Official : Bendis gets both books

[Panfoot]

This paranoia that Bendis is tossing out the Super-Family is bloody ridiculous.

We don't really know how tight of a leash DC will put on him and his last big book he spent most of the time getting rid of the old cast, so I would say it's not a totally invalid fear. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see Jon relegated to just Super Sons or a Teen Titans book and nothing more than a background character in Bendis's books.

[manofsteel1979]

We don't really know how tight of a leash DC will put on him and his last big book he spent most of the time getting rid of the old cast, so I would say it's not a totally invalid fear. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see Jon relegated to just Super Sons or a Teen Titans book and nothing more than a background character in Bendis's books.

Speaking as someone who actually likes the kid, relegating Jon to a background character for awhile isn't the worst idea in the world, given we've had nearly 2 years ( Which is the equivalent of 4 years worth of material given the double shipping )of him as one of the co-leads in one book and a major factor in the other. Why not focus on rebuilding up Clark and Lois independent of Jon for a year or so? As long as he regularly appears in other books like Supersons I don't see an issue. It's actually better for his character in the long run anyway. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

[Digifiend]

We don't really know how tight of a leash DC will put on him and his last big book he spent most of the time getting rid of the old cast, so I would say it's not a totally invalid fear. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see Jon relegated to just Super Sons or a Teen Titans book and nothing more than a background character in Bendis's books.

You mean how he barely used Pepper and kidded off War Machine in Invincible Iron Man?

[ross61]

We don't really know how tight of a leash DC will put on him and his last big book he spent most of the time getting rid of the old cast, so I would say it's not a totally invalid fear. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see Jon relegated to just Super Sons or a Teen Titans book and nothing more than a background character in Bendis's books.

DC ain’t Marvel, so the leash will be pretty tight.

[Soubhagya]

All good points. I've enjoyed both Action and Superman since Rebirth began. I'd argue that Action has been the more consistent out of the two. Now, I am not saying Superman hasn't been great. It has produced two of the most outstanding issues featuring Big Blue I have ever been privileged to read (Issue 7 and 39.) However, it has been plagued by fill-ins. The schedule becoming too much for Tomasi and Gleason. So if going monthly again means I can have a consistent voice and vision for Superman, I'll take it.

On the question of needing a weekly Superman fix, DC can always schedule Action to come out one week. Then have Superman the next. Follow that up with Supergirl. Before rounding the month off with Super Sons.

As to my other point, DC clearly wants to make Superman a powerhouse in sales again. He shouldn't be pulling the numbers he does. Batman is only an anomaly because the character has been given an unprecedented amount of promotion for a decade. Before Morrison got the keys to the castle the sales on Batman were atrocious. It's why they put him on it in the first place.

Look, I haven't been crash hot on the recent stuff written by Bendis. In my view, he has been burnt out and uninspired for years. Yet I can't deny the fact he has produced some of the best comic runs in the past twenty years with Daredevil, Alias and Ultimate Spider-Man. He could be a total disaster, but he could also surprise us. To be honest, I think he had grown bored at Marvel. Anybody would after 18 years. He need a change and new challenges. He has that with DC.

I see many people on here been negative. I just urge you to look at the positives: DC is giving Superman a massive push by editorial. One of the biggest since the 90s. Say what you want about Bendis, but the guy is still considered one of the top creators in the comic medium (despite recent work being on the contrary), and attracts top artists. Despite all that, the very fact he is going to be writing Superman has everybody talking about Superman again. Hell, people who don't read Superman, or even like Bendis for that matter, are saying they will check these books out. Just because it is something they never thought they'd see.

Anyway, the first issues will do big numbers. It is now down to Bendis to keep them. Only time will tell.

I agree with pretty much everything you say. Let us hope that Bendis does some stellar work. He can. Just let this one be one of the hits rather then misses. As you said spotlight is on Superman. The initial issues are going to have good sales. And if he does something genuinely good it will help Superman reach higher numbers on a consistent basis. This might be bigger then Morrison in New 52. After all he is Bendis. Both DC and Marvel people, in fact the whole industry will take notice. (I speak as if i knew stuff before New 52. But i am guessing it must have been big).

The only difference would be how i liked the two books. In my opinion Tomasi's work till Black Dawn was stellar. I owe it to that run to make me a Superman fan. Before that i was all Batman. And just when i was seriously entering comics at Rebirth i loved Superman. Black Dawn was wonderful to begin with but i thought its ending was weak. It was fine till that Lois issue. I was digging that horror town vibe. But it ended real fast. It was followed by Road Trip. It may be among the worst two issues i have read. They were so boring. Both had a few good moments. Fill in writers were pretty solid. I particularly liked the second part of Green Lantern story and first part of Lois going after Deathstroke. Had high hopes for their return. It began real good again to have a weaker ending in Imperius Lex. Same with Super Sons of Tomorrow. So their work was uneven since a while and weren't able to meet biweekly schedule as they would have preferred. Fill in writers shows this. In comparison Jurgens was able to meet that schedule well. And his work was more consistent. I liked Action even before Reborn. And after that it got only better and better. I am sad to see them go. Particularly Jurgens as it looked like he could do a lot. Let is hope that Bendis does some good work to follow them both.

