Superman/Batman was an interesting series. It was based off of the silver age team-ups in World’s Finest and the desperate need for comics fans to see the two biggest superheroes fighting side by side.

Right now, there’s a sale on the digital version of the series this weekend for only 99 cents each issue. Now, not every issue was that great, but for 99 cents a piece, who really cares? Well, you should. So, in the interest of fairness, I’m going to tell you a few of the storylines and issues that I enjoyed the most, because there are some absolute must-reads going on in this sale. And even when the sale ends, you’re still going to want to check these issues out. There’s a lot of them, so for you’re benefit, try to get in on the sale, but if not, at least they’re available digitally now!

The Beginning – Superman/Batman #1-26

First off, you pretty much have to read the Jeph Loeb stuff, whether or not you like him. It was interesting more than anything else because it was the beginning of the series and featured some incredible artwork by Ed McGuinness on the “Public Enemies” storyline, and Michael Turner on the “Supergirl” story. Both of these stories were adapted into screenplays for the incredibly popular DVD/Blu-ray animated features as Superman/Batman: Public Enemies and Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, respectively. I’m guessing that you’ve seen those, so why not check out the source material? Also, if you haven’t seen those, you should totally watch them and check out the source material!

Blackest Night – Superman/Batman #66 – 67

After the Jeph Loeb stuff, for me, the series began to falter a little bit until DC’s big 2009 event Blackest Night came into play. The Blackest Night tie-ins for this series by Scott Kolins were a blast. While not featuring Superman or Batman, issues #66 and #67 used the horror elements of the crossover event to feature Bizarro and Man Bat to take their places. And if we’re being completely honest with each other, as weird as these issues were, they were at the top of my list of Blackest Night-related comics, including the Green Lantern issues and the main series. So, if you haven’t read those, you don’t really need to have read Blackest Night to get the gist of what’s going on. But it focuses on the concept of outsiders and friendship. And Frankenstein shows up, and when Frankenstein shows up in a comic, you should know that you’re in for a treat. And that’s another interesting thing about this series, some of the best issues feature replacements for Superman and Batman, so it became more of a Superman/Batman Family title more than anything else, and usually those were one and dones.

Anniversary Issue – Superman/Batman #75

After this, though, the next best issue was the #75 anniversary issue. It’s a more or less generic anthology book, so there’s nothing necessarily groundbreaking about it, but it’s got some incredible stories in there. Most deal with the fundamental differences between Superman and Batman, but they’re handled in an incredibly fun manner. Furthermore, it features what is probably David Finch‘s best script when he talks Damian Wayne as Batman and Connor Kent as Superman. There’s a lot more really cool “what if” style stories, but at it’s heart, it’s a great comic. It even has a Duncan Rouleau short about who has the better bet, Superman or Batman? Krypto or Ace? Also, it features a Brian Azzarello/Lee Bermejo Joker/Lex Luthor short done in the style of Calvin and Hobbes. Anyway, it’s an oversized issue packed full of Superman and Batman goodies, so check this one out for sure.

Halloween Stand Alone Issue – Superman/Batman #77
The next issue I’m going to recommend is one of my favorite comics of all time, Superman/Batman #77. This issue was the most fun I’ve had reading a comic book outside of Bryan Q. Miller’s Batgirl run. The issue features Damian Wayne as Robin teaming up with Supergirl, and how are they teaming up? They’re teaming up by going undercover at a Halloween party. It’s incredibly fantastic on both writing and art standpoints as it features the incredibly talented writer Joshua Williamson (who, in my opinion, is one of the very few people that knows how to write Damian Wayne), and the gorgeous pencil work by Ale Garza. Seriously, DC Comics isn’t putting out any Halloween comics this year that I’m aware of, so do yourself a favor and pick up this seasonal issue of Superman/Batman and have a great time reading it.

Rise of the Indie Creators – Superman/Batman #78-87

After Superman/Batman #77, the series turned out to get really interesting with the appearance of several more obscure writers at the time who were mainly working in the indie realm of comic creation. There’s a one and done double feature issue that shines the light on Superman and Batman, as well as Huntress and Power Girl. And it also features the writing greatness of one Joe Kelly. But after that is when the series became almost like an indie tryout book. In issue Superman/Batman #79, Chris Roberson, writer of iZombie, took to the pages of this comic and penned a story, accompanied by Jesus Merino‘s art, about returning to the universe of DC One Million. He did an incredible job by bridging the gap between universes in a short run about a time master gone awry. After reading this, it’s no surprise that he went on to be the main writer to fill in the gaps of John Michael Straczynski’s run on Superman.

Afterwards, with issue Superman/Batman #81, up and coming comic scribe Cullen Bunn, writer of the amazing series The Sixth Gun, and the insanely talented ChrisCross got their chance to tell their own Superman/Batman story. And what a story it was. Dubbed “The Sorcerer Kings,” Bunn told the tale of an alternate timeline in which the planet Earth was destroyed, Superman was invulnerable to magic, and the Justice League was made out of some of the strangest characters that DC Comics has to offer, including Klarion, Jason Blood, Aquaman, Traci 13, and many more. This story arc was jam packed with mystical forces, mystery, and Detective Chimp. Also, Batman looked totally awesome, and Superman got to carry around a giant sword. There was nothing wrong with these issues.

Sadly, at this time DC Comics announced the DC Relaunch and there was no Superman/Batman title announced for the new DCU, but the series hadn’t had it’s last laugh, though. In issue Superman/Batman #85, writer Joshua Hale Fialkov told a story that we don’t normally see. It was a noir, detective story, but in these issue Batman wasn’t the only one doing the detecting. Focusing on Clark Kent’s journalistic nature, Fialkov had Superman and Batman solving a situation in which Batman’s identity was about to be exposed as a result of The Dark Knight’s being framed for murder. Superman’s intelligence was played up in these issues in what was one of the best ways to wrap the series.

The Annuals

Those are my favorites from the series, but you should also check out the annuals, which were always good. My favorite, though was Superman/Batman Annual #4 which featured the writing of Paul Levitz and the pencil work of Renato Guedes. This issue expanded on the story details of the Batman Beyond television show, introduced Superman into the universe and launched a new ongoing comic book series based around the character of The Future Knight.

If you haven’t read these issues, hopefully you’re going to heed my words and check these out. For 99 cents a piece this weekend, what could go wrong other than buying every single issue? Remember though, the sale only lasts until 11pm EST on Sunday, October 23, so make sure to make your mind up about what comics to pick before you start browsing the app. You seriously don’t want to miss this one.

