The new Superman family

[witchboy]

I would've way rather Lois have another baby than bringing in more foster children. I don't hate it, but there's more interesting ways to build their family. I'd probably be less skeptical about this if Chris Kent had a presence. I feel like these kids will eventually disappear forever so I'm not invested yet.

[dreyga2000]

I would've way rather Lois have another baby than bringing in more foster children. I don't hate it, but there's more interesting ways to build their family. I'd probably be less skeptical about this if Chris Kent had a presence. I feel like these kids will eventually disappear forever so I'm not invested yet.

Honestly, I would have been down for Chris Kent returning. Feel like there is a lot they could with Superman being the adopted father of Zod's kid.

Then again the issue with foster kids is that they have built in excuse to toss them away once this run is over. It's always hard to get invested when there is no real commitment

[garazza]

If Lana Lang we’re still Siperwoman, would you still feel the same way?

Matrix, Linda Danvers and Cir-El have all used the Supergirl name too though. I could see Kara moving on to being Superwoman and letting someone else use the Supergirl name.

Well you see, I didn't even remember Lana even existed when I was writing that post so I don't know how I would feel. I only really know her as a character from Clark's past in Smallville and I'm not that familiar with how she fits in in the modern day. I'm even less familiar Matrix, Linda, and Cir-El so I can't speak to how I would see Supergirl as a title with a lineage I didn't know was there.

Also unlike Robin where Dick and Jason have “graduated” to Nightwing and Red Hood, there is no such thing for Superboys.

You are correct there is seemingly no next step past Superboy like there are for the graduated Robins. I suppose that's what make Superboy unique from Robin despite according to my logic both roles being one step below the central figures of Superman and Batman. That could very well change because there was a time that there was no next step after Robin, until there was one in the form of Nightwing and that idea of Robins "graduating" only started becoming a thing until after Damian was thrown into the mix.

[SuperX]

Maybe if they graduated Kara and kon from the hero names they've had for decades now,maybe it would atleast start the super family moving toward a real thing,like the bat family is.

The bat family gets pushed cause it's bat related and also because they are "badass".we can only hope DC pushes the super family,but they need to find their own version of "badass",there thing they makes readers think they are cool

[garazza]

Honestly, I would have been down for Chris Kent returning. Feel like there is a lot they could with Superman being the adopted father of Zod's kid.

Then again the issue with foster kids is that they have built in excuse to toss them away once this run is over. It's always hard to get invested when there is no real commitment

I'd kind of like for the twins to stick around because it would add a unique twist to the Superfamily with Lois and Clark first having a biological child and then adopting two children afterwards. It would be some good representation for non-traditional family types and show that adoption isn't some second choice for those that can't have children of their own, but is its own valid way of having children and growing a family that isn't diminished by already having biological children

[SuperX]

Well you see, I didn't even remember Lana even existed when I was writing that post so I don't know how I would feel. I only really know her as character from Clark's past in Smallville and I'm not that familiar with how she fits in in the modern day. I'm even less familiar Matrix, Linda, and Cir-El so I can't speak to how I would see Supergirl as a title with a lineage I didn't know was there.



You are correct there is seemingly no next step past Superboy like there are for the graduated Robins. I suppose that's what make Superboy unique from Robin despite according to my logic both roles being one step below the central figures of Superman and Batman. That could very well change because there was a time that there was no next step after Robin, until there was one in the form of Nightwing and that idea of Robins "graduating" only started becoming a thing until after Damian was thrown into the mix.

I like your honest answer here,if you don't know about things,you shouldn't speak on them,so thanks.

Yeah Lana and Lois were superwoman,atleast the more known "hero" versions,and matrix/Linda and cir were Supergirl ,and I've been wanting them back ever since they were gone.matrix/Linda can be a short brown hair girl with pychokinetic slash fire angel abilities who wants to find her daughter,but also helps the super family with problems only she can delves into.cir should be revamped ,she used to annoy the piss out of me back then,but a revamp could take all that away and keep what was important and give her more layers to who she is.

