The Official Superman Thread

[WompuM]

Have they ever said that kryptonians aren't super evolved humans? Like Red Son? Would anyone have a problem if that Krypton was canon?

 

[The Question]

Dude, whats the fun of that? This argument was ten times more interesting and better written than the title were supposed to be discussing.

Yeah, but I changed my mind. Sort of. I still don't think that it should be stated that humans and Kryptonians are simply compatible for no reason, but I don't think it's that important that we hear what the reason is anymore.

 

[Morgoth]

So the kid is Zod's, that is cool. I was annoyed with yet another Kryptonian popping up, but this made up for it. I like it, I like it. t:

 

[Binker]

Here is an interview with Geoff Johns on the arc like the return of the three villians:

While the anticipated Geoff Johns/Richard Donner/Adam Kubert run on DC's flagship title began with the appearance of a young boy from Krypton in issue #844, his heritage was revealed in #845.

Oh - before we go further…

SPOILER WARNING

Seriously - it's a nice reveal, and if you haven't read it, don't let us go ruining it for you, okay?

Scoot.

So - everyone who's still here read Action Comics #844-#845, right? Click here for a six page preview of #845 if ya need the reminder...

The boy from Krypton - named "Chris" by Clark Kent and Lois Lane, who've taken him into their guardianship - turned out to be the son of General Zod and Ursa, recently of the Phantom Zone. "Recently," because at the end of #845, together with Non, the three landed in the Arctic wilderness that serves as a location for Superman's Fortress of Solitude.

Oh, it's on.

We spoke with Geoff Johns about the reveal, and the upcoming storyline.

Newsarama: First off Geoff, just so we get it on the table - General Zod, Ursa and Non - who are these characters, continuity-wise?

Geoff Johns: Well, Ursa and Non have never appeared in the comics before, so this is their debut, obviously. As for General Zod - there was the Silver Age Zod, the pocket universe Zod, the Russian Zod, the Jim Lee Zod, and this Zod. For this, we're going back to the classic incarnation of General Zod. He's a criminal from Krypton who wasn't originally a criminal, and you'll find out more of his backstory and origin - as well as his relationship to Jor-el in the Action Annual, and in upcoming issues of Action.

NRAMA: So, in short, this Zod is not the Zod who's appeared previously.

GJ: Right.

NRAMA: And he wasn't a criminal on Krypton?

GJ: Not at first - he was actually an ally of Jor-el's. When Dick [Donner] and I first talked about bringing Zod, Ursa and Non in, we really wanted to talk about their backstory, because we have more room to get into it. So - you'll find out that Jor-el and Zod were allies before Zod was sent to the Phantom Zone. Likewise, Non has a huge backstory that explains why he is the way he is, and we're going to explore all of that.

But really - we're taking the original version of Zod, and then Ursa and Non from the film and doing the comic book version of that.

NRAMA: You've talked about the working relationship you have with Dick on Action, something almost like approaching the stories that you're telling as seeing what toys the two of you want to play with. Was this something that, for him, was an itch he'd been meaning to scratch for twenty or so years, or just one of the most familiar things he knew to start off with?

GJ: I think for us, it was a matter of if we were going to do an arc, we just got thinking about the last time Zod, Non and Ursa were used in the comics. Well, they've never used Non and Ursa, and General Zod…they've danced around the real General Zod for a long, long time, and so we thought of this as the first thing we wanted to do - bring the villains that Dick is best known for on to the table. It just made sense for us.

NRAMA: So, as you said, you're approaching them, fundamentally, as the same, or extremely similar characters to as they appeared in Superman II?

GJ: A bit, but yes - we're using that as a base, but expanding it for the comics. Their backstories are going to be different; their motivations are going to be very different. But we want to stick with them. Everyone knows who they are, and they should be big Superman villains.

NRAMA: So the goal, at least in part, is to set them up as major players in Superman's villains' gallery?

GJ: Yeah, exactly.

NRAMA: The last time any of them were used - seriously and undeniably "them" used was what - the Silver Age, with Zod?

GJ: Pretty much. But even then, Jax-ur was used more…

NRAMA: Jax-ur?

GJ: I've read every Phantom Zone story in preparation for this. Jax-ur was more of a thorn in Superman's side than General Zod was, even though Zod may have had more of a dangerous backstory. But if you ask anybody the names of Superman villains, anyone who doesn't read the comic, they'll say Zod before Brainiac. It just makes sense to use characters, flesh them out and nurture them who everybody knows.

