New 52 Superman fans, what do we do now?

[SuperCrab]

Now that the "old" Superman is coming back, what are our options? Do we wait it out and see what they did to the "new" Superman? I'm at least willing to do this. Do we move on to someone else? The current management at DC doesn't seem to know what to do with Superman in general, regardless of which "version" we're talking about so I'm not so sure moving on is such a bad idea. At least until the current editorial regime is gone. What do you plan to do?

1. I unsubscribed from Lois and Clark immediately. Honestly, I'd been thinking about doing it for months, because the book was kind of boring. However, I thought I'd stick with it because it was a miniseries and going to be over soon, and I knew that that Superman would be crossing over for an issue or two with the new52 Superman. Now that I realized it's leading into *being* Action Comics and that guy being Superman, see ya. Voting with my feet (or keyboard, it was a digital subscription) on that one.

2. Unsubscribed from The Coming of the Supermen immediately. Issue 1 was a lot better than issue 2, and right now I don't want to be buying any ongoing Superman books about a retro Superman, so I'll save that money, too.

3. Keeping the four mainline Superman books and two Justice League books for the next two months to see the last days of the new52 Superman, plus American Alien, because I like it. After that, two are being cancelled by DC Comics itself (Batman/Superman and Superman/Wonder Woman), one is going to end because it's a miniseries (American Alien), and one is going to go on hiatus until the fall and come back with a new writer and maybe even a new team or basic concept (Justice League of America [I'd never keep a subscription under those circumstances, I'd cancel and wait and see what it's going to be and maybe resubscribe in the fall]), so those decisions are made for me.

4. I'll buy the $2.99 80-page DC Comics (Non-Superman specific) 80-page Rebirth special for $2.99 at the end of May to see what's going on. Then I'll decide if I have any interest in Action Comics, Superman (the book), or Justice League going forward. I'm honestly not sure yet, might drop them all, might keep them all, or I might just pick one or two out of the three. Justice League would have the advantage of having the writer of one of the best, maybe the best, on-going comic over the past 6-8 months, Justice League of America, Bryan Hitch, and probably not having issues that center around a guy being the father of a 10-year old costumed crime fighter with superpowers (The real Superman wouldn't let his kid put himself in danger all the time, he's not freaking Batman).

5. I am not subscribing to Supergirl or Super Sons. New Super-Man (With the Chinese guy), we'll see.

6. Maybe I'll get into Green Lantern or something. Maybe I'll get non-DC comics. Maybe I'll get some back Superman stories I don't have yet. Maybe I'll use the money for more responsible non-comic things.

7. This is being handled horribly. The Superman of the last five years is being treated like an afterthought, or not even that. They don't mention him at all during the announcements at WonderCon, leading us to assume he might be in Superman (the title) even though he's not in Action Comics, then the solicitations for the June issues leak, and we find out he's in neither. Unlike, say, most Robins and other characters, there hasn't even been the announcement of a monthly book where the Clark Kent from this universe takes on another superhero and daytime identity in another city, or joins the Green Lantern Corps, or whatever. The DC people aren't even asked about the fate of new52 Superman and don't volunteer anything during interviews or on Twitter- they spend more time on minor characters and books and costume changes and miscellaneous crap. I don't think they've even addressed that the main character of their second biggest line is being killed off or written off at all- we just had to get it by inference as new stuff was announced that made it clear he wasn't around.

8. It's not that I dislike pre-Flashpoint Superman, it's just that his story has been told. He's gotten to the top in journalism, he's beaten every bad guy several times, he's gotten the girl, married the girl, had marital troubles, resolved his marital troubles, and had a kid. There are some sharp limitations in where they can go with that character. The new52 Superman still has professional and romantic and superhero-y things left to do and find out and discover. Also, the new52 Superman was born in this universe with these characters and in this setting, and has experienced and would remember the 5 years of stories I bought.

I guarantee you Superman-Wonder Woman, the romance, will never be referenced again now after a month or two. It should at least be remembered if it isn't going to last. Half the fun of the Triad books was going to be if they had broken up, seeing Batman bait Clark by pretending to hit on Diana to get his goat. They should have those memories- Clark and Diana.

