Anybody think Johns on Superman is a giant mistake?

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Is Unchained over now? I haven't heard anyone talk about it in ages.

#7 is out next week. Two issues after that, but it's probably going to be something like bimonthly at best, and then the series is over.

[Auguste Dupin]

How did Morrison fail? I stopped paying attention to sale figures after the first year of the New52, but as far as I know, Morrison's run was in the Top Ten that entire time, and was in the top three or five for at least the first six months or so. I think it may have ended in the Top Twenty but that's still pretty damned good, especially considering the mega-events Marvel started over-hyping (AvX, NOW,).

I think it fell on the top 20 when Marvel Now started and there was like, 30 new number 1 on the market.
So yeah, commercially, it did fine.

[Hilden B. Lade]

Is Unchained over now? I haven't heard anyone talk about it in ages.

I think it's been struck by a ton of delays last time I checked.

[Raiden]

#7 is out next week. Two issues after that, but it's probably going to be something like bimonthly at best, and then the series is over.

You sure about that? Last time u checked #7 was delayed to July.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

You sure about that? Last time u checked #7 was delayed to July.

Oh, yes, Comixology just hasn't caught up yet.

[Auguste Dupin]

Oh, yes, Comixology just hasn't caught up yet.

Heh. Truth be told, I just keep forgetting this series hasn't end yet.

[Blacksun]

Again, talking about quality. Snyder's run (just like Morrison's) received pretty mixed reception from both critics and fans, certainly not the overly positive reaction to his Batman run.

humm I didn't pay atention to reviews, specially when it's always being delayed. It's a mini, I can't expect the same quality that his Batman that also has capullo art that helps, and have a long term planning

[DochaDocha]

You sure about that? Last time u checked #7 was delayed to July.

2014, 2015, or 2016?

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[Bruce Wayne]

Actual that is false. Lobdell's Superman was in the top 50 or 60 for sales for most of it's run which is pretty good for a comic with a bad writer.

It's really not given that it's brandname, the reboot and the artist would have keep it floating in that range.

[Neowing]

Superman has become so stale and boring. Something new and fresh while still staying true to the character gotta happen. Geoff knows that and that's why I'm excited for this book.

Can't wait!

[Flash Gordon]

Well, Im not one of those desperate fans hoping to see a Shazam solo (though I'd certainly try it out) and I enjoyed his story. The thing that made it work (for me) was the pure delight that you could see in Billy as he and Freddy ran around acting like a couple of kids, and the underlining message of "family is what it can be, not what it should be." I liked that Billy wasn't perfect, but that his powers derive from "good intentions" Telling kids that being good is a choice and not something you're born as is a great message. The Harry Potter-ish approach to magic fit well, and all in all it took the Shazam mythos and wove the best ideas and concepts together really well.

All that said, Johns can re-invent and/or save a troubled franchise with the best of them, but Superman isn't broken and hasnt been for the last three years. All the Superman franchise needs is some time for the stink of late post-Crisis (and Lobdell) to wear off and some solid creative teams on long runs where they can really dig into the character and build something good.

I expect Johns will give the title a serious sales boost for a few months, but after the first arc ends sales will slip back down. I think in order for Superman to become a real sales power again, he needs a writer who can really explore the crazy, wonderful things the character can get into without looking like a standard superhero cliche. Johns is not that writer, he lacks the high-concept imagination and story structure ability. Greg Pak is doing exactly what Superman needs, but he isnt a big enough name for people to notice. Years from now, people will look back on Pak's run and say it was a highlight of Superman's career in this Age.

Agree with everything you said here. I'm fully expecting Johns to toss out everything he doesn't like, which would most likely be everything I like. SUPERMAN, as a character, is in a nice sweet spot right now. He just needs time to grow a bit. He doesn't need a trip to retcon-city.

Also, glad you're back in our new continuity here man!

[Ascended]

Agree with everything you said here. I'm fully expecting Johns to toss out everything he doesn't like, which would most likely be everything I like. SUPERMAN, as a character, is in a nice sweet spot right now. He just needs time to grow a bit. He doesn't need a trip to retcon-city.

Also, glad you're back in our new continuity here man!