They keep de-aging Conner,it's annoying and your missing out on all the fans he could have if you brought the cool kid with a jacket and the older black t-shirt Conner together,and branched him out as something other than superboy.I am.over that name,and I've been a fan since day one,and have read and seen every single thing kon has been on,and I'm ready for a change.

[dreyga2000]

I'd kind of like for the twins to stick around because it would add a unique twist to the Superfamily with Lois and Clark first having a biological child and then adopting two children afterwards. It would be some good representation for non-traditional family types and show that adoption isn't some second choice for those that can't have children of their own, but is its own valid way of having children and growing a family that isn't diminished by already having biological children

It's not that I don't like foster kids idea in fact I think it's poetic that Clark being adopted has adopts a child.

The real issue is that I don't trust the writers. History has shown that kids being adopted usually end with them being written off.

Unless you are a Robin adopted kids tend to get tossed in limbo.

Writers tend to have a harder time getting rid of biological children.

[SuperX]

My problem is your bringing in these 2 kids to cover up what you did with your own kid

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

It's not that I don't like foster kids idea in fact I think it's poetic that Clark being adopted has adopts a child.

The real issue is that I don't trust the writers. History has shown that kids being adopted usually end with them being written off.

Unless you are a Robin adopted kids tend to get tossed in limbo.

Writers tend to have a harder time getting rid of biological children.

My problem is your bringing in these 2 kids to cover up what you did with your own kid

I agree with the above posters. I don't mind Superman adopting kids, I just don't have faith that DC will handle them any better.

However I am curious if they would get secret identities too.

[Ascended]

The main reasons there isn't a Super family presence like there is a Bat family one is money and history. The Bat clan sells, and many of them can carry a title. So they get books. The Super brand can carry multiple books, and historically does, but those numbers have slowly been dropping since the early 00's, as DC's mismanagement of the franchise began to take effect. One point in the 90's we had what, five solo Clark titles (FIVE) plus books for Steel, Conner, and Kara, with a steady stream of SCU mini's and Lex prestige OGN's. Lois and Jimmy once had ongoings. Now we're swinging what, two or three ongoing books and three to five mini's a year? Which is actually a big improvement over what we were getting a couple years ago. The brand just doesn't sell like it used to. Poor creative and editorial choices, personal bias among management, reboots, retcons, restarts.....last thirty years have been rough on the Els.

Historically, Clark's always been hands-off with his legacies while many of Bruce's have stayed fairly close. Clark's a loner who smiles at arm's reach while Bruce wants a family he doesn't think he deserves. It's common to see a legacy pop up in Batman solos, and he's no stranger to any of their own books. But Clark doesn't often cameo in other Super books, and vice versa. Each Super book usually (certainly not always) tries to build its own thing away from Metropolis and Clark while borrowing a few elements for themselves, so the overall franchise is stretched out in multiple directions, with little connections spanning the gaps. The Bat books often build (in some way) on top of the center, each new layer and addition reinforcing the core. There's a little less variety, it's mostly all street level vigilante stuff, but the foundation they're all working on is far more developed and stronger.

Or so it seems to me right now, I'm just talking out of my ass. Don't mind me, just outta work and winding down by letting my fingers type on their own.

Oh, the twins. They were fine in Warworld and if Clark must have kids (which I'm against) then foster kids are my preference. But they feel a lot like DC trying to replace kidJon without acknowledging that they made a mistake aging him up, which leaves a bad taste in the mouth even if I'd personally like to see the idea of Clark ever having children disappear. And I doubt the twins will last beyond PKJ, so it's hard to get invested. If they didn't keep the public identity they're not gonna keep the twins. Hell PKJ might write them out himself actually, I kinda feel like he will. But I hope I enjoy the ride while it lasts, whatever happens.

[Quinlan58]

I'm far more interested in seeing Otho-Ra talking with Kara than in whatever Ma and Pa may do in the upcoming issues, honestly. One traumatized girl forced to grow up too fast after the loss of a world meeting another, with the commonality being Clark and the different ways he acted towards each.

Other than that... Jon's relationship with Otho and Osul could be fun, if PKJ directly addresses the obvious "my parents are replacing me with new kids" angle from Jon's perspective. Let this kid have some issues over what happened to him. Osul in particular has the "I possess a power I have little control over that terrifies me" element that could help Jon connect to him.

