PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Robanker]

I’m hoping Apollo gets inducted into the Superfamily. Agreed that he’s never gotten the same love or attention as Middy. Maybe if he was around the other flying bricks it would force writers to flesh him out more as a contrast to them.

I'm all for bringing Apollo over. He's some much needed queer representation (and isn't a retcon of an established character), actually does function differently from the Kryptonians (and naturally would work well with them) and overall fills a few needed niches in Metropolis.

But I will punch someone if he gets relegated to "gay best friend" of the Superfam, showing up mostly to be a walking sundip for one of the Els or otherwise a token.

[HsssH]

I feel like DC probably wants to use Jon as "queer representation" and Apollo being regular in Superman books would just get in their way.

[Vordan]

Apollo is a young married queer man inspired by Superman who chose to walk his own path, whereas Jon is a young unmarried queer man trying to be Superman. I think there’s enough difference between the two for both to co-exist and Apollo would be better served by having Jon to play off of. I do hope if the Authority continue to play a role in the run that Clark’s next team up with them is more focused on Apollo since Middy has gotten the lion’s share of attention besides Clark in the Warworld Saga.

[HsssH]

Apollo is a young married queer man inspired by Superman who chose to walk his own path, whereas Jon is a young unmarried queer man trying to be Superman. I think there’s enough difference between the two for both to co-exist and Apollo would be better served by having Jon to play off of. I do hope if the Authority continue to play a role in the run that Clark’s next team up with them is more focused on Apollo since Middy has gotten the lion’s share of attention besides Clark in the Warworld Saga.

Thats all very true, but do you expect someone like Taylor being able to make such distinction?

[Vordan]

Thats all very true, but do you expect someone like Taylor being able to make such distinction?

Well no but Taylor won’t be on a Superman book forever. Having Apollo in the Superfamily means someone can come along later and do something interesting with the two. Maybe even PKJ can have the two interact in Kal-El Returns since that’s a crossover between the two books.

[Vordan]

"You and Kent deserve each other."

A fun throwdown between the Super-fam and classic villain CONDUIT begins this month in the backup of #ActionComics 1045. Love the classic look of this story. Art/letters by the great @DavidALapham, @trishm, and #DaveSharpe. @DCComics #Superman

https://twitter.com/phillipkjohnson/...Vg266hixBmJxqw

[Bored at 3:00AM]

Well no but Taylor won’t be on a Superman book forever. Having Apollo in the Superfamily means someone can come along later and do something interesting with the two. Maybe even PKJ can have the two interact in Kal-El Returns since that’s a crossover between the two books.

Agreed. I think having another LGBTQ male within the Superman world would pay dividends. It gives Jon different characters to bounce off of who have similar, but not identical, experiences as himself. Otherwise, Jon's just comes off as a token only there to check off a diversity box.

[Mantis-Ray]

Agreed. I think having another LGBTQ male within the Superman world would pay dividends. It gives Jon different characters to bounce off of who have similar, but not identical, experiences as himself. Otherwise, Jon's just comes off as a token only there to check off a diversity box.

It does provide more LGBTQ variety.

Like Apollo brings in a more manly queer character which makes for a notable contrast since ever since his coming out DC has been portraying Jon as more of a twink, a young pretty boy with pretty features, same with Tim over on Batman whose being drawn with very evident pouty lips.

Apollo meanwhile is more of a bear I think. He's got the muscles, the bulk, the chiseled square features, he's a very manly handsome mofo. He averts the tendency to kinda draw queer male characters as more feminine.

[Vordan]

He’s also gay and married so no matter what they do with Jon, having Apollo in the Superfamily means there’s always going to be one member who is shown to be in a relationship with a man. Someone needs to do a spiritual sequel to the King Couples Night issue except it’s Clark/Lois & Apollo/Middy

[Ascended]

Apollo is a young married queer man inspired by Superman who chose to walk his own path, whereas Jon is a young unmarried queer man trying to be Superman. I think there’s enough difference between the two for both to co-exist and Apollo would be better served by having Jon to play off of. I do hope if the Authority continue to play a role in the run that Clark’s next team up with them is more focused on Apollo since Middy has gotten the lion’s share of attention besides Clark in the Warworld Saga.

I agree that Jon and Apollo are about as different as you can get. They share a vaguely similar powerset that 75% of superheroes also have, and they'll both kiss boys. Not exactly a ton of overlap if you ask me.

But it makes me sad that we're having this conversation at all, comparing whether they'd overlap just because they're both LBGT. Hel they're not even the same orientation; Jon is bi, Apollo is gay (right?).

[Vordan]

I agree that Jon and Apollo are about as different as you can get. They share a vaguely similar powerset that 75% of superheroes also have, and they'll both kiss boys. Not exactly a ton of overlap if you ask me.

But it makes me sad that we're having this conversation at all, comparing whether they'd overlap just because they're both LBGT. Hel they're not even the same orientation; Jon is bi, Apollo is gay (right?).

Yeah Jon’s bi and Apollo is gay. I’d like to see them interact simply because Morrison established Apollo was inspired by Superman and looked up to him, but ultimately found his own voice and identity. Meanwhile Jon is stepping into his father’s shoes. There’s common ground for the two to talk about finding their own paths while existing in a world Clark defined that could be beneficial for both, mainly that you could contrast Jon and Apollo and Clark with each other. Both Jon and Apollo have struggled in being “Superman Lite” so if you put those two together and have them interact, maybe you’ll find some traits or attributes beyond just their sexualities which make them different.

[Ascended]

I'm definitely down for Apollo to hang with the Super family. Absolutely, especially with what Morrison established. Lot of good stuff in there to work with. And I like Midnighter hanging around too; Super writers can't seem to resist using Batman, but Midnighter could be a "in house" version and maybe feel a little less like an intrusion, yknow?

I just think it's a shame that we have to consider whether Apollo would be redundant, based solely on his status as LBGT. We don't do that with straight characters, we never worry that we have too many straight guys (by which I mean more than 1) in a book like we do the LBGT community.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

It does provide more LGBTQ variety.

Like Apollo brings in a more manly queer character which makes for a notable contrast since ever since his coming out DC has been portraying Jon as more of a twink, a young pretty boy with pretty features, same with Tim over on Batman whose being drawn with very evident pouty lips.

Apollo meanwhile is more of a bear I think. He's got the muscles, the bulk, the chiseled square features, he's a very manly handsome mofo. He averts the tendency to kinda draw queer male characters as more feminine.

And with Dreamer now seemingly joining Jon's supporting cast, the variety of LGBTQ characters is growing in some potentially fruitful ways

[Jeffrey2]

Any speculation on the path going forward after Dark Crisis ends? Jon becomes Earth's Superman in his book. And Kal more or less retires with his book - Action - being non-Earth Kal stories. Will Jon's book be retitled Superman or will DC retire the Superman title? Action and Son of Kal El don't sell well so I can't see DC adding another Superman title.

[Vordan]

Action 1050 will come out in Dec which is the same month Dark Crisis ends. I believe the Kal-El Returns crossover with SSOKE ends on 1049 so 1050 will be the start of a new arc. I’m expecting 1050 to establish what the next year of stories will be about. There’s been a tease of a Superman/GL team up against some undead queen, so my guess is that will be the next space threat Supes and the Authority go out to confront. Overarching focus for PKJ’s run has been set up to revolve around these shards of an Old God that grant great power called the Aspects of Olgrun. Dealing with those is probably going to be an issue for the entirety of the run long as PKJ is on.

Wouldn’t surprise me if Superman does get a relaunch at some point, having that as an option is likely why they titled Jon’s book Superman: Son of Kal-El.