[Panfoot]

You mean how he barely used Pepper and kidded off War Machine in Invincible Iron Man?

Yeah, and Tony in a way to, depending on your views of the AI Tony character. I won't mind inserting some new characters, and while I like Jon we have definitely got a lot of him in Superman so I won't be opposed to him becoming a little less prominent, but Bendis has proven to be really poor at doing that kinda stuff. It became immediately apparently Rhodey was back just to get killed off for CW2 and Riri's introduction was botched really hard, not to mention more recent newer characters were just completely forgotten about(Arno Stark, Lila Rhodes). Then there is stuff like bringing Mary Jane into the book to...not really do anything at all. My confidence for Bendis to much good with anyone new or old except Clark and maybe Lois in the new books is preeettty low.

[Kuwagaton]

Road Trip was weak and awkward, where Only Human and the endings to Oz Effect, Multiversity, Deathstroke, Black Dawn, and Imperius Lex were just sort of weak and mainly rushed. Super sons of tomorrow just didn't have a reason to include Superman. Sounds like a lot but we're talking about 10 issues out of a little over 80 so far. Other than those and the general decompression I can't really complain about the last year and a half.

The reason I'd be excited for Bendis breaking away... well, I actually do like it when people tell you it's not a reboot and it kind of is. That's so hilarious. But also because in fairness, there were a lot of jammed together details that got pretty confusing. Like a clear reference to Exile even though we had the Disco Krypton. A brief recap of his life thus far won't do any harm and will hopefully welcome those who were put off by the level of continuity flux.

As much free reign as I am sure Bendis will have I highly doubt DC will let Superman take any kind of staunch religious position. Although I will say it is kind of humorous to see people bring up the history of characters religious beliefs such as the Kents being portrayed as methodist, while they are correct acting as though anything in continuity will be honored by bendis is pretty hilarious. If you ever need to see what Bendis thinks of continuity go back and look at Civil War 2 and anyone with even a passing knowledge of Marvel comics would see about 50 things wrong per issue.

He has his moments. I think the idea that he's been boning up on Superman recently could be true, but it could also be an assumption. He's had like 50 years to access the character, and we might be surprised by what he knows. Especially if he likes anniversary issues such as say... Action #850.

[SamGuthrie1977]

This is a dark day for Superman fans. Bendis hasn't bee readable for over a decade now.

[Miles To Go]

This is a dark day for Superman fans. Bendis hasn't bee readable for a decade.

I liked his first couple of arcs on Iron Man and the CWII tie-in with him and Carol attending the alcoholics meeting, plus his Defenders run recently was a lot of fun (and actually fixed Felicia Hardy better than Slott managed over in Venom Inc)

[SamGuthrie1977]

I liked his first couple of arcs on Iron Man and the CWII tie-in with him and Carol attending the alcoholics meeting, plus his Defenders run recently was a lot of fun (and actually fixed Felicia Hardy better than Slott managed over in Venom Inc)

You. You? You -- you liked it? You like the writing. Oh my God. What's happening? What's going on? You. You liked it. The book -- the book Bendis wrote. What? What's happening? The books. The books Bendis wrote. Yeah. Oh my God.

[Sacred Knight]

Jon is about as safe as it gets. Onlychance Jon goes away in the near future is if Johns himself does it, like he ends up actually being the DCU incarnation of Dr. Manhattan and is eventually erased or something. But that in of itself is a very slim development. In fact while I've grown to think there might be something to the theory, at this point considering he's liked, even if one imagines the possibility of such a development, I could easily see the end result being worked so the kid can stay.

But I digress. Bendis just not using him as much as he had been? That's indicative of nothing other than the fact he's coming in with more of a desire to focus on Superman and give the rest of the supporting cast a shake too.

[Kuwagaton]

So far we've had Fabok, Shaner, Mann, and Reis preview art. When the news broke, Maguire also whipped up a quick image:

Was drawing Superman in Clip Studio Paint (just cuz I'm getting psyched) and I find myself humming Superman music. Not the John Williams classic, but incidental music from the 60s cartoons. Tapping into some deep childhood stuff here.

I always catch myself humming the 40s tune, personally.

[millernumber1]

You. You? You -- you liked it? You like the writing. Oh my God. What's happening? What's going on? You. You liked it. The book -- the book Bendis wrote. What? What's happening? The books. The books Bendis wrote. Yeah. Oh my God.

I liked the same books. I admit Bendis has been really inconsistent, but I still think he's a big draw.

[Miles To Go]

You. You? You -- you liked it? You like the writing. Oh my God. What's happening? What's going on? You. You liked it. The book -- the book Bendis wrote. What? What's happening? The books. The books Bendis wrote. Yeah. Oh my God.

His team books are dire, the Riri stuff was definitely a put-off, plus he lost interest in MJ very quickly, but he can still score a few hits with me

[Barbatos666]

Jon's usage doesn't concern me. Its his usage of Supes ans others. If anything escaping the attention of Bendis is a boon.