PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Sacred Knight]

I do always like an updated logo.

I'm trying to imagine the "Superman" part with some color and the tails or what have you behind it. That could look cool, as much as I love the classic Superman script.

[Robanker]

A visually minor, conceptually major alteration to the Action Comics #1033 cover, since I guess they were still tinkering with it: the Action logo has been changed.

Lois looking cool. :P

I love that logo. Don't break my heart and tell me it's fake now. Feels both modern and retro at the same time. It's kind of perfect.

[manwhohaseverything]

Okay so. One, I love the art.

Two, who do you think that guy is ? I mean, the hooded one.

Three... is it me or has Warworld received more development here than in most other of its apparitions ? Even the Mongul dynasty now looks somewhat threatening, instead of the clown Mongul had become over time.

Eh!It's a new gods ripoff.I want it diverged.I liked the young justice warworld a humoungus planet that acts as a weapon.

[HsssH]

I don't get people who see Mongul and Darkseid as being similar.

[Vordan]

I don't get people who see Mongul and Darkseid as being similar.

You don’t? Huh I’m curious as to why.
-Mongul was created as an expy of Thanos who was a Darkseid/Metron expy
-Similar design of big bald brute looking aliens who are also incredibly intelligent
-Want to conquer everything
-Personal grudge with Superman
-Spawn murderous offspring that seek to replace them
-Rule over hellish worlds (albeit Warworld is a place where you can live comfortably if you’re a good fighter whereas Apokolips is Hell for everyone but Darkseid)
Until relatively recently there hasn’t been much of any real differences between the two, which is why I’m interested to see where PKJ is going with Mongul.

[SiegePerilous02]

You don’t? Huh I’m curious as to why.
-Mongul was created as an expy of Thanos who was a Darkseid/Metron expy
-Similar design of big bald brute looking aliens who are also incredibly intelligent
-Want to conquer everything
-Personal grudge with Superman
-Spawn murderous offspring that seek to replace them
-Rule over hellish worlds (albeit Warworld is a place where you can live comfortably if you’re a good fighter whereas Apokolips is Hell for everyone but Darkseid)
Until relatively recently there hasn’t been much of any real differences between the two, which is why I’m interested to see where PKJ is going with Mongul.

I think it became more of an issue when Darkseid became more integrated into the Superman mythos. Despite his origins in the Jimmy Olsen book, he was more of a DCU threat (if he was even touched at all) than a Superman one specifically, so Mongul had more of unique place in the Super mythos on its own

[HsssH]

You don’t? Huh I’m curious as to why.
-Mongul was created as an expy of Thanos who was a Darkseid/Metron expy
-Similar design of big bald brute looking aliens who are also incredibly intelligent
-Want to conquer everything
-Personal grudge with Superman
-Spawn murderous offspring that seek to replace them
-Rule over hellish worlds (albeit Warworld is a place where you can live comfortably if you’re a good fighter whereas Apokolips is Hell for everyone but Darkseid)
Until relatively recently there hasn’t been much of any real differences between the two, which is why I’m interested to see where PKJ is going with Mongul.

Who wants to replace Darkseid?

[Vordan]

I think it became more of an issue when Darkseid became more integrated into the Superman mythos. Despite his origins in the Jimmy Olsen book, he was more of a DCU threat (if he was even touched at all) than a Superman one specifically, so Mongul had more of unique place in the Super mythos on its own

I agree. Darkseid shouldn’t be a “Superman Rogue” in the literal sense, although I do want things to be personal between him and Kal. But Darkseid is a threat to all life, and neither Superman nor anyone else should be capable of beating him solo. Mongul can be the lesser (but still major!) threat for Kal to deal with on his own or within the family, just like how Ra’s threatens the lives of the entire planet but is mostly just a Batman Rogue.

Who wants to replace Darkseid?

Everyone? Darkseid rules through fear and power, not love. He’s only in charge because he’s the strongest, if someone were to surpass him in power they would over throw him, that’s how life works on Apokolips.



He’s an abusive father to his son Kalibak, he tortures his underlings at the slightest provocation, he’s got a lot of enemies within his own ranks, they’re just too afraid to disobey him.

[manwhohaseverything]

Yet,they all choose that hellish life.That's another thing.Clark can't even understand it.

"You are free"
"Master!Let me help you"
"I am many things kal el.But,here I am god"

[Prime]

You have to admit that Darkseid is part of the Superman mythos. From the Animated series, to Smallville.

[Robanker]

You have to admit that Darkseid is part of the Superman mythos. From the Animated series, to Smallville.

Adjacent, not part. He's a New God.

I don't like taking entire IP and folding them into other IP through inertia. That's how we're going to get "Batman's Pal, Superman in Action Comics!"

[HsssH]

He’s an abusive father to his son Kalibak, he tortures his underlings at the slightest provocation, he’s got a lot of enemies within his own ranks, they’re just too afraid to disobey him.

I suppose that is true if you like stuff like Darkseid War. Then yeah, there is not much difference between him and Mongul. But I prefer Darkseid written by Kirby, Morrison and Miller. To me Darkseid IS and replacing him is not something that can even be done. Oh and I liked King's Darkseid as well, but the entire story is basically a trap so Darkseid getting killed there doesn't mean much.

[Myskin]

In the original Kirby version, Darkseid barely lifts a finger against his enemies. He's always very controlled and calm. So no matter what the inception is, they actually don't have that much in common if you take into consideration Kirby's version. Mongul is way more physical and brutal. Of course, there have been many versions of Darkseid, and most of them in the last couple of decades are quite physical (and more ordinary and sometimes uninteresting than original Darkseid, Snyder Darkseid being the stupidest of them all). So they actually made Darkseid more similar to Mongul rather than the other way round.

[NaVi]

for me the role of these two brothers separated at birth (a musical group with Thanos would be good).

Mongul = Superman's villain, physically superior, the physical representation of Superman's eternal enemy.

Darkseid = villain of all, enemy of Superman for what they represent each one in the universe, physically and superior intellectually, conceptual representation of the eternal enemy of all.

[Vordan]

I suppose that is true if you like stuff like Darkseid War. Then yeah, there is not much difference between him and Mongul. But I prefer Darkseid written by Kirby, Morrison and Miller. To me Darkseid IS and replacing him is not something that can even be done. Oh and I liked King's Darkseid as well, but the entire story is basically a trap so Darkseid getting killed there doesn't mean much.

Yep, Darkseid written “correctly” should be very different. But he is often not written correctly. In the 2000s when I was getting into comics for the first time, Darkseid was very similar to Mongul, rarely if ever feeling “godlike” or somehow “larger” than Superman. That was also the time when Mongul basically got handed off to the GL franchise because what was the point of him when Darkseid was “cooler” and there was little difference between the two? But that’s changed so now I’m interested in seeing what they’re doing with Mongul here, setting him up as an enemy of Kal’s fledgling United Planets feels like an exciting move.