Which era of Superman comics would you go back to?

[DochaDocha]

Does this thread have something like a monkey's paw curse on it, where any wish we made would be granted but in a terrible way?

If not, I am partial to Bronze around the late 70s, early Post-Crisis, Triangle, and New 52. I'd pretty much take any of those.

[a moment closer]

Tomasi-Gleason-Jimenez' Superdad of a ten year old!

He's so cute

Rebirth era. Without a doubt.

The Rebirth Era was pure gold! I don't know how they'd put the lightning back in the bottle after all this time but I sure hope they try. I also liked the beginning of the New 52 for Superman. And what Geoff Johns had done sometime before that.

[Stanlos]

Bendis era. Unironic. Unapologetic. Felt like things were happening and we were moving forward rather than laterally. The only issue was all of the behind the scenes shuffling that can plainly be seen in the work, and were openly talked about.

For example, fairly certain Lois book was to be a tell all about how Superman was the father to her son, and Clark was his stepfather. I distinctly remember Bendis saying that he wanted to position the Superman family as both DC's First Family and a "modern family". As I recall Bendis flat out said that he had a different take on what "Truth" would've been, but DC had him change it, and Rucka seeing what it was being changed into got very protective about how Bendis was going to keep Clark Kent Clark Kent after it.

Even all of the stuff with Jon's lost years was something that was changed because the behind the scenes stuff. Suddenly Earth-3 was being promoted in all of his for seemingly no reason other than DC wanting to push it and Bendis being a team player. But clearly, Jon was supposed to be aged up due to some space travel fake sciences that has him spend years in space dealing with galactic conflicts with Jor-El. The invisible Mafia's boss Leone was likely supposed to tease the addition of the extra years for 5G, and she seemed to be someone that remembered it (thus the famous green car). But Earth-3 was just kind of slapped on there, and Bendis made due even though the solicitations and whole drive of the story didn't really point to that. It makes more sense that Leone knows so much about Superman if she's known him since the 60s. It makes more sense that Jon comes up with the UP because he's spent several years dealing with space conflicts.

I'd go back to the Bendis era and have it play out more in line with what he wanted. If nothing else, it would've been more cohesive and sharper.

Edit: Also very likely that Jon and Jor-El were supposed to be time traveling from era to era like Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and they lose track of time trying to write the wrongs of each era, and Jon gets lost in time and in outer space. This then makes the idea that they kill Jor-El by putting him back in his original time make more narrative sense since his crimes are fucking with the time stream trying to save **** and then save his grandson.

Sooooooo, Bendis didn't originate the weird Supes and Lois sending their boy off with Phantom Zone dude and Jon's being aged up?

[Stanlos]

Rebirth era. The era that made me appreciate Superman after spending my whole life thinking he was boring. I'd give SO much to have that back.

What did you find so compelling as to alter a lifelong belief? That is pretty impressive!

[Vordan]

Guess I’d go with either the Johns/Busiek post Infinite Crisis era or the early New 52 if there was a chance to do those over again without repeating the same mistakes. But unlike others I’m pretty happy with the current era, we’re finally getting stories that aren’t also trying to “fix” continuity.

[Jon Clark]

I can't decide if going back is a good idea or not.

Superman has moved on. He's not the rough and tumble social crusader from 1938 anymore. He's married to Lois and doesn't need to go back to stories centered on Lois trying to prove his identity while he tries to disprove all her evidence. This isn't 1970 when Superman was king of the hill and able to have adventures without anyone asking about why half the DC Universe aren't involved. It isn't even 1990 where you can sell the book by using a supporting cast that aren't superheroes. Plus if we went back to any earlier status quo would it really be any different than another stop on the ever shifting continuity we've had the past decade plus.

You just can't go home again

[manwhohaseverything]

You just can't go home again

You can't go home and you can't go elsewhere either..Cause people start demanding why superman ain't in underpants or things like that.

[Minerboh]

The Post Crisis Superman. The one by John Burne (but a bit more effective in fighting great menaces) is my personal choice. This era had many entertaining storyarcs like the Exile In Space saga.
Loeb's era was good also and had many intringuing arcs such the Luthor blackmail to Lois.

[Superlad93]

Sooooooo, Bendis didn't originate the weird Supes and Lois sending their boy off with Phantom Zone dude and Jon's being aged up?

He did, and God bless him for it.

The age up was mandated because of the plans DC had for Jon, but the how was up to Bendis.

The more I think about it the more I'm sad we didn't get the original intended take on Jon's lost years in space. If you've ever read the early late 80s to early 90s Legion and Valor/aka Mon-El run then you can seen the influences for Bendis' story with Jon and the creation of the United Planets. He even directly homages scenes from there, and even gets the same artist to do the flashback stories.

