Phil Jimenez talks about his Superwoman book

[Hypo]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLmQXGjBLE1/

Ah, #Superwoman. What a strange adventure you were. I had such high hopes for this project — plotted out roughly two years’ worth of stories with Lana and Lois and Steel and Natasha and Traci and Lex and the rest of the gang: love triangles and drug abuse; an exploration of women, friendship, and allyship, and their intersections with race and class; sibling rivalry, stolen credit; and the cost of revenge; burgeoning LGBTQ love; panic and anxiety (reflecting my own experiences); memory, loss, grief; and even the weird relationship between Atomic Skull and Bizzaress (I loved them!) — and so much more. I even developed a healthy supporting cast of regular folk, including a deaf character, tho they never got much play. Alas, my own creative/personal issues, mixed with behind the scenes upheavals/battles and a huge continuity patch to the Suoerman universe that rendered my first couple of arcs non-canon before they were even finished (and a note from higher ups that we needed to appeal more to Trump voters) wiped me out. I know the first issue caused quite a stir and I sure wish I could have seen the original story to its conclusion (a common story in my last few years at @dccomics, I realize). That said, I never in my life thought I’d ever get to play with Superman or his universe, and it was a great opportunity and a real honor; and got to work with some incredibly fabulous artists; learned so much (even at this age I keep learning!), and I got to write one of my favorite scenes in comics ever — when Lana Lang calls Lex Luther a giant piece of ****. Literally. That little panel made it alllll worth it. 😃

[Sacred Knight]

Maybe it would have had a chance if it wasn't ensconced in the ridiculous original Rebirth status quo going on at the time. As it stood though everything was so confusing even by Superman standards that it was really immersion breaking and impossible to know what characters to even get invested in.

[Quinlan58]

Maybe it would have stood a chance if if hadn't been heavily advertised as a Lois Lane book only to kill her in the first issue and replace her with Lana.

[Nelliebly]

Maybe it would have stood a chance if if hadn't been heavily advertised as a Lois Lane book only to kill her in the first issue and replace her with Lana.

Yeah I have to be honest....Phil blew pretty much any and all goodwill he had with some people with the way he acted with this book. People were justifiably upset that it was marketed as a starring vehicle for Lois but then was just a bait and switch. And there was a certain....meanness (?) to the words that Phil put in Lana’s mouth about Lois that never sat right with me. Couple that with him admitting, openly, that he felt drawn to Lana because he could use her as more of a blank slate vs. Lois who was already an established personality. Yuck. That’s just more self-insert nonsense masquerading as representation.

I used to genuinely like Phil but the way he handled this book really soured my opinion.

[rpmaluki]

Maybe it would have stood a chance if if hadn't been heavily advertised as a Lois Lane book only to kill her in the first issue and replace her with Lana.

Absolute this.

He says he planned out two years worth of stories that involved Lois but killed her off after the first issue. At least he acknowledges he did it to himself, being unable to tell whatever story he says he envisioned with the controversial 1st issue. While some may not appreciate Lois having powers, as the first ever Superwoman, some of us actually did want to read that story explored for a bit before Superman Reborn happened. The bait and switch killed off any interest I had in the book.

[Will Evans]

Either way, the Lois/Clark Rebirth status Quo would have rendered a Lois superhero book null and void anyway.

Interesting that the higher ups told him to specifically appeal more to Trump voters.


I liked his Lana and supporting cast with Steel, Natasha and Traci.

I can see pissing off Lois fans was not a good move.

But he’s right as far as using Lana because she’s more of a blank slate in the new 52.

[superduperman]

That entire era was a continuity train wreck. The entire story revolved around the New 52 Superman who wouldn't even exist in a few months. There was no way it would work long term no matter how they did it.

[rpmaluki]

Having something is better than nothing at all. Lois as a superhero is meant be shortlived because it's not her wheelhouse but one issue is a joke if not insulting with the way it was marketed. Had they been truthful from the start, it wouldn't have stung as it did. Him wanting to use Lana isn't wrong but stringing Lois fans just to kick them in shins before the first turn was never going to fly.

[Will Evans]

Having a Suoerwoman book that isn’t tied to Kara Supergirl, is a good concept.

Batman franchise has shown that a Batwoman concept can be sustainable even with Batgirl already.

But yeah, the Superman editor, and Jimenez should have been on the same page as for as what the DC status quo would be in a year.


Maybe do a Lois book for 8 months until Rebirth semi-retcons it and then make it a Lana Superwoman book then?

[Vordan]

Felt like the book was hamstrung from the foundation given how heavily it built off a status quo that was clearly transitory. I do sympathize for Phil though, this is the second time around his plans got screwed by editorial, and it might even be the second time Berganza specifically screwed with him. I think he was Phil’s editor on WW, a book that also had heavy editorial interference. Still I liked the focus on Metropolis and on the other supporting Metropolis characters like Sawyer and Steel. Kinda hope Lewis backups will scratch that itch with PKJ taking Superman into space.

[Frontier]

"Appeal to Trump voters." Wait, what?

Man, I hope that was just Berganza.

[superduperman]

I would love someone to come forward and talk about just what was going on in the DC offices at that time. Because the whole Rebirth thing seemed like it was a last minute change that wasn't planned out very well.

[DragonPiece]

I liked that this book continued Steel and Lana's relationship, which was a great idea by greg pak. The fact that it was never brought up again in the past few years is sad, PKJ hinted at possible plans for Steel in the future at least.

"Appeal to Trump voters." Wait, what?

Man, I hope that was just Berganza.

Yeah, that caught me off guard. I wonder if that type of editorial mandate is still in place.

[Celgress]

Maybe it would have stood a chance if if hadn't been heavily advertised as a Lois Lane book only to kill her in the first issue and replace her with Lana.

Yeah, this is a valid point. I was so excited for a Lois Lane as Superwoman ongoing or mini and then, well, *sigh* Lana.....

[Bored at 3:00AM]

One of these days, we're going to get a book, documentary or podcast finally spilling the beans on what actually occurred between 2015 to 2020 at DC Comics and I will be enjoying every minute of it.

The creative tug o' war between Diane Nelson, Geoff Johns, and Dan Didio must have been crazy.