What would you like to see in in Action Comics #1000?

[Dispenser Of Truth]

If we're folding other threads in to make this a broad #1000 discussion thing, then here's what I think we're going to get with that: for the most part, this is going to be a bad comic book. I would not go so far as to say that I’ve made peace with this, but I have accepted it as essentially inevitable. Jurgens and Tomasi have long since demonstrated their utter lack of facility, and Johns and Donner, while surely preferable to whatever final Superman Vs. Jor-El showdown we’ll get in the main feature (where we’ll presumably learn how they’ll shuffle away this whole incident into a corner never to be spoken of again, i.e. it’s an imposter, some kind of Manhattan-produced homunculus, he’s sent back to the moment of Krypton’s death, whatever), isn’t exactly anything to write home about either.

There’s likely other unannounced backup features to come, but given Superman editorial’s incompetency, I doubt they’ll bother going out of their way to recruit much in the way of top talent for this, meaning it’s going to come down to who actively wants the gig that DC’s still on good terms with; I don’t know if Waid or Millar for instance are tight enough with DC at the moment to get it even though they’d surely want it, and while DC’s coaxing Morrison into some main-line projects again, I wouldn’t be surprised if he felt he’s already said everything he could say here elsewhere. Tom King and Mitch Gerads doing something is a maybe since they’ve said they’ll do something during Mister Miracle’s skip month, but that’s in February while this is in March so for all I know the behind-the-scenes timing doesn’t match up. Kurt Busiek’s said he’s done for now with big two superhero work after Batman: Creature of the Night, which concludes that month, so I wouldn’t bet on him getting involved either. I doubt Hickman especially cares enough to throw his hat in the ring, Aaron’s firmly at Marvel, and Ewing and assorted talented parties at DC aren’t considered prestige enough to merit the gig (nor do they get grandfathered in to make up for lacking the necessary profile or ability as with Jurgens or Tomasi).

There is the one good sign that Eddie Berganza mysteriously wasn’t listed as editor on the latest issue of Action Comics, but even if that wasn’t a fluke/him being on vacation/a sign the Superman line is simply being subdivided/etc. (doubtful since he was listed on Superman again this week), I doubt his successor would have the clout to get this properly ready on such short notice. As is, I’m going to guess we’ll get something like:

* Jurgens, Tomasi, Bogdanovic, and Mahnke doing the big Mr. Oz finale, probably restoring either Conner - who I personally don’t care much about - or the Kents - who I do but think it would be actively damaging to bring back again - to the book.

* Johns, Donner, and - since I believe this is during Doomsday Clock’s skip month - Frank doing some Reeve nostalgia thingy.

* Max Landis and either Jock or Ryan Sook doing something, since DC seems to be all aboard for whatever he wants to do with the character given it looks like the American Alien sequel has been greenlit (god knows if we’re getting that Landis or the dude who did that christawful Adventures of Superman story with the Joker, but I wouldn’t necessarily be optimistic).

* Some old-school Superman creators doing something, but not the ones you’d actually particularly want to see come back for something like this such as Elliot Maggin.

* Neil Gaiman and somebody, since he’s never done a non-team-up Superman story and he clearly gets the value of doing a notable comics project now and again to remind everyone of his reputation there, though that might just come in a form of one of those essays in the hardcover rather than a proper comic.

* At least one completely inexcusable inclusion getting in solely as a matter of position, whether it’s DiDio deciding this’d be fun or Goyer deciding to get one last lick in.

* And maybe, if we’re exceedingly lucky, a King/Gerads story.

[phantom1592]

I think they should reprint the 12 page superman part of Action Comics #1. Give it kind of a bookend feel