PKJ Action Comics Discussion and Spoilers

[Yoda]

Also, yeah, didn't mention it in my first post because I didn't want to address the back-ups, but indeed Lois isn't mentioned once again after being told by PKJ in the last interview that she'd appear in the back-ups. Thankfully June is the month Bendis' Checkmate finally comes out, so hopefully that'll be our oasis of Lois content in this PKJ-led era. Though I guess it's unfair to blame PKJ alone when there's no mention of her in the Red and Blue solicits or the Batman/Superman solicits either.

Yeah, he keeps talking about the backups and so far there's been no mention of her in any of them. He has started mentioning she will be "appearing" in the Superman books until they go off world, and made it sound like she'll be in the Jon focused book when they split, but there's nothing concrete. Her appearance in the first issue was two pages with no speaking, so that isn't really a good use of her.

I'd actually be pretty shocked if Yang didn't end up using her in the Batman/Superman book. He's spoken several times how he was disappointed he didn't get to write Lois & Clark when he was working on New 52 Superman so I'd expect him to take advantage of that now. Red & Blue IDK. Jimmy is apparently getting his own chapter, so it would be kind of ridiculous for her not to be featured at all.

I also don't know that House of El works the way people assumed. These are all "El's" but I don't think they are all directly related to Clark & Jon. The refugees may end up taking the name "El" and becoming "adopted" members of the family. So the idea that these are all Clark's descendants is an interpretation from fans that I haven't seen come directly from PKJ or anyone else.

[Superlad93]

I also don't know that House of El works the way people assumed. These are all "El's" but I don't think they are all directly related to Clark & Jon. The refugees may end up taking the name "El" and becoming "adopted" members of the family. So the idea that these are all Clark's descendants is an interpretation from fans that I haven't seen come directly from PKJ or anyone else.

No. It's unambiguously confirmed that they are blood Els from Clark's line specifically. Khan-El is the only one "adopted" into the House via his union with Alura (who is a blood El). Ronan and Rowan, the twins, are from Jon's direct line (PKJ and the solicitation confirm this). And Brandon (and his unseen brother) and Alura are from the lines of other partners Clark has had over the thousand years. PKJ has confirmed all of this multiple times in various interviews.

The only point of speculation there's been is if the refugees get mixed in with the bloodline because PKJ said that there were characters in House of El from both that line and the Els. So for my guess is that it's Khan-El (who isn't of the El line at all) and Ronan and Rowan (who are of Jon's line) who are the links back to the refugees.

[Yoda]

No. It's unambiguously confirmed that they are blood Els from Clark's line specifically. Khan-El is the only one "adopted" into the House via his union with Alura (who is a blood El). Ronan and Rowan, the twins, are from Jon's direct line (PKJ and the solicitation confirm this). And Brandon (and his unseen brother) and Alura are from the lines of other partners Clark has had over the thousand years. PKJ has confirmed all of this multiple times in various interviews.

The only point of speculation there's been is if the refugees get mixed in with the bloodline because PKJ said that there were characters in House of El from both that line and the Els. So for my guess is that it's Khan-El (who isn't of the El line at all) and Ronan and Rowan (who are of Jon's line) who are the links back to the refugees.

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but all the interviews that I've heard he has never said that explicitly. It's been an interpretation of what they are, but particularly with a few of the early FS interviews when I went back and listened to them it was never actually stated they were all direct descendants of Clark or Jon.

[Superlad93]

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but all the interviews that I've heard he has never said that explicitly. It's been an interpretation of what they are, but particularly with a few of the early FS interviews when I went back and listened to them it was never actually stated they were all direct descendants of Clark or Jon.

From House of El #1

"Centuries into the future, the bloodline of Kal-El, the hero we know as Clark Kent, continues. Meet a new generation of Kryptonian heroes as they stand against one of the greatest threats they’ve ever faced: a diabolical foe called the Red King. Get ready for the unexpected debuts of the twins known as Rowan and Ronan Kent, descendants of Jonathan Kent."

His own words: "Alura is the El by birth, Khan-El technically got “adopted” into the name through marriage. HIS heritage and powers should make more sense to you through my upcoming Action run. Good catch!"

I'd go through the interviews and find direct quotes, but this is explicit enough. I'm not sure which interviews you listened to exactly, but he hasn't at all been vague from what I've heard and read.

[Vordan]

Yeah it’s all been very Biblical Abraham in that Kal’s descendants are incredibly numerous and widespread. That’s something that has been part of Superman lore for a while though, seen through stuff such as the Superman Squad, DC One Million, or what have you.

[Frontier]

I could care less about any of these people and I cared even less after reading Future State and realizing Kennedy even slipped a magical rape in there. Hard Pass.

Superman vs Sersi in the present-day is going to have some weird context now (if it ever happens).

