DBWI: A Return of Superman?

[QuoProQuid]

After years of waning interest in the hero DC Comics decided in 1992 to kill off their most famous property, Superman. The event gained national media attention and forever changed the dynamics of death in comic books. Despite several attempts to reintroduce the Man of Steel into canon years later, the attempts have never quite caught on and his death has largely been accepted across the community.

It should be noted, however, that the storyline was almost aborted. Later interviews with the writers have revealed that DC almost revived Superman less than two issues after his death. It was only due to a shakeup in upper management and an unexpected death that Superman's death was able to slip by.

So, what if Superman is revived as planned? What impact does it have on popular culture?

 

[Orville_third]

Well, the attention on Batman has tended to drive DC (though he can be argued to be their titular character*, as opposed to Superman). In addition, Supergirl, Steel and The Eradicator have each had time in the spotlight thanks to Superman's death. Other characters have benefited as well, including my heroine, Zatanna.
Of course, with the trend away from the "Grim and Gritty" of the DiDio/Quesada/Post 9/11 era, it might be a good time to bring back Superman. After all, we know how well Captain Marvel is doing.

* IRL and TTL, DC was named Detective Comics.

 

[Enigmajones]

About as likely as Bruce Wayne coming back as Batman. Seriously, Batman has always been Dick Grayson, and as far as Im concerned, he's the only Batman.

 

[Pyro]

Well, the attention on Batman has tended to drive DC (though he can be argued to be their titular character*, as opposed to Superman). In addition, Supergirl, Steel and The Eradicator have each had time in the spotlight thanks to Superman's death. Other characters have benefited as well, including my heroine, Zatanna.
Of course, with the trend away from the "Grim and Gritty" of the DiDio/Quesada/Post 9/11 era, it might be a good time to bring back Superman. After all, we know how well Captain Marvel is doing.

* IRL and TTL, DC was named Detective Comics.

Don't forget Superboy. He was pretty much the reason why I started reading DC Comics when I was ten years old. I admit the clone shenanigans caught me off caught be his series has its charm with the humor and banter of Spider-Man, and the scope and absurdity of the old Silver Age Superman. Comics have gotten so violent and lack the fun titles like Superboy and Impulse had. I mean, is it necessary to disembowel C-List characters for shock value? Deaths of characters like Booster Gold in Countdown to Infinite Crisis at least served some purpose but now... hoo boy. Does anyone remember the way they killed off Wally West so Barry Allen could return from the dead and retake the mantle of the Flash? Bring up the name of Barry Allen and you are asking for an epic backdraft on any comics message board.

 

[Asharella]

If Superman had come back to life then he probably would have stopped Cyborg before he destroyed Coast City. That would mean that Hal Jordan wouldn't have gone rogue and wiped out the Green Lantern Corp as Parallax. It's pretty hard for me to imagine a D.C. Universe where Jordan is a good guy. But I suppose we might have had some kind of GL film by now with it being about Jordan.

 

[Enigmajones]

If Superman had come back to life then he probably would have stopped Cyborg before he destroyed Coast City. That would mean that Hal Jordan wouldn't have gone rogue and wiped out the Green Lantern Corp as Parallax. It's pretty hard for me to imagine a D.C. Universe where Jordan is a good guy. But I suppose we might have had some kind of GL film by now with it being about Jordan.

Instead of that awful piece of crap with Terry Crews as Jon Stewart.

 

[lloyd007]

The Death of Superman is perhaps the defining moment of DC Comics. It firmly changed their path away from Marvel's "Anyone/Everyone will come back (especially if that person is Magneto)." It allowed other heroes to 'grow up' and take the previous generation's shoes rather than having immortals infinitely rehashed, for better or worse. Mostly for the better, tho, IMO.

 

[QuoProQuid]

About as likely as Bruce Wayne coming back as Batman. Seriously, Batman has always been Dick Grayson, and as far as Im concerned, he's the only Batman.

This reminds me that after the Death of Superman Gotham became... pretty hellish. I'm not sure if it was initially an attempt to "outdo" the Death of Superman or what, but for several issues after the Batman comics were in 'PURGE' mode. I doubt we'll see anything of the like if the Man of Steel reappears. The issues suddenly lose all justification, both in the real world and within the comics themselves.

Maybe Batman pulls the same sort of revival as Superman. It might open the door for other prominent characters and older properties to reappear without explanation.

 

[LegionoftheUnitedStates]

Killing Superman was DC's crowning moment of suck. The decline of comics IMHO, began with Crisis on Infinite Earths, continued with the Death of Superman, and hasn't stopped.