Everyone says Superman doesn't have great villains, but he does.

NRAMA: When you said you had to ready every Phantom Zone story in preparation for this…well, first off, how many of them are there?

GJ: Oh, there are a lot of them. I got the full list from a guy named John Wells who is a Superman aficionado. I've got two short boxes of comics right by my desk, and about 60% of them are Phantom Zone Superman stories. It's amazing when you look at the number of villains in the comics back in the day who were in the Phantom Zone - they just kept adding more. There's a ton of them - and some of them had interesting concepts behind them, like this guy named Tor-an who got out, and seduced Supergirl.

At heart though, they're scary characters. Imagine all the worst villains - and there's a variety of them, and put them in one place. And if they ever came out…

NRAMA: You're going to be getting into this in the Annual and the upcoming issues obviously, but if you can, can you talk about both what the Phantom Zone is like, and what it was used for on Krypton? If one thing about the Phantom Zone has remained true through from the Silver Age, it seems to be that it's a place that is seriously no fun, and Kryptonians viewed sending someone there as an absolute last resort…

GJ: It was a tough decision for them to make, that's for sure. On the whole, as a society and culture, there weren't many villains that popped up on Krypton, but the ones that did were really, really bad. They used execution for a while, but Jor-el found the Phantom Zone, and thought that was a better option than death. Eventually, they'd be released, or, as the idea went, they'd be able to find some new kind of rehabilitation in the future.

But as for the Phantom Zone itself, it's a void. It's a dangerous place. There's nothing. There are things in there that have been put in there that we'll get into - after all, where did the rockets come from? That's all coming up in Action Comics in the next two issues.

But it's a terribly scary place. And we're playing with the idea that they can observe us from that side, and how that affects one's psyche. It's pretty easy to go mad inside that place.

NRAMA: Worse than solitary confinement?

GJ: I'd say so, yeah. And it's not just a totally empty void. There's not land, but there are strange things inside. That's why we're doing the3-D in issue #848. All the 3-D stuff is inside the Phantom Zone.

NRAMA: So - it's not just a gimmick for the issue?

GJ: Right - it's a story-driven thing. We wanted to make it appear really different and do something other than just a color effect or whatever.

NRAMA: So - to tease things out for #846, Zod refers to Chris as his and Ursa's son…the truth?

GJ: Yes - he is their son.

NRAMA: But - given his attitude in #844 and #845…it's going to be a tough sell to buy him as a plant, and have him suddenly start twirling his moustache. Is he a willing participant in the larger plan?

GJ: Chris, for Zod and Ursa, is a tool. That's all he is.

NRAMA: And Clark and Lois are showing him a better time?

GJ: He's already felt more love in five minutes with Superman than he has in his entire life. But we will get more into that and his relationship with his parents as we go forward.

NRAMA: While you're playing with the fatherhood theme, as well as the idea that Chris may be…not treated well by his parents, something that looks to be a large element that's echoing with the real world seems to be that Zod is coming off as…well, a fundamentalist. Not a religious one, that is, but a true believer of his way for a better world…

GJ: Yes.

NRAMA: And willing to use all his powers to make that better world a reality, even if it means killing anyone who doesn't see things his way?

GJ: Yes.





NRAMA: Was that something that you and Dick decided you wanted to play with specifically, that is, to draw parallels between your story and the larger battle that we seem to be facing in our world?

GJ: Not really. The theme is obviously there, but it's not like we set out to tackle it, specifically. I think it's just that…with Zod, and you'll see this as the issues come out, the conflict with Zod is rooted more in what Joe-el wanted and what Zod wanted for the future of Krypton.

But again, there are some echoes of real world themes that have leaked into our story, but that's always the case, I think.

NRAMA: Back to upcoming events, or possible upcoming events of #846 - as you said, Zod, Ursa and Non were not alone in the Phantom Zone. We've seen a total four rockets. Are there more rockets in the Phantom Zone?

GJ: That remains to be seen, I guess.

NRAMA: What kind of reception are Zod, Non and Ursa up for in #846 - and along with that, what can you say about their plan? Zod's a military man, so are we going to see him surveying the battlefield and weighing out the opponent before going on the offensive?

GJ: Yeah - they've arrived right at the House of El - the Fortress of Solitude. So their first mission is to see where this Superman lives, to see what they can learn about him, other than what they know about him from the glimpses they've seen from the Phantom Zone. They want to survey Superman and bit, and then they want their son.

