Official : Bendis gets both books

[Ascended]

I wouldn't worry about the public domain. Superman should have hit public domain years ago, but every time he and Mickey Mouse get close to the deadline, WB and Disney lobby Washington and get the laws changed. They'll do it again, and bribe their way into making sure that nobody else can play with their toys.

[Yoda]

I have a thought, could DC's push for Jon-Superman somehow be their underhanded way of keeping a "Superman" on board after his father becomes public property? Bare in mind I know very little about the licencing for Clark Kent-Superman, especially where the Shuster-Siegel families are concerned.

The lawsuit with the families was resolved - I think with a settlement. So the rights are no longer in flux and I'd be willing to bet that whatever agreement they came to is indefinite licensing.

And the public domain thing is kind of a red herring IMO. There's trademark issues - so the "S" shield likely will never be able to be used by anyone else and WB is pretty protective of that symbol as it "defines" Superman for the public far more than any other details. So really the public domain stories would basically be what we get now with various analogues. Like with Supreme and the Superman/Clark Kent/Lois/Lex/Lana/Supergirl/Krypto so on and so forth analogues.

[Vordan]

I’m pretty sure Jon will be in the same boat as Luke: there will be a four issue miniseries about Jon Superman but he won’t be taking over the main books anymore.

[kingaliencracker]

I’m pretty sure Jon will be in the same boat as Luke: there will be a four issue miniseries about Jon Superman but he won’t be taking over the main books anymore.

There's been rumors that a massive, "ground zero" reboot is coming and many of the monthlies will be ended at that point, with most characters relegated to OGNs and minis.

[Sacred Knight]

If they use this as a closing chapter to this continuity and reboot, I'd have far less complaints. Shunt it off to another world, so its still around, but reboot the mainline properly for the first time in DC's history. I could get on board with that. I know a lot of other fans wouldn't, some just don't support the idea wholesale (people whom I agree with on virtually everything else feel this way, and I respect it), but I still believe its a viable solution to any comic book continuity. Ideally only every two to three decades, but in this case an exception since DC botched it nearly ten years ago.

Hell Marvel handles their continuity way better than DC and I'd still support them doing it too someday.

[kingaliencracker]

If they use this as a closing chapter to this continuity and reboot, I'd have far less complaints. Shunt it off to another world, so its still around, but reboot the mainline properly for the first time in DC's history. I could get on board with that. I know a lot of other fans wouldn't, some just don't support the idea wholesale (people whom I agree with on virtually everything else feel this way, and I respect it), but I still believe its a viable solution to any comic book continuity. Ideally only every two to three decades, but in this case an exception since DC botched it nearly ten years ago.

Hell Marvel handles their continuity way better than DC and I'd still support them doing it too someday.

I think the idea moving forward (at least beginning in 2022 anyway) is that if someone wants to do a 6-part "Jon as Superman" arc then he/she can, whereas if someone wants to do the same with "Clark as Superman" arc he/she can too. And they can pick any version or era they choose.

I think we're getting to the point with DC where continuity is going to be a thing of the past. I expect a lot more "American Alien" or "All Star" type arcs.

[Sacred Knight]

That would be fine too. If they want to move away from the hardcoded continuity structure altogether I'd be all for that as well. That would make broken continuity, relaunches and reboots etc, obsolete by default which does the job too. They've just been so reluctant to go there for so long, its hard to really believe they'll do it till I actually see it. But then again a total reboot isn't the easiest thing in the world to imagine either. Maybe this hierarchy shift finally will lead to some major changes though this time.

[manwhohaseverything]

I think the idea moving forward (at least beginning in 2022 anyway) is that if someone wants to do a 6-part "Jon as Superman" arc then he/she can, whereas if someone wants to do the same with "Clark as Superman" arc he/she can too. And they can pick any version or era they choose.

I think we're getting to the point with DC where continuity is going to be a thing of the past. I expect a lot more "American Alien" or "All Star" type arcs.

Superman going seasonal would be better for him. The character was meant for newspaper strips with self contained allegorical three act story telling. This would be more beneficial. I also hope superman is rid of the shared yawnfest nonsense. The writer can build his own cast for the character .

[kingaliencracker]

That would be fine too. If they want to move away from the hardcoded continuity structure I'd be all for that as well. They've just been so reluctant to go there for so long, its hard to really believe they'll do it till I actually see it. But then again a total reboot isn't the easiest thing in the world to imagine either. Maybe this hierarchy shift finally will lead to some major changes though this time.

I've already gone on record several times as stating I will not support or buy comic books that feature anyone other than Clark Kent as Superman, with the basic core/elements of the character in place, outside of a small story arc, mini series, or whatever. I've been reading comic books for over 30 years and Clark Kent is Superman for me, point blank. I freely admit that probably makes me part of the problem that's plaguing comic books and that the industry may need to move on from fans like me to truly move forward. But I can't help how I feel. And I have nothing against Jon but nothing about how he has been presented demonstrates to me that he's going to make a more interesting or worth-while Superman than the character I've been following for 30 years and that has been around for 80 years.

