Superman: son of Kal-El

[Vordan]

Well... he is now. Expect this to become the norm across the Big 2, they’ve been pushing hard that “anyone can wear the mask”. People will pretend it’s progressiveness but that’s not really why the suits are into it. The suits want it because it’s far less risky to simply establish these brands as mantles that can be passed from one person to the next, allowing them to constantly put out new movies using the same IP with much less risk of audience fatigue. Hollywood as a whole doesn’t take chances on new IP anymore, hence the endless reboots and nostalgia bait.

If this new reboot from Abrams is off in its own universe, I wouldn’t be surprised if WB attempted a soft reboot in the “main” DCEU universe with Jon as Superman. Yara could take over for Gadot, and since Dick is the dead Robin of the Snyderverse, and Bruce presumably never took on another, you could have Jace Fox or Batgirl take over for Bruce Batman instead. I expect Supergirl to fill the hole left by Cavill in the main universe, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the reason why WB ok’d pushing Jon when there is seemingly no plans to feature him anywhere, is because they’re eyeing him up as a way to reboot “mainline” Superman.

[Sacred Knight]

None of that would surprise me either. Its for these same reasons that part of my large hatred and concern over what's going on now in the comics. Because I'm not convinced by a sight that retirement for Clark still isn't in the cards. The specter of it in the overarching scheme of things is there for a reason. Either to win the day and prevent, or to make due. Yeah he has Action. For now. Its amazingly easy to imagine right now a mindset of wanting to ease into either eventually giving Action to Jon too, or giving it to one of the other Supermen in the Multiverse (whichever one they're doing for the movie reboot, probably Calvin, and there you have your synchronization). 5 years ago I would have said a retirement angle for Clark designed for any particular sustained period would be absolutely laughable and the height of overreacting conspiracy theory. Now? I half expect it.

[Superlad93]

Really, really happy to hear this!

Not that I don't like Sook's design on its own, but I'd really like to mark this ascension to the throne with a new look.

But I'll admit, I'm not totally at ease here. Obviously Taylor wasn't the final say on it, but a writer and artist typical have some back and forth when it comes to discussing designs, so that means Taylor likely had some input in Jon's DCecsed look, and I wasn't very into that look.

Most people just think that if you make a simple design then you've made a good one, but I think just like a design can be too busy, it can also be too simple. Jon's DCecesed look was that for me.

What I'm hoping from Taylor is something fresh and modern much in the way of Suicide Squad. But I suppose it'll be down to John Timms' taste. Well, I hope for the best.

[Vordan]

Thing is Clark still is getting a ton of usage. The TV show (already renewed for a second season), the animated movies which seem to be starting a new connected universe with MoT being the first, the Harley Quinn animated show, Titans has him and Lex around, and much as I loathe them he’s in Injustice and Suicide Squad. There’s rumors he may be appearing in HBO Max stuff like Strange Adventures as well. He’s got plenty of stuff going on in outside media where I don’t see them retiring him any time soon (or ever frankly). PKJ has said that he plans to have a long run on Action and since he’s the guy they’ve entrusted to work with Clark I expect that they will continue to have that be the Clark book.

Calvin I think is definitely going to get a mini or an ongoing (Superman: Calvin Ellis or President Superman are easy choices for a title) spinning out of Infinite Frontier but I don’t see him taking over Action. Can’t lie that I’m excited at the possibility (I hope Thomas gets to write it).

And there’s still other Clark Books coming: ‘78, JL: The Last Ride, hopefully Birthright 2 by Waid, and who knows what might be spinning out of the Sept Superevent? I get being pessimistic, Lord knows I don’t trust WB or DC to do right by Superman, but I don’t see Clark going anywhere.

[Sacred Knight]

I'm not going as far as to think they're trying to faze him out wholesale in the comics. As you pointed out the evidence does not support that, he's still being utilized there and elsewhere. What I do think is going on is a movement to where while in the past it would Clark, the main man and some other ideas surrounding him elsewhere, that they're reversing it and their main showcases is going to be this new stuff, and its Clark that's going to be more "fringe" for lack of a better word. He'll still be there, just other guys to be pushed harder.

Or I am completely, utterly dead wrong. There's what I feel is disturbing tea leaves, but I certainly have no proof yet and I certainly know that while I stand by that I don't think these suggestions are any longer crazy exaggeration, I also am still colored by my disappointment regardless.

[oneveryfineday]

There's a huge difference between this and past instances. Any time it was ever done in the past it was done in at best quasi-canon far-future scenarios. That's what DC One Million was. Or outright imaginary tales/Elseworlds. This sort of thing is fine in those scenarios. They're pushing this in a current canon though. That's what's way out of the ordinary, and what makes it so stupid. Its in that vein that Superman is not nor never has been a legacy character. The boat had not sailed on that at all until now, a mistake that DC is insisting on learning the hard way.