Also, yeah, didn't mention it in my first post because I didn't want to address the back-ups, but indeed Lois isn't mentioned once again after being told by PKJ in the last interview that she'd appear in the back-ups. Thankfully June is the month Bendis' Checkmate finally comes out, so hopefully that'll be our oasis of Lois content in this PKJ-led era. Though I guess it's unfair to blame PKJ alone when there's no mention of her in the Red and Blue solicits or the Batman/Superman solicits either.

I think Checkmate is going to be the de-fact Lois Lane book moving forward because she probably won't be appearing that much in the actual Super books.

I'd actually be pretty shocked if Yang didn't end up using her in the Batman/Superman book. He's spoken several times how he was disappointed he didn't get to write Lois & Clark when he was working on New 52 Superman so I'd expect him to take advantage of that now. Red & Blue IDK. Jimmy is apparently getting his own chapter, so it would be kind of ridiculous for her not to be featured at all.

I think we'll probably see some AU Lois', at the very least.

[Hypo]

Action Comics #1030 Art by Daniel Sampere

[Vordan]

Action Comics #1030 Art by Daniel Sampere

Gorgeous as expected from Sampere. I really think starting off with Hester was the wrong call to make, he’s only doing two issues but it’s the first two issues of the run and may have turned people away.

[Blue22]

[I]Action Comics 2021 Annual

written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson
art by Siya Oum
cover by Scott Godlewski
variant cover by Valentine De Landro
ON SALE 6/29/2021
$5.99 US | 48 PAGES | FC | DC
card stock variant cover $6.99 US | FC | DC

The return of Future State’s House of El! It’s time to head back to tomorrow, as Superman’s descendants face a threat from today. This special tale connects to “Warworld Rising” as the actions of Clark Kent in the present reverberate, leaving long-lasting changes...and a deadly threat for the House of El to reckon with. Can Brandon Kent, the Superman of his era, stop the danger from hurting the next generation? Also, for those wanting to know more about Brandon’s relationshop with Theand’r, the Tamaranean queen, prepare yourself for a little romance as well.

Oh snap! The return of the only positive thing I could get out of Future State Superman books! Thank you, Johnson! Now give these guys their own book....Please.

[Myskin]

Oh snap! The return of the only positive thing I could get out of Future State Superman books! Thank you, Johnson! Now give these guys their own book....Please.

What I really LOVE these guys is that by creating them PKJ has potentially solved a lot of problems which Jon presented since his very inception.
One the MANY issues I had with the kid was that they would attempt to push him as some kind of Superman replacement - a thought justifiably shared by many others, since this is exactly what is actually happening. But the fact that PKJ has created an entire genealogy of heroes actually puts everything under a different light. Jon is not THE Superman, but just one of Superman's many heirs. PKJ is basically trying to reinvent - successfully, so far - the entire concept of Superman family under a different perspective; I can't find many points in common between THESE guys and Morrison's Superman Squad, because THOSE guys were basically a revamp of some Silver Age concepts. PKJ's family, thanks to his attempt to give them different powers and different backgrounds actually makes them somehow more human and sympathetic. They're more similar to a Game of Thrones clan than anything else. The fact that this is happening in a distant future in which Lois is apparently dead also paves the way for some unexplored possibilities.
I have to say that, in a bizarre way, Superman himself benefits from having several heirs rather than ONE. It's coherent with PKJ's characterization of Clark in Worlds of War, too - I think that PKJ is trying to depict him as a hardened and authoritative, but not bitter, veteran, with some gravitas and wisdom. Now THIS is a Superman I can come to love and respect and I'd like to see more of. It's completely different from the paternalistic dummy, or the puppy-eyed good-for-nothing, or the brainwashed jerk I have seen in Superman comics for years. There isn't much to judge yet, but I seriously think that it has potential - I strongly recommend pals such as Sacred Knight - who detests the concept of Jon as much as I do - to give PKJ a chance. I am not generally tender with superhero books, but I see something interesting here.

[Yoda]

From House of El #1

"Centuries into the future, the bloodline of Kal-El, the hero we know as Clark Kent, continues. Meet a new generation of Kryptonian heroes as they stand against one of the greatest threats they’ve ever faced: a diabolical foe called the Red King. Get ready for the unexpected debuts of the twins known as Rowan and Ronan Kent, descendants of Jonathan Kent."

His own words: "Alura is the El by birth, Khan-El technically got “adopted” into the name through marriage. HIS heritage and powers should make more sense to you through my upcoming Action run. Good catch!"

I'd go through the interviews and find direct quotes, but this is explicit enough. I'm not sure which interviews you listened to exactly, but he hasn't at all been vague from what I've heard and read.

These were back in December. I remember write ups of a few of the YouTube interviews for Future State discussing how these were all children of Clark's throughout the years with different wives, but going back and actually listening to them he only went as far as to call them descendants or like the future "House of El" with zero mention of any "wives". Now I may be reading that through my own preconceptions but even in House of El the Red King basically comments on how they are all distant distant relatives at best. For example the Tameranian House of El member, there's an implication that she's a descendant of Clark's but there isn't really a necessity that that means Clark eventually had a Tameranian kid. I generally don't like the idea of turning Clark into Omniman having families an 14 different worlds, so I'm probably looking too hard for an "out".