Also, let's say we want to go in a direction where Clark does wind up with Lois. We could have seen them have trouble being friends again after the events of Truth, do the whole courtship or whatever eventually, and then a proposal and marriage and everything else, and those twists and turns. Suddenly, they're just going to long-married with a child from not talking to each other or having ever even kissed. Doesn't really work for me.

Or they could have gone any direction with new52 Superman, or just had him be a bachelor. His story hadn't been written yet.

9. Journalism. Clark could have stayed at the Daily Planet or tried a blog or whatever. SuperDad isn't even going to do that, and if he did, he'd be Perry White's age, wouldn't he? How would that work? A dopplegagger of the guy they knew in this universe? Half the appeal of Superman stories is that he's a journalist by day.

10. I can see some short term interest in how the returning Superman handles these alternate younger versions of his old friends and enemies and stuff, and how they react to him, but it's temporary. After a while, it'll go from interesting to strange, or they'll just meld the status quo so it was like he was always there and they are all the right ages relative to each other and just pretend there was never another Clark. The cool aspects of the new characters we like could be out the window.

11. Taking it as it comes, not going to do some official boycott and refuse to buy the books if it turns out that I do want to "check in and see what Superman's doing" (Whatever Superman) once or twice a month, but I'm going to think about it. I stuck through a Truth storyline that was getting pretty bad at points, I won't necessarily even pick up the new books with the pre-Flashpoint guy at all, and if I do I might be selective about which ones I get or subscribe to.

[SuperCrab]

Oh, and I might consider Green Arrow. I like the show. I hear they are going to use the Rebirth to take the comic version back in the direction of social justice/progressive activist hero, maybe, or at least there are hints in that direction. I'd enjoy that direction. I'll consider it.

But I'm really bummed out about new52 Superman disappearing and the crappy way they are handling it.

[Prime]

1. I unsubscribed from Lois and Clark immediately. Honestly, I'd been thinking about doing it for months, because the book was kind of boring. However, I thought I'd stick with it because it was a miniseries and going to be over soon, and I knew that that Superman would be crossing over for an issue or two with the new52 Superman. Now that I realized it's leading into *being* Action Comics and that guy being Superman, see ya. Voting with my feet (or keyboard, it was a digital subscription) on that one.

2. Unsubscribed from The Coming of the Supermen immediately. Issue 1 was a lot better than issue 2, and right now I don't want to be buying any ongoing Superman books about a retro Superman, so I'll save that money, too.

3. Keeping the four mainline Superman books and two Justice League books for the next two months to see the last days of the new52 Superman, plus American Alien, because I like it. After that, two are being cancelled by DC Comics itself (Batman/Superman and Superman/Wonder Woman, one is going to end because it's a miniseries (American Alien), and one is going to go on hiatus until the fall and come back with a new writer and maybe even a new team or basic concept (Justice League of America [I'd never keep a subscription under those circumstances, I'd cancel and wait and see what it's going to be and maybe resubscribe in the fall]), so those decisions are made for me.

4. I'll buy the $2.99 80-page DC Comics (Non-Superman specific) 80-page Rebirth special for $2.99 at the end of May to see what's going on. Then I'll decide if I have any interest in Action Comics, Superman (the book), or Justice League going forward. I'm honestly not sure yet, might drop them all, might keep them all, or I might just pick one or two out of the three. Justice League would have the advantage of having the writer of one of the best, maybe the best, on-going comic over the past 6-8 months, Justice League of America, Bryan Hitch, and probably not having issues that center around a guy being the father of a 10-year old costumed crime fighter with superpowers (The real Superman wouldn't let his kid put himself in danger all the time, he's not freaking Batman).

5. I am not subscribing to Supergirl or Super Sons. New Super-Man (With the Chinese guy), we'll see.

6. Maybe I'll get into Green Lantern or something. Maybe I'll get non-DC comics. Maybe I'll get some back Superman stories I don't have yet. Maybe I'll use the money for more responsible non-comic things.