From: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2011/10/22/top-picks-from-the-supermanbatman-comic-book-series/

Comic Book Legends Revealed #337

• by Brian Cronin
• in Comic Book Legends Revealed
• 22 Comments

Welcome to the three hundredth and thirty-seventh in a series of examinations of comic book legends and whether they are true or false. This week, discover the strange story of how close Gerard Christopher (from the Superboy TV series) came to being Superman on Lois and Clark! Plus, was James Robinson ever going to do a Silver Age follow-up to his Golden Age? And marvel at likely the only comic ever to be entered into the Congressional Record!

Click here for an archive of the previous three hundred and thirty-six.

Also, note that if you’re interested in designing a new logo for Urban Legends Revealed, the deadline for entries is the 26th. Click here for more information.

Let’s begin!

COMIC LEGEND: Gerard Christopher was cast as Superman in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman until producers discovered that he had played Superboy on the Superboy TV series of the late 1980s.

STATUS: False (but close to true!)

Gerard Christopher took over from John Haymes Newton as the title character in the syndicated Superboy series in 1989. After Newton did a season in the role, Christopher did Seasons 2-4.

Christopher had an impressive physique and although he looked young, he was actually 30 years old when he took over the role!

Therefore, when the series ended in 1992, he was the “right” age to play Superman, and it just so happens that in 1993 ABC television was casting for Superman for an upcoming Superman television series. Christopher decided to go up for the role, and as a number of tellings of the story go (here’s one from a Superboy/Young Superman TV fan site):

Gerard Christopher was originally cast to play Superman in the Lois and Clark TV show, but one the producers of Lois and Clark realized that he had done Superman before (or in his case, Superboy). The producer immediately recasted him with Dean Cain. Just think, Gerard was going to be Superman; and he was being cast twice for the same role!

It’s a great story, but it is not exactly true. Christopher was never cast as Superman. However, the true parts of the story are still interesting!

In an interview by Brian McKernan that was later reprinted on Christopher’s official website, Christopher tells the full story…

McKernan: Were you involved with the production of Lois and Clark?

Christopher: I actually read for the show. It was interesting. At first the casting director didn’t like my interpretation. Then she asked me to change it. I did and she liked it. Then she brought me in to meet the producers. When I walked into the room, they had no advance knowledge that I had done Superboy.

Now, there are two ways to look at that: They’re either going to love it because I had done the part before, or the opposite would be true – they’d hate it. I read for the producer and his reaction was, “Wow! You’re great, it’s wonderful, you’re the perfect guy for this!” There was a room of six or eight people, it was kind of exciting. Then he grabbed my resume, looked at the work I’d done, flipped it over and said, “You’ve done this already!” He threw my resume down on the table and basically threw me out of the room. It was pretty funny.

You have to keep in mind the situation that the Lois and Clark people were in. It’s similar to when a restaurant goes out of business and is taken over by new owners: The new management wants to change the decor, the menu, the colors, the fabrics on the chairs – everything. He could have looked at the new show as an easy transition for me – from Superboy to Superman. I’m older, I’m experienced, and I have a following. But he was making a big move, a big transition in how the character would be interpreted. He wanted to go a different way. People like to do things their own way and often times they cut ties with anything that came before for their own personal reasons. I’m not making any judgements; if that’s what he wants to do it’s his business.

It’s a fascinating story.

In any event, obviously, Dean Cain ended up winning the role…

Interestingly enough, the actor who DID end up being “the other guy” when it boiled down to it, was a pre-Hercules Kevin Sorbo! I wonder how he would have handled the role. He certainly had the build for Superman!

Thanks to Brian McKernan and Gerard Christopher for the scoop on a fascinating story!

COMIC LEGEND: A Sunday Terry and the Pirates comic strip was read into the Congressional Record the next day.

STATUS: True

Few popular cartoonists were quite as devoted to the United States military as Milton Caniff was. The star of his famed Terry and the Pirates strip, Terry, ended up joining the Air Force in the strip and serving in World War II. Caniff even donated a spin-off strip that he worked on throughout the war just for military newspapers. Granted, sometimes his devotion to the war efforts went to some regrettable places (like this previous Comic Book Legends installment will attest), but it is clear that Canniff was a man who loved his country and the people who served to protect it.

Perhaps never was this more evident than in his October 17, 1943 Sunday strip for Terry and the Pirates, popularly known as “The Pilot’s Creed.” The strip depicted Terry and his flight instructor, Colonel “Flip” Corkin, with Terry getting a lesson from Corkin about his responsibilities as a fighter pilot. The strip drew such a positive reaction that the following day, the strip was read aloud in the United States Congress and actually added to the Congressional Record, the only comic that I know of ever to receive such an honor.

Dean Mullaney, over at IDW’s Library of American Comics, shared Caniff’s hand-watercolored guide for the engravers of the famous strip…

Awesome.

Thanks a lot, Dean!

COMIC LEGEND: James Robinson planned to do a Silver Age follow-up to his Elseworlds mini-series The Golden Age.

STATUS: True

Some time ago (March 2008, to be exact), reader Cory T. wrote in to ask me:

had an urban legend i was hoping you could look into for me. i heard a rumor that at one time james robinson was going to follow up his golden age mini series with a solver age version. do you know anything about this or what he was planning or what the story entailed? cant wait to see what you uncover.

Well, you had to wait a few years, Cory, but here goes!

The Golden Age was a prestige format Elseworlds mini-series that Robinson wrote with excellent artwork from the great Paul Smith.

The series basically launched Robinson’s career in mainstream comics.

Rumors of a possible Silver Age follow-up have followed Robinson for years, but I never saw him confirm or deny it either way (Howard Chaykin was the artist rumored attached to the follow-up). That is until late last year, when Robinson addressed the rumor in an interview over at Ain’t It Cool News.

Professor Challenger: Finally, is working on the JLA tickling your creative bone to do a THE SILVER AGE mini-series sequel to THE GOLDEN AGE?

Robinson: I was developing the SILVER AGE with a big name artist and for one reason and another it didn’t happen when it should have. Since then between Mark Waid’s JLA YEAR ONE and especially Darwyn’s Cooke’s NEW FRONTIER, the story I wanted to tell has been told and by better and more talented guys then me.

So there ya go, Cory! Confirmation that he was, in fact, planning on doing it and with the references to JLA: Year One and The New Frontier, a pretty good idea of what kind of story that he had in mind.

Michael Sacal wrote in with an article from Wizard from the early 1990s that gives more details as to what Robinson had planned…

Thanks for the question, Cory! And thanks to Professor Challenger, Robinson and Michael Sacal for the information! Thanks also to Derek W. for confirming an earlier question I had about whether Chaykin was definitely the artist (Michael’s artcle also achieved that purpose).

Okay, that’s it for this week!

Thanks to the Grand Comics Database for this week’s covers! And thanks to Brandon Hanvey for the Comic Book Legends Revealed logo!