Again, I haven't watched every interview, but before Future State the ones I did watch never seemed to be as definitive as the summaries people wrote up were. I do tend to really dissect the language people use in these types of interviews, because so many times they try to be intentionally noncommittal and vague, so maybe this is on me.

I think Checkmate is going to be the de-fact Lois Lane book moving forward because she probably won't be appearing that much in the actual Super books.

I think we'll probably see some AU Lois', at the very least.

Checkmate will definitely be the biggest Lois presence for the foreseeable future. Or at least until the books split and we see whether or not the writer of the Jon book remembers he has a mother he talks to as much as his dad. And I do fully expect Yang to introduce Lois's to correspond with the different worlds Supermen.

[Robanker]

Action Comics #1030 Art by Daniel Sampere

From pencils to color and every step in between, that looks outstanding. Can't wait to have this in my hands.

[Sacred Knight]

What I really LOVE these guys is that by creating them PKJ has potentially solved a lot of problems which Jon presented since his very inception.
One the MANY issues I had with the kid was that they would attempt to push him as some kind of Superman replacement - a thought justifiably shared by many others, since this is exactly what is actually happening. But the fact that PKJ has created an entire genealogy of heroes actually puts everything under a different light. Jon is not THE Superman, but just one of Superman's many heirs. PKJ is basically trying to reinvent - successfully, so far - the entire concept of Superman family under a different perspective; I can't find many points in common between THESE guys and Morrison's Superman Squad, because THOSE guys were basically a revamp of some Silver Age concepts. PKJ's family, thanks to his attempt to give them different powers and different backgrounds actually makes them somehow more human and sympathetic. They're more similar to a Game of Thrones clan than anything else. The fact that this is happening in a distant future in which Lois is apparently dead also paves the way for some unexplored possibilities.
I have to say that, in a bizarre way, Superman himself benefits from having several heirs rather than ONE. It's coherent with PKJ's characterization of Clark in Worlds of War, too - I think that PKJ is trying to depict him as a hardened and authoritative, but not bitter, veteran, with some gravitas and wisdom. Now THIS is a Superman I can come to love and respect and I'd like to see more of. It's completely different from the paternalistic dummy, or the puppy-eyed good-for-nothing, or the brainwashed jerk I have seen in Superman comics for years. There isn't much to judge yet, but I seriously think that it has potential - I strongly recommend pals such as Sacred Knight - who detests the concept of Jon as much as I do - to give PKJ a chance. I am not generally tender with superhero books, but I see something interesting here.

You certainly paint an interesting picture. The way you frame it certainly sounds better than what my darkest nightmares about the whole situation have been. I'll continue to keep my eyes open and see how this develops. There's nothing I'd like more than to find something that I can enjoy here.

[Vordan]

These were back in December. I remember write ups of a few of the YouTube interviews for Future State discussing how these were all children of Clark's throughout the years with different wives, but going back and actually listening to them he only went as far as to call them descendants or like the future "House of El" with zero mention of any "wives". Now I may be reading that through my own preconceptions but even in House of El the Red King basically comments on how they are all distant distant relatives at best. For example the Tameranian House of El member, there's an implication that she's a descendant of Clark's but there isn't really a necessity that that means Clark eventually had a Tameranian kid. I generally don't like the idea of turning Clark into Omniman having families an 14 different worlds, so I'm probably looking too hard for an "out".

Again, I haven't watched every interview, but before Future State the ones I did watch never seemed to be as definitive as the summaries people wrote up were. I do tend to really dissect the language people use in these types of interviews, because so many times they try to be intentionally noncommittal and vague, so maybe this is on me.



Checkmate will definitely be the biggest Lois presence for the foreseeable future. Or at least until the books split and we see whether or not the writer of the Jon book remembers he has a mother he talks to as much as his dad. And I do fully expect Yang to introduce Lois's to correspond with the different worlds Supermen.

Clark’s an old man by the time House of El happens. I don’t think he’s had sex with anyone “recently”, but HoE takes place far in the future, I think thousands of years, so what we are seeing is the long term fruit of the relationships. If you don’t like the idea of Clark moving on after Lois, just gotta remember it’s all set in a future we’ll never see and can be changed.

[Yoda]

Clark’s an old man by the time House of El happens. I don’t think he’s had sex with anyone “recently”, but HoE takes place far in the future, I think thousands of years, so what we are seeing is the long term fruit of the relationships. If you don’t like the idea of Clark moving on after Lois, just gotta remember it’s all set in a future we’ll never see and can be changed.

I think it's the implication that he basically "spread his seed" throughout the universe making all these different families doesn't sit well with me. It basically becomes Invincible where it was the mission statement of the Viltrumites to just go planet to planet and have kids with the locals to see which ones made the best breeding stock to repopulate. It's kinda unnecessary in my opinion. In 3000 years you can still have thousands of descendants without the need to have had 50 wives.