Having said all of that...I think the idea of non-continuity with regards to these characters and a writer being able to write any version of the character he/she wants has loads of potential, and seemingly is the compromise between my feelings and the direction the industry needs to move towards.

[kingaliencracker]

Superman going seasonal would be better for him. The character was meant for newspaper strips with self contained allegorical three act story telling. This would be more beneficial. I also hope superman is rid of the shared yawnfest nonsense. The writer can build his own cast for the character .

Truthfully the vast majority of comic book characters going "seasonal" would be better for them, Marvel and DC characters alike.

[manwhohaseverything]

Truthfully the vast majority of comic book characters going "seasonal" would be better for them, Marvel and DC characters alike.

True, but i do believe it takes more of a toll on the character. Maybe it's also my own limited perception.

[Vordan]

I think the idea moving forward (at least beginning in 2022 anyway) is that if someone wants to do a 6-part "Jon as Superman" arc then he/she can, whereas if someone wants to do the same with "Clark as Superman" arc he/she can too. And they can pick any version or era they choose.

I think we're getting to the point with DC where continuity is going to be a thing of the past. I expect a lot more "American Alien" or "All Star" type arcs.

Wouldn’t surprise me if you were right. Perhaps that’s how we’ll get a new Superman book from Waid, since he’s been hinting at it.

[SiegePerilous02]

I've already gone on record several times as stating I will not support or buy comic books that feature anyone other than Clark Kent as Superman, with the basic core/elements of the character in place, outside of a small story arc, mini series, or whatever. I've been reading comic books for over 30 years and Clark Kent is Superman for me, point blank. I freely admit that probably makes me part of the problem that's plaguing comic books and that the industry may need to move on from fans like me to truly move forward. But I can't help how I feel. And I have nothing against Jon but nothing about how he has been presented demonstrates to me that he's going to make a more interesting or worth-while Superman than the character I've been following for 30 years and that has been around for 80 years.

Having said all of that...I think the idea of non-continuity with regards to these characters and a writer being able to write any version of the character he/she wants has loads of potential, and seemingly is the compromise between my feelings and the direction the industry needs to move towards.

I don't think so. Clark has been Superman since our grandparents have been alive (maybe longer for some of us). There is more wiggle room with legacies and mantles passing down with some other superheroes. But there are some that are just so ingrained in wider pop culture and the mantle is so tied to a specific character it just won't work, and he's one of them.

I don't think it's just the comic fan purists either. The casuals and the young kids learning about the character for the firs time aren't stupid. On the off chance that they will ever want to try out the medium of comic books, they are going to want the real deal, just in something accessible to them.

[Robanker]

I don't think so. Clark has been Superman since our grandparents have been alive (maybe longer for some of us). There is more wiggle room with legacies and mantles passing down with some other superheroes. But there are some that are just so ingrained in wider pop culture and the mantle is so tied to a specific character it just won't work, and he's one of them.

I don't think it's just the comic fan purists either. The casuals and the young kids learning about the character for the firs time aren't stupid. On the off chance that they will ever want to try out the medium of comic books, they are going to want the real deal, just in something accessible to them.

For what it's worth, like with Batman, a lot of what makes Superman so appealing is specific to Clark.

Doomed planet. Smallville. The Kents. The Daily Planet. Lois. Lex. Jimmy too (I see you, Superlad).

It's not just some dude in a suit. You lose Clark, you arguably lose pretty much everything but the power set, which considering the massive impact he's had and all his imitations, isn't particularly unique anymore.

Swapping Flashes is still pretty difficult. If anything, the only reason Wally worked was he already was part of the mythology and had natural ties to Barry's trappings and a way to make his place in the niche. Same supporting cast, but different relationships. And that's not considering fans only had Barry for about 30 years before he died (with Wally being Kid Flash for about 25 before he became The Flash) before he moved on instead of Clark's 80+. Who would take over for him? Conner? They phased him out a long time ago and his following as a new Superman never really took off. He has his fans, certainly, but his window of becoming Superman has closed already. Jon? He has more current traction and is the heir apparent, but he's been here for five years. That's pretty early for most people, and we've not even seen him step up to the job yet.

People loved Dick Grayson as Batman, but if Wally West can't stay The Flash after Barry Allen shared the greatest death a superhero can hope for alongside Supergirl, then frankly nobody is going to replace Batman or Superman for very long.

[manwhohaseverything]

I don't think having the name clark kent or superman makes the character 80 or so years old. There are thousands of supermen. As for losing everything, well a new start with a new cast could be very interesting. Writers can come up with things and build on it. I do believe a fresh new character as The superman would intriguing to read. For me, names don't matter. I would be reading the same characters if the themes are the same.