A better look at the new Superman: July solicits

[misslane]

I don't mind the T-shirt and jeans, but I haven't liked any of the drawings of it yet. One of the things that is putting me off is the black in the \S/ shield. I'm not a fan of it. The motorcycle annoys me. I don't like it. I'm also not sure how to feel about this new story direction. I'm fine with the depowering, although I feel it's getting a bit old. Superman's mindwhammied or depowered almost every other month it seems. What I don't know what to do with is what seems to be a secret identity reveal. Somehow it doesn't feel like something that will be permanent. So while it might provide some fuel for stories, I can't help but feel like it may ultimately be pointless. I also think they did a similar storyline on Smallville in the episode "Infamous," so I hope it doesn't feel like a retread. Having said that, I like seeing some of the public standing by Superman/Clark. Although, it does stand to reason that if they are supporting him, there must also be someone against him. I just feel very "meh" about it all, really.

[Ascended]

I was very skeptical when the post-Convergence direction started coming to light. But its winning me over more and more. Those covers are awesome and there's something just so damn fun about the idea of Superman cruising around on a red and blue motorcycle. Wonder what the chances are of the chassis being made from Kryptonian materials so it can sustain itself in a battle situation. Seeing it in the sketches there makes me happy that it doesn't seem to be just a Batman/Superman thing and he's going to be using it in all his titles.

In fact that's the best way to describe how all this looks. Fun. So I'm in. Oh, and I love the Action cover with all the Superman supporters behind him.

And for god's sake I hope they keep Kuder around just like Pak. He could be the definitive Superman artist of this era if he sticks with him consistently.

As is usual, I agree with Sacred. I'm throwing all my chips on the table here, Im all in, and not even worried about it. Much. I mean, a little bit. This is still Didio in charge here. But its Pak, and Kulder, and these guys dont let me down. So whatever this is about, I'm in. In Pak we trust.

[Kuwagaton]

Pak has been underwhelming since he stopped working with FVL. His last X-Men was cool until e ended it with a terrible crossover.

With this Superman... I am a hardcore Punisher fan, so the lack of secret identity street level thing doesn't bother me so much as the fact that superman can be way more. Seriously, how many of us are doc savage fans, and how many of us would grow up huge fans if he was a biker with no money?

[Sacred Knight]

I wasn't very familiar with Pak until he started Action Comics. I went in with no expectations but he had me pretty much from that first issue.

Looks awful to me. If you like it, no problem, but it's too far outside the bounds of how I perceive the character to be anything but silly, in my opinion. It reeks of writers and artists trying too hard to make Superman "down to earth" or "kewl" or whatever they think the young readers they're courting want to read.

If a down to earth approach is on tap, give me something like this any day of the week over the "grounding" or "humanizing" tripe we usually get. This is at least creative and differnet from the norm. Now of course there's always the question of how creative or how outside the box you can get before you start getting away from the character. And I get it if you feel its a little too far off for your money.. Everyone has their own feelings of what's within reason when it comes to shakeups like this. I actually thought this was my limit too, as I pointed out earlier. I've just started seeing a charm to it though. A big part of that is the art. It looks cool. I know that's not everything, but it sure doesn't hurt. And I don't see anything wrong with actively trying to make your characters cool. They're supposed to be cool.

[SSJett]

How long do you think it'll take before Superman goes back to his suit? How depowered you think he is, is he riding on the bike because he cannot fly anymore? I personally do not like when they depower him. They touched up his new 52 suit and gave him a new power just to take it away?

[Sacred Knight]

My money's on the look ending with the end of the "TRUTH" storyline. Which at this point is at least going to be two months.

[misslane]

There's nothing "cool" about this new direction because, from my point of view, it reeks of trying to make Superman cool. It is simply trying too damn hard. Like, it's what 16 year-old and red kryptonite infected Clark Kent looked like on Smallville when he was trying to be rebellious and cool.

[Sacred Knight]

I don't really care how it might compare to one Smallville storyline years ago (which it probably won't at all anyway as aside from the motorcycle there is no visual similarity). I think it looks cool. More power to anyone else who doesn't, but there's no right or wrong in what one thinks looks good.

