Superman Earth One Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 (spoilers)

http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=11393

Clark looks badass there. Artwork isn't to bad either.

Apologist Puncher wrote:http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=11393

Maybe it's just a sad reflection on where we are right now with Superman comics but I'm pretty much on board with what JMS is up to with Earth One.

Hmm, an imprint called "Earth One"... a monthly titled called Earth 2 taking place on Earth 2, leading one to assume that the other New 52 books take place on Earth 1... gee, this isn't confusing at all to civilians...

Talked to Shane Davis today at a con. While he signed my copy of Earth One vol. 1, I asked him how doing an OGN compares to a monthly comic. Mostly it was to make conversation with the guy because it just felt awkward to go up there, make with my best Chris Farley impression ("Remember when you drew Earth One? Yeah. That was cool.") and walk off.

Can't say as he really answered my question (probably because it was fucking stupid and he wanted to be polite... but I speculate) although he talked about something else I thought you guys might find interesting. He said that vol. 2 at least at one point was set up for release on 10.31.2012. He said though that the date keeps getting flip-flopped because DC was apparently agonizing (no shit, a lot of people up high were sweating bullets) about whether Batman- Earth One vol. 1 or Superman- Earth One vol. 2 should come out first.

He said there's a lot of marketing bullshit that gets tied up in these sorts of decisions. He said that The New 52 had dominated a lot of DC's attention vis a vis the media and whatnot so they had to figure out how best to switch gears and start the process of promoting the Earth One line again because nobody wants the imprint to wither on the vine. Thus ensues a lot of back and forth over a Batman launch ("continue the brand and deliver something new") or a Superman sequel ("give people more of what they're already familiar with").

He never said and I never inferred that the process is basically a clusterfuck. He just said that decisions like these are tough to get sussed out but, and here was his point, his end of Superman- Earth One vol. 2 was completed quite some time ago. He said he'd been finished for at least eight months or something like that.

I bring all this up to say that DC has been pretty good about not hyping New 52 material too far in advance (possibly because everything related to it has been so last minute). Earth One though bears the typical DC standard of being announced a year ahead of time so that, when the thing finally hits the market, I just don't give a shit anymore. How long ago did promo art for Batman- E1V1 and Superman- E1V2 get released? Yeah.

Some things never change, it seems...

Colors some good details there on how ass backwards things seem to be in corp.

I have a feeling them wanting that image of "Armored 90's Douchebag "Superman" to dominate people's exposure to the character is a BIG reason for the delay.

Why market and push something that has CLASSIC Supes, when you want to force-feed people your new turd?

Apologist Puncher wrote:I have a feeling them wanting that image of "Armored 90's Douchebag "Superman" to dominate people's exposure to the character is a BIG reason for the delay.

Why market and push something that has CLASSIC Supes, when you want to force-feed people your new turd?

I've wondered about that. I've also wondered that JMS may eventually be forced to come up with a new costume at some point. So far, he's denied any such thing has happened but then again the New 52 thing would've been finalized when SE1V2 was already far along in production. Probably too late to make changes. It does make you wonder what might happen with SE1V3 though...

thecolorsblend wrote:I've wondered about that. I've also wondered that JMS may eventually be forced to come up with a new costume at some point. So far, he's denied any such thing has happened but then again the New 52 thing would've been finalized when SE1V2 was already far along in production. Probably too late to make changes. It does make you wonder what might happen with SE1V3 though...

I think if Volume 2 does the same business 1 did, that it will give DC "incentive" to bring back the classic costume in their regular books.

After they settle with the "Heirs", that is....

If the whole legal case gets settled. I do hope we will get classic suit and other heirs elements back into play.

webhead2006 wrote:If the whole legal case gets settled. I do hope we will get classic suit and other heirs elements back into play.

Why do you write idiotic bullshit like this? Seriously. I want to know. Besides lose IQ points, exactly what is anyone here supposed to do with this? Disagree?? Will one of us say "gee, I really hope they keep Superman wearing shitty costumes because I like those better than The Suit"?