Is it really that out of the ordinary though? Lois and Clark getting married was featured in a ton of Elseworlds tales decades before it became canon. So was them having kids. Some ideas get seeded or played around for years before being brought into main mythos.

Even Jerry Siegel said that the Clark-Lois marriage should be confined only to Elseworlds stories



And look where we are now.

[Yoda]

Clark Kent isn't going anywhere. DC doesn't want to retire one Superman for another. They want to sell you two Supermen (or four). They want what Marvel has with Miles & Peter. And they are going to try it with everyone that can sustain a title in some capacity be it digital first or a monthly. We see it with Batman and Wonder Woman now. Wonder Woman has Diana, Nubia, and Yara in various capacities now.

As for Jon's costume, I hope that they do give him something a little simpler and invocative of the classic costume. I do like the different tones they have now, possibly something along the same lines without all the lines in the Legion one.

[Superlad93]

And in the case of Jon as Superman being being a bad look when juxtaposed next to Yara and Jace? Well, can't really disagree with that more.

You see, Clark Kent as Superman before any immigrant metaphor, poor kindly couple, or anything else is about power and privilege at his core.

Privilege has become a very bad word in recent years, but that's primarily because in real life the people that have that crazy level of privilege are usually not admirable. But the concept of Superman is to use that inherent and overwhelming privilege to do for others what they cannot do for themselves.

The idea of "check your privilege" and "being an ally" is so strong and such a great thing to be conscious of today that I don't want to just suddenly shift the goal post of the most inherently privileged and powerful fictional hero every created right when we should be really digging deep into what it means for this concept. Jon is an opportunity to set an example of what being born into power and privilege and doing your best to give back should look like.

And the fact that there's an internal conflict here with him as his status and power grows makes it all the more interesting. Over in Taylor's Nightwing a similar situation is being tackled with Dick now that he's dealing with the ramifications of being a billionaire.

There's too much really specific and potent story potential here.

[Vordan]

Really, really happy to hear this!

Not that I don't like Sook's design on its own, but I'd really like to mark this ascension to the throne with a new look.

But I'll admit, I'm not totally at ease here. Obviously Taylor wasn't the final say on it, but a writer and artist typical have some back and forth when it comes to discussing designs, so that means Taylor likely had some input in Jon's DCecsed look, and I wasn't very into that look.

Most people just think that if you make a simple design then you've made a good one, but I think just like a design can be too busy, it can also be too simple. Jon's DCecesed look was that for me.

What I'm hoping from Taylor is something fresh and modern much in the way of Suicide Squad. But I suppose it'll be down to John Timms' taste. Well, I hope for the best.

I still think his Future State costume is his best look, and I hope he loses the cape at some point. That’s one immediate one way to make him stand apart from Clark.

I'm not going as far as to think they're trying to faze him out wholesale in the comics. As you pointed out the evidence does not support that, he's still being utilized there and elsewhere. What I do think is going on is a movement to where while in the past it would Clark, the main man and some other ideas surrounding him elsewhere, that they're reversing it and their main showcases is going to be this new stuff, and its Clark that's going to be more "fringe" for lack of a better word. He'll still be there, just other guys to be pushed harder.

Or I am completely, utterly dead wrong. There's what I feel is disturbing tea leaves, but I certainly have no proof yet and I certainly know that while I stand by that I don't think these suggestions are any longer crazy exaggeration, I also am still colored by my disappointment regardless.

You’re on the right track but at the wrong conclusion I think. The franchise will no longer be just about Clark and the rest as spin-offs, but instead about trying to build it into a franchise where you’ve got Clark, Jon, Calvin, and maybe others running around (please someone bring my boy Kenan back from Limbo ). So it’s about the “Superfamily” not just Clark anymore.

Clark Kent isn't going anywhere. DC doesn't want to retire one Superman for another. They want to sell you two Supermen (or four). They want what Marvel has with Miles & Peter. And they are going to try it with everyone that can sustain a title in some capacity be it digital first or a monthly. We see it with Batman and Wonder Woman now. Wonder Woman has Diana, Nubia, and Yara in various capacities now.

As for Jon's costume, I hope that they do give him something a little simpler and invocative of the classic costume. I do like the different tones they have now, possibly something along the same lines without all the lines in the Legion one.

Yeah Yoda has his finger on the pulse I think. I mean it’s not just Clark, take a look around the DCU
-Barry replaced by Wally (I expect Barry to be on the inevitable Justice Incarnate book)
-New Swamp Thing is of Indian heritage
-Ted and Jaime may be getting books
-Jackson Hyde was the Aquaman of FS and Andy Curry is in the main universe
-Black Adam on the JL, Billy with the Teen Titans
-Khalid replacing Kent Nelson as Fate
-There are still plans for Jace Fox in the mainline, I think Ridley is writing a Next Batman mini about Jace being Batman after he finishes his origin mini
It’s all about building up franchises with multiple members of a “family” unit now.