Feel free (heck, I implore you!) to write in with your suggestions for future installments! My e-mail address is cronb01@aol.com. And my Twitter feed is http://twitter.com/brian_cronin, so you can ask me legends there, as well!

Follow Comics Should Be Good on Twitter and on Facebook (also, feel free to share Comic Book Legends Revealed on our Facebook page!). If we hit 3,000 likes on Facebook you’ll get a bonus edition of Comic Book Legends the week after we hit 3,000 likes! So go like us on Facebook to get that extra Comic Book Legends Revealed! Not only will you get updates when new blog posts show up on both Twitter and Facebook, but you’ll get original content from me, as well!

Also, be sure to check out my website, Legends Revealed, where I look into legends about the worlds of entertainment and sports, which you can find here, at legendsrevealed.com.

Here’s my book of Comic Book Legends (130 legends – half of them are re-worked classic legends I’ve featured on the blog and half of them are legends never published on the blog!).

The cover is by artist Mickey Duzyj. He did a great job on it…(click to enlarge)…

If you’d like to order it, you can use the following code if you’d like to send me a bit of a referral fee…

Was Superman a Spy?: And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed

See you all next week!

22 Comments

Anderson

October 21, 2011 at 9:22 am

Too bad, i´d love to read Robinson’s Silver Age!!!! Maybe it could be the new 52 universe silver age!!

Juss

October 21, 2011 at 9:36 am

The way I’ve read about the Lois Clark casting, Kevin Sorbo was thought to be better for Superman, and Dean Cain for Clark. I don’t know if that’s true, but since the series gave Lois a lot more emphasis than she usually gets, as well as the Clark-Lois relationship, it does seem to make sense.

Me

October 21, 2011 at 9:46 am

The first item is a bit nit-picky. Gerard hadn’t technically been cast as Superman in Lois and Clark, but it sounds like he was certainly in the running until they saw he’d been Superboy. So it’s a bit of a stretch just to focus on whether or not he’d been cast …he did lose out on the role because he’d played the character before.

Dave

October 21, 2011 at 9:47 am

Did I misread or did you say the Superboy/man legend was untrue then go on to prove it was in fact true… ?

Brian Cronin

October 21, 2011 at 9:50 am

Did I misread or did you say the Superboy/man legend was untrue then go on to prove it was in fact true… ?

The former.

Michael Sacal

October 21, 2011 at 9:57 am

Dude, I sent in the question about the Silver Age on 4/5/2010, it even included a scan from an article in Wizard in which Robinson is quoted about the plot for the story.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/ManofTheAtom/robinsonsilverage.jpg

Brian Cronin

October 21, 2011 at 10:01 am

Cool stuff, Michael, thanks! That was before Robinson gave the interview, so I didn’t put two and two together with regards to your question from April 2010. But I’ll add that into the piece now!

Michael Sacal

October 21, 2011 at 10:06 am

Awesome

Haveb

October 21, 2011 at 10:09 am

Brian does get caught up on how he chose to word the legend at times. From a purely technical standpoint, change “cast as” to “considered for” and the status of the Superman legend is true. For most people, however, the spirit of what’s being communicated would be the same in either instance, and the rest is just semantics.

Brian Cronin

October 21, 2011 at 10:14 am

From a purely technical standpoint, change “Gerard Christopher” to “Margaret Thatcher” and then you really have yourself a legend!

Seriously, though, the legend IS that he was cast. Google “Gerard Christopher cast as Clark” and you will get multiple stories saying he was cast as Clark until they discovered that he was on the Superboy TV series. That is the legend being debunked here. It is a prevalent FALSE story. So I debunked it here. That it also allowed me also to tell a cool story about his reading in front of the producers was gravy (really cool gravy, though!).

Michael Sacal

October 21, 2011 at 10:16 am

I think that a more accurate wording would be that he read for the part but was not cast because of his past association with the role.

T.

October 21, 2011 at 10:30 am

I agree with both sides. Technically Brian is right, he did debunk a myth, but it could definitely have been worded more clearly. Count me among the initially confused. I had to reread the myth before I realized what he meant. When I saw the word “False” without any qualifier, I thought the whole legend was going to be untrue, like for example he was disqualified for a totally different reason.

Brian Cronin

October 21, 2011 at 10:36 am

A qualification in the status is fair enough. I do do those frequently enough, so I’m fine with adding that.

Dr.Traveler

October 21, 2011 at 11:27 am

That’s a crying shame about Robinson’s Silver Age. I recall reading the Golden Age and thinking what an awesome story that was. I recall working in the local comic book shop as we all eagerly awaited Chaykin on Silver Age. I’m truly sad to learn it won’t be happening ever.

hondobrode

October 21, 2011 at 12:07 pm

Yeah, I’m bummed The Silver Age never came out. Didn’t know Chaykin was to be the artist. How awesome would that be ?

I’m sure if DC published it, it’d still sell. Those two names on the sequel to the Golden Age = $ale$

AS

October 21, 2011 at 12:22 pm

That Terry and the Pirates strip is quite wordy piece, not exactly a shining point of comics storytelling…but amusing to note how “22 Panels That Always Work” it has been executed…

T.

October 21, 2011 at 1:34 pm

That Terry and the Pirates strip is quite wordy piece, not exactly a shining point of comics storytelling

I beg to differ, just being wordy isn’t in and of itself bad storytelling. It was wordy, but it was great writing. I never read the strip before, but in a single strip I totally grasped who they people were and their personalities immediately. And it was inspiring. And I think as storytelling it was very good because I liked the contrast in the last panel, where it’s silent. By filling the other panels full of words, the contrast makes the silent panel at the end that much more powerful, as you can tell the powerful words are marinating in Terry’s head and he has just been sent off to become a man.

Perry

October 21, 2011 at 2:03 pm

Going slightly off topic, for my money, that Superboy show was the BEST live-action realization of super-hero comics ever. Sure, it was low budget, but the kinds of stories and their tone were like the best of the Silver and Bronze eras combined. Not surprising, when you consider the number of scripts written by the likes of Cary Bates, Mike Carlin Andy Helfer, Denny O’Neill, and J.M. DeMatteis!

David Fullam

October 21, 2011 at 2:15 pm

They really should have done The Silver Age.

Drunken Fist

October 21, 2011 at 2:41 pm

Whoa! I read that article about Robinson’s “The Silver Age” way back then, but had completely forgotten about it until I saw that scan! It’s a damn shame the project never happened.

Fraser

October 21, 2011 at 3:45 pm

Seconding Perry’s fondness for the Superboy during the Christopher run (first season is best forgotten).
The Caniff speech was wordy, but it works for me. And of course it was in an era when we were in the middle of the war and talk like that would have meant more (and flying was a lot cooler in people’s eyes).
I remember Clark Kent’s one time in uniform in WW II was when he did a story on the maintenance crews by volunteering as one of them.

