If MARK WAID takes over Superman, what's your WISH LIST for him?

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Now that Dan DiDio is gone, people are becoming optimistic that Mark Waid will come back to DC on a regular basis. He already has a Batman story in a December Dark Knights one-shot.

People seem to want him on the Superman line more than anything else if he should return to DC in a greater capacity.

If he does come back, and if he does take over the Superman titles, what's on your personal wish list of things you'd like to see him accomplish?

Are there any characters or elements you would like to see him bring back? Anything you'd like to see him jettison?

Should the marriage stay intact? Should Jon stay as-is, stay but be de-aged, or just disappear?
What kind of Luthor do you want to see? The old mad scientist? With or without a past connection to Clark Kent? The ever-present corporate mogul? Or something else?

What are the TYPES of stories you would like to see from him?
What kinds of stories do you think best play into his strengths as a writer?
What types of stories do you think he should avoid -- either because you don't think he'd write them well, or you've had enough of a particular type of story?
Do you want him to take on both the Superman and Action titles, or would you want a different writer on each? If so, which title should Waid have, and who should be the OTHER writer?

What are your other thoughts, hopes, and dreams for a Mark Waid run on the Superman titles?

Now that Bendis is definitely leaving, and the Superman titles will be up for grabs, now is the time to have your voice be heard!

[Vordan]

I want a Brainiac story from him. We’ve seen plenty of focus on Lex but Brainiac hasn’t gotten focus with just a one on one story between him and Superman since Morrison Action I think. I know Waid must have some ideas on what to do with him given how obsessed he is with every aspect of Superman lore. Really the non-Lex villains as a whole as characterized under Waid are what I’m interested in seeing.

[objectivewatcher2013]

First things first, get rid of those stupid idiotic red diaper trunks.

[Sacred Knight]

This wouldn't be just for Waid but for anyone coming in, and on both titles. Getting back to the social crusader character. And that doesn't mean removing the more fantasy/sci-fi based nature of the character. He doesn't need to be depowered or take boring walks around the world to make him the People's Hero again. Those types of contrivances are unnecessary. I mean its really just about drive and attitude, mostly. From there you just balance it all via plotlines. Nothing saying he can't be fighting against corruption one week and then the next be stopping alien invaders.

[manwhohaseverything]

Vegetarian superman and soul vision to give context to no kill rule and extent its range to every being?(why does Superman eat anyway? Give that food to kids dieing of hunger in other countries) More goldenage-esque personality. That's what i got from birthright.Everything else was basically postcrisis interpretation which was the same.Waid has certain reverence about the character. So, we will see whether it hinders or helps him decide. If at all it happens.

[Laufeyson]

First things first, get rid of those stupid idiotic red diaper trunks.

Dude, respect the red trunks. That's red trunks is more iconic than the shield. The shield can transform, but his red trunk is eternal.

[Laufeyson]

What I want from Mark Waid IF he becomes the main guy in charge of Superman is the mix of Sci-Fi and the real world problem. Superman at his core is pulp fiction hero, he supposed to be like Captain America tackling the real world problem, so I hope to see story like that more from Superman. But, real world problem won't be fun, so knowing that Mark Waid is a Sci-Fi guy, I hope that he will touch into the hijinks of Julie Schwartz era. A loveable Sci-Fi story that is both campy and loveable. A fun adventures of Man of Steel with his colorful villains that sometimes tackle the real world problem, that's what I at least wanted from whether it's Mark Waid or any other writer that will write Superman.

[manwhohaseverything]

Dude, respect the red trunks. That's red trunks is more iconic than the shield. The shield can transform, but his red trunk is eternal.

That's true. But the thing is, the meaning of the trunks has changed as well. It was at one time a sign of strength in the real world and in fiction.Now, it's a dorky suit made by mom or kryptonian fashion at best or has no meaning at worst since its archaic.

[Jackalope89]

Bring back the real Jon and undo the public knowledge of Supe's identity. Whether or not the trunks stay or go, it doesn't matter much to me. Its the overall aesthetic of the suit I look at, not just one little bit.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

First things first, get rid of those stupid idiotic red diaper trunks.

Mark Waid: for all his other virtues and flaws, very possibly the actual last guy in the world who would be inclined to screw up Superman's costume again.

Were he to be on the main book, my one wish is the same with him as with anyone else: have the first issue be a grand, multiverse-spanning quest to travel back in time to undo the Bendis run in its entirety, only for it to fail spectacularly and end with the entire cast facing the fourth wall and declaring "welp, I guess everybody's gonna have to continue dealing with this cool setup being how things work now. AH WELL". Far more likely though is a big Black Label Superman project from him: he's a hardcore "Superman is defined in large part by his loneliness, the Superman/Clark divide and love-triangle-of-two dynamic with Lois is sacrosanct" partisan, so while he's I believe mentioned liking Bendis's run in an AMA I don't see him playing nice with the current status quo for long-term work, and I imagine he'd want his potential final go at the character as the starting shot of his big return to DC to be something more than a standard Action Comics #1029-1050 anyway. Specifically, I think he's going to do something akin to Spider-Man: Life Story with Clark, for the following reasons:

* That's big enough to be "the one Superman story (he's) got in (his) back pocket" after Birthright and Kingdom Come - everything in the middle, essentially.

