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February 10, 2009: NYCC - Superman "Building a Better Tomorrow" Panel

Building a Better Tomorrow

At the 2009 New York Comic Con I attended DC's "Superman: Building a Better Tomorrow" panel where the storylines for all Superman family books were discussed. The World of New Krypton book and story arc were a big part of the discussion, with Action Comics helmer Greg Rucka explaining that although he'd love to tell the crowd exactly what was planned for the year, he'd rather not spoil it. "I will tell you though that we're taking Superman on a really, I think, extraordinary character journey and we're doing it in a place and in a way that I think has been a long time coming." Further elaboration revealed that an exploration of what Krypton was will be investigated through an ongoing discovery of the planet's legacy. "James [Robinson] and I are really, really having fun on this," said Rucka. "And I'm really excited."

When asked to explain how Superman's disappearance for a year would effect the other Superman family titles, Superman writer James Robinson stated that yes, while Superman will be away from the Earth, we will still see, through the Superman title, "Supergirl in her book in a way that you've never perhaps seen her before... you're going to see life in Metropolis, you're going to see the Nightwing and Flamebird character interacting with the DC Universe. All of this is driven by events that happen in this book [Superman: World of New Krypton] so even though he's not on Earth it's still the crucial Superman book.

"So while Superman is off doing his thing on New Krypton," continued Robinson. "Someone needs to be protecting Metropolis." Robinson then referred to the images of many upcoming covers showcasing multiple heroes on Superman family books will show that it takes more than one person to fill Superman's shoes. Some of the heroes that will be showcased throughout the year will be Mon-El, the Guardian, Steel, Black Lightning and even Zatarra, who according to Robinson is quite annoying, though he didn't use those words exactly. Robinson further emphasized that there would be many interesting plot threads and character beats and that Mon-El, "As opposed to just appearing out of the Phantom Zone and being this goofy good guy, he is sort of, he still is a goofy good guy, he has his own personal arc that you'll see as sort of tragic." The Guardian will also be trying to find his humanity, though he's sort of considered a "soul-less clone." So in addition to following their own personal character arcs, these heroes will be facing the machinations of various villains that spring up from the World of New Krypton book.

Insane in the Membrane

Greg Rucka, referring to cover artwork shown on a slide screen, said, "Um, that's Ursa. Ursa of Zod, Non and Ursa." The audience laughed while viewing the picture, which showed Ursa with glowing red eyes standing before two hapless, fiery corpses. "She's not right in the head," said Rucka, eliciting further laughter from the collected group. "She has issues and she explores these issues through violence. A lot of violence." This discussion led to the next slide, which showcased Nightwing and Flamebird and in yet another instance of our creators avoiding the question, Rucka complained that the problem with a discussion about those two characters is that it inevitably leads to questions about who they really are and "I'm not going to tell you. They are really cool and no they are not Superman. Just calm down and read for a little bit."

Robinson then asked the crowd, to the chagrin of other panelists: "How many of you are dubious about the prospect of us doing these books that don't have Superman in them?"

"Why ask that question," said Rucka as the audience laughed.

Rucka then prompted the audience to be open and honest about the way they feel, saying "Let us help you through it." He then called on one particular guy, saying the gentleman was clearly "not a fan of Superman," even though the guy was wearing both a Superman hat and shirt. After Rucka remarked that he could understand the guy not being a fan of Superman because he's a hard character for people to connect to, the fan said, "I trust you guys." Then, when another fan agreed that he too trusted the panel, he added that we've been through this before [a missing Superman] after he died with "World Without a Superman."

I was personally glad I wasn't the only one thinking Superman seems to disappear an awful lot. I mean, just a year or so ago he was powerless and therefore missing for a year. When he was dead he was gone for a while and then when he took off into space during his meltdown all those years ago and then became the first Guardian he was gone too. Then there's Superman Returns where he's gone for five years. You know, a lot can happen in Metropolis and the world when Superman's not around. Plus it continuously gets harder and harder to explain why when Superman isn't around, Clark too disappears.

Robinson assured us though, that "this is going to be so much better." He also later said that other characters in Superman/Clark Kent's life would have a reasonable and very good explanation as to why Clark isn't around for a year.

I find myself wondering how many other husbands could keep disappearing for days, weeks, months and years at a time and yet not have difficulty in their marriage. I also wonder how many times Clark can be on foreign correspondent duty particularly when Superman is missing and for the exact amount of time and how no one ever notices that they depart and return together.

Johns explains Clark's disappearance saying: "He's on vacation. He and Bruce Wayne are in Hawaii."

Johns is joking, probably because he too knows how absurd any explanation really is after it happens again and again, but I say why the hell not? It's as good as "I was buried under the rubble of Superman's battle with Doomsday for some 6 months."

