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  1. #1
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    Default Warworld Saga - 1989 and 2021

    In 1989, I got back into reading comics in a big way, and one of the best stories of that year was the "Superman in Space" storyline – a then-unprecedented 13 issues in length – that ended with Superman fighting in an arena on Warworld, challenging Mongul's rule. What goes around, comes around… eventually! Phillip Kennedy Johnson's story touches on some of the same notes as that earlier story – and 1980's introduction of Mongul – but it's far from a retread of something we've seen before. Whether you remember that 1989 story or not, it's worth checking out how the stories interlock.

    http://rikdad.blogspot.com/2021/12/w...n-and-now.html

  2. #2

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    It was a darn good read and introduced us to The Eradicator. It dived in head first to the premise of Byrne’s Krypton and kicked off a ton of storylines.

  3. #3
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    Well said! Some of the imagery has stuck around in my long term memory. And yet, Johnson's story is even richer so far.

  4. #4
    Extraordinary Member HsssH's Avatar
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    Good read as always and nice to see that you are enjoying PJK's Superman Rikdad, I hope we'll see more of your writings on his work.

  5. #5
    Astonishing Member The Frog Bros's Avatar
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    Good stuff! I had just picked up an Exile TP about a month ago myself. Def a nice supplemental read for the current run, nice to see the compare/contrast/influence for PKJ.
    “Look, you can’t put the Superman #77s with the #200s. They haven’t even discovered Red Kryptonite yet. And you can’t put the #98s with the #300s, Lori Lemaris hasn’t even been introduced.” — Sam
    “Where the hell are you from? Krypton?” — Edgar Frog

  6. #6
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    Thanks, HsssH. It's a strong work so far, unmistakably creating a mood. I look forward to the next issue!

  7. #7
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    FrogBros, it's good to know that there's a TP. The reading list is relatively byzantine for anyone who would try to identify the single issues, with three and arguably four separate titles involved (an Action Annual is in the list, one other issue has no Superman in it, and the first issue when Superman returns is in the monthly Action, which had previously been weekly!).

    It's interesting to contemplate how 2021's Superman has experienced Warworld in his past. The exact details can't be the same as in the 80s, because continuity has changed in various ways, but I guess we are to presume that some alternate version of his 1989 story took place in the backstory of this continuity. This reminds me again that Marv Wolfman expected COIE to straighten out all of the inconsistencies in continuity which would then be orderly from then forward… yep, that's certain never going to happen!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rikdad View Post
    FrogBros, it's good to know that there's a TP. The reading list is relatively byzantine for anyone who would try to identify the single issues, with three and arguably four separate titles involved (an Action Annual is in the list, one other issue has no Superman in it, and the first issue when Superman returns is in the monthly Action, which had previously been weekly!).

    It's interesting to contemplate how 2021's Superman has experienced Warworld in his past. The exact details can't be the same as in the 80s, because continuity has changed in various ways, but I guess we are to presume that some alternate version of his 1989 story took place in the backstory of this continuity. This reminds me again that Marv Wolfman expected COIE to straighten out all of the inconsistencies in continuity which would then be orderly from then forward… yep, that's certain never going to happen!
    The only way for DC to ever straighten out continuity would be to have a true hard reset. Meaning: Superman (or the JSA pre-dating him, for those who want to stick to post-crisis) is the world's first costumed hero and everyone else follows after him. Dick Grayson is a pre-teen Robin. No Lois and Superman being married. The JL isn't around. It'll be DC resetting continuity back to square one, but I don't see anyone wanting to reset things that far back. The debate on who'll be the Flash. Complaining about the Teen Titans not being a team. No Tim or Damian as Robin. The lack of Jon Kent. A true hard reset is not possible or viable. So, we gotta stick with the current messy continuity.