* While it could work as a standalone Elseworlds-ey thing if it didn't fit however the plans ultimately turn out or the winds simply changed, DC could use exactly that right now for figuring out Superman's place and how he and his supporting cast work in the new 5G history, which we saw in Superman #25 has already at least somewhat gone into effect for him (this being a method that would mercifully not require another full-on origin retelling).

* Most significantly: Waid's made very clear he's been doing a lot of research for his not-official-but-let's-be-real Superman book, and...well, he's Mark Waid. If HE needs to do research for a Superman project, it's something going absurdly in-depth in terms of the history of the character.

So I could easily see his big thing being him and let's say Jim Cheung doing 4-6 issues going "here's Clark as Superboy in the 1950s - or Golden Age Superman in the 1930s depending on DC's mood this week - here's the emotional behind-the-scenes of his 60s and 70s adventures, here's Death and Return and the marriage and Jon and all that, here's how Lois and Lana and Ma and Pa and Jimmy and Perry and Lex are all alive in the 2020s as Superman embarks on exciting new adventures". Fits his desire to make his stamp and contribute to Superman in a big way, fits DC's current setup, gets you a high-concept big perennial no matter how things turned out long-term. I'm not saying I'd bet the farm on it, but that's how the pieces line up most logically for me. And if he did an ongoing run after that the way he's made clear he also wants, he'd have carved out a whole new space for classic-model adventures to tell stories with his ideal take in.

[Laufeyson]

Mark Waid: for all his other virtues and flaws, very possibly the actual last guy in the world who would be inclined to screw up Superman's costume again.

Were he to be on the main book, my one wish is the same with him as with anyone else: have the first issue be a grand, multiverse-spanning quest to travel back in time to undo the Bendis run in its entirety, only for it to fail spectacularly and end with the entire cast facing the fourth wall and declaring "welp, I guess everybody's gonna have to continue dealing with this cool setup being how things work now. AH WELL". Far more likely though is a big Black Label Superman project from him: he's a hardcore "Superman is defined in large part by his loneliness, the Superman/Clark divide and love-triangle-of-two dynamic with Lois is sacrosanct" partisan, so while he's I believe mentioned liking Bendis's run in an AMA I don't see him playing nice with the current status quo for long-term work, and I imagine he'd want his potential final go at the character as the starting shot of his big return to DC to be something more than a standard Action Comics #1029-1050 anyway. Specifically, I think he's going to do something akin to Spider-Man: Life Story with Clark, for the following reasons:

* That's big enough to be "the one Superman story (he's) got in (his) back pocket" after Birthright and Kingdom Come - everything in the middle, essentially.

* While it could work as a standalone Elseworlds-ey thing if it didn't fit however the plans ultimately turn out or the winds simply changed, DC could use exactly that right now for figuring out Superman's place and how he and his supporting cast work in the new 5G history, which we saw in Superman #25 has already at least somewhat gone into effect for him (this being a method that would mercifully not require another full-on origin retelling).

* Most significantly: Waid's made very clear he's been doing a lot of research for his not-official-but-let's-be-real Superman book, and...well, he's Mark Waid. If HE needs to do research for a Superman project, it's something going absurdly in-depth in terms of the history of the character.

So I could easily see his big thing being him and let's say Jim Cheung doing 4-6 issues going "here's Clark as Superboy in the 1950s - or Golden Age Superman in the 1930s depending on DC's mood this week - here's the emotional behind-the-scenes of his 60s and 70s adventures, here's Death and Return and the marriage and Jon and all that, here's how Lois and Lana and Ma and Pa and Jimmy and Perry and Lex are all alive in the 2020s as Superman embarks on exciting new adventures". Fits his desire to make his stamp and contribute to Superman in a big way, fits DC's current setup, gets you a high-concept big perennial no matter how things turned out long-term. I'm not saying I'd bet the farm on it, but that's how the pieces line up most logically for me. And if he did an ongoing run after that the way he's made clear he also wants, he'd have carved out a whole new space for classic-model adventures to tell stories with his ideal take in.

Wait he has another not official Superman's book? His irredeemable is rad, it will be instant buy for me if he did that book.

[Vordan]

First things first, get rid of those stupid idiotic red diaper trunks.

Hah Waid is not your guy if you want that. Dudes a classic fan: He likes the trunks, the love triangle, and the secret identity.

[Cyberstrike]

1) Restore the secret identity.

2) Keep the marriage and kids.

3) Make it political.

4) Use some of the lesser known villains.

5) Make it hopeful.

[Laufeyson]

1) Restore the secret identity.

2) Keep the marriage and kids.

3) Make it political.

4) Use some of the lesser known villains.

5) Make it hopeful.

I believe Mark Waid doesn't like the marriage and kids because he loves the Golden Age and Silver Age's Clark's love triangle. But I can see a political, lesser-known villains, here and there.