Fraser

October 21, 2011 at 3:47 pm

Checked out “how to spot a Jap” at the link. Almost mild compared to a lot of anti-Japanese propaganda.
Even the Bowery Boys got in on this subject (back when they were the East Side Kids), harassing a local store owner who turns out to be a Chinese-American rather than Japanese.

Leave a Comment

From: http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2011/10/21/comic-book-legends-revealed-337/

In my latest comic review, I tackle what’s probably my most anticipated comic book in quite a while, Justice League #2. As I’ve said before, I really loved the first issue of the recently relaunched title, and it led to my preferring most of DC’s current comics over what Marvel is offering right now (that’s coming from someone who prefers Marvel’s characters, movies, etc.). So obviously, I’d be wanting to read the second issue as soon as possible. I was disappointed to find out that the comic was pushed to an October release instead of September, but the wait was certainly worth it. As stated before, there will be some spoilers in the following review, and if you don’t want to find out about anything that goes on in the comic, then skip to the final paragraphs.

Justice League #2 (2011)

Rating:

Written By:
Geoff Johns

Art/Cover By:
Jim Lee
Scott Williams

Synopsis:

What happens when the World’s Greatest Detective takes on the world’s most powerful alien? You’ll find out when Batman and Superman throw down. Batman will need all his intellect, cunning and physical prowess to take on The Man of Steel.

As I said before, Justice League #1 really captivated me. Featuring fantastic artwork, strong character development, and awesome action sequences, it was the best comic book I’ve read in quite a while, and increased my love for DC comics. After a long time of waiting, the second issue is finally here. Does it live up to the hype, or does it take a major dive? Judging from my rating, you probably know what my answer would be.

One of the best things about the first issue of Justice League was the ending, in which Superman is about to battle Batman for the first time. The second issue picks up right where its predecessor left off, featuring Superman pounding Batman to the ground with Green Lantern/Hal Jordan trying to spot the Man of Steel. The scenes were breathtakingly epic, seeing DC’s two greatest heroes going at it. For the most part, I like the way Supes is portrayed here. While it’s obvious that he’s practically reinvented for the new generation, the way he’s portrayed as a true badass is well-done. I also loved the way they brought in the Flash/Barry Allen into this issue, as well as continuing the story of Cyborg’s origin. The ending is another edge-of-your-seat teaser, and it only increases my anticipation of the next issue (as it looks to be another step in Cyborg’s transformation).

The artwork is probably even better in this issue than the first, showcasing more action sequences (mainly with Batman, Green Lantern, and eventually Flash vs. Superman) and explosions. The character designs are awesome too, and while most have expressed dislike in Superman’s new outfit, I actually like it quite fine. Sure it could use a better belt and a bit more red, but otherwise it’s great. And I loved the way Batman was portrayed as well – exactly what I’d expect from an older Caped Crusader. Green Lantern’s more of a smartass than what I’d prefer, but still works well enough with his cocky attitude he’s known for.

On top of the above nitpicks, the only main issue I had with Justice League #2 was some off-color dialogue. Most of it was from Hal Jordan – in one scene, when chatting with Barry on the phone, Hal said that Batman was a ‘tool’. In another scene, while describing a train, Hal claimed that the train had a cape. Both sequences felt out of place, and while I usually enjoy Geoff Johns’ writing, one of his biggest faults is the occasional WTF lines he could include in a comic book he writes. Other than those occasional lines, I can’t think of any major flaw in this issue.

So in the end, Justice League #2 is almost better than the first issue, and it probably would be if it had some better dialogue. Featuring even better artwork, bigger scenes, and enough character development, I highly recommend this line based on what I’ve read so far, and this is certainly one that I’ll keep reading for a while. I definitely recommend this to fans of Geoff Johns’ prior work, as well as fans of Jim Lee’s splendid artwork.

From: http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/PaulRomReviews/news/?a=48611

Oct. 19, 2011 4:14 p.m. |(0) Comments

Childhood has been handed another nugget of Kryptonite. DC Comics, which for nearly 75 years has given us superhero adventures such as Superman, this fall relaunched its action series with 52 new first issues. Facing declining sales in the wired era, it is targeting a more mature audience with stories so apocalyptic that even comic bloggers say they contain some of the most gruesome images ever.

As for female characters, the exaggerated size of women’s breasts, the exposed cleavage and the paucity of plot lines have sparked serious online debate between comics writers, artists and editors. Some artists say they are still waiting for the female superhero who is a nerd instead of a Victoria’s Secret model.

One of the few female comics writers in the business, G. Willow Wilson, wrote that she now has to rush to her comic book pile when children under 14 start rummaging through it because some issues constitute soft porn. “Never before did it occur to me how bizarre that is,” Wilson wrote, “having to keep a kid away from comics.”

What an all-American irony. While superhero comic books have never been about tiddlywinks, the new DC Comics series is not your 8-year-old’s comic-book line. DC still has a superhero line called DC Kids and just announced a deal to put old-school comic books in boxes of General Mills cereals marketed to children. But it is still a sad commentary on modern culture to see sex and violence play a marquee role in what once was a safe haven for childhood fantasies.

I took DC’s reboot personally because I had a collection of 1,000 comic books as a child. With Superman coming from Krypton, the comics fueled my curiosity about the stars. With Batman being an orphan of murdered parents, the pages forced you to think about what constitutes justice. Most of all, they were the source of endless hours of creative play at recess and lunch hour on my elementary school playgrounds.

They even were partly responsible for my best friendship. Rod Luhn, today a telecommunications network analyst in New Jersey, said, “You were Superman, and I remember being Green Lantern, because he could do pretty much anything with that stupid ring. We were both the good guys, which is what I remember the most. We would just run around the playground, defeating the bad guys. It’s hard for me to think kids get that today, playing solitary games.”

That is what I remember, too. One moment, we were soaring through the solar system to stop an asteroid. The next, we were teaming up to tame Lex Luthor or Brainiac. In a 1960s where children were still seen and not heard, this was our way of hearing ourselves.

Several child development and youth media experts are concerned that kids will no longer be able to hear themselves through the amped-up new school of comic books. The only thing DC Comics is hearing right now is “ka-ching,” claiming its best sales in more than 20 years.

Some experts on the social history of comic books actually say this is a good thing. Ethan Watrall of Michigan State says the new comic books fill a void in fictional storytelling for young adults. But Sut Jhally, a professor of communications at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and founder of the Media Education Foundation, said the void being filled is not necessarily a healthy one. “Rather than robbing childhood, I look at this as extending adolescence almost into middle age, which is not good for society, either,” Jhally said.

