten pieces of world-building for a story running in "Superman/Batman" #79 and 80: the 853rd Century of "DC One Million." Originally conceived by Grant Morrison during his '90s run on the publisher's "JLA" as part of a massive, line-spanning event, the DC One Million future presented a world millions of years in the future where our solar system was still called the home of heroes from Green Arrow to Wonder Woman and, of course, Superman and Batman.

After the initial "DC One Million" event, the characters of that world were seldom heard from outside the occasional appearance (mostly in works by Morrison or his peers), but as Roberson – best known for his Vertigo series "iZombie" as well as a wave of BOOM! Studios titles including the upcoming Stan Lee superhero series "Starborn" – and artist Jesüs Merino are out to show, the concepts have life in them to go to infinity and beyond. Below, the writer explains how his emersion in Morrison's work led to the story, which forgotten villain helps kick the ball rolling and why a more Silver Age feel to the proceedings is nothing to fear.

by **TheButcher** on Wed Nov 10, 2010 2:47 am

From CBR: Pop! Land of Lost Tales - Dave Stevens' Superman and Rocketeer Miniseries

The Zone

Official Superman Comics Thread

New Krypton

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Elliot S! Maggin

New Krypton

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Superman: Secret Origin

Superman: Secret Origin

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Re: Official Superman Comics Thread

Re: Rocketeer/Superman: 1938

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