Brian Michael Bendis on Superman’s New Villain

ComicBookResources.com caught up with writer Brian Michael Bendis to talk to him about his upcoming run as the writer of Superman comic books, his plans for Clark Kent, the introduction of a new villain, and the differences between DC Comics and Marvel. Here are a few excerpts from the interview…

You seem to be very enamored with Superman history coming into this. You’ve been talking a lot about great milestone issues of the past, and it’s not lost on people that you’re calling your six-issue series Man of Steel.

We went back and forth on this. Dan DiDio wanted to call it Man of Steel, and I was hesitant. It harkens back to [John Byrne’s famed reinvention in the ’80s], which was it’s own thing. And it’s also the title of a movie that I was very critical of. So I said to Dan, “We have to be aware that I was bummed out by that movie.” I went back and reread everything I wrote. No, I didn’t delete all those comments where I was critical of DC. [Laughs] I knew someone was going to throw it in my face. So I went back and read it, and I felt like it was the impassioned plea of desperate Superman fan. I stand by it. But I was happy that I didn’t go back and read it until I already had a few issues of Man of Steel written. I looked at it then and felt, “Oh! I’m doing what I said!” I’m literally doing the thing I said I wanted to see in Superman. So my subconscious and my conscious mind were working in tandem, which isn’t always the case.

As for the introduction of a new villain in his first story, Bendis said…

No matter what Superman storyline I saw, Lex Luthor was somehow involved. Every single big storyline – even if it was not a Lex storyline – in the second-to-last issue there came Lex Luthor. I just thought, “Let’s do some stories that don’t involve Lex sometimes.” So I’m going to take a break from him.

For those that love Lex Luthor, he’ll be front and center in the Justice League book – you can have your cake and eat it too. But meanwhile, we’re going to challenge Superman in some new ways with some new characters. And eventually, when it’s time to bring Lex back, we’ll bring him back. But sometimes it’s an albatross around writers necks that they feel they have to use him.

I also have this memory of listening to the Howard Stern show like 15 years ago where he was saying, “Why is every Superman movie about Lex Luthor? Every one! Where’s Brainiac?” And that is a very good note! There are more stories to be told. But the mass populace, all they know of Superman is Lex Luthor. So now, between the SyFy show Krypton and what we’re going to do, we’re going to really get a chance to build that up. And from what I’ve gathered from people, this is what they’ve been looking for too.

Read the complete interview at CBR.com.

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Evarwyn
Evarwyn
April 27, 2018 9:10 pm

I’m looking forward to Man of Steel…but I just hope Bendis doesn’t approach politics. I’ve been worried since he said he was going to get back to “Truth, Justice and the American way…because now those ideas are under siege”

The excerpts in this article make me feel a bit better about the new series coming out. May 30th can’t come fast enough!

sundevil82
sundevil82
April 28, 2018 12:57 am

I’m loving everything I’m hearing from Bendis. I’m truly excited for his run. He seems to really understand the character and wants to bring out the best parts of him, which is more than I can say for a lot of others. I prefer the approach of adding to the mythology rather than changes for the sake of change.

Superman1221
Superman1221
April 28, 2018 8:37 am

Im not looking forward to his run sadly. The last two years of Superman and Action have been some of the best stuff in years. I am afraid Bendis is going to do what he does and just bring shock for shock sake.

Kal L
Kal L
April 28, 2018 7:46 pm

I am both excited and trepidatious about his upcoming run. He has done some stuff I liked and a lot of stuff I didn’t like at Marvel. But I am willing to give him a go. I like his excitement for Superman. I was glad that he didn’t have the attitude of “Make Superman Great Again”. He acknowledged that the character was in a good place, and wanted to build on that.

Lets see what Truth, Justice and the American Way is under Bendis.

kal-bert
kal-bert
April 29, 2018 12:04 am

I’m not specially excited with this new route they’re taking. It looks that in the last 20 years every writer feels the need to change Superman’s origins. But Bendis said some things that I liked too so, I will give him a chance. I also hope to get an explanation of the return of The Trunks (not the Trunks from Dragon Ball, Superman’s trunks). I’m happy to have them back but it feels weird that in issue #999 they were out and in #1000 they suddenly reappear. Or…I better not ask. They might think it back and take them away… Read more »

jer
jer
April 29, 2018 12:35 pm

No matter how you shake it, it’s gonna be an adventure and that is what comics and Superman are all about – in the final analysis, time will tell just how good!