I just posted something over in the New 52 FAQ thread. Specifically, I cited Marvel's Civil War crossover. It's a known hot potato among core Marvel fans. However, I enjoyed the series on numerous levels. I ventured what could be a risky opinion that I'm absolutely prepared to justify to anybody who might challenge me. I did so in that thread to draw a comparison against DC as their crossovers have mostly left me cold. Non_Amos, more of a Marvel fan than me, is now positioned to take the opposing point of view. if he so chooses, he can argue against my side by pointing to specific character elements established in Marvel back issues I have absolutely zero awareness of to make his case. I can then reply, so on and so forth.

But 90% of the shit you write is so inoffensive, middle of the road and moderate that I have to fight my natural temptation to write posts just like this one and, because I'm annoyed about a lot of other things at the moment, my patience broke.

So. Break it down for me. Why do you post such tripe that nobody can even be inspired to read to the end of it, much less reply in most cases?

Seriously. I want to know.

I can't debate with you about CIVIL WAR because I haven't read it at all. But like I said about CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS over in another thread, I do know I liked it better than either of the SECRET WARS, but I liked them too, just Crisis better. Back then I also liked how DC handled their cross-overs better. Case in point about that. DC handled their Crisis cross-overs on a monthly basis which lined up with what was going on in the main title, like when Harbinger or whoever showed up to 'zap' someone into the Crisis. Like you'd have a regular comics story for a particular title but then said character would suddenly be summoned to the Crisis. You'd also see the RED SKIES throughout the various titles at the time.

MARVEL SUPERHEROES SECRET WARS really pulled a weird one with that first mini-series. If I remember correctly that 12-issue series basically covered a certain length of time. I'd like to say a year but at the very least it covered the entire time they were 'off-planet' during the war. But the regular monthly titles? No such luck, especially with the Hulk. You see, in one issue of TIH, we had the Hulk controlled by Banner's mind, an intelligent Hulk, but the very next issue after that mini-series debuted? We had a mean angry Hulk who was just about losing control, all in the space on one issue! But to find out what happened to the Hulk, you had to read the mini-series for the next 11 months! Meanwhile, over in TIH, Hulk became such a mindless brute that Dr. Strange had to banish him to 'the Crossroads', which was like a limbo inter-dimensional state but too lengthy to explain right now.

SECRET WARS 2 handled the cross-overs better from what I remember, as in 'real-time' but the 1st story was actually better, just not the cross-overs. But I'd venture a guess & say that someone at Marvel probably paid attention to what DC did with CRISIS & then corrected their own situation but that's just a guess.

webhead2006 wrote:If the whole legal case gets settled. I do hope we will get classic suit and other heirs elements back into play.

thecolorsblend wrote:Why do you write idiotic bullshit like this? Seriously. I want to know. Besides lose IQ points, exactly what is anyone here supposed to do with this? Disagree?? Will one of us say "gee, I really hope they keep Superman wearing shitty costumes because I like those better than The Suit"?

I just posted something over in the New 52 FAQ thread. Specifically, I cited Marvel's Civil War crossover. It's a known hot potato among core Marvel fans. However, I enjoyed the series on numerous levels. I ventured what could be a risky opinion that I'm absolutely prepared to justify to anybody who might challenge me. I did so in that thread to draw a comparison against DC as their crossovers have mostly left me cold. Non_Amos, more of a Marvel fan than me, is now positioned to take the opposing point of view. if he so chooses, he can argue against my side by pointing to specific character elements established in Marvel back issues I have absolutely zero awareness of to make his case. I can then reply, so on and so forth.

But 90% of the shit you write is so inoffensive, middle of the road and moderate that I have to fight my natural temptation to write posts just like this one and, because I'm annoyed about a lot of other things at the moment, my patience broke.

So. Break it down for me. Why do you post such tripe that nobody can even be inspired to read to the end of it, much less reply in most cases?

Seriously. I want to know.