Er, I mean, they need their son.

NRAMA: Want or need?

GJ: Need. Definitely need.

NRAMA: We've talked about this before, but now that we're seeing your and Dick's execution on it, it bears revisiting - both in Superman Returns and your Action run, there's a child - a "son." Was the timing planned/not planned? Obviously, Dick and Bryan Singer are very close…

GJ: In all honesty, we came up with this idea probably about two years ago - that was before we knew anything about the kid showing up in the movie. When we heard about the kid, we thought about changing our story, but decided not to, because wee believe in it, and wanted to tell it, and, I think people will see, it's a different type of story.

If people want, or wanted to assume that this was a kid from Krypton, I didn't have a problem with it - they didn't see the twist coming that this was Zod and Ursa's son. So we're going for it, and I'm really happy with how our story is turning out. I don't mind if people want to think that we're doing our version of what we'd do with a kid or something, because it's fun and it's a solid story.

And our outcome is extremely different.

NRAMA: And how many issues is your first arc?

GJ: This one is six. The thing we're trying really hard to do is make it as accessible as possible. The only thing you really need to know about Superman is that he's married to Lois Lane. Everything else is pretty easy to follow.

NRAMA: Everyone is there, doing what they're supposed to be doing and acting how they're supposed to be acting…

GJ: Right. And don't get me wrong - I've seen some of the comments asking why Jimmy Olsen is so young. He's not. We're not trying to play him young, but we are trying to play him as the classic Jimmy Olsen. It's more fun, and I don't know how else to play Jimmy Olsen. I like to write a fun, cool Jimmy Olsen, but I don't want to write a near-adult Jimmy Olsen. He should be a fun kid who just has really bad luck.

NRAMA: He's the charming, "cool geek" that has grown into his own subcategory of character in way, Joss Whedon's shows and elsewhere, kind of?

GJ: Right. He's really smart, and he's actually really good at his job, but man, he has bad luck, and he's a little overzealous. And Clark Kent is the same way too, a little bit. He's a great reporter, but he's not the best at the Daily Planet. Lois is. He's a little bit absent minded - he's always listening to other things, and his X-ray vision is turning on and off as he needs it. He's not an idiot, but he's not he most well-respected and loved reporter at the Daily Planet - and he shouldn't be.

NRAMA: Otherwise, where's the escape that "Clark" provides?

GJ: Right - it's too easy. Also, one of the things that attracts Jimmy to Clark is that Clark is the only other guy that he hears people talking about. Jimmy gets called out a lot, and people disrespect him, and they also do that to Clark. That's why those two connect.

People just don't pay a lot of attention to Clark, and that's what he wants. He blends in easily.

NRAMA: Which explains all the "Clark, where were you? Superman was just here…"

GJ: Completely.

NRAMA: Continuing down this road and covering a few more of the nudges and bumps that you and Dick have made to get everybody where you want them to be, let's talking about the relationship between Superman and the Jor-el construct in the Fortress. In those scenes, things seemed more alien and distant than Superman's been shown to be in a while…

GJ: Yeah - the first scene you see is Superman going to Jor-el, saying he's been away for a while, by which he's referring to the events of the last few years in the DCU. He tells Jor-el that he's lived as one of "them."

"Did you enjoy it?

"Yes I did."

"Remember, you're not one of them. You look like one of them, that's why you're here, but you're not one of them."

Jor-el is always going to be the constant reminder. He's going to remind his son and want his son to remember his Kryptonian heritage. It's no so much a callousness or coldness as it is an undying truth for Superman. And you have to remember it is a simulation.

NRAMA: So it's like an almost "frozen in time" Jor-el, working to keep his son on track?

GJ: Right, and you can see that - and this is the way it was worked in the films, too, he's often going against his father's wishes or his father's wants - especially if you see the Donner Cut of Superman II. That's the relationship we see between those two - it's not really his father, but it's a simulation that acts as well as Jor-el would.

NRAMA: Larger picture-wise…is this story, as you see it, in continuity? That is, this is occurring post-Crisis and all that means for Superman?

GJ: It is, but we're pulling back a little to make sure that the story is all about Superman. Sarge Steel from Wonder Woman is in there, we mention Supergirl, but we're not going to cram it full of stuff unless it's important to the story.

NRAMA: That said, there will be references, one assumes, if Zod, Ursa and Non are wandering around the fortress…

GJ: Exactly. But with this initial arc, if it feels separate, that's a good thing - we really wanted it to stand on its own.

