Superman Projects That Almost Were

[exile001]

One that no one seems to talk about, but I remember quite vividly, is the change out of "killing" the New 52 Superman and replacing him with the "old" one. I'm still convinced that this was a last minute decision because one of the solicits around that time had the two meeting and then it changed. As in, the solicit itself changed. I'm not sure what they had in mind, but my guess is, it would have involved keeping the New 52 Superman. They had just finished the whole Truth storyline where he got his powers back and then to turn around and kill him off after meeting his counterpart for five seconds? That sounds like editorial meddling to me. I don't have any proof of this but just the way it was handled at the time was very sus.

I found the entire Rebirth issue to be weirdly off, with "old" Superman appearing almost like a threat. I've re-read it several times and am convinced it was supposed to be readable two ways, constantly circling the idea that New 52 Superman can return as though this Superman is ensuring he can't.

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To this day I believe that Superman's smile at the end is supposed to be sinister as hell.

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I've always felt there was a fake/evil Superman story here (mirroring the classic Death/Rebirth) that was just never told.

Honestly, at this stage I'd suggest bad art/staging but this is Doug Mahnke and the guy is a master.

[superduperman]

I found the entire Rebirth issue to be weirdly off, with "old" Superman appearing almost like a threat. I've re-read it several times and am convinced it was supposed to be readable two ways, constantly circling the idea that New 52 Superman can return as though this Superman is ensuring he can't.

1.jpg

2.jpg

To this day I believe that Superman's smile at the end is supposed to be sinister as hell.

3.jpg

I've always felt there was a fake/evil Superman story here (mirroring the classic Death/Rebirth) that was just never told.

Honestly, at this stage I'd suggest bad art/staging but this is Doug Mahnke and the guy is a master.

The whole Rebirth thing struck me as a Doomsday Clock scenario where they were intending to go one direction and went in another one instead. Just look at the mess that was WW's history at that time. They were so eager to retcon her relationship with Superman. I really do think someone pulled the plug on the New 52 at the last minute and much of what we got was a last minute reboot that had to be incorporated into what was ongoing storylines.

[Vordan]

Oh I shared this before but Gabriel Hardman had a hard sci-fi post apocalyptic Superman story involving Brainiac that got rejected.

[The Frog Bros]

I found the entire Rebirth issue to be weirdly off, with "old" Superman appearing almost like a threat. I've re-read it several times and am convinced it was supposed to be readable two ways, constantly circling the idea that New 52 Superman can return as though this Superman is ensuring he can't.

1.jpg

2.jpg

To this day I believe that Superman's smile at the end is supposed to be sinister as hell.

3.jpg

I've always felt there was a fake/evil Superman story here (mirroring the classic Death/Rebirth) that was just never told.

Honestly, at this stage I'd suggest bad art/staging but this is Doug Mahnke and the guy is a master.

Man, I liked this look though. Black suit and beard (and Mahnke to boot). Way cool.

Oh I shared this before but Gabriel Hardman had a hard sci-fi post apocalyptic Superman story involving Brainiac that got rejected.

... and speaking of beards...

[superduperman]

Oh I shared this before but Gabriel Hardman had a hard sci-fi post apocalyptic Superman story involving Brainiac that got rejected.

This reminds me of a story that came out just before the 1986 reboot where a future version of Superman with a beard talks with his "modern" version.

[exile001]

Oh I shared this before but Gabriel Hardman had a hard sci-fi post apocalyptic Superman story involving Brainiac that got rejected.

Wow, I'd have loved the heck out of that!

[icefour33]

Matt Fraction was going to be the Superman writer during 5G. It was supposed to be a cosmic tale starring Jon and featuring Wildstorm characters.

Also during 5G, Mark Russel was to write a 20 issue series starring Clark, the series would chronicle 20 years of his life, and each issue would be set in a particular year

[superduperman]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet but the Krypton TV show. They had the Brianiac we should have gotten for the movies. It was cancelled after just two seasons because SyFy just didn't have the budget for something that elaborate. I'd love to see HBOMAX take it up again. Probably not going to happen under the current management though.

[exile001]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet but the Krypton TV show. They had the Brianiac we should have gotten for the movies. It was cancelled after just two seasons because SyFy just didn't have the budget for something that elaborate. I'd love to see HBOMAX take it up again. Probably not going to happen under the current management though.

This is about projects that almost were. Krypton... were.

I enjoyed that show far more than I ever expected to.

[Stanlos]

One has to wonder (no pun intended) if this was the Wonder Woman project that convinced George to take on the book. He was adamantly against the proposal so much so that Karen Berger basically said well it's you or this and he chose to do the book (fortunately for us all I think.)

Given the "she was to be a Feminist hero" who "slowly learns to accept" man's world description I bet it had the usual stale tropes possibly including a rape, some moment where her agency and power are questioned/rendered inadequate, and a tearful embrace where she experiences a life changing realization "that man's world isn't so bad" as it is and doesn't need to change but rather she does.

You know, like Wizardworld, Azzarello, Morrison, and pretty much any number of horrific bad fanfics have suggested. If it was not included already, you can be sure there will eventually be a "she's just a woman like any other" moment and/or the ubertrite ubertired "I must denounce my Amazon sisters and destroy them" moment

[Thor-Ul]

I just rmemeber thatn there was to be an American Alien sequel. It was not done because, well, you know.

[Stanlos]

I just rmemeber thatn there was to be an American Alien sequel. It was not done because, well, you know.

Uh oh. I don't know but recently learned Gerard Jones was being really awful behind closed doors. Please tell me that is not a factor for this too!

[Thor-Ul]

Uh oh. I don't know but recently learned Gerard Jones was being really awful behind closed doors. Please tell me that is not a factor for this too!

No, not that way. More Ellis than Jones.

[Vordan]

Mark Millar still has a big Superman project he wants to do at DC with a big artist like Oliver Copiel or Pepe Larazz

Also he apparently has a YouTube Channel and he’s bringing Cary Bates on to talk about Superman V, the movie pitch Bates put together.

Reposting this here since it fits, he was talking before about how much he wanted to do it. Oh and Jeph Loeb shared in the Hush 20th Anniversary special that he and Jim Lee almost worked on Legion of Superheroes together after Hush.

[Stanlos]

I found the entire Rebirth issue to be weirdly off, with "old" Superman appearing almost like a threat. I've re-read it several times and am convinced it was supposed to be readable two ways, constantly circling the idea that New 52 Superman can return as though this Superman is ensuring he can't.

1.jpg

2.jpg

To this day I believe that Superman's smile at the end is supposed to be sinister as hell.

3.jpg

I've always felt there was a fake/evil Superman story here (mirroring the classic Death/Rebirth) that was just never told.

Honestly, at this stage I'd suggest bad art/staging but this is Doug Mahnke and the guy is a master.

Rebirth just confused me all around. The Superman family was the most puzzling and even now I don't get what went down. Then there was the later all-denizens-of-the-DCU-know-all-their-past-selves.

It has just become a mess