PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Will Evans]

I know you trust PKJ right now, but I don't think he's above 'faking out' a relationship tease

Isn’t Steel with Lana Lang now?

[Matt Rat]

Isn’t Steel with Lana Lang now?

Lana was solo in Bendis' run and didn't make any mention of Steel, the jury's still out on whether or not they're still together. The TV show pairing them might shed light on that in the future though.

[Superfan90]

Clearly a sign that they’re both about to have sex with each other!

Hot nekkid sex of course

[Vordan]

[SJNeal]

Random question - why isn't PKJ's Action Comics getting collected in hardcover while Son of Kal-El is?

I'd absolutely double-dip for this run if it weren't paperback only. I suppose there might be a complete collection in HC down the line, but that's years away (if at all).

[Vordan]

Random question - why isn't PKJ's Action Comics getting collected in hardcover while Son of Kal-El is?

I'd absolutely double-dip for this run if it weren't paperback only. I suppose there might be a complete collection in HC down the line, but that's years away (if at all).

Dunno, DC’s weird about how they collect things aren’t they?

[Robanker]

Random question - why isn't PKJ's Action Comics getting collected in hardcover while Son of Kal-El is?

I'd absolutely double-dip for this run if it weren't paperback only. I suppose there might be a complete collection in HC down the line, but that's years away (if at all).

I'm telling myself it's because they're going to collect it in a big oversized tome once it's done, but it's likely because Action rarely outsells Superman and neither is blowing up sales charts.

[TheKryptonMan]

I'm telling myself it's because they're going to collect it in a big oversized tome once it's done, but it's likely because Action rarely outsells Superman and neither is blowing up sales charts.

That's a good point about Action typically not outselling Superman.
That's why we need another monthly Clark/Superman book .
Let Jon continue with his book , but give Clark another where we can see the regular cast of the Daily Planet again.
We never see Lois , Jimmy , Perry and so many other regulars anymore.

[Ascended]

That's a good point about Action typically not outselling Superman.
That's why we need another monthly Clark/Superman book .
Let Jon continue with his book , but give Clark another where we can see the regular cast of the Daily Planet again.
We never see Lois , Jimmy , Perry and so many other regulars anymore.

I agree about needing a third (if not fourth) Super book. Either another solo for Clark, or a Super family title for everyone to appear in, from Clark to Conner to Kara to Steel to Jon to (gasp!) Power Girl.

But I disagree about not seeing Lois and Jimmy anymore. Lois had her own maxi as well as large roles in both Checkmate books, and once her solo was finished she appeared in Bendis' run on a constant basis. She appears in Jon's book plenty. She just hasn't been in Action since Clark went to space, and she doesn't need to be in every issue or even every story. We already know that once the Warworld arc wraps up, PKJ is bringing Clark back to earth and the Planet cast will be showing up.

[Robanker]

I agree about needing a third (if not fourth) Super book. Either another solo for Clark, or a Super family title for everyone to appear in, from Clark to Conner to Kara to Steel to Jon to (gasp!) Power Girl.

But I disagree about not seeing Lois and Jimmy anymore. Lois had her own maxi as well as large roles in both Checkmate books, and once her solo was finished she appeared in Bendis' run on a constant basis. She appears in Jon's book plenty. She just hasn't been in Action since Clark went to space, and she doesn't need to be in every issue or even every story. We already know that once the Warworld arc wraps up, PKJ is bringing Clark back to earth and the Planet cast will be showing up.

More or less this. Clark's book isn't not selling just because it's Action. Son of Kal-El isn't exactly Superman either. I don't think completionists are going to collect it as part of the run when it's almost certainly going to revert to Superman numbering when Clark takes back the book.

Despite being the more important book historically, Action Comics just never really sells as much as Superman and there's technically no Superman right now.



We absolutely need a Superman Family book, but there's no name that'll really sell it. Urban Legends does well, but I have a feeling Superman: Metropolitan Myths won't really do as well... But I'd kill to read it. Hell, I'd write it for free.

[The Frog Bros]

Bring back the Adventures term with something like Superman: Adventures in Metropolis. Could then have any/all related characters in that setting.

[Vordan]

Really we should’ve had backups focused on the Metropolis cast from the start, and we did have a Jimmy Olsen backup but unfortunately it sucked. Hopefully this next backup focusing on Lois, Jon, and Steel will be better, least it’s actually being written by PKJ and seems to be focused on Genesis. That means it may be relevant to the larger story and not just an irrelevant side story like the other backups have been.

[Ascended]

More or less this. Clark's book isn't not selling just because it's Action. Son of Kal-El isn't exactly Superman either. I don't think completionists are going to collect it as part of the run when it's almost certainly going to revert to Superman numbering when Clark takes back the book.

Despite being the more important book historically, Action Comics just never really sells as much as Superman and there's technically no Superman right now.