7. This is being handled horribly. The Superman of the last five years is being treated like an afterthought, or not even that. They don't mention him at all during the announcements at WonderCon, leading us to assume he might be in Superman (the title) even though he's not in Action Comics, then the solicitations for the June issues leak, and we find out he's in neither. Unlike, say, most Robins and other characters, there hasn't even been the announcement of a monthly book where the Clark Kent from this universe takes on another superhero and daytime identity in another city, or joins the Green Lantern Corps, or whatever. The DC people aren't even asked about the fate of new52 Superman and don't volunteer anything during interviews or on Twitter- they spend more time on minor characters and books and costume changes and miscellaneous crap. I don't think they've even addressed that the main character of their second biggest line is being killed off or written off at all- we just had to get it by inference as new stuff was announced that made it clear he wasn't around.

8. It's not that I dislike pre-Flashpoint Superman, it's just that his story has been told. He's gotten to the top in journalism, he's beaten every bad guy several times, he's gotten the girl, married the girl, had marital troubles, resolved his marital troubles, and had a kid. There are some sharp limitations in where they can go with that character. The new52 Superman still has professional and romantic and superhero-y things left to do and find out and discover. Also, the new52 Superman was born in this universe with these characters and in this setting, and has experienced and would remember the 5 years of stories I bought.

I guarantee you Superman-Wonder Woman, the romance, will never be referenced again now after a month or two. It should at least be remembered if it isn't going to last. Half the fun of the Triad books was going to be if they had broken up, seeing Batman bait Clark by pretending to hit on Diana to get his goat. They should have those memories- Clark and Diana.

Also, let's say we want to go in a direction where Clark does wind up with Lois. We could have seen them have trouble being friends again after the events of Truth, do the whole courtship or whatever eventually, and then a proposal and marriage and everything else, and those twists and turns. Suddenly, they're just going to long-married with a child from not talking to each other or having ever even kissed. Doesn't really work for me.

Or they could have gone any direction with new52 Superman, or just had him be a bachelor. His story hadn't been written yet.

9. Journalism. Clark could have stayed at the Daily Planet or tried a blog or whatever. SuperDad isn't even going to do that, and if he did, he'd be Perry White's age, wouldn't he? How would that work? A dopplegagger of the guy they knew in this universe? Half the appeal of Superman stories is that he's a journalist by day.

10. I can see some short term interest in how the returning Superman handles these alternate younger versions of his old friends and enemies and stuff, and how they react to him, but it's temporary. After a while, it'll go from interesting to strange, or they'll just meld the status quo so it was like he was always there and they are all the right ages relative to each other and just pretend there was never another Clark. The cool aspects of the new characters we like could be out the window.

11. Taking it as it comes, not going to do some official boycott and refuse to buy the books if it turns out that I do want to "check in and see what Superman's doing" (Whatever Superman) once or twice a month, but I'm going to think about it. I stuck through a Truth storyline that was getting pretty bad at points, I won't necessarily even pick up the new books with the pre-Flashpoint guy at all, and if I do I might be selective about which ones I get or subscribe to.

That's....quite a lot to absorb.

[edwardsdv]

My hope is that this is just a Clone Saga-ing of our guy.

I might be able to put up with this sort of nonsense for a little while.

[SuperCrab]

That's....quite a lot to absorb.

Sorry. This post is shorter.

[Dolores - The Worst Poster Ever]

The story ain't over folks. Oh ye of little faith...

This was tweeted by Tomasi in response to people complaining about the departure of New 52 Superman.

[ManSinha]

This was tweeted by Tomasi in response to people complaining about the departure of New 52 Superman.

I personally think PTJ is in a bit of a tough spot - he is being tweeted at by the SM/WW fandom and does not want to antagonize them outright - I will take that with a grain of salt

[SuperCrab]

My hope is that this is just a Clone Saga-ing of our guy.

I might be able to put up with this sort of nonsense for a little while.

It'd help if they said that New52 Clark is still around in his own book that's being developed, or that he's going to work together with PF on the main books, or that the PF takeover is temporary- something. The silence makes it seem like he's a goner and they don't think anyone will or should care. It's like an afterthought that they'll get to after they explain the color of PF Superman's boots.

I don't mind a storyline where PF Superman fills in for N52 Supes in Metropolis and interacts with all the alternates of his friends from the last universe, and then goes back into retirement and hands it back to N52 Supes. That might even be fun. Sounds a lot better than Truth. But they are giving every impression that this is a permanent move, which sucks.