  9. #9
    Ultimate Member Last Son of Krypton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rikdad View Post
    FrogBros, it's good to know that there's a TP. The reading list is relatively byzantine for anyone who would try to identify the single issues, with three and arguably four separate titles involved (an Action Annual is in the list, one other issue has no Superman in it, and the first issue when Superman returns is in the monthly Action, which had previously been weekly!).

    It's interesting to contemplate how 2021's Superman has experienced Warworld in his past. The exact details can't be the same as in the 80s, because continuity has changed in various ways, but I guess we are to presume that some alternate version of his 1989 story took place in the backstory of this continuity. This reminds me again that Marv Wolfman expected COIE to straighten out all of the inconsistencies in continuity which would then be orderly from then forward… yep, that's certain never going to happen!
    I got the impression that under PKJ, SM is playing gladiator on Warworld for the first time. I recall a tweet of him saying the '89 story arc isn't canon anymore after New52/Rebirth.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Last Son of Krypton View Post
    I got the impression that under PKJ, SM is playing gladiator on Warworld for the first time. I recall a tweet of him saying the '89 story arc isn't canon anymore after New52/Rebirth.
    Well, technically, it's canon.

  11. #11
    Astonishing Member The Frog Bros's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rikdad View Post
    FrogBros, it's good to know that there's a TP. The reading list is relatively byzantine for anyone who would try to identify the single issues, with three and arguably four separate titles involved (an Action Annual is in the list, one other issue has no Superman in it, and the first issue when Superman returns is in the monthly Action, which had previously been weekly!).

    It's interesting to contemplate how 2021's Superman has experienced Warworld in his past. The exact details can't be the same as in the 80s, because continuity has changed in various ways, but I guess we are to presume that some alternate version of his 1989 story took place in the backstory of this continuity. This reminds me again that Marv Wolfman expected COIE to straighten out all of the inconsistencies in continuity which would then be orderly from then forward… yep, that's certain never going to happen!
    The TP I got is admittedly old (looks like publish date is 1998, not even sure if its still in publication) even though I just bought it at my hometown LCS. It had been sitting on the shelf for so long I just had to pick it up.
    “Look, you can’t put the Superman #77s with the #200s. They haven’t even discovered Red Kryptonite yet. And you can’t put the #98s with the #300s, Lori Lemaris hasn’t even been introduced.” — Sam
    “Where the hell are you from? Krypton?” — Edgar Frog

  12. #12
    Ultimate Member Last Son of Krypton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DABellWrites View Post
    Well, technically, it's canon.
    Not according to PKJ, lol: https://twitter.com/PhillipKJohnson/...59628069982208

  13. #13
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    I think what PKJ is saying is that there's no way a Superman adventure on Warworld very much like the 1989 one could have happened in this Superman's past.

    Superman's tangled with Mongul's father before, certainly, and I don't think there's any reason why he couldn't have been to Warworld before, but the details would have to be really different.

    DC went through the exercise of retelling (in brief) the story of COIE from the perspective/history of the post-COIE Earth. In theory, we could imagine a 2022-ized version of the 1989 story that would be appropriately tailored to fit the new continuity. It might be 30%, 80%, or 99% different from the one we read before. But, obviously, we're not going to get that work written and published, but we imagine Superman's past continuity being some recognizable, but different, version of what was printed between 1986 and the post-Rebirth story where Mxyzptlk altered the timeline most recently.

    For that matter, even Morrison's Superman & The Authority has some little discrepancies with this Action story, and the JLA storyline does, too.

  14. #14
    Extraordinary Member HsssH's Avatar
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    Expecting DC's stories to align perfectly is pointless at this point. We have had too many "half" reboots for it to work.

  15. #15
    Invincible Member Vordan's Avatar
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    Great catch on the callback to Alan Moore with Mongul planning to parade Superman’s cape from a spear (bit of a downgrade from his grandfather planning to do the same with Superman’s head). This was a really entertaining and informative read.
    For when my rants on the forums just aren’t enough: https://thevindicativevordan.tumblr.com/

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