I'll start with Superman. He has 2 titles. Action Comics written by Grant Morrison and art by Rags Morales. This version of Superman will not be like the Bryne version (Clark is all I am) . It will channel the Golden Age Superman, who was very tough and proactive. I quote Morrison...
"I was really looking at different techniques to find a way to do the series for a modern audience and also to take the core values ofSuperman and represent them in a way I hope we haven't seen before. And it's all there in that original story: what Superman is all about as a champion of the oppressed basically. I thought it'd be good to get back to that. It's a much more blue collar Superman, a Bruce Springsteen Superman. [Laughs] He's in a t-shirt and jeans, and he's fighting for poor people and people on the breadline who have been messed over by big businesses. It's back to that original Depression-era hero but updated to our current Depression era."
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| Action #1 Our young social crusader. |
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| Don't mess with this guy |
He is going to be brash, a little wilder and seems over brimming with a kind of confidence to take on the wrongs in the world and that I find very refreshing after reading too much reactive, whinny Superman who seems to tow the line even when the line is questionable.
Action's first arc will be set five years in the past and then it will catch up in the present. Steel will appear in the first arc and play a significant role. The Kents raised Clark but by the time he starts his heroics (age 17 I believe) they both would have passed away. So Clark will have to be very independent and even responsible for his own uniform.
The uniform is going to be a type of "ceremonial armor". Clark's Kryptonian heritage will be explored more and we may find out how and why he actually makes the suit and what is its purpose. Well, maybe for a change he has thought about creating something to deal with the green rock that seems to make him as weak as a kitten and which every villain and their mother seem to have.
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| The New Superman Suit |
The Superman title is going to be written by George Perez with art by Jesus Merino. It will focus on Clark as a reporter as well as a hero. No more will he have it all on a platter. DC are trying to look at how Superman, a man who seems to have the powers of a God, would be viewed by the public. He will not be viewed as some savior right away, and Clark will be seen as a bit of a loner. According to Morrison his and Jimmy's relationship will be redefined in a more refreshing way and it feels they will be more like peers.
The big news following the rumor of Superman breaking up with Lois Lane was that she has a boyfriend. She will be a television journalist while Clark remains in print media. Now the die hard Lois and Clark fans have been highly critical of these two preview pages and making it out as if Lois is somehow undermined by this portrayal and she is being set up to be fast or loose or something or the other. HUH??? I have no idea what they mean. I see absolutely nothing wrong from Lois' point of view.
Here we see Clark is going to find Lois to apologize to her for something or the other. Maybe related to a story. He rings the bell and clearly Lois did not expect him and but seems very nice to him. If he and Lois in the old days had a disagreement over their work it is rare we would ever see her being so gracious in the beginning. She always thought him irritating and in her way. Art is pretty nice. Anyway, Kent is in for a bit of a surprise. Lois is not alone.
We meet Lois' boyfriend. Yes, folks, she has a life and someone who seems genuinely fond of her and proud of her accomplishments. Note how Jonathan Carroll speaks to Clark. He is everything Clark is not. Handsome, and confident and open. The guy is a good guy and Lois is in no way obliged to Clark not to have a boyfriend or not have sex. She is a modern woman and she simply is not into Clark, the "loner", in a romantic way. She's concerned as anyone would be for a fellow colleague. How do these pages insult Lois, is beyond me. Because this is not Bryne's Clark and the dynamic is never going to be the same either.
What I don't find particularly interesting is Clark's mopey attitude. It seems a little out of sync with Morrison's vibrant Superman. While I get Clark is a loner, I don't see why we need to see him giving a Lois pining look as if to say he's hankering after her. For crying out loud, he's a young man and I am not fond of seeing him being so pathetic because Lois has a boyfriend. I would get if he's looking at them and perhaps is a little wistful and even envious at what they have because of the life he choose. Clark Kent should never seem needy even if he feels alone. That would have seemed more understandably at this stage. A gracious smile at Jonathan and apology would have been nice and even a little wry sigh as he walked away. Not that Peter Parkerish...woe is me...feel sorry for me. Thing is I don't feel sorry for Clark here. I really hope the issue itself will provide better context and we do not have to deal with this set up as a love triangle. It would be refreshing to see Lois happy with a normal decent guy and not cape chasing and acting like a good reporter who can make a name for herself without Superman.
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| Wonder Woman #1 |
Wonder Woman will be written by Brian Azzarello and drawn by Cliff Chiang. We don't know much but there will be no origin but they will be "hitting the ground running." I just want to know which origin we will be dealing with. I hope we have some form of Perez's because if we have to swallow came Diana out in the world because she chased after the first man she saw, Steve Trevor, I'd feel very underwhelmed. Diana's reason for wanting to become Wonder Woman is very important to establish. We need to get why this young woman leaves paradise to want to come in our world and care to fight for us.
DC did say the warrior aspect will be played up but she will remain compassionate. I hope so. I love a Diana who kicks ass but I don't want to read a bitchy, haughty, arrogant one either. It is unclear if her family is around. Or if we will see the return of a young Steve Trevor.
With a single Superman the thought was on everyone's mind since the rumor broke of a hook up with him and Diana. A fan asked one of the DC panels the question if they would get together.
"The question is whether Wonder Woman is single, " Berganza said, eliciting oohs from the crowd.
Take that as you would. It says nothing. I just hope if Diana is dating she dates someone who is not the moody bad-boy who refuses to give her a date, a bore, a cad or fratboy. She seemed to have liked that type in the past.
Both Wonder Woman and Superman will be in the new Justice League line-up. That book is written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jim Lee. It is the first of the 52 titles out on 31st August. It's first arc will be set 5 years in the past, to develop a more updated origin and meeting of the League. Let's hope Johns does not play favorites and writes to everyone's strength and give them all a decent showing. This is a team, not a one (Bat)man show.
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| The New DCU Justice League |
