PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Quinlan58]

Just out of curiosity.
The Warworld saga - which I haven't read, to be fair - seems to be influenced by John Carter and old pulpish works, whereas the current Metallo saga is openly described as having a "cronenberghian" vibe. Does anyone know what kind of sci-fi works/genres have influenced PKJ and his writing?

I haven't followed his interviews that much, but he has mentioned Dune as an influence to his approach to worldbuilding (which, okay, falls under the category of "influenced everyone") and said writing Alien was a dream come true.

[Myskin]

I haven't followed his interviews that much, but he has mentioned Dune as an influence to his approach to worldbuilding (which, okay, falls under the category of "influenced everyone") and said writing Alien was a dream come true.

Mh, Ok. Right, thank you.
I was thinking whether Otomo or something from Japanese cyberpunk may have played a role. There are some manga-ish elements in the new approach to the stories (including Dragotta's style) and Akira seems to be an influence, too.

[Vordan]

Manga is something he’s explicitly mentioned as influencing how he wants to depict fight scenes for Superman. He wants them to be more than just punching. I don’t know if he’s drawing on manga for story ideas, I haven’t heard him say that in any interviews I’ve listened to.

[garazza]

Manga is something he’s explicitly mentioned as influencing how he wants to depict fight scenes for Superman. He wants them to be more than just punching. I don’t know if he’s drawing on manga for story ideas, I haven’t heard him say that in any interviews I’ve listened to.

I remember when Scott Snyder took over Justice League, he talked about making the book more anime and manga-inspired because he was reading and watching it with his sons, but it didn't really show if it all. I don't put a lot of stock in writers saying they're inspired by manga because it rarely shows through and just makes me think they don't actually know what makes manga manga and just want their thing to be like this other, cooler thing.

The most manga inspired thing in this new era I've seen thus far (not that there's much) is that Dragotta art because you can feel the weight and power of Superman but that's a visual element and not a story element. I think PKJ specified the fight scenes as his inspiration but what makes manga fights stand out from superhero comic fights is that they actually serve a narrative purpose, which is really just good writing and not unique to manga, whereas superhero fights are mainly just splash pages for the artists to flex and don't really advance the plot.

If PKJ has fights that "matter" then he's just writing a good story.

[manwhohaseverything]

Battle manga fights are very much part of the story and drama. That's not all.The attention to choreography,hand to hand and stunts is what makes them pop.

Mh, Ok. Right, thank you.
I was thinking whether Otomo or something from Japanese cyberpunk may have played a role. There are some manga-ish elements in the new approach to the stories (including Dragotta's style) and Akira seems to be an influence, too.

I didn't see any akira influence in warworld saga.It felt like it was more influenced by alien and predator movies,Monster movies and dark fantasies novels..I don't know about current arcs..

[Myskin]

Just to be clear, I wasn't thinking of battles, but rather thematic influences. The Metallo arc hasn't started yet, but Otomo's Akira - which could be in the top ten of all the most influential mangas ever - may be an influence, since most of the pivotal scenes revolves around an ESPer with a cybernetic arm whose body undergoes grotesque transformations, but I guess that I'll just wait for the arc to start to see whether I am right.

[manwhohaseverything]

Again Akira's main theme was nuclear generational trauma,cyclical nature of history and even aimlessness..So it is very localised in that sense.While esp,tetsuo's grotesque transformation and cybernatics might be used,i don't know whether it will be "good" or have an impact on me.It's like american kaiju movie franchises.Sometimes very hollow and would barely have any relevance to the audience it's serving.We will see.

Akria is niche anime now.People more than not associate anime (in pop culture sense) with shonen battle serieses.They are popular for their own series.It's been generations since akira was released and many aren't familiar with it.That's why people go full on about fight scenes.

[Vordan]

@PhillipKJohnson regarding the recent Action Comics #1050, is this comic book selling well in stores ? I know it's too soon to ask, but is it doing good in sales ? I am asking this because I am hearing a few criticisms about it from some comic youtubers

Orders on 1050 were great, but I do my job much better when I don't dwell on sales or try to predict them. I'd rather play the "long game," telling the best stories I can and trusting that they'll find their audiences, whether that happens this week or next year.

https://twitter.com/phillipkjohnson/...G-RMf2zG3XRf-g

[Vordan]

Well he knows about Nick O’Teen

I seriously think that guy should be Superman’s equivalent to Kite Man or Crazy Quilt.

[Sacred Knight]

Johnson's modesty is refreshing.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

Well he knows about Nick O’Teen

I seriously think that guy should be Superman’s equivalent to Kite Man or Crazy Quilt.

Superman lends himself to comedic villians. He'd be fun to use.

[Vordan]

If Tom King managed to wring some epic pathos out of Kite Man then I think the same can be done for Nick O’Teen. He’d make for a great one and done issue.

[Frontier]

[Stanlos]

I just didn't see the point nor the benefit of eliminating the Secret ID but felt a lot was lost. Similarly the Job Lent age-up and the "all denizens of the DCU have access to their Multiversal selves memories" thing. It was REBIRTH Superman level awkward and confusing

[Vordan]

https://twitter.com/phillipkjohnson/...ogi6OHWsyScMHw

Hangin with friends. @TomKingTK @thesteveorlando @DCComics @Marvel

Shouldn’t read too much into this… but I can’t help seeing this and getting reminded of my theory that the writer PKJ wants to have take over the Authority from him is Steve Orlando. King being there is interesting too of course.