Speaking of which, I really hope they're still keeping Otho and Osul as publicly aliens. Like, seriously, I want Daily Planet reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane to have publicly adopted alien refugees. That's the exact kind of WILD stuff I want in my Superman comics. If they aren't going to last (and that's a safer bet than the opposite), then at least have fun with them while they're here.

Moving on from those two, Kon and Kenan's dynamic in that textless preview already looks very fun. I hope to see Clark and John Henry working together as two idealists trying to build the future today in this "City of Tomorrow" project, the sort of dynamic Clark always wanted with Lex, but better. And of course I always enjoy a good scene with Clark and Kara, and hope to see her interact with the rest of the bunch here. Natasha looked a bit separate from the rest of the group in that preview, so wondering what plans there are for her, besides helping her uncle in this new project.

As for Lois... I'm expecting her to feature far more prominently in Superman than in Action Comics, so she'll be part of a far different dynamic, I guess.

[mrjames21]

I'm far more interested in seeing Otho-Ra talking with Kara than in whatever Ma and Pa may do in the upcoming issues, honestly. One traumatized girl forced to grow up too fast after the loss of a world meeting another, with the commonality being Clark and the different ways he acted towards each.

Other than that... Jon's relationship with Otho and Osul could be fun, if PKJ directly addresses the obvious "my parents are replacing me with new kids" angle from Jon's perspective. Let this kid have some issues over what happened to him. Osul in particular has the "I possess a power I have little control over that terrifies me" element that could help Jon connect to him.

Speaking of which, I really hope they're still keeping Otho and Osul as publicly aliens. Like, seriously, I want Daily Planet reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane to have publicly adopted alien refugees. That's the exact kind of WILD stuff I want in my Superman comics. If they aren't going to last (and that's a safer bet than the opposite), then at least have fun with them while they're here.

Moving on from those two, Kon and Kenan's dynamic in that textless preview already looks very fun. I hope to see Clark and John Henry working together as two idealists trying to build the future today in this "City of Tomorrow" project, the sort of dynamic Clark always wanted with Lex, but better. And of course I always enjoy a good scene with Clark and Kara, and hope to see her interact with the rest of the bunch here. Natasha looked a bit separate from the rest of the group in that preview, so wondering what plans there are for her, besides helping her uncle in this new project.

As for Lois... I'm expecting her to feature far more prominently in Superman than in Action Comics, so she'll be part of a far different dynamic, I guess.

I’m still trying to get over, probably like most of you, why the writers are having Clark and Lois look like the worst parental figures in history. From Action Comics #1049 we know The “twins” are on Earth and with Clark and Lois. But they are no where to be seen at the Kent farm in Action #1050. If they are planning on raising the kids, why have they not been introduced to the family? Where are they as these events are transpiring? What’s the hold up on introducing them to Jon and the Kents? On the other hand, what does Bruce think about more super powered beings being brought to Earth? What if kryptonite doesn’t affect Phaelosians? I’m hoping they eventually and more stories and really explain how Power Girl will fit into this and if and when will she be an official member of the family.

[Bruce Wayne]

Now we're swinging what, two or three ongoing books and three to five mini's a year? Which is actually a big improvement over what we were getting a couple years ago. The brand just doesn't sell like it used to. Poor creative and editorial choices, personal bias among management, reboots, retcons, restarts.....last thirty years have been rough on the Els.

The editorial/creative dysfunction absolutely sabotaged Superman. There was no opportunity for a tentpole book like the Morrison/Snyder Batbooks to allow for the development of spinoff titles due to the constant creative reshuffling. It didn't help that long lasting titles were getting cancelled because they offended the nostalgia tinged sensibilities of tptb at DC (ex. the PAD Earth Angel Supergirl).

