What's the difference between Action Comics and Superman?

[Panfoot]

Hey guys, not much of a superman fan but i picked up the recent horrorville story in action comics and the bizarro out of the blue and really enjoyed them, and now plan to continue with action comics after convergence. I was under the impression before that action comics was more of a younger take on superman, while the main book was more present superman and more inline with everything else, but that doesn't seem to be the case on the surface looking back with doomed crossing over between the 2, and now with the new art for batman/superman 41 with action comics superman and new batman. Is it more of a batman vs detective comics things? I guess a good comparison is superman deals with more big world ending threats and action comics deals with more city or small town threats maybe?

[manduck37]

They both take place in present day. Really the only difference is that they are just different adventures of the same hero. There isn't really a theme to each book, like one book is city or cosmic or smaller adventures. It's a mix for both books. So really, it's just more stories about Superman. It's the same with the Batman line really, just different stories about Batman from different writers.

Glad to hear you're enjoying the books though. If you liked Action Comics, the same creative team is staying on the book. So keep reading. Superman is getting a new writer and there is a lot of buzz about it. So you may want to check that out too. It's sounding pretty interesting, from what the writer was saying.

The only part of Action Comics that dealt with a younger Superman was the beginning of the series. The writer was telling the new origin of Superman and how he got started, set 5 years in the past. After that story it became present day stories.

[OpticDreams]

Imo, most of the books Supes appears in have been great as of late. B/S has been the best, imo.

[Panfoot]

Ah, thanks for the explanation. Definitly sticking with action, might try superman if my budget allows for it(I'm also starting to get interested in green lantern, plus a lot of the new series they announced I'm looking forward too).

[manduck37]

Glad to hear you're expanding your reading. Welcome to Superman. Action Comics is a favorite around here. The same writer who writes Action also writes Batman/Superman, to add to what OpticDreams said. So you may want to consider that one too, if your budget allows. I'll be adding a few of the newly announced titles too.

[Tra-EL]

manduck has some good info and I HIGHLY suggest the Batman/Superman title; the same writer that writes Action Comics. IMO, Batman/Superman has been one of DC's best written and well paced books. Action has been brought back to life by Pak and that is an understatement. The Superman title has changes coming to it starting in June so that will be a good jump on point when the new writer eventually takes over there. Contrary to what some fans might think; the Super-books have been really good as of right now and I feel they are going to get better once this Convergence arc is over with.

[Imacomicfan]

Superman/batman is also my favorite superman book. I'm always a sucker for batman and superman interaction

[Robotman]

One is an amazingly written and drawn book and the other is Superman.

[Chunkydumb]

Massive Superman fan but have been away from comics for about 6 months and need to decide between the Action Comics title or Superman, which title should I go for, and from what issue should I go back and start from? Thanks.

[Auguste Dupin]

Massive Superman fan but have been away from comics for about 6 months and need to decide between the Action Comics title or Superman, which title should I go for, and from what issue should I go back and start from? Thanks.

Choose Action. It's great, fun, Superman adventures. Superman hasn't been nearly as good, and it's sort of in between teams so it's hard to say if it's going to be good in the future.

[Chunkydumb]

Thank you!

[manduck37]

Massive Superman fan but have been away from comics for about 6 months and need to decide between the Action Comics title or Superman, which title should I go for, and from what issue should I go back and start from? Thanks.

I agree with Auguste Dupin, go with Action. I believe Pak took over the book sometime around issue 24 or 25. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. It's a great book and well worth reading.

[Hopeful Hero]

I agree with Auguste Dupin, go with Action. I believe Pak took over the book sometime around issue 24 or 25. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. It's a great book and well worth reading.

It's Action #25 where Pak first begins his incredible run on our hero. And yes, you should definitely start on action you lucky guy you. I remember when I first read action 25, ah youth..

[Ascended]

Massive Superman fan but have been away from comics for about 6 months and need to decide between the Action Comics title or Superman, which title should I go for, and from what issue should I go back and start from? Thanks.

Action, all the way. If it were me, I'd pick up Grant Morrison's run, issues 1 to 19 or so, including a 0 issue. Then Pak's run begins at 25, and he's still on the book, hopefully forever.

In between these two incredible writers was a short run by Tony Daniel (who took over for Andy Diggle, who jumped ship suddenly) and Scott Lobdell. Both of these writers did a decent job, but nothing I'd call a must-read and you'd be better off spending that money on something else.

[Slaughter]

I think it was a fun concept during Byrne and Wolfman's run when Action Comics was a Superman Team-Up book.

DC should really bring back DC Comics Presents and The Brave and the Bold.