DC to "Rebirth" in June - Part 2

Tomasi/Gleason's run on Superman is one of the best runs the character has ever had. DEFINITELY worth checking out, imo.

 

I’d love to hear your five writers. I have mine.

I think there are definitely more good Batman stories, but when Superman has a great story, nothing compares to it.

 

This brings up another answer to @Midnite question:
By all means check out Superman: Up in the Sky by Tom King. I’m sure everyone is sick of me singing it’s praises on here, but it is, in my opinion, the best comic written in the past five years. It also edges out All Star Superman and Birthright as my favorite Superman story of all time. It’s why we love comics all wrapped into one story.

Also, Superman Smashes the Klan is worth checking out as well.

 

Yup, those are fantastic books, but were they new 52?
Past New 52 has a ton of incredible good stuff, new 52 is imo better than people say...but the list of good DC past new 52 is unbelievable.

Absolutly.
A good written Superman story beats everything...and i say that as hardcore batman fan.
If you hit all the right notes with Superman, he shows you why he is the number 1 superhero in the world.
That is why WB and DC making so many missteps with him is so frustrating, because with him you easily can get the greatest fictional entertainment in this world.

Please never stop recommending Up in the Sky to people...it needs to be read by way more people.
Same with Superman Smashes the Klan.

 

I should’ve been more clear. I really liked Jurgens’ writing for Nightwing at the end of Rebirth, where he came in and fixed the “Ric Grayson” storyline. I actually enjoyed Seeley and Humphries’ Nightwing runs in Rebirth as well.

Also, I am 100% referring to the Rebirth Red Hood and the Outlaws. I didn’t particularly like that title in New 52. Lobdell’s immaturity and creepiness was on full display during New 52 RHatO, especially with the hyper-sexualized portrayal of Starfire. It’s a shame really, because I like that team a lot. But the decision to make the Rebirth Red Hood and the Outlaws team a funhouse mirror version of the Trinity with Red Hood, Artemis, and Bizarro was brilliant and led to some serious heart in the storytelling. It was a more grown up Lobdell, with tenderness and without the frat boy baggage.

 

“Five” was arbitrary, and I’m thinking more in terms of modern comics, but…

Morrison, All Star Superman
Waid, Kingdom Come
Johns, 2006-2009
Tomasi, 2016-2018
and…Byrne? Busiek?

I think Batman is one of the easier characters to write while Superman is the hardest. Absolutely agree Batman has more good stories but nothing compares to a quality Superman arc.

 

I love it!

I absolutely agree on Morrison, Tomasi, and Waid (although I’d also credit Birthright as evidence of Waid’s mastery of the character)

I’d also throw in Alan Moore and maybe Jeph Loeb.

 

My 5 would be Morrison, Tomasi, Waid, Busiek and Pak. With Rucka and King as reserves, lol.

 

I was wracking my brain. I couldn’t think of any Rucka Superman stories off the top of my head that I have read. But I know that I need to find one.

 

I didn’t like Birthright in regards to its revisionist origin, but Waid definitely understands the character. Alan Moore and Loeb are also good. Loeb’s best years are long behind him unfortunately. I would have liked to of seen more Superman work from Moore, but Whatever Happened To the Man of Tomorrow is clearly phenomenal.

Rucka deserves being mentioned for sure. I’ve heard good things about Pak’s superman but I don’t think I’ve read any? Same with Elliot S! Maggin. Everyone raves about his superman, but I haven’t read any and unfortunately it’s never been collected.

 

His whole run on Adventures of Superman was a joy to read, imo, minus a few obligatory Infinite Crisis tie-in issues. A good portion of it is collected in 3 trades: Unconventional Warfare, That Healing Touch, and Ruin Revealed. Also, his 12-issue World of New Krypton with James Robinson was like the one great thing to come out of that whole messy New Krypton saga.

Much like Rucka's run, Pak's Action Comics run got dragged down by some tie-in stuff with the crappy storyline of the main Superman title of the time, but his own stuff was gold, imo. A couple standalone arcs I really enjoyed (that are available in their own trades): What Lies Beneath and Under the Skin. He also did a single-issue Zod origin story before he started his main run that may actually be the most interesting thing I've read from that character, as I'm not typically a fan of Zod.

 

Goodness gracious! I’m a numbskull! I just read World of New Krypton a few weeks ago. Of course I’ve read Rucka’s Superman stories. And yes, it was a brilliant representation of the character. But let’s face it, Rucka is a modern day master, along with Waid, Johns and Tomasi.

I will never understand why someone like Snyder or Bendis are handed huge titles like JL or crisis level events, as opposed to Waid and Rucka.

 

Neither will I, but I selfishly don't mind because I never enjoy big events as much as a good solo arc, so I'm happy with my favorite writers not wasting their time on those things.

 

Funny about Rucka. I googled “Rucka Superman” to get a list of his comics, and this old article came up that he authored for THR before Man of Steel came out:

Greg Rucka: A PG ‘Man of Steel,’ Please – The Hollywood Reporter

when I read something like this, I cannot help but feel like “here’s a guy who gets it.”

 

Just rereading New 52 Superman and just realized that the seeds for Rebirth were planted in Morrison's run talking about what happened to Myx.