Action Comics

Chuck Austen: Action Comics 814 (6/2004)-823(3/2005) - 10 issues
Gail Simone: Action Comics 827 (6/2005)-835(3/2006) - 9 issues
Geoff Johns: Action Comics 837(5/2006)-840(8/2006) - 4 issues
Action Comics 844(12/2006),845,846,851 - 4 issues
Action Comics 855(10/2007)-873 (3/2009) - 19 issues
Rucka/Trautmann: Action Comics 875(3/2009)-889 (6/2010) -15 issues
Paul Cornell: Action Comics 890 (8/2010)-904 (10/2011) - 15 issue

New 52

Grant Morrison: Action Comics 1 (11/2011)-18 (5/2013) + 0 - 19 issues
Andy Diggle/Tony Daniel: Action Comics 19 (7/2013)-21 (9/2013) - 3 issues
Greg Pak: Action Comics 25(1/2014)-50 (5/2016) - 26 issues
Pete Tomasi: Action Comics 51 (6/2016), 52 - 2 issues

Renumbering
Dan Jurgens: Action Comics 957 (8/2016)-1000 (6/2018) - 44 issues - DOUBLE SHIPPING
Brian Bendis: Action Comics 1001 (8/2018)-1028 (2/2021) - 29 issues

Adventures of Superman

Greg Rucka Adventures of Superman 627 (6/2004) - 638 (5/2005) - 12 issues
Adventures of Superman 639 (7/2005) - 648 (3/2006) - 10 issues
Cont as Superman
Kurt Busiek Superman 650 (5/2006) - 675 (6/2008) - 26 issues
James Robinson Superman 677 (8/2008) - 699 (6/2010) - 23 issues
J. Michael Straczynski Superman 700 (8/2010)-705,707,708 (4/2011) - 8 issues
Chris Roberson Superman 709 (5/2011), 710, 711,713,714 (10/2011) - 5 issues

New 52
George Perez Superman 1 (11/2011)-6 (4/2012) - 6 issues
Jurgens/Giffen Superman 7 (5/2012-12 (11/2012) - 6 issues
Scott Lobdell Superman 13 (12/2012)-22,23.3,25-31(7/2014) - 18 issues
Geoff Johns Superman 32 (8/2014) - 39 (5/2015) - 8 issues
Gene Yang Superman 41 (8/2015)-50 (5/2016) - 10 issues
Pete Tomasi Superman 51 (6/2016)-52 (7/2016) - 2 issues

Rebirth
Pete Tomasi/Patrick Gleason Superman 1 (8/2016)-25, 27-28, 33-39, 42-45 (6/2018) - 38 issues - DOUBLE SHIPPING

Relaunch
Brian Bendis Superman 1 (9/2018)-28(2/2021) - 28 issues
Philip Kennedy Johnson Superman 29 (5/2021)-32 (8/2021) - 4 issues

Superman

Brian Azzarello Superman 204 (6/2004)-215 (6/2005) - 12 issues
Mark Verheiden Superman 217 (7/2005)-225(6/2006) - 9 issues

Seems like the average creative team on the main superbooks usually last 20-30 issues before getting fired.

[SuperX]

[Digifiend]

I recall Wonder Woman suffers from this even worse, barely having any sort of noticeable relationships with the 2 Wonder Girls.

Or how Shazam since the New 52 has 3 new siblings alongside Mary and Freddy but barely any of them haven't gotten any development or appearances especially since Shazam hasn't gotten many ongoings. Its still unclear what exactly is the super-names for the rest of the Shazam Family, beyond Mary being Lady Shazam I think.

You mean Donna and Cassie, right? Cassie especially is neglected, at least Donna has the Titans. Diana seems to be taking on the new Wonder Girl Yara Flor as her crimefighting partner (though I suspect Yara would take offence at being called a sidekick).

Mary has no codename. It's a plot point in her current mini. "Lady Shazam" is just one of three names they use for merchandise. Mary Shazam and her real name Mary Bromfield are the other two. Freddy has Shazam Jr, Freddy Shazam, and Freddy Freeman.

I agree with the above posters. I don't mind Superman adopting kids, I just don't have faith that DC will handle them any better.

However I am curious if they would get secret identities too.

They're going to need them now that Clark and Jon's identities are secret again. I wonder if they'll simply swap out the -Ra part of their names for Kent, like how Kara's secret identity Kara Danvers keeps her real first name?