It is yet another irony. As DC Comics extends adolescence with its new “mature” line, the fantasies of kids are being sapped, as sure as Kryptonite steals the strength from Superman.

Derrick Jackson is a columnist for The Boston Globe. Email jackson@globe.com

From: http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/sex-violence-and-superheros-132195203.html

It didn’t seem like there could be a better ending to the case of Mike Meyer than the return of his vast collection of Superman comic books and collectibles following their alleged theft by a man who pretended to be his friend, but we think you’ll agree this is it. As we reported previously, the comics community rallied in support of Meyer, a 48-year-old lifelong Superman fan who lives on part-time work at McDonald’s and Social Security for a mental disability, by organizing a drive to replace the items that had been so cruelly stolen. With his collection now recovered by police and the alleged thief in jail, Meyer took a cue from the selfless superhero he idolizes by donating to a local children’s hospital the excess items that were donated to him.

A resident of Granite City, Illinois, Mike Meyer is surely among America’s most dedicated fans of Superman, the DC Comics superhero created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Over the course of his life, Meyer amassed a collection of Superman comics and other merchandise that can only be described as massive and worth many thousands of dollars. A man called Gerry Arville Armbruster allegedly stole a valuable portion — more than 1,800 items — of Meyer’s collection by befriending Meyer with the intention of gaining access to his home. A ComicsAlliance reader appears to be the party who unwittingly purchased the stolen goods from Armbruster and turned the items over to Granite City police, but not before fellow comics fans worked together to apparently double the size of Meyer’s original collection.

In response to that incredible generosity, Meyer made an equally touching gift of the redundant donations to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of things, so I wanted to share them,” Meyer told STLToday.com. Indeed, as horrible and humiliating as the ordeal has been for Meyer, the upshot of it all could be seen as a net gain for the now universally beloved Superman fan. As he said on Facebook last month, “I have never felt so much love in my life; I no longer feel like the Frankenstein monster. I feel that people understand me now, for the first time in my life.”

STLToday.com reports that six boxes of Superman items were made available to the St. Louis Children’s hospital’s Wednesday bingo game last week, which quadrupled the number of prizes usually available to the facility’s sick and injured kids.

“When you make somebody happy, it does something for you, too,” said Meyer, in the best tradition of the Man of Steel.

[Via CA reader Stephen]

From: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/10/17/mike-meyer-superman-theft-children-hospital-donations/

The second volume of JMS and Shane Davis’ “Superman: Earth One” was among the announcements at DC’s Superman panel

At the DC Comics All Access: Superman panel at New York Comic Con DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan Didio, “Supergirl” artist Mahmud Asrar and “Superman: Earth One” artist Shane Davis gathered on stage to talk about their books and what is coming next for the Man Of Steel.

DC Editor In Chief Bob Harras kicked the panel off by bringing Davis onstage to talk about the second “Superman: Earth One” graphic novel coming out in fall 2012, showing off the cover image of Superman in the traditional costume with fire and blackened skulls around him.

“Real men wear their underwear on the outside,” said Davis to audience applause. Explaining the new J. Michael Straczynski written graphic novel is about Superman finding his new place in the world, Davis continued, “You see the origin story so many times, I was glad to see people took to it so much.” He then thanked the fans for putting the first volume on the New York Times Bestseller list.

Adding that he thought romance and adventure were part and parcel with traditional Superman stories, to differentiate the second “Earth One” Davis told the audience, “Instead of romance and adventure we’re going to try a little sex and violence!”

Showing off penciled pages of Superman trying to save people from a tsunami, Davis then explained that the pages showed the problems Superman will face in the second volume as the people he saved turn out to be rebels and the dictator of their fictional country threatens to kill them if Superman does not stop. “It’s interesting that the world’s most powerful man has his hands tied,” said Davis, adding, “There’s a lot of shoulda, woulda, coulda running through him.”

The artist also said that the book will show a brand new Parasite, “bigger than Doomsday.” Davis also said that the character begins life as a serial killer. “I took everything in Earth One to its lowest common denominator and built it up from there,” said Davis, adding, “Parasite was a glutton, but now it’s more for power.”

He then ended his portion of the panel showed an inked but uncolored page of Superman daydreaming of how he should have reacted to the dictator.

Harras then brought out the Superman family book editor Matt Idelson. Showing the cover for “Action Comics” #5 with art by Andy Kubert, the cover depicted Kal-El’s rocket hurtling to Earth. Comic book artist Gene Ha also did part of the interior art for #3 and Idelson displayed those pages, saying that Ha is in charge of all the sequences on Krypton in the issue. “Not only is that your first look at Jor-El but Krypto, which looks very different then you’re used to,” said Idelson, bringing up an image of Jor-El and Krypto on the screen.

The audience clapped loudly as “Supergirl” writer Mike Johnson joined series artist Asrar to talk about the title. “It was really intimidating at first,” said Johnson, touching on reinventing the character, adding, “Part of the fun of the book is seeing people, places that are familiar but different in very important ways.”

Showing the cover to #5, Johnson revealed that the issue takes place in Argo city. “The first few issues will be, how do you get from Siberia to Argo City? It is a painful process,” said Johnson.

Asrar then brought up onscreen two pages from the second issue showing Supergirl punching out Superman. “She’s strong!” laughed Asrar.

“The first page of the issue takes on place on Krypton,” Johnson added, saying that neither Superman nor Supergirl will trust each other at first.

“My style I have slightly adapted in a different way for this book, and in future issues I will use the marker style I use in my commissions,” Asrar told the audience.

Idelson then touched upon “Superboy,” calling the series, “The ultimate clean slate.”

“He’s not hip, he’s not snarky, he’s not funny, he’s a blank slate learning how to be a human being,” said Idelson.

Harras then asked Idelson if Doomsday will ever appear in the New 52 world. “No comment, said Idelson, adding, “We haven’t forgotten about him.”

Harras then officially announced that Dan Jurgens and Keith Giffen will be replacing George Perez on “Superman” and Jurgens came onstage.

“Keith Giffen and I will be co-writing and I’ll be drawing starting with “Superman” #7,” said Jurgens.

The floor opened to audience questions, and the first audience member to the microphone asked Davis about the “Superman: Earth One” costume redesigns.

“There are things in that costume that are flawless, you can’t break…much as I changed, I really stayed the same so it was an interesting process,” said Davis.

The next fan asked that if, after the first New 52 renumbered issues clear, they would go back and clean up continuity and tie the old stories into the new continuity more clearly. Idelson said they would eventually, though not right away.

Another fan wanted to know why there was such a radical change on Superboy, more so than many of the other New 52 characters. “His continuity and story got so complicated over the past five or six years,” said Idelson. “This was a fresh chance to hit the reset button.”