Waiting, sweetheart. Just waiting.

non_amos wrote:I can't debate with you about CIVIL WAR because I haven't read it at all. But like I said about CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS over in another thread, I do know I liked it better than either of the SECRET WARS, but I liked them too, just Crisis better. Back then I also liked how DC handled their cross-overs better. Case in point about that. DC handled their Crisis cross-overs on a monthly basis which lined up with what was going on in the main title, like when Harbinger or whoever showed up to 'zap' someone into the Crisis. Like you'd have a regular comics story for a particular title but then said character would suddenly be summoned to the Crisis. You'd also see the RED SKIES throughout the various titles at the time.

MARVEL SUPERHEROES SECRET WARS really pulled a weird one with that first mini-series. If I remember correctly that 12-issue series basically covered a certain length of time. I'd like to say a year but at the very least it covered the entire time they were 'off-planet' during the war. But the regular monthly titles? No such luck, especially with the Hulk. You see, in one issue of TIH, we had the Hulk controlled by Banner's mind, an intelligent Hulk, but the very next issue after that mini-series debuted? We had a mean angry Hulk who was just about losing control, all in the space on one issue! But to find out what happened to the Hulk, you had to read the mini-series for the next 11 months! Meanwhile, over in TIH, Hulk became such a mindless brute that Dr. Strange had to banish him to 'the Crossroads', which was like a limbo inter-dimensional state but too lengthy to explain right now.

SECRET WARS 2 handled the cross-overs better from what I remember, as in 'real-time' but the 1st story was actually better, just not the cross-overs. But I'd venture a guess & say that someone at Marvel probably paid attention to what DC did with CRISIS & then corrected their own situation but that's just a guess.

Part of me is actually kind of cool with that type of structure as, assuming a reader follow, in your example, the Hulk and then Secret Wars, it creates a sense of anticipation about the reveal for Hulk's fate. If you didn't follow SW, I can see where it would be annoying though.

Looking back at it, I admire what Crisis attempted to do. Basically the idea was to merge all the universes into one. People say now that it was intended to be a reboot but I question that. Methinks there's revisionist history in play there. The people involved have mostly said it was about combining the universes into one. That doesn't necessarily equate to a reboot. And that's actually my main criticism of it. If ever there was a time for a series-wide reboot, Crisis was it. Superman was getting a reboot anyway. That directly fucked the Legion of Super-Heroes. Looking back on it, I do wonder that DC might've had a much different fate in the 80's and 90's had COIE been the end point of that continuity, with all titles getting a page one reboot thereafter. Who's to say if such a thing was even logistically possible but, in hindsight, it would've been a smart play.

I'm not going to post the whole article, go to the link if you want to read it. But THIS is troubling, to say the least:

http://supermanhomepage.com/news.php

Q: Will Superboy get a new costume?

A: Superboy will be getting a new look soon. As for Supergirl, the costume is a part of home, so it means a lot to her. For Earth One there might be alterations to Superman's suit in the next book.

Fucking SHOCKER....

Man did you call that before. And boy I get wanting syngery and all that. But for earth one and sv cause they should have been left alone with trunks and all that. Since they are not main continuity books and all. Just like any future superman/jl with superman dtv to come out supes likely be keeping trunks.

Apologist Puncher wrote:I'm not going to post the whole article, go to the link if you want to read it. But THIS is troubling, to say the least:

http://supermanhomepage.com/news.php

Q: Will Superboy get a new costume?

A: Superboy will be getting a new look soon. As for Supergirl, the costume is a part of home, so it means a lot to her. For Earth One there might be alterations to Superman's suit in the next book.

Fucking SHOCKER....

Every single version of Superman will have lost the trunks before too long then. Looking at the MOS suit, nobody will ever convince me they didn't originally want to include the trunks. What, they get the other details right but somehow unilaterally changed only that detail? Come on...