We absolutely need a Superman Family book, but there's no name that'll really sell it. Urban Legends does well, but I have a feeling Superman: Metropolitan Myths won't really do as well... But I'd kill to read it. Hell, I'd write it for free.

Honestly, if I were the new people at DC I wouldn't even worry much about Super sales. Not in the short term. The previous regime dealt serious, lasting damage to the franchise (within the direct market) so it's not a surprise that the sales aren't there.

Didio and Berganza and whoever else spent a long time chasing fans away with inconsistent quality, constant retcons, and an attitude that made it very clear that Superman was not a priority. And this went on for years. At this point, outside of a gimmick, Super books tend to sell what they sell, whether it's a known name like Bendis or a relative unknown like PKJ. Sales are not gonna recover just because DC says things will be different, or we get one quality run from a creator. DC has said that before, we've had good runs. That quality doesn't last, so no wonder fans don't even bother trying the books anymore. Why would they? They've been taught by DC's own actions that even if the book is good now, it won't stay that way so why get invested in the first place?

It'll take time and consistent effort to convince readers to return. The short-term sales are largely gonna be whatever they're gonna be, and as long as they're not dropping faster than industry averages, it's mostly a non-issue. The focus needs to be on long-term effort. That's not gonna provide a big payout immediately (and DC should've learned about the dangers of chasing short-term gains long before AT&T bought WB), but over the long-term it'll benefit everyone.

[Vordan]

Federeci is designing spaceships for Action Comics.

Honestly, if I were the new people at DC I wouldn't even worry much about Super sales. Not in the short term. The previous regime dealt serious, lasting damage to the franchise (within the direct market) so it's not a surprise that the sales aren't there.

Didio and Berganza and whoever else spent a long time chasing fans away with inconsistent quality, constant retcons, and an attitude that made it very clear that Superman was not a priority. And this went on for years. At this point, outside of a gimmick, Super books tend to sell what they sell, whether it's a known name like Bendis or a relative unknown like PKJ. Sales are not gonna recover just because DC says things will be different, or we get one quality run from a creator. DC has said that before, we've had good runs. That quality doesn't last, so no wonder fans don't even bother trying the books anymore. Why would they? They've been taught by DC's own actions that even if the book is good now, it won't stay that way so why get invested in the first place?

It'll take time and consistent effort to convince readers to return. The short-term sales are largely gonna be whatever they're gonna be, and as long as they're not dropping faster than industry averages, it's mostly a non-issue. The focus needs to be on long-term effort. That's not gonna provide a big payout immediately (and DC should've learned about the dangers of chasing short-term gains long before AT&T bought WB), but over the long-term it'll benefit everyone.

Unless Superman achieves some great measure of success outside of comics I don’t think Superman’s sales will change all that much either. Even then that’s not a guarantee, Aquaman is the only other character besides Batman to break a billion at the box office and they apparently just cancelled his book again.

[Robanker]

Honestly, if I were the new people at DC I wouldn't even worry much about Super sales. Not in the short term. The previous regime dealt serious, lasting damage to the franchise (within the direct market) so it's not a surprise that the sales aren't there.

Didio and Berganza and whoever else spent a long time chasing fans away with inconsistent quality, constant retcons, and an attitude that made it very clear that Superman was not a priority. And this went on for years. At this point, outside of a gimmick, Super books tend to sell what they sell, whether it's a known name like Bendis or a relative unknown like PKJ. Sales are not gonna recover just because DC says things will be different, or we get one quality run from a creator. DC has said that before, we've had good runs. That quality doesn't last, so no wonder fans don't even bother trying the books anymore. Why would they? They've been taught by DC's own actions that even if the book is good now, it won't stay that way so why get invested in the first place?

It'll take time and consistent effort to convince readers to return. The short-term sales are largely gonna be whatever they're gonna be, and as long as they're not dropping faster than industry averages, it's mostly a non-issue. The focus needs to be on long-term effort. That's not gonna provide a big payout immediately (and DC should've learned about the dangers of chasing short-term gains long before AT&T bought WB), but over the long-term it'll benefit everyone.

I understand, but the standard procedure of the market is attrition and you can only allow Superman to fall so low before you have to shake things up for fear of the book finding a new average lower than the current readership (I know you are aware of this, but humor me here). Even if the current powers that be are aware of the perception of the IP, how much can they afford to let it slide in hopes that they're restoring brand reputation and pedigree?

Action is getting a lot of acclaim here, in my LCS and in other places I discuss comics... But is it enough that they'd let PKJ stay on the book for a long time? I would like him to as I've dug Action under his pen, but time will tell how long DC can afford to let Clark's sales be what they are.

I want them to work on raising Clark's profile again, but I've learned that the comic industry is largely about three month windows and I don't much expect them to ever think longterm anymore.