A fan asked Davis whether “Superman: Earth One” should be considered an Elseworlds story and then asked all panelists how they could resist the urge to let “Action Comics” hit #1000. Davis said that he felt he actually approached the novel like a movie rather than thinking of it in terms of Elseworlds and then said that the Earth One Batman and Earth One Superman were in the same universe.

Harras addressed the second part of the question, saying, “There was a faction of people saying we can do this for everyone but ‘Action’ and ‘Detective’…it will have the biggest impact and mean the most if we do it for every book.”

The next fan to the microphone asked if Kara will ever fight Wonder Woman. “I really hope so!” said Johnson.

“I love that! That would be amazing!” added Asrar.

An audience member wanted to know which books were everyone’s favorites of the New 52. Jurgens said he was reading everything that was coming out, as was Asrar. Johnson named “Justice League Dark” as one of his favorite. Idelson agreed with Jurgens and Asrar that he enjoyed all the books while Davis said he really enjoyed “Superboy,” and added that he will be coming on as cover artist around issue #3 or #4. He also named “Demon Knights” as a fun book. Harras said that “I, Vampire” was one of the books he would recommend everyone check out.

Another fan asked if they were going to bring back and update the Eradicator for the Superman books. “We haven’t really discussed him because we wanted to parcel out Krypton,” said Idelson.

“The idea has been to start by going back and retelling the story…what we’re all trying to do is come up with new stories and new characters and new situations,” added Jurgens.

A Flashpoint fan wanted to know if they would ever see any more stories set in the “Flashpoint” timeline, to which Harras told her it was doubtful.

A fan asked Jurgens why he and Giffen were replacing Perez. “There’s another project he’s really, really wanted to do,” said Jurgens, adding that Perez told the story he wanted to tell.

A fan dressed as the “Action Comic” Superman wanted to know how long they planned to have Superman in the jeans and t-shirt. “It’s got a definite endpoint, I don’t want to give away when,” said Idelson, naming the costume and character as a “proto-Superman.”

Another fan wanted to know when the hooded woman in every issue will come back, to which the panel members told him to keep reading the books.

A fan wanted to know how other fans could be sure the New 52 changes would be permanent as they had said Superman’s death would be permanent in the ‘90s.

“The amount of time and effort put into it…this is permanent,” said Harras. Jurgens then denied that they said Superman’s death was permanent and Harras said that there is no “backdoor button” to reset everything back to pre-September comics.

A fan of Jurgens asked the writer/artist which version of Superman he preferred–pre on or post September? “A good Superman story is a good superman story where it’s done in 2011, 2000, or 1950,” said Jurgens.

The next audience member to the microphone asked what the biggest obstacle the panelists had to tackle with relaunching the new Superman books.

“The Superboy/Legion stuff,” said Idelson.

Another fan wanted to know if they will see more “Superman/Batman” stories or books, and the panelists told them it was possible, but not right now.

The very last question of the panel came from a fan who wanted to know what would happen with Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane across the Superman books, and what their dynamic would be.

“Well, we have the wedding of Lois and Jimmy special,” joked Jurgens. Johnson then said that they were going to bring Jimmy into “Supergirl” as a friend for Kara.

“Lois in both books is treating Jimmy like a competent co-worker,” said Idelson, naming that as the biggest change in the relationship and bringing the panel to a close.

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Tags:  nycc2011, dc comics, superman, superman earth one, shane davis, j michael straczynski, mahmus asrar, supergirl, superboy

From: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=34943

Artist Shane Davis (Superman: Earth One), editor Matt Idelson, writer Mike Green (Supergirl), artist Mahmud Asrar (Supergirl) and writer/artist Dan Jurgens (Superman) took to the stage at New York Comic Con to tell fans what they can expect from DC Comics’ line of Superman titles. Click below the jump for news on the new creative team of Superman, the next volume of Superman: Earth One, the new look of Krypton and future destinations for Supergirl.

SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE VOLUME TWO

“Real men wear their underwear on the outside,” artist Shane Davis joked as the cover to Superman: Earth One was displayed for the New York crowd. While the “New 52″ version of the Man of Steel no longer wears briefs, Davis’ Earth One incarnation of the character still has the classic Superman costume. The forthcoming graphic novel is the sequel to Davis and writer J. Michael Straczynski’s best-selling volume 1, which Davis said had “romance and adventure.” In contrast, the artist said the second volume would have more “sex and violence” while remaining PG-13. Pages were shown of Superman stopping a tsunami and a dictator cutting off limbs of some of his constituents. Superman fantasizes about what he could have done to the dictator, like disintegrating him.

Also shown were pages of the Parasite, who in this story will start off as a serial killer and won’t be as much of an actual energy glutton as the classic villain, but rather have an addiction to power itself. “The most powerful man has his hands tied,” Davis said. The Parasite lives in a more real world and can’t upset humanity’s balance of power.

ACTION COMICS

Pages were shown of Superman saving a cat and people freaking out and throwing bricks at him, John Corben entering the Steel Soldier suit, and a depiction of old Krypton by Gene Ha featuring Jor-El, Lara and Krypto. Apparently Lara’s family thinks Jor-El is a crackpot scientist.

SUPERGIRL

Writer Mike Green explained that unlike some of the other New 52 books, they’re completely reintroducing their hero with Supergirl. The circumstances of her arrival on Earth will remain a secret for now. The cover of issue #5 was shown, and it features Argo City, her traditional hometown. In issue #4, Green and Asrar will explain why Supergirl was already fully powered when exiting the rocket that brought her to Earth.

SUPERBOY

Idelson stated that Superboy is the most changed character in the entire New 52 because he’s “a new blank slate.” Superboy was described as not knowing what “morals, values or feelings” are.

SUPERMAN

Starting with Superman #7, Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens will be co-writing the book with Jurgens drawing. Jurgens is of course best known as the writer and artist behind the landmark “Death of Superman.” The pair gave the following statement to DC’s The Source blog:

“In my mind, Superman is still the first and best,” said Jurgens. “He is the premier character in comics. As a writer, the thing I like best about Superman is the incredibly wide parameter of stories that suit him. Whether it’s a cosmic enemy that threatens the entire planet or a next door neighbor who’s confronted with an incredible moral dilemma, Superman is at home with both and everything in between. As an artist, the thing I like is the sense of power and integrity Superman embodies. There’s something about drawing that majestic figure in flight with the cape and classic ‘S’ shield that will always be a kick. Working with Keith Giffen, one of the most creative guys in comics, who comes up with more ideas in five minutes than most guys do in a week, is the topper. I can’t wait to get started.”