[Blacksun]

There's nothing "cool" about this new direction because, from my point of view, it reeks of trying to make Superman cool. It is simply trying too damn hard. Like, it's what 16 year-old and red kryptonite infected Clark Kent looked like on Smallville when he was trying to be rebellious and cool.

new 52 has been traying to hard making superman "cool" and keep falling
*the word is failing, but falling is good too. anyway I almost laugh looking at it, trying to hard be luke cage/batman zero year/arrow

It looks like Superman to me. No one informed me Batman had ownership over everything gruff, dirty and street looking.

no, but superman is far away from that. on his regular look through story, specially on movies and tv shows

[Sacred Knight]

As is usual, I agree with Sacred. I'm throwing all my chips on the table here, Im all in, and not even worried about it. Much. I mean, a little bit. This is still Didio in charge here. But its Pak, and Kulder, and these guys dont let me down. So whatever this is about, I'm in. In Pak we trust.

I don't know, I think I'd trust Didio more with Superman than Johns.

The more I look at it, what I like the most is the S. I always liked the Fleischer S. Usually I don't like black incarnations of the shield because I think it looks less inviting and more cold, but for some reason the yellow outlining always helped make this S look...lighter. Maybe that doesnt' make sense to everyone but it just looks less sterile to me than say the Kingdom Come S or just replacing the yellow interior with black and leaving it at that.

[misslane]

I don't really care how it might compare to one Smallville storyline years ago (which it probably won't at all anyway as aside from the motorcycle there is no visual similarity). I think it looks cool. More power to anyone else who doesn't, but there's no right or wrong in what one thinks looks good.

I'm in no way insinuating that the comparison implies that the two stories will resemble each other in any way. I am also not suggesting that my idea of what is cool or not cool is the standard upon which all others should assess true coolness. All I'm saying is that I think the punk biker look is ridiculously cliche, out of character, and reeks of trying too hard. Clark riding a motorcycle If you feel differently, that's fine.

The more I look at it, what I like the most is the S. I always liked the Fleischer S. Usually I don't like black incarnations of the shield because I think it looks less inviting and more cold, but for some reason the yellow outlining always helped make this S look...lighter. Maybe that doesnt' make sense to everyone but it just looks less sterile to me than say the Kingdom Come S or just replacing the yellow interior with black and leaving it at that.

Normally, I wouldn't mind the black either. I like the Fleischer look, too. But it's not just the black, it's the black alongside a t-shirt, jeans, buzzcut, motorcycle look that makes the black seem more a statement of badass, cool, punk than anything the Fleischer \S/ was meant to evoke.

[Sacred Knight]

I think the strongest motivation behind the look is just a decision to try and capitalize more off the positive reception the early Action issues of Morrison's run got. Hence coinciding this look with him being depowered. Sure the idea of making him look kinda badass probably factor in to such things as giving him a bike. But if he stories are good and the characterizations good, I don't mind the visual of biker. And if the look is mirroring those early Morrison issues, I'm guessing his attitude just might too, and that will count as very good characterization to me.

As far as what the S invokes, Fleischer's Superman was actually pretty badass for his time anyway, what with his stoic, nearly mute way of getting his business done, but by god did he get it done. Maybe there might be an inspiration there in attitude as well.

[Francisco]

no, but superman is far away from that. on his regular look through story, specially on movies and tv shows

He's claiming back his roots. He was patrolling the streets, prancing rooftops and beating up gangsters at least a year earlier than Batman.
Besides this is not a permanet thing. He's depowered and can't fly. What is he supposed to do? Walk throughout America?

[Blacksun]

The thing was that tshirt and jeans superman wasn't a success. I didn't saw anyone crazy about that on the time it was being published. It was morrison writing superman that was a success at least on sales. Also Morrison wasn't gruff

[Sacred Knight]

Ah, your usual "I didn't like it so it wasn't a success" logic. In fact it looks like you're once again making statements about something you didn't even read. Morrison's Superman wasn't gruff? Yeah, right.