I think they could even have done a storyline where Truth ends without him getting his powers back and still estranged from his friends. He dumps Diana because he feels he doesn't deserve her, and he feels rejected by Earth. Unlike the other Supermen who identified as human by adoption, maybe this Clark gets to the point share he says "I'm not one of them, they don't want me here" and talks to Hal Jordan about getting a ring and seeing the Galaxy, serving a stint in the Corps as as a Green Lantern assigned to somewhere other then earth. He looks for a fill-in to protect Metropolis, finds out about PF Superman and asks him to take over. PF Clark accepts on one condition- that N52 Clark will come back one day when he's ready and do what he was born to do, be Superman on Earth, and let PF Clark retire and be with his family.

Then you get a "Clark Kent: Green Lantern" book, and a temporary PF Superman stint on the main Superman books, which eventually ends up with Clark coming back from space and the older Clark being the mentor he turns to for advice occasionally or even for help. Old Clark long-term could be like Jonathan Kent was for him. Maybe young Clark could offer the Super family the old Kent farm to live on and fly out to visit and get advice over homecooked dinners.

Also, that might keep then from turning one of the Loises into Superwoman, which I think is a bad idea long-term.

Instead, they just seem to be blowing off new52 Clark like he never happened. He'll die and be forgotten, and everyone will just act like the PF Clark was born in this universe and was the only Clark in this universe and suddenly the artwork will depict the supporting cast as the same age relative to him as they were to the last Clark. Already, he's looking younger on the advance solicitation covers than he did in Lois and Clark. They just want to shove our Clark under the rug and pretend those years never happened.

[Doctor Bifrost]

Instead, they just seem to be blowing off new52 Clark like he never happened. He'll die and be forgotten, and everyone will just act like the PF Clark was born in this universe and was the only Clark in this universe and suddenly the artwork will depict the supporting cast as the same age relative to him as they were to the last Clark. Already, he's looking younger on the advance solicitation covers than he did in Lois and Clark. They just want to shove our Clark under the rug and pretend those years never happened.

I'm what you call a Continuity Fan, which is now considered an antiquated and embarrassing thing to be. (Although I am not the least bit embarrassed.)

And for years, DC has been insisting that their policy was "Story Over Continuity!" I heard it time and time again. It never made any sense to me as a phrase, because - particularly in serial fiction - I consider continuity to be as much a part of the story as plot, dialogue, pacing, and characterization. (No less so and no more so. Sometimes you have to stint on pacing because of the length of a comic book. Sometimes you have to write less authentic dialogue because you need a lot of exposition. Sometimes you need to change continuity because you really messed things up, and there's no other way to fix it. In every case: only when you need to; make a good-faith effort; know the value of what you're setting aside.)

But by far most of the people on this board said, "Yeah! Story Over Continuity! That's best! The story is the only important thing." And I had to think, well, after all, most of the Continuity Fans have long since been driven away, and the rest just don't look at these things like I do. I don't begrudge them their enjoyment. Opinions differ.

But you know what? This is what Story Over Continuity looks like. They have some new idea, and they have no motive to work up to it. They just toss away what went before. And if readers were invested in it, intrigued by it, wanted to see some follow-through on characters, conflicts, mysteries they've been following - sorry. Story Over Continuity.

And the assumption is that the readers will now get invested in the new thing. But, personally, having seen a lack of follow-through, a lack of pay-off, over and over again, it's a little harder for me to get interested in a new ongoing story. Which is what DC sells.

This has nothing in particular to do with The New 52 Superman. I don't even know what they're going to do with him. But seeing people react to the idea of "their" Superman (and I have to admit, he was never "my" Superman) - well, it's just an example of a natural reader reaction, even if the readers don't consider themselves Continuity Fans.

Or maybe that's just me.

[edwardsdv]

I'm what you call a Continuity Fan, which is now considered an antiquated and embarrassing thing to be. (Although I am not the least bit embarrassed.)

And for years, DC has been insisting that their policy was "Story Over Continuity!" I heard it time and time again. It never made any sense to me as a phrase, because - particularly in serial fiction - I consider continuity to be as much a part of the story as plot, dialogue, pacing, and characterization. (No less so and no more so. Sometimes you have to stint on pacing because of the length of a comic book. Sometimes you have to write less authentic dialogue because you need a lot of exposition. Sometimes you need to change continuity because you really messed things up, and there's no other way to fix it. In every case: only when you need to; make a good-faith effort; know the value of what you're setting aside.)