Is there any doubt anymore that this is a legal thing?

webhead2006 wrote:Man did you call that before. And boy I get wanting syngery and all that. But for earth one and sv cause they should have been left alone with trunks and all that. Since they are not main continuity books and all. Just like any future superman/jl with superman dtv to come out supes likely be keeping trunks.

...

I guess there is doubt. The fact that they're *ALL* changing should be a clue. It'd be nice if they *ALL* kept The Suit perfect and unchanged. The fact that they're *ALL* changing should tell you something.

I'd say it's definitely a legal thing. It's WB/DC's 'ammo', if you will, against duh Siegel parasites & that bottom-feeder Toberoff but since he got in trouble himself, whatever went with that?!

If THE MAN OF STEEL is a hit & I believe it will be, my fear is that the trunks will be gone permanently. Apologists especially will point out just how favorably the public received this & I'm afraid even if the legal mess is straightened out, the deal may already be sealed.

non_amos wrote:I'd say it's definitely a legal thing. It's WB/DC's 'ammo', if you will, against duh Siegel parasites & that bottom-feeder Toberoff but since he got in trouble himself, whatever went with that?!

If THE MAN OF STEEL is a hit & I believe it will be, my fear is that the trunks will be gone permanently. Apologists especially will point out just how favorably the public received this & I'm afraid even if the legal mess is straightened out, the deal may already be sealed.

I doubt it. The trunkless version of Superman doesn't have decades upon decades upon decades of TV shows, cartoons, licensed t-shirts and other merchandising shit, movies, comics, etc. From a logistical point of view, it'd be a lot easier to go backwards... if a deal can be worked out.

If one can't (and there's still a year to figure it all out), there's always the possibility that WB/DC/DCE might do a Masada and kill Superman pretty definitively in everything they make (comics, movies, whatever else) just so the Siegel Parasites/Toberoff will have less to work with. That'd be my move if I were in their position.

Totally colors if all the legal stuff is settled up soon. Having trunks back in books would be an easy thing to do. And come on with how long superman has been around we will see trunks superman somewhere all the time. Be it old merch, old comics, and tv/animated stuff. That is all out there.

Picked this up last week, just got around to reading it today. Pretty decent, even though I'm still not a fan of the "BJ Routh-esque" physique on Superman. But hey, pretty much the classic costume, so that's a plus.

The story is a whole lot "smaller" than the first. The Parasite was almost just a side-note to what was going on with Clark. Not really feeling his design either, but it is what it is. But it is focused on Clark and his feelings of alienation, and hopefully with what they hint at, and end to those feelings. Also, since this has SPOILERS in the title, I will say we are introduced to TWO Luthors at the end. Interesting way to go.

As an aside, in the middle of the book Clark tells a story to a friend about his pet cat and all I can say is, "Wow". If THAT doesn't touch you in some small way, you're not human.

I enjoyed it, and would give it 4/5. Only deduction is for the scrawny Supes.

Apologist Puncher wrote:Picked this up last week, just got around to reading it today. Pretty decent, even though I'm still not a fan of the "BJ Routh-esque" physique on Superman. But hey, pretty much the classic costume, so that's a plus.

The story is a whole lot "smaller" than the first. The Parasite was almost just a side-note to what was going on with Clark. Not really feeling his design either, but it is what it is. But it is focused on Clark and his feelings of alienation, and hopefully with what they hint at, and end to those feelings. Also, since this has SPOILERS in the title, I will say we are introduced to TWO Luthors at the end. Interesting way to go.

As an aside, in the middle of the book Clark tells a story to a friend about his pet cat and all I can say is, "Wow". If THAT doesn't touch you in some small way, you're not human.

I enjoyed it, and would give it 4/5. Only deduction is for the scrawny Supes.

I didn't want to write up a laborious review about it but, yeah, I pretty much concur. I liked this better than the first one for sure. One thing that really worked for me was Clark's academic background. Yes yes, this thread is all about making with spoilers but I want people to read the shit in context for themselves rather than form a judgment right now. Normally it wouldn't work well for me. These are the only circumstances I'd allow it, in fact.