In further helping the audience to understand the Superman books' direction when someone remarked that buying a Superman book meant to him he should be getting a book with Superman in it, Rucka remarked "You are getting a book with Superman in it. What this is is an opportunity to tell a different kind of Superman story that in a lot of ways mine some of the best ideas of the old and then executes them ways that they never got a chance to breathe." Rucka further spoke about how though our favorite hero isn't in Action or Superman, that his presence is still felt by everybody. The indication was that the character of Superman is so big that he's big enough that he motivates other characters by their experiences with him and through knowing him. "Superman isn't simply Superman," he said. "Superman is also Jimmy and Lois and all of these elements of that universe and we're not abandoning them."

Apparently, both Lois and Jimmy play a major role in things to come and in the overall plan and there have been hints and ongoing plot threads as far back as "Last Son" and through the recent Brainiac story. Robinson added, "It's a tapestry whose pieces you will see all come together." He further commented that things that didn't at once seem significant will suddenly seem to make sense and all tie in to what happens next.

Changes

Attention was then directed to Supergirl writer Sterling Gates who said there were plans in place to show some very interesting things in the New Krypton arc about Supergirl's mother and family. He also mentioned that the identity of Linda Lang is not going away and that we can expect it to come back into the picture soon. "Just wait for it," said Gates. "It's going to be big." He also gave props to his teammate on Supergirl, artist Jamal Igle, saying: "Jamal's kicking holy #$* on it."

"I've known Sterling a long time," added Legion of Three Worlds writer Geoff Johns. "I think he's doing a phenomenal job at turning Supergirl around. I think it's a fantastic book and where he's going with it and what's coming up it's one of my favorite books at DC Comics right now so if you haven't checked it out, give it a shot."

Robinson emphasized that the whole team always felt that Supergirl has often been considered a secondary book and that they really wanted to make it something essential and important in its own right.

I personally felt bad for new Action Comics artist Eddy Barrows, at this point in the panel when Rucka announced he somehow missed that Eddy was sitting two men down from him. I didn't feel bad because Rucka hadn't mentioned him yet, but rather because I started to imagine how he must have felt when he got the call to work on a famous, world-renowned Superman title and then he was told that, no, Superman wouldn't be in it. I know how I would feel, being that it's a chance to work on one of the most legendary fictional characters in the world in a title that has been around for 70 years, unless DC decides to suddenly yank out its mainstay main character just as you take over. When that happens it just kind of sucks and unfortunately for Barrows, that's what just happened.

It was then Geoff Johns' turn to talk about his new endeavor Adventure Comics that he'll be writing with art by Francis Manupal. Geoff describes the new book as having spun out of the Legion of Three Worlds title. Starman will have a central role in the book and even Superman will appear, though he will not star. Though Johns said several times in the panel he wasn't able to say anything, he did add that he and Gary Frank are on a project called Superman: Secret Origin, which will come out this summer and will star Superboy, young Lex Luthor, Metallo, Bizarro, Parasite, Clark Kent and the Legion. Johns also indicated that, while it's not essential the fans read all the Superman related books, that the goal of the entire team is to make each and every book so good that hopefully when someone picks it up to check it out they'll want to continue reading. Geoff agreed, saying that no, breaking the books down like this and having certain characters only appear in certain books was not a gimmick and that it was just a great way to tell a story.

Questions and Concerns

When asked whether there will be a love interest during the New Krypton arc, Rucka exclaimed, "He's married!" The fan insisted that Superman being married was why he'd asked the question and Rucka responded, "Yes."

Another fan asked where we can follow the story of Lex Luthor's sibling and Johns responded, saying to read Legion of Three Worlds. Next someone expressed a hope that Conner Kent would soon come back, saying he'd love to be celebrating the character's epic return this time next year and Johns told him that if he likes Black Lanterns he'll be happy and the crowd cheered. Johns was then congratulated on the recent episode of Smallville he'd written called "Legion" and asked if we'll see Chris Kent anytime soon. "I hope so," replied a smug Johns to audience laughter. The panel agreed that there would be many more featured Kryptonians from comics past in the New Krypton story and indicated names like Jax-Ur and Tor-An.

I expressed a concern to the panel, wondering if this was an attempt by DC, since Superman's maybe not as popular right now as we'd like him to be, to move these books in a new direction and interest people in new and different characters that might capture the public's interest. For the first time during the panel, I got the distinct impression that this question might have ruffled some feathers. If it did, I certainly didn't mean it to. My curiosity over the widespread changes and the removal of Superman from Superman comics stems from the sincere concern that DC might one day abandon our favorite hero and by taking him out of his own books for a year I'm certainly not feeling any more comfortable that might not happen.