NRAMA: That said, and finally, will there be guest appearances as the run progress?

GJ: Eventually we will, yes. We've talked about Batman, and Dick really wants to get Batman in there. We've talked about how their interaction will be, and we'll probably have a slightly different take than other people, but we'll probably be seeing that sooner than later.

Source: http://www.newsarama.com

 

[Darthphere]

Like I said over at newsarama:

You know, I dont think Johns thinks comic book fans are stupid, but with this and the Up, Up, and Away arc, im sorry, im not going to buy that he didnt know anything about Superman Returns and these storylines have nothing to do with the movie. I just find that fact hard to believe.

 

[Darthphere]

NRAMA: Everyone is there, doing what they're supposed to be doing and acting how they're supposed to be acting…

GJ: Right. And don't get me wrong - I've seen some of the comments asking why Jimmy Olsen is so young. He's not. We're not trying to play him young, but we are trying to play him as the classic Jimmy Olsen. It's more fun, and I don't know how else to play Jimmy Olsen. I like to write a fun, cool Jimmy Olsen, but I don't want to write a near-adult Jimmy Olsen. He should be a fun kid who just has really bad luck.

JIMMY OLSEN ISNT A ****ING KID ANYMORE!!!!!

 

[yenaled]

I don't even want to read that interview it will just make me angry.

 

[The Question]

It's really sad that I can look at some of DC's bigger titles (Superman, JLofA, et.c), and think "I could write this better."

 

[Ultimate_Superman]

I think it is a great read I like where they are going with Superman.

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

It's really sad that I can look at some of DC's bigger titles (Superman, JLofA, et.c), and think "I could write this better."

i don't think you can. especially with your JLA line up.

 

[The Question]

i don't think you can. especially with your JLA line up.

What's wrong with my line up?

 

[WompuM]

I'm glad Marvel's Spider-man mvie don't pull crap like this. Rather than giving stories out of left field and having to impliment them into comics, they use stories fans like that have tested against time.
Well, nevermind, I just remembered how good Batman Begins was. Maybe it's just Donner i don't like. I heard from the Goonies comentary that he was a prick.

 

[Pksoze]

It's really sad that I can look at some of DC's bigger titles (Superman, JLofA, et.c), and think "I could write this better."

You can think that, but most fans including me would not be good writers.

 

[Dr. Fate]

So the kid is Zod's, that is cool. I was annoyed with yet another Kryptonian popping up, but this made up for it. I like it, I like it. t:

So I guess we cannot call Superman "The Last Son of Krypton" but merely call him "One of the Last Sons of Krypton".

 

[Dr. Fate]

I'm glad Marvel's Spider-man mvie don't pull crap like this. Rather than giving stories out of left field and having to impliment them into comics, they use stories fans like that have tested against time.
Well, nevermind, I just remembered how good Batman Begins was. Maybe it's just Donner i don't like. I heard from the Goonies comentary that he was a prick.

I don't remember the Goonies commentary calling Donner a prick.

 

[The Question]

You can think that, but most fans including me would not be good writers.

But I am a writer.

 

[Batman]

...The Question's one of the best superhero fiction writer's on this site.

Seriously. Check his stuff out. Tis' good.

 

[The Question]

...The Question's one of the best superhero fiction writer's on this site.

Wow. I'm really really flattered.

 

[Dr. Fate]

I wonder what sex betwen Wonderwoman and Superman must be like? It might shake the heavens, and part the vast oceans.

And cause entire buildings to crumble.

 

[Assassin]

Wow. I'm really really flattered.

Don't be, one mans opinion doesn't mean ****, there are people out there who think Liefield is the best artist ever.

 

[The Question]

Don't be, one mans opinion doesn't mean ****, there are people out there who think Liefield is the best artist ever.

Yeah, that wasn't a *****ebaggy thing to say at all.

 

[Assassin]

I was just play'n homie, thats what the was supost to indicate.

 

[sethcohen]

besides, the only man that thinks liefeld is the best ever is liefeld! haha

 

[GoldenAgeHero]

But I am a writer.

professionally?


get something published, i'll take you seriously then.

not that i don't now, but yeah.

 

[Mogwai]

Did anyone read the article in the latest Wizard (184) about what's coming up in Action Comics? Johns mentions that Bizarroworld will have a 'Land of the Dead' feel and that Brainiac's going to evolve & become more of a threat. I have a feeling that this title's going to become one of my favorites.