But by far most of the people on this board said, "Yeah! Story Over Continuity! That's best! The story is the only important thing." And I had to think, well, after all, most of the Continuity Fans have long since been driven away, and the rest just don't look at these things like I do. I don't begrudge them their enjoyment. Opinions differ.

But you know what? This is what Story Over Continuity looks like. They have some new idea, and they have no motive to work up to it. They just toss away what went before. And if readers were invested in it, intrigued by it, wanted to see some follow-through on characters, conflicts, mysteries they've been following - sorry. Story Over Continuity.

And the assumption is that the readers will now get invested in the new thing. But, personally, having seen a lack of follow-through, a lack of pay-off, over and over again, it's a little harder for me to get interested in a new ongoing story. Which is what DC sells.

This has nothing in particular to do with The New 52 Superman. I don't even know what they're going to do with him. But seeing people react to the idea of "their" Superman (and I have to admit, he was never "my" Superman) - well, it's just an example of a natural reader reaction, even if the readers don't consider themselves Continuity Fans.

Or maybe that's just me.

Well I find myself over here trying my hardest to talk myself into some of these changes now that the shock has worn off.

Mainly I am trying to reconcile that Superboy Jon Kent might lead to some good stories, maybe even a fresh reboot of the Legion, but man my heart is just NOT in it so I think there is something to this.

[Sacred Knight]

This was tweeted by Tomasi in response to people complaining about the departure of New 52 Superman.

Its something I suppose. And its not Tomasi I have little faith in. Yeah he bunglied Truth-Superman's personality at times and crafted a pretty bad reasoning for Superman and Wonder Woman's rift, but he did good things too. Its Didio, Lee, and Harras I have no trust in.

While I don't think Johns writes a good Superman, he made it pretty clear, albeit in form of an anecdote, that Rebirth was not his idea. I may not think he writes him particularly well but I don't think he alone would have done this.

That said, if we lived in a world in which I were singularly important to them for some reason, and they'd want to win me back? They could make it all worth it by having a depowered Kal-El have some huge Super Saiyan-like moment to return to glory.

[GodofBoredom]

I will drop the whole Superman line, because I feel DC is simply spitting in my face.

[gtomanga]

Didn't they say it's not a reboot?
I think they will fuse him with the old daddy sups
or its temporary just like the truth arc........I have 0 clue on whats going on.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Now that the "old" Superman is coming back, what are our options? Do we wait it out and see what they did to the "new" Superman? I'm at least willing to do this. Do we move on to someone else? The current management at DC doesn't seem to know what to do with Superman in general, regardless of which "version" we're talking about so I'm not so sure moving on is such a bad idea. At least until the current editorial regime is gone. What do you plan to do?

Exactly my thoughts. DC didn't, after all, have the guts to continue what they themselves started with new52. They don't know what to do with the character, which is the reason why I've been toying with the desire that they gave Superman to Marvel.

Anyway, it seems Wonder Woman suffers a major "loss". I'm fearing the worst. I'll give that Geoff Johns special a shot (hope is the last thing to go), but I'm not holding my breath. Most likely, I'm dropping the whole thing.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

I can't speak for anyone else nor will I urge anyone to do what I do, this is just me, but I've effective immediately dropped everything Superman related. Giving myself the option to try Supergirl though. I'll keep my ear to the ground in the event some semblance of sense reaches someone and Superman is brought back somehow or somewhere. But I'll use the internet to keep tabs on that. If Superdad's in it, I'm not buying it. I'm resigned to just be without a Superman outlet for some time. As far as fandom goes I'm pretty well back on the Star Wars bandwagon like I was as a kid (coincidentally as a kid I was all about Star Wars and Superman). That should keep me entertained enough.

Same here. The only thing I'm willing to get with my eyes closed is a volume 4 of Earth One Superman.

DC seemingly doesn't realize that the Superman fanbase isn't monolithic and that constantly toying with which version of the character is "real" only intensifies these splits.

EXACTLY! I mean, they brought the pre-new52 Supes to cater to the fans of that version of the caracter. Hell, they even gave him and Lois a son. They should have left the new52 Big Blue alone, and try to rebuild his relationship with Wonder Woman. But noooooo... It was too damn hard for those idiots.