Have the Superman titles ever been better?

[AaronJ]

OK, I am fairly new to comics, though I have read a lot of past stuff since I jumped into this crazy obsession. But I am no historian.

But it has come up on a couple different boards lately as to the state of Superman's titles. And it occurred to me to wonder "Has it ever been better?"

I mean, look at who is working on these:

Busiek/Pacheco
Johns & Donner/Kubert
Cooke/Sale (!!!)
Morrison/Quitely

In my mind, as I posted elsewhere, every single one of those teams is worthy of being an All Star team. The books are all smokin' hot right now.

While Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco are leaving me wide-eyed and picking my jaw up off the floor, Cooke and Sale are yanking my heart out of my chest, and forcing me to wipe away a couple of tears; meanwhile, Johns, Donner, and Kubert are leaving me right on the edge of my seat each month, with characters who are so likeable and real that it is scary.

And then there's Morrison and Quitely, putting out a book that is worthy of the "Best of the Best" moniker. It's simply mind-bogglingly stunning. When DC had that big panel at SDCC, and asked all the creators what their favorite title was, like 2/3 of them (or more) said All Star Superman.

Has Superman ever had better treatment than he is receiving now? Is everyone else as in awe as I am? Heck, I never even liked Superman that much.

But, wow.

[Evan Waters]

Well, in terms of best treatment EVER- I'd go with Siegel/Shuster's original take. I still don't get why nobody tries to write Superman as a radical progressive firebrand anymore.

[Ian Boothby]

Well, in terms of best treatment EVER- I'd go with Siegel/Shuster's original take. I still don't get why nobody tries to write Superman as a radical progressive firebrand anymore.

Can you be a radical if you're all powerful? Doesn't that make you the establishment once you use that power in any real way?

[saintsaucey]

The only one im not getting is the cooke sale confidential series. Im not a fan of sale's work (i decided that while looking at the solicitations) the rest of the series are good though.

pacheco's art is phenominal and hooked me on the series from the promo shots for it. Kubert is obviously great as well

[DubipR]

Has Superman ever had better treatment than he is receiving now?

Yes. I suggest reading the runs of Superman when it had mind blowing good talent on the books. Back when John Byrne could do no wrong, you also had Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, George Perez, and Dan Jurgens making Superman some of the best DC comics at the time.

Johns bores me to tears with his rendition of Superman and Busiek (with the exception of Secret Identity) can write a decent Superman. Aside from All Star Supeman, I've stopped reading Superman for the first time in 20 consecutive years.

[PatrickG]

I can't believe Johns is "boring people to tears" with a Superman who put on a ski mask and took on the U.S. government.

I'm not huge on Geoff Johns but I don't understand the claims that his stuff is boring or that he's a continuity maven on the order of Roy Thomas or E. Nelson Bridwell.

Every time I read a Geoff Johns comic, he's either getting continuity a little wrong or revising it.

If he's anybody, in my mind, he's Bill Everrett. He seems big on clever snippets of ultra-violence and I don't think he's written a book since STARS & S.T.R.I.P.E. without an angry young man with a chip on his shoulder.

My gut feeling is that while he may love the classic "straight arrow" heroes, he'd have a huge rennaissance doing anti-heroes like Morrison's Marvel Boy, Namor, The Punisher, Azrael or the Spectre.

[Evan Waters]

Can you be a radical if you're all powerful? Doesn't that make you the establishment once you use that power in any real way?

I think the establishment requires setting up some kind of hierarchy. Superman just acted as a free agent.

[JaeYu1]

Well, in terms of best treatment EVER- I'd go with Siegel/Shuster's original take. I still don't get why nobody tries to write Superman as a radical progressive firebrand anymore.

Because, with his powers and abilities, Superman would change the entire world permanently. Then what? His story would pretty much end. And since DC wants to keep printing Superman stories indefinitely, they continually make him more reactive, staus quo cop than what Siegel and Shuster originally intended.

Alan Moore understood this and he decides to write a Superman story that took him to his logical conclusion. See Alan Moore's MiracleMan TBP 3 OLYMPUS. He changed the entire world permenantly! Created a One-World government. Revolutinized the economic structure of the entire planet, ending the banking system as we know it today. A new, radical public education system, etc...

If DC allowed Superman to be the radical, progressive firebrand as Sigel and Shuster really intended (something I personally would LOVE to see!) than he would either save the world or destroy it. End of future Superman stories. Then they would have to reboot the DC Universe. And THAT would be a good thing! DC should reboot the entire DC Universe every 20 years or so, to keep things fresh and bring in new readers that wouldn't be confused or intimidated by the nearly century-long continuity.

[Night Swordsman]

Actually..yes.

Why? I am not in *Like* with Sale's art. I have ENJOYED alot,but his art does not get me to buy the book,so i easily passed on yet another ongoing Superman title.

I feel like i am the ONLY human being who only enjoys,but is not in love with,All Star Superman. I really do like the book,and buy it,but it is usually NOT one of my top reads,and it's horrible schedule makes it forgetable.

Superman? Great art,but the story isn't captivating me...i passed after two issues.

ACTION on the other...wow. I am REALLY liking this story. I would of loved to seen,behind the scenes,whom came up with which story bit in each book.

So 1 1/2 out of four. Still..i AM getting(for now...) a monthly Superman title,which suits me fine. The AMAZING thing is i am still buying both Detective and Batman,of which Batman is NOT one of my personal favorites,but i am REALLY liking the writing in both(especially Dini. The last Joker/Robin issue was FUN.).

[Gail Simone]

It's a great time for the Superbooks, no question.

I loved working on Superman...hopefully I get a chance again soon, hint hint!

Gail

[cactusmaac]

I can't remember a time when the titles had so many top-calibre teams on them. Kudos to Didio.

[PatrickG]

It's a great time for the Superbooks, no question.

I loved working on Superman...hopefully I get a chance again soon, hint hint!

Gail

I'd really dig your take on Supergirl. Maybe with Amanda Conner or newly non-exclusive Mark Bagley, hint hint!

And I'd double-plus dig it with Mark Waid as co-writer or simply someone feeding you even more ideas in Kryptonese, hint hint.

I like Joe Kelly but this title doesn't feel like it's going anywhere to me right now.

[TomStillwell]

I'm enjoying the Super books more now than I have in a long, long while.

[lonesomefool]

I would agree they are really good right now, the only downside is that Cooke and Sale are only on for 6 issues, Johns,Donner and Kubert's Action is already getting a fill-in, Busiek and Pacheco's run is having fill-ins and delays. All-Star Superman is (too be expected) delayed.

The creative teams are very good, but much like the Batman line, my enjoyment of the books is being hurt by fill-ins or delays.