There is a reason the present "Dark Age" era of comics is a "Dork Age". Not every character needs to be a copy of The Batman, or persecuted mutants hated by the world they save, or an alchoholic, etc.

/rant before I keep on going...


OOC: the above are pretty much my feelings on the matter in OTL. In a "real" Death of Superman universe, the industry would probably double down on the dark and depressing trend that infected it in our universe. Winning lots of praise from "serious" critics, but driving away kids (the future readership) and their parents (who spend the money) in droves.

 

[Ironballs]

The fact is that Superman was a character of a by gone era and was just no longer relevant. Not bringing him back was an act of mercy on the part of DC and showed that some lessons had been learnt from Watchmen.

 

[Ash's Boomstick]

The fact is that Superman was a character of a by gone era and was just no longer relevant. Not bringing him back was an act of mercy on the part of DC and showed that some lessons had been learnt from Watchmen.

I'm not so sure of that, did you ever read Kingdom Come I know it was one of those attempts to cash in on the death of superman by crippling Dick Grayson. KC was so dark that the Christ-Like Resurrection of the so-called Trinity in the sequel not only brought some of fans back before it was retconned out but it made the Alex Ross/Grant Morrison pair up the strongest DC had in years.

I can get on with the three supes stories (Eradicator/Superboy/Supergirl) but the arrival of that new kryptonian supergirl to go with the other just smacks of desperation.

 

[yourworstnightmare]

Didn't Superman actually make an appearance in that huge DC event a couple of years ago (although it was a Time travelling Superman from the past). Perhaps they could have reintroduced him then.

 

[QuoProQuid]

Killing Superman was DC's crowning moment of suck. The decline of comics IMHO, began with Crisis on Infinite Earths, continued with the Death of Superman, and hasn't stopped.

There is a reason the present "Dark Age" era of comics is a "Dork Age". Not every character needs to be a copy of The Batman, or persecuted mutants hated by the world they save, or an alchoholic, etc.

/rant before I keep on going...

I fundamentally disagree with this post. Yes, comics do not necessarily have to be serious they also do not need to be silly. Neither should be considered superior to the other and they both have their use in the medium. In this case, the seriousness of Death of Superman was appropriate because it was the only way to off the character.

Let's face it: Superman was a boring character. There was nowhere else for his story to go and that was his ultimate demise. He had the most basic set of superpowers, with a basic back story that had been rehashed countless times. Nobody cared about him anymore and it was beginning to show in comic book sales. Thus, rather than bog down the whole canon with Superman being useless they decided to get rid of him. The only other option would have been to reset his character development and pretend the last 60 years never happened.

I'll admit that it sparked a trend in comic books to be "more serious" but that should not be a factor in judging the story itself. By itself, the concept and story were sound. It was the rest of the industry who decided to make The Death of Superman a ruler for how dark their stories had to be.

Even then, it isn't all doom and gloom. The Lois Lane comic series is surprisingly lighthearted and fairly good in its own right. The more recent story arcs of Captain Marvel are also pretty funny.

Didn't Superman actually make an appearance in that huge DC event a couple of years ago (although it was a Time travelling Superman from the past). Perhaps they could have reintroduced him then.

I think so, yes, but I'm not sure that anyone really built off from there. It would be interesting if someone decided to pick that up.

 

[Pyro]

One way "Superman" could return is if Superboy took up the mantle. I believe he is a senior in high school so it would be a many of him growing into the role many in the DCU believe he is destined to inherit. His powers are different enough to distinguish him from the "flying brick" powers; his Kryptonian powers may be half as powerful as Superman's but his "tactile telekinesis" (which evolved into full-fledged telekinesis in Young Justice) makes up for it. Heck, I remember Lex Luthor saying that Superboy's telekinetic powers may even amplify his strength beyond Superman's old levels around Adventures of Superboy #600 or so.

Plus, with the revelation/retcon of Lex being one of the human "gene donors" of Superboy, that would add a new dimension to the Luthor/Superman feud. Add in some insecurities of filling in Big Blue's boots and you got a more rounded character.

'Sides, I want to see Superboy wear the uniform the Legion of Super-Heroes gave him.

 

[Hades]

Yeah, that would have been a good way to write Superman, like the way they wrote Batman. Make him more of a title than a person, which would have allowed for much more stories. Personally, the Death of Superman Arc was a brilliant send-off for the character. Have him give his life protecting the people he loved, no matter how much it cost him.

 

[Superman]

I'm guessing that for this thread, we're pretending that Superman never came back after his big fight with Doomsday, right?

Well, at least we're getting that Superman movie next year. At least it should be better than that direct-to-DVD movie from the 90s starring Nick Cage.