DC finally made Superman cool again - then abandoned it?

[TemporalFlux]

I can see where the OP is coming from . I really enjoyed the tone of the first arc, and now it seems that has completed. Will the next arc retain the spirit of what we had? We'll just have to wait and see.

I think one thing that hurts is that the regular Superman series was the intro of the blue suit and that initial story kind of imprinted on it. At least for me, the George Perez arc was pretty bland and even a little stuffy; so right now I'm thinking of that Superman when I see the new blue suit.

And while talking about Perez's work, I have to mention the trap I could see forming. I can understand how they want to create some new villians; Superman's extended rogues gallery isn't very memorable after all. But what did the first arc in the main Superman title give us? Nanobots. 6 issues of no personality nanobots.

Superman needs imagination and personality. That's what the creators need to "get"; and Grant Morrison "got it" in the first arc of Action Comics.

 

[Sci]

they put him in blue jeans, limited his powers, and gave him a rougher edge.

That sounds like the worst thing ever.

What are you talking about? Young Superman with a an attitude and blue jeans. All that's missing is the leather jacket, and we'll have the BEST. THING. EVER.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yeah, what Perez's arc did manage to showcase is the new dynamics of the characters who Clark associates with. The series of encounters between Superman and the nanobots in Metropolis highlighted the cast of folks at GBN and the Planet covering the story, reestablishing Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and Clark himself while introducing Izzy, Miko and others (okay, I was bored enough with the pre-nu52 Supes that some of the new characters may only be new to me). Lois and Clark's new work situation and working relationship was made clear. Where General Lane fits in, what the Fortress is like, etc.

But yeah - stuffy and too much expository dialogue describes Perez's run here too well.

Some of Clark's attitude is still apparent in the "present day" Superman as well as continuing public ambivalence about him - and it continues with the new team. I liked the remark of the one skeptical bystander about how "we never see him unless there's property damage involved," suggesting that some folks see Supes as having been co-opted by the establishment.

 

[Nerys Myk]

You did notice that in Superman and Justice League, Superman is wearing the "blue tights".

I guess he did, that's why he chose to read Action Comics.

I kinda agree with him, why did they abandon the rougher, weaker Superman so fast? They have two titles starring the present day Superman, they didn't need a third.

If he did, it would be odd to ask the question he did.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Clark wasn't made "rougher and edgier" Morrison took the character back to his original routes as a strongman character. Basically we got Golden Age Superman. The whole point of the flash back story line was that Clark was learning on the job. He was cocky, didn't think his actions through, made mistakes. The whole opening arc was essentially "Superman Begins". Nothing was negated by DC. As others have pointed out and as I did in my original post in this thread every concern that Beyond Antares had is still intact in the present time. All that happened was that Clark found out about his Kryptonian heritage and found his new suit which is apparently part of Kryptonian every day clothing, since Kara arrived wearing hers already.

I actually agree with Dennis somewhat and would have liked to see more of this past Five Year era instead of one story arc. I didn't feel that it was rushed or convoluted. One might think that though if they're not used to Grant Morrison's type of writing (except for the rushed part).

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I'm not sure I've read the very latest Action - maybe the next-to-latest - and I'm hoping that even after putting on the Kryptonian armor Morrison's "Young Superman" will stay with the five year-past era and let him struggle with his new role a bit.

Supes don't wear no tights no more.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I mentioned in the New 52 thread that I would like to see a "Smallville" mini-series depicting Young Clark. I got the impression from the first couple of issues of Action Comics that this Clark had been on his own for a while.

 

[Hound of UIster]

I'm not sure I've read the very latest Action - maybe the next-to-latest - and I'm hoping that even after putting on the Kryptonian armor Morrison's "Young Superman" will stay with the five year-past era and let him struggle with his new role a bit.

That seems to be where Morrison going judging by the solicits for the next few issues.