[The Frog Bros]

Golden Age... to experience it contemporaneously when it was brand new.

[Blue22]

What did you find so compelling as to alter a lifelong belief? That is pretty impressive!

It really is funny how my perception of characters like Superman, Jean Grey, and Cyclops have changed as I've gotten older. There wasn't really anything different about Clark in Rebirth that changed my mind, so much as it being the first time I actually took the time out to read a Superman comic. Before then my only exposure to Superman were through comics and TV shows where he wasn't the main focus. He was always either a secondary/guest character, or just one part of a team made up of much more interesting characters. To me, he always had trouble standing out in a crowd full of other heroes so I never felt compelled to read any of his solo stories and get to know him better.

That changed during Rebirth. Like I said before, I love family/coming of age stories. So seeing a book (by one of my favorite writers, no less) where Superman is now in the role of a parent piqued my interest enough to finally give a Superman comic a chance. And I loved it. Not just because of Jon (Though he was definitely a big contributing factor. I will never stop missing that kid, and I will never stop resenting Bendis for ruining yet another character for me) but because I finally got a glimpse of who Clark is as a character when he's not being overshadowed by the other Leaguers.

I may still not think there's a lot to him as a character, but for what there is...I just really like him. I like that he's just a nice guy trying to do the right thing and set the right example for not only his son, but all the people he inspires. I like his chemistry with Lois. I like how simple and down to earth, yet larger than life, he feels. I liked him in that run so much that I started going back and reading a bunch of random Superman stories from before Flashpoint. All the reasons I found him boring when I was a kid, ended up being all the reasons I find him to be a very likable character now that I'm an adult. Not my favorite kind of character and definitely not the kind of character I wanna see replicated too often (my biggest problem with the current Jon), but one that I can really appreciate for who he is. All it took was me finally giving him a chance.

[superduperman]

Does this thread have something like a monkey's paw curse on it, where any wish we made would be granted but in a terrible way?

If not, I am partial to Bronze around the late 70s, early Post-Crisis, Triangle, and New 52. I'd pretty much take any of those.

Ha! I would hope that someone at Discovery might be reading this and take a few hints. I'm also somewhat curious how close my own personal desires align with everyone else's. I'm somewhat surprised how much love the Rebirth era is getting. Especially since it wasn't that long ago. Stuff like the pre-Crisis or triangle era I can understand. But Rebirth was only like five years ago. I guess kid Jon was a popular character. Hint, hint, Discovery.

[Matt Rat]

Pretty much everything from Byrne up to and including 2000. And Rebirth too.

He did, and God bless him for it.

I find it hard to believe God would ever let this happen in the first place.

They warned us Satan on the other hand would be attractive

Bendis was great on Superman, atrocious on Action Comics, and never understood Jon or Lois, but I'd take his era over Johnson anyday

[Yoda]

Eras I like to revisit are the early triangle era leading up to Death & Return and just after. It's when I got into the books, so that'll always hold up for me.

The Rucka/Clark Adventures run, and the Busiek/Johns runs both get reread pretty often. Those Rucka/Busiek runs are kind of the my ideal take on the established Superman. And the Rucka/Clark run has some of the best Lois Lane material out there.

I wouldn't mind further exploration of the New 52 Action Comics 0 time period as well. What came after Morrison I'd sooner see shot into the Sun than reread, but there's a lot that could be mined from that T-Shirt & Jeans era without the editorial edict nonsense playing into it and lessening it.

He did, and God bless him for it.

The age up was mandated because of the plans DC had for Jon, but the how was up to Bendis.

The more I think about it the more I'm sad we didn't get the original intended take on Jon's lost years in space. If you've ever read the early late 80s to early 90s Legion and Valor/aka Mon-El run then you can seen the influences for Bendis' story with Jon and the creation of the United Planets. He even directly homages scenes from there, and even gets the same artist to do the flashback stories.

Lois and Jon dropping out of the books post-Action 1000 was also mandated. That was happening regardless, but Bendis shortened the time they'd be gone from his statements in past interviews. The identity reveal and the wrench that that threw into Rucka's Lois Lane series and how it resolved the "affair" Lois was having with Superman appear to have been all Bendis too. He even went so far as to retcon his own story, having the kiss photo revealed in Lois Lane, but then having that gossip columnist say she never published it after the reveal.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I love the Silver Age books and mythos. If you don't think it could work in a modern context, go read Invincible. It is a secret love letter to all the great ideas and concepts from back then with a ton more violence, it that helps.

I think Bronze Age does the best job of presenting Superman at the top. His teams ups with Muhammad Ali, Spiderman, and all those oversized books are the best.