[Frontier]

Clark Kent isn't going anywhere. DC doesn't want to retire one Superman for another. They want to sell you two Supermen (or four). They want what Marvel has with Miles & Peter. And they are going to try it with everyone that can sustain a title in some capacity be it digital first or a monthly. We see it with Batman and Wonder Woman now. Wonder Woman has Diana, Nubia, and Yara in various capacities now.

As for Jon's costume, I hope that they do give him something a little simpler and invocative of the classic costume. I do like the different tones they have now, possibly something along the same lines without all the lines in the Legion one.

I'm not inherently against legacy heroes but I feel like the more you do it, and at once, the more you dilute the franchise and your core protagonist.

[Ascended]

What I do think is going on is a movement to where while in the past it would Clark, the main man and some other ideas surrounding him elsewhere, that they're reversing it and their main showcases is going to be this new stuff, and its Clark that's going to be more "fringe" for lack of a better word. He'll still be there, just other guys to be pushed harder.

You mean like how Nolan/Omni-Man orbits Invincible's narrative despite being the "big hero?"

Yeah, I can see that line of thinking.

DC wants Superman to be young and hip and appeal to kids again. They tried doing that in the New52 and it didn't take, so them trying to do it with Jon while Clark remains in the background seems plausible. I wouldn't expect Clark to be replaced across all media or anything, but I can see a world where the comics' main focus is Jon.

Is it me, or is DC kinda sliding the big names towards elder statesmen status, where they're not going to be around earth as much? Clark's going cosmic with the United Planets, Diana's ascended to divinity or something (I gotta catch up with her), Barry's going multiversal with Justice Incarnate, and meanwhile Yara gets a ton of attention and a new book, Jon takes over as Superman on earth, and isn't Wally getting the lion's share of page time in Flash now?

[Yoda]

You’re on the right track but at the wrong conclusion I think. The franchise will no longer be just about Clark and the rest as spin-offs, but instead about trying to build it into a franchise where you’ve got Clark, Jon, Calvin, and maybe others running around (please someone bring my boy Kenan back from Limbo ). So it’s about the “Superfamily” not just Clark anymore.

Yup, this even aligns with the way they are publishing the monthlies now with the backups. It's not even a new idea, there was the Superman Family book back in the Bronze age that pulled in the Lois & Jimmy books, along with the Earth 2 Mr. & Mrs. Superman stories.

I think this likely is a real result of Didio getting canned. Not that 5G was a bad idea, but the putting of all the eggs in one basket was. Since he seemed to always have the mentality that "there can be only one" and any legacy or other character dilutted the brand. I think WB's and DC saw from Marvel that this isn't true at all and that that mentality only limits the possibilities.

[Frontier]

I think this likely is a real result of Didio getting canned. Not that 5G was a bad idea, but the putting of all the eggs in one basket was. Since he seemed to always have the mentality that "there can be only one" and any legacy or other character dilutted the brand. I think WB's and DC saw from Marvel that this isn't true at all and that that mentality only limits the possibilities.

I mean, to a certain extent, because Marvel did walk back on a lot of the ANAD mantle changes.

I guess they could always walk back from walking back for movie synergy since those characters will be popping up in the MCU, but still.

[Vordan]

You mean like how Nolan/Omni-Man orbits Invincible's narrative despite being the "big hero?"

Yeah, I can see that line of thinking.

DC wants Superman to be young and hip and appeal to kids again. They tried doing that in the New52 and it didn't take, so them trying to do it with Jon while Clark remains in the background seems plausible. I wouldn't expect Clark to be replaced across all media or anything, but I can see a world where the comics' main focus is Jon.

Is it me, or is DC kinda sliding the big names towards elder statesmen status, where they're not going to be around earth as much? Clark's going cosmic with the United Planets, Diana's ascended to divinity or something (I gotta catch up with her), Barry's going multiversal with Justice Incarnate, and meanwhile Yara gets a ton of attention and a new book, Jon takes over as Superman on earth, and isn't Wally getting the lion's share of page time in Flash now?

Tynion talked about his run on Batman taking place after Bruce’s “peak”, so even Batman is basically entering a period of decline (in terms of effectiveness anyway), isn’t a billionaire and isn’t popular in Gotham. As a whole DC is definitely moving the OGs into new status quos for sure and making them older overall. Diana is set to return to Earth at some point though, and Bruce is still operating in Gotham, so it’s only Jon who is full on replacing his dad on his dad’s home turf.

[Frontier]

Tynion talked about his run on Batman taking place after Bruce’s “peak”, so even Batman is basically entering a period of decline (in terms of effectiveness anyway). Isn’t a billionaire and isn’t popular in Gotham. As a whole DC is definitely moving the OGs into new status quos for sure.

Granted, that's happened before...and at the same Tynion is also trying to posit him towards a late 90's, early 2000's, era, so what's old is new again .