“Are you kidding? It’s SUPERMAN! The sky is the limit!” said Giffen. “I don’t care what anyone says, Superman is DC’s flagship title and Dan and I are going to sweat blood to make sure that everyone out there knows why. The sense of wonder that defined the character for so long is, most definitely, coming back. Big time.”

The panel then opened up to QA.

On continuity: If Superman’s continuity has been rebooted but Batman and Green Lantern’s have not, how then can previously published Superman stories in which he appeared with Batman and Green Lantern still have happened? The panelists said that such concerns would be best revealed in story as necessary, as opposed to creating some kind of continuity roadmap for fans.

On Earth One: When asked whether the Earth One books were considered Elseworlds, Shane Davis stated that if the regular books are like TV shows, the Earth One titles are more like movies. He also confirmed that Superman: Earth One and Geoff Johns and Gary Frank’s forthcoming Batman: Earth One take place in the same universe.

On retelling old stories: When asked if they had plans to bring back the Eradicator, a figure from the Superman comics of the 1980s and 1990s, the panelists commented that they’re not trying to retell old stories in the New 52, but rather brand-new stories with new characters and situations.

On the differences between the Pre-52 and New 52 Superman: Dan Jurgens stated that he doesn’t think of them as “old Superman” and “new Superman,” but rather that the elements of a good Superman story will never change, and those elements are all still there with this new incarnation of the character.

On a new Superman/Batman title: “Not yet.”

From: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/10/15/superman-panel-nycc-2011/

“Starfire used to be a very girly girl, a golden girl, and you have all these girl readers who grew up with her, and now she’s totally vamped-up, sexed-out, a very different character,’’ said Rizzo, who is attending the New York Comic Con this weekend. The new Superman is more violent, he said, and Batman more aggressive. “These are all geared to college kids and above.’’

From: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/10/15/dc_comics_reboot_increases_violence_sex_and_sales/

Thousands of fans and collectors rushed into a comic book store to witness the death of an icon. They had seen it on the news, heard it on the radio, had been told by their friends; Superman was dead. The cover of Superman 75 showed Superman’s torn cape blowing in the wind like a flag at half mast, while his family and friends wept in the background.

On this day in 1992, a single store in Detroit sold nearly 200 000 copies of the monumental issue. The store began to see that they were running out of issues, so they marked the prices up higher and higher. By the end of the day, the issue that had started off at a $1.50 was going for twenty times its original price. This was a common sight in comic book stores across North America.

DC Comics, publisher of Superman, and comic book retailers made around $30 million in one day. This is the third time an American comic book publisher has hit the jackpot. It was also the only upswing for the comic market that year.

It was clear by the end of that same year that the comic market was shrinking. Sales dropped, the collectors cashed out and sent the whole system into what Grant Morrison, a writer at DC Comics, called “a death spiral.”

However, comic book creators see a way out of this tail spin through a new distribution system: the internet.

“I love digital comics. I will always have a heart for paper and a book I can hold, but I have an iPad that is stocked with comics,” says Kelly Sue Deconnick, a new writer for Marvel Comics. “Digital comics” are mainstream print comics that have been scanned and edited to be read on a computer, smartphone or tablet. Deconnick carries at least fifty comics with her at any given time, since those issues weigh no more than her tablet does.

“I have a favourite reader, and I love the ease of downloading. I read most of my comics this way,” she says.

E-comic readers like ComiXology, Graphic.ly, and iVerse are popular on Apple Inc.’s iOS market and Google’s Andriod market, which sell apps for smartphones and tablet computers. According to analysts from PCWorld, the iPad has become the de facto device for reading comics outside of print thanks to its ability to show vibrant colours, as well as a simple lack of competition.

While other publishers like Viz and Dark Horse have a regular release schedule for digital comics, DC and Marvel have been reluctant to approach the new system. For many years, they refused to offer their comics digitally for weeks if not months after they had been released in print. That is until DC Comics decided to take the initiative. Beginning in September all of their comics are available the same day in print and online.

Yet for some people, this isn’t enough. There are complaints of the price of digital comics being too high and that the way comics are edited to fit on a phone or tablet fundamentally change the way comics are read.

“If [comics publishers] want to reach a wide audience, their price has to be two digits, 99 cents. That’s the magic number where it doesn’t feel you’re spending money,” says Cameron Stewart. Stewart is an artist whose work includes a run on Batman and Robin, and his own award-winning webcomic, Sin Titulo. Comics are currently priced at $2.99 and $3.99, depending on size, in print and digital. Stewart believes that the closer you get to five dollars, the more the consumer has to think about what they’re purchasing.

“There is so much on the app store that I bought without any idea if it was good. I bought games, movies, apps, completely on impulse, because it was a dollar or less.”

Ty Templeton, a comic book creator who’s worked for the Marvel and DC Comics for popular series like Justice League International and The Batman Adventures, doesn’t mind either format. He likes web comics and has all of his comics for sale online. Templeton, however, sees a bigger issue with the digital format than the price. He believes that it fundamentally changes the way comics are read.

“A lot of apps show the comic panel by panel, and for a comic that’s like watching a movie in the 80s. You would lose a bit of the left and the right and soon, the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers becomes five brides for four brothers. It doesn’t work,” Templeton says.

Apps like ComiXology tend to show comics through individual panels, due to smartphones’ smaller screens. Without this feature, the dialogue and narration become difficult to read.

“I object to the idea that you have to change the shape of the screen to enjoy the content.”

Deconnick, though more positive, says that “digital doesn’t work with the double-page spread.” A double page spread is when an image is spread over two pages. It’s often used for dramatic impact and surprise.

“Because you have to pull out and shrink down to see the full image, and then zoom in to see the detail, it doesn’t have the same power as it does [in print].”

While discussion behind digital comics isn’t exactly unanimous, almost everyone agrees that it’s the way of the future, whether the publishers take initiative or not. Ask any creator if their work is available online and the answer is a resounding yes; though they’ll add that they didn’t have choice in the matter.

In recent years, comics have become victim to rampant piracy. Within an hour of a comic hitting store shelves, it will be on every major peer-to-peer downloading network for free.  It’s worse with the international market, as comics from Japan and Europe end up online before they’re even released in North America.

And it works both ways. Dan DiDio, co-publisher for DC Comics, has blamed piracy for weak international sales, since the time difference between countries allows comics to be scanned in the US before the stores open in the rest of the world.

“Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to find that the books that don’t sell as much are going to suffer even more. All the variety of content is going to disappear,” says Francis Manapul. Manapul is a critically lauded Canadian artist. His new Flash comic will be one of DC Comics’ first to be immediately converted into digital. “Superman and Batman will always sell, but lesser known characters like Martian Manhunter or Aquaman are going to suffer.”

“Pay for the damn thing,” he quickly adds. “If you can buy a five dollar coffee, you can pay for a two-ninety-nine comic.”