Say whatever you want about Grounded (either as a concept or in execution), JMS has yet to let me down with this Earth One stuff.

I've got some criticisms. Shane Davis. I've met him at a con, he's one hell of a nice guy and he was kind enough to sign my copy of Earth One v1. Superior talent in most respects. But he needs to spend some time being trained by Jim Shooter if he wants to polish the fundamentals. There's a lot more to comic book art than drarring pretty pitchers. The art needs to help tell the story and, I'm sorry, there are cases where Davis almost hampers the storytelling.

Case in point is the shifting perspective. Parasite attacks Lois, Superman crashes through a wall, tackles the Parasite and takes the fight outside. Superman's movements are strictly right to left on that page. On the next page, the action has shifted right to left. And I think it goes back left to right again at some point.

Another thing is he sometimes stacks panels on the left. I like panel stacking. That can be a very powerful way to tell a story. And, like any rule of thumb, it's not necessarily a commandment to not stack panels on the left. But in general... don't stack panels on the fucking left. It's just foreign to most westerners and how we read. I've read comics my entire damn life so I can read a page basically no matter what but tons of people don't understand the visual language of comics and if you stack panels on the left, they won't know which one to look at first. If you stack them on the right, everything will sort itself out in the end.

As for the Blandon thing... I guess I'm willing to excuse that because there is little or no resemblance facially. And for Shane Davis, that's a big deal because he's drawn Superman in the past to look like Routh. Intentionally, I might add. So the fact that he put that shit aside here told me everything I needed to know about how seriously he's taking Earth One. And even with the body type and his build... let's cut the shit, lean though this Superman may be, Routh didn't look even this good. I'd prefer more of a Henry Cavill type of build but, hey, you can't have everything...

Anyway.

http://geek-news.mtv.com/2013/04/23/j-michael-straczynski-on-superman-earth-one-volume-3

The mouth-breathers on the Eunuch page apparently don't care that JMS may have unmasked the true architect of Krypton's destruction. He brought up Shakespeare's Richard III. King Richard III used an assassin by the name of Sir James Tyrrell to arrange for the murder of competitors to the throne. JMS then asks rhetorically who Richard III is in his story.

Well, which Kryptonians have we been introduced to in the Earth One series? Tyrell in Earth One says "I can see from the blank look in your eyes that you are as blind to the truth as all but a few of your ancestors were." He tells the story later and refers to a male visitor.

What if the person who sold out Krypton in Earth One is Jor-El?

Of course, the Eunuch page numbnuts don't seem to have caught on to this yet. Because if the news story isn't about movies, they have to make it about movies. "Yeah, man, ZOD, luvz it!" God forbid anybody read a fucking comic book anymore. Anytime you people get upset about the shit direction this country is going in, remember that assholes like the Eunuch page members probably all vote.

EDIT- Oh, something else. Yeah, it could be Brainiac (collector of cultures, wants to have only one in existence, ship could be Brainiac AI) but the Richard III to me suggests Jor-El more than Brainiac if for no other reason than Jor-El being the guilty party would be a TWIST, which is what JMS seems to want to throw at us. Besides which, he suggests it's someone that we've already "met". Unless the ship/Fortress is Brainiac (which is a possibility), the only Kryptonian we've "met" is Jor-El.

Interesting....

Shane Davis just posted on Facebook that he won't come back for Superman- Earth One vol. 3. It came down to a scheduling issue. He was busy with something else when they needed him for Earth One so they had to find some other artist. No idea who it is.

Anyway, it kinda saddens me because I like continuity with these things. Plus, I feel like Shane Davis will be one of THE talents in the industry once he gets a few kinks worked out of his art. Small stuff like characters having impossibly stiff spines, action changing directions (left to right in one panel, right to left in another, shit like that) and those sorts of things.

I'm sure his replacement will be just fine but it'll be hard to look at the final product without wondering how Davis might've done the job.

Anyway...

http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/08/10/dc-releases-covers-for-batman-and-superman-earth-one-graphic-novels/