The response I got was Rucka interrupting me mid-statement, waving his hands and saying that I was asking two different questions. Other panelists merely squinted as if they didn't understand the question or looked to Rucka like they were hoping he'd be able to silence me. "If you write good Superman stories," answered a seemingly flustered Rucka, "people will respond to good Superman stories and hopefully you'll be serving him well, right? These other characters that you're going to be seeing in Action, Flamebird and Nightwing, I would love for them to have legs and a really long run, all right? But the object of the exercise isn't to go well this wasn't working maybe this will. It's an opportunity to maybe introduce something fresh and a little different and at the same time to support what we have and I think, to help it be as strong as it can be."

Rucka then asked if what he'd answered made sense. Now, even though someone on the panel said it did, I'm still left wondering how turning the Superman books into a series of books starring other characters for a proposed year, though I'm concerned it could be more as we seem to be hemorrhaging Superman titles by the week, supports the theory of telling a good Superman story. I'm certainly not saying the story they're preparing and writing isn't going to be compelling, good or even great. Just that it seems rather odd they've decided to remove Superman from the Earth and from his books. It's not even just that he's going to be on New Krypton, because that does sound very interesting. But rather that during the time he's there, he won't be in any of the books we've come to expect him to be in. So for at least a year, the only place we can see Superman in current time will be in the New Krypton book. Essentially a 12-month special starring the greatest hero in the DCU is the only place Superman will be? I'm personally looking forward to the story and I really hope that having him missing from his own books somehow serves him, as Rucka says, and that the books only get better from there.

Citing all the changes to the Superman line, another fan wondered if we should expect changes to the Superman supporting cast as well. Geoff Johns stated there would still be a great focus on Lois, Jimmy, Steve Lombard, Cat Grant, Lana Lang, Perry White and Ron Troupe.

"I love Lois," Rucka announced. "I think she's a fabulous character and I like writing her and I have the chance to so I'm going to."

"Yeah Greg basically comes in and goes," interjected Johns. "I claim Lois."

Rucka then admitted to having sent an email saying everyone was to stay away from Lois because she was his. The rest of the panel then sounded off on who they were claiming with Sterling Gates saying he loved Cat Grant and Lana, while Robinson said he loves Jimmy. "Between us we've got the whole thing covered," he said.

"You know," said Johns. "I call Steve Lombard then."

Someone on panel asked who wanted Ron Troupe, Johns said he had him too and that he already had plans for the character. In response Jamal Igle exclaimed "Can't you give Ron Troupe to the one brother on the panel?" With that the crowd erupted in laughter and applause.

Surprise and Mystery

When they were asked when the mystery of Sam Lane would be explored, Rucka insisted he wouldn't give a date but that it would happen this year and when the repercussions over the death of Supergirl's father were discussed, Sterling Gates asked if we liked Black Lanterns. Rucka added that the repercussions of that death would be felt in several books. "Two worlds may feel the result of that death in fact!" Rucka exclaimed.

In what might have been the most uncomfortable moment of the weekend, a fan stated to Robinson that he'd dropped Superman when Robinson started writing it. The fan remarked that having Superman remark that Hal Jordan's dead girlfriend Jade was "so hot" and that showing Lois as being jealous of Zatana were so out of character he could no longer buy the book. Robinson insisted he didn't write Superman saying that and Johns pointed out that Jordan never even dated Jade. Robinson explained that Superman may have said something along the lines of Jordan having met many exotic girls but certainly not that some dead woman was hot. Furthermore, Robinson said he'd apologize if someone could show him that page and prove to him Superman said that.

"Ultimately," said Robinson. "It sounds as if I write a Superman that you can't identify with or that you don't like and if that's the case then I am sorry but I do have to write what I believe to be the character."

As far as the case of Lois being jealous of Zatana in fishnets, Gates pointed out that he's seen many women jealous over fishnets and Johns remarked that he too gets jealous over fishnets. Igle pointed out that this wasn't the first time Lois was jealous over another super-powered woman and that she'd often come across as feeling intimidated by Wonder Woman's traits. Robinson wrapped up this part of the discussion by saying he was trying to show the petty little squabbles that married couples sometimes have and that he felt that was putting the characters in a realistic light, that he liked the scene and that he wouldn't apologize for it.

In perhaps the most interesting subject of the panel, a fan asked "What was Zod referring to when he said something far worse was coming?" Rucka and the others on the panel refused to say for sure, but insisted that it was something Zod was afraid of. Rucka said "Until Zod had his G-String handed to him by Superman in 'Last Son,' Zod had only been defeated once. That was by Brainiac. And Zod's not afraid of Brainiac.

"He's afraid of this thing," added Johns.

Finally, when the panel was asked what made them decide to kill Pa Kent again, stating he'd always preferred a Superman with both his parents, Johns answered that losing Jonathan is part of Clark's journey in this story arc. "It's not often," he said, "that you get to see a story where Superman experiences great joy coupled with great tragedy and we wanted him to experience that." The theory being that if Superman was going to gain this great piece of his history and reclaim a whole race of people, that he needed to also lose something and that would then be a heart wrenching part of his great failure and success at the same time.

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