Stewart, however, doesn’t think that piracy is a big deal. He knows that most of his work can be pirated easily, but feels that all media are subject to this, not just comics.

“We’re adopting a new paradigm in which everything is free first and then anyone who wants to support will buy it afterwards,” He takes this belief to heart. Stewart offers his own web comic, Sin Titulo, for free on his website, and then sells a graphic novel version once he finishes enough pages.

“Besides, the only people who are pirating comics are into comics to begin with, they’re more likely to buy a copy than anyone else.”

Despite many of the challenges ahead for comics distribution and sales, there is an overwhelming belief that digital comics and web comics are expanding the medium and the readership.

“I love that young creators who don’t have connections to Joe Quesada [Marvel Comics’ chief creative officer], or don’t have the money to self-publish can still publish online,” says Templeton.

“These days you don’t have to go through the system and talk to a publisher, by gum, an artist could just put it online every week and see if they can build an audience.”

Web comics are a popular phenomenon that has been around for almost as long as the internet itself. Well-known comics like Penny Arcade, XKCD, Questionable Content and Achewood all came from independent artists and writers.

Graham Moogk-Soulis began his comic, PostScript, in his freshman year of university. It ran the student newspaper Imprint and by his second year, he had a website and was posting them online.

“My ultimate goal was always to be in newspaper comics … I would look at my website and say, ‘there’s no career in that,” Moogk-Soulis says with a sheepish grin. “But as I started researching newspaper syndication I realized I was born ten years too late.”

The funnies and other newspaper syndicated comics have had a worse time in the last decade than the rest of the comic book industry.  The Village Voice reported in April that most cartoonists need multiple jobs to sustain themselves, as many of them are forced to work for free. As newspapers continue to decline in sales, demand for syndicated comics has as well.

“[Web comics] are still incredibly difficult, you still need a day job or if you’re like me, be a student, to support you,” says Moogk-Soulis. He’s optimistic that someday he’ll be able to make a living out of his comic, and sells prints on his website and at conventions to generate revenue.

Stewart is confident that web comics are the next stage in comic production. He’s willing to bet that Marvel and DC would generate a lot more interest if they had exclusively online series. Not to mention that he thinks focusing on the web will fix many of the glitches found in digital comics.

“Print comics are limited by the amount of ink you can fit on paper, but online you can do whatever you want. If you think about the aesthetic of digital, one panel at a time, you’ll be able to take advantage of it,” he says. There’s a concept in comic design called the “infinite canvas” which implies that on the web, you have literally infinite space to make a story. No need for turning a page at all.

“No matter where this industry goes, I’m sticking with the web. I’m at a stage in my life where I don’t like accumulating stuff,” says Stewart.

Many love saying good bye to dusty basements and garages filled with thirty-year-old periodicals. The iPad can store just as many issues of X-Men and Wonder Woman without all the clutter. Yet, Templeton is quick to remind people that there will always be a place for print comics.

“If you want a first edition copy of the Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway you’re going to pay a thousand dollars for it while the paperback is out this week for eight-ninety-five and there’s a reason for that,” he says. “Print is a moment in history that you can hold in your hand.”

From: http://ctmedia.ca/20111014/comic-book-industry-hopes-to-rebound-through-digital-distribution/

DC Comics Sells Over 5 Million Comic Books in Six Weeks
Historic Renumbering Drives Record-Breaking Sales!

NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2011 — DC Comics – the home of Superman, Batman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman – is experiencing its best comic books sales in more than 20 years, following a historic renumbering of all DC Comics titles with 52 all-new first issues. With sales of more than 5 million copies in only six weeks, the first issues of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 are generating international headlines and bringing fans back into comic book stores across the country.

“We are thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive response from retailers, fans and the creative community to DC Comics — The New 52,” said DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson. “This was a bold publishing initiative that is reinvigorating and growing the industry and medium we love.”

“We did more than just change Superman’s costume and renumber the entire line. We took a huge risk and it’s paying off,” said Jim Lee, DC Entertainment co-publisher and artist of JUSTICE LEAGUE. “Comic book retailers are seeing returning fans as well as new readers flock to their stores.”

Earlier this year, and before DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 launched on August 31, the industry’s bestselling comic book title typically sold about 100,000 copies. In contrast:

• JUSTICE LEAGUE #1 has sold more than 250,000 copies.
• ACTION COMICS #1 and BATMAN #1 have both sold more than 200,000 copies.
• DETECTIVE COMICS #1, THE FLASH #1, GREEN LANTERN #1 and SUPERMAN #1 have all sold more than 150,000 copies.
• AQUAMAN #1, BATGIRL #1, BATMAN AND ROBIN #1, BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #1, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #1, GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS #1 and WONDER WOMAN #1 have all sold more than 100,000 copies.

So, just how many comic books are we talking about? With New York Comic Con kicking off this week, let’s look to some of New York’s famous landmarks for some visual context. It takes (approximately):

• 2,090,880 comic books laid end to end to stretch from one end of New York State to the other. We’ve sold enough DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 first issues to span New York State in its entirety two times over.
• 174,480 comic books stacked on top of each other to reach the top of the Empire State Building. That’s every copy of GREEN LANTERN #1—with issues to spare.
• 36,600 comic books stacked in a pile to reach the top of the Statue of Liberty. That means copies of WONDER WOMAN #1 could reach the top of Lady Liberty almost three times.

Oh, and 5 million copies sold? That’s enough copies of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 to lay out and span the distance from New York to Chicago – with some left over.

“People are buying, reading and talking about a line of comic books in a way they haven’t in years,” said Dan DiDio, DC Entertainment co-publisher. “We’re thrilled to see the passionate response fans have had, but this is just Step One for us. Now our plan is to keep the momentum and enthusiasm going.”

“When DC Entertainment was created almost two years ago, we committed to an environment of ‘no fear’ when it came to creative and business risks,” said Nelson. “I couldn’t be more proud of our Publishing team for embracing this mantra and delivering in a way that is growing the genre, our partners’ businesses and our fan base, while helping to fuel the creative engine that drives so many Warner Bros.’ content businesses.”

In addition to debuting all-new first issues in comic shops, DC COMICS – THE NEW 52 launched same-day digital publishing, with DC Entertainment becoming the first major comic book publisher to release their entire line of ongoing titles same-day digital.

“Our digital sales have been better than we could have imagined and we are pleased that these sales are additive to traditional publishing sales in the comic book stores,” said John Rood, executive vice president of Sales, Marketing and Business Development. “We’re not migrating readers from print to digital. We’re adding more new readers into the mix.”

From: http://robot6.comicbookresources.com/2011/10/nycc-dcs-new-52-sells-5-million-comics-in-just-six-weeks/