Pretty much. Even if he doesnt completely retcon things (like the t-shirt and jeans "era", the Collector, Vyndx, the Multitude, Dr. Veritas, the Oracle, Clarkcatopolis.com, Morgan Edge, ect.), he'll likely just totally ignore them. He's done it before with "inconvenient" plot threads many times. Normally I'm fine with it because he's dealing with a franchise that needs that sort of overhaul. But Superman is better than he has been in ages. So I worry. And hope that he puts in Shazam/early GL quality work, and not Justice League quality.

And yeah man, I've debuted in this new continuity. But I've got mixed feelings about it. You see, I've been race-changed and my origin got messed with. Now I've got all this extra angst and questions about my backstory. I'm also no longer married to my wife and am currently dating someone new, but I know deep down it won't last. But on the bright side, I'm ten years younger.

[Flash Gordon]

Pretty much. Even if he doesnt completely retcon things (like the t-shirt and jeans "era", the Collector, Vyndx, the Multitude, Dr. Veritas, the Oracle, Clarkcatopolis.com, Morgan Edge, ect.), he'll likely just totally ignore them. He's done it before with "inconvenient" plot threads many times. Normally I'm fine with it because he's dealing with a franchise that needs that sort of overhaul. But Superman is better than he has been in ages. So I worry. And hope that he puts in Shazam/early GL quality work, and not Justice League quality.

And yeah man, I've debuted in this new continuity. But I've got mixed feelings about it. You see, I've been race-changed and my origin got messed with. Now I've got all this extra angst and questions about my backstory. I'm also no longer married to my wife and am currently dating someone new, but I know deep down it won't last. But on the bright side, I'm ten years younger.

Yeah man I agree. I guarantee we'll find out he was Superboy within the first year of Geoff Johns run. I honestly think that'd be catastrophic to the Superman character, but it'll happen. We'll also get Days of Future Past LoSH and not Morrison's. Doctor Veritas will be gone, but Pak will use her. JRjr is finally drawing SUPERMAN, and it has to be Geoff Johns writing. Misery man, misery. That promo poster is awesome.

Glad you're back, and relatively the same man. I missed the other voice of reason here (everyone else is cool, just too into Johns). Still have kids? I was engaged, not sure if you knew, but I am no longer engaged. She's with another guy, and I'm 5 years younger.

[Ascended]

Glad you're back, and relatively the same man. I missed the other voice of reason here (everyone else is cool, just too into Johns). Still have kids? I was engaged, not sure if you knew, but I am no longer engaged. She's with another guy, and I'm 5 years younger.

No, kids got history wiped during the Crisis. Wife and I have to do the whole "will they/wont they" thing for another fifty, sixty years before I get to sleep with her again, and who knows if we'll get married before the next re-boot? Even if we do, I doubt it'll happen as organically and naturally as it did the first time.

Sorry to hear about the engagement. But hey, on the bright side the other guy is probably a super villain. You'll find out, try to warn her, she won't listen. Then you'll have a big fight with the guy, save her at the last moment from his crazy scheme, and you'll be all good again. At least until the devil makes you sign a contract because your editors ran out of ideas (again).

Still got the sidekick?

[K. Jones]

I do and I don't.

Johns' writing workload is slimmer now, so he can definitely sort of "give his all" to Superman stories, since he's splitting between that and Justice League on the deadline beat, and his say, Batman: Earth-1 and other things are sort of longer term operations to be whittled away bit by bit. And a Johns who isn't stretched too thin is going to be firing on some serious cylinders. I like his Superman - Action purposefully skewed back toward the Donner films but that doesn't mean New 52 Superman will. Another positive; should Romita Jr. need a scheduled break, we can guarantee good artists filling in.

But would I rather he write a Shazam solo? Yes. Continuing to build Shazam in Justice is acceptable, but that kid deserves a book with Gary Frank art. Would I rather he go back to Aquaman? Hell yeah, take Ivan Reis, let Mahnke draw the Justice League. And I like what Parker's doing, so you know ... resurrect Adventure Comics once more!

The thing about all these wishful thinking choices - they're sort of more insular. Aquaman has his own corner of the DCU, it's very pulpy, Johns really reaffirmed that, and it's supporting a second book now ... but it's not like as expansive as the Bat-line. Shazam would be even more insular - it's own little pocket. Green Lantern started that way, fairly insular. That's why Sinestro Corps War, even featuring 90% of the DCU super-heroes, is still the best story compared to Blackest Night, War of the Lanterns or Third Army/First Lantern.

Superman'll be fine. Gives him more time to build CRISIS ON 52 EARTHS or whatever.