action comics | DC Comics

This week, it’s all about Superman

If you thought we had a blog packed with creators, news and excitement when BATMAN #700 came out, you’re in for a treat. As some of you know, this week marks the 700th issue of SUPERMAN. The anniversary issue not only features a first look at J. Michael Straczynski and Eddy Barrows’ “Grounded” storyline, but is full of clues and hints about the other titles in the SUPERMAN family, including ACTION COMICS, SUPERGIRL and the new SUPERBOY series from Jeff Lemire.

Before we dive into all the goodies, here’s a hint of what’s to come:

• Comments from Superman writers and artists, past and present, talking about the charater, his significance.

• A sneak peek at not only SUPERMAN #700, but beyond – including Paul Cornell and Pete Woods’ upcoming run on ACTION COMICS, Sterling Gates and Jamal Igle’s SUPERGIRL and the new SUPERBOY series.

• And – well, that’d be telling. Suffice to say, we’ve got a handful of surprises that’ll keep you on your toes and near a computer.

Speaking of, we’ve got a SUPERMAN-centric image that’ll knock your socks off. But more on that later.

Tags:

action comics, eddy barrows, grounded, j. michael straczynski, jeff lemire, paul cornell, pete woods, sterling gates, superboy, supergirl, Superman, superman #700

A few links of note for Friday

It’s been a hectic and exciting week here at The Source and beyond, so we thought it’d be a good idea to take a minute to round up some of the more notable posts from the last few days:

• DCE Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns unveiled an exclusive look at a live-action screen test for Blue Beetle.

• Speaking of Blue Beetle, we announced exclusively that Jaime Reyes would be a playable character in the BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD video game, with an exclusive still to boot.

• And as you saw earlier today, we also had an exclusive look at Warner Premiere’s BATMAN: UNDER THE RED HOOD DVD.

• We also showed off a first look at the BLACKEST NIGHT HCs, BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3, Paul Cornell’s first issue on ACTION COMICS and the first part of the JLA/JSA crossover.

• Over on our sister blog GRAPHIC CONTENT, you can find all things Greendale, including a roundup of the impressive press coverage the book has garnered -- including a feature in THE NEW YORK TIMES.

• THE BLEED, your spot for all things WildStorm, has been spotlighting Brian Wood and Rebekah Isaacs’ new DV8 series for most of the week as well.

And there you have it. Should be more than enough to get you through the work week’s final hours, eh?

First look: Paul Cornell steps into ACTION COMICS

The new creative team of writer Paul Cornell and artist Pete Woods – along with amazing covers from a certain Mr.Finch – dive into the world of Metropolis with ACTION COMICS #890, an oversized issue that puts the spotlight squarely on a frighteningly familiar face (how’s that for alliteration?): Lex Luthor. And while the issue’s still a few weeks off, we figured it was high time to get a look at the work of Paul and Pete, so click away.

ACTION COMICS #890 hits 6/30.

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Tags:

action comics, lex luthor, paul cornell, pete woods, Superman

Editor Wil Moss on the JIMMY OLSEN co-feature

Superman's pal takes center stage when a new JIMMY OLSEN co-feature starts in September's ACTION COMICS #893! Written by rising star Nick Spencer (of such buzzed-about Image mini-series as EXISTENCE 2.0, FORGETLESS and the upcoming MORNING GLORIES) and drawn by R.B. Silva (who's drawing July's SECRET SIX #23), this co-feature promises to be a whole lotta fun. We'll let Nick tell you a little about his take on Jimmy:

"Jimmy works best as a character when you play up his fun side, when you embrace the insanity that is his life. He's a ridiculous guy living in a ridiculous world, and he's determined to make the most of it. He doesn't need to be 'matured' or made more 'serious.' And he's also not, as he sometimes seems to be portrayed, an 'Aw shucks!' naiveté -- Jimmy is clever, street-smart, and at times downright suave. And in this ACTION COMICS co-feature, he'll get a real chance to show off what can he do as he deals with threats that have a decidedly post-modern, pop culture inspired-bent."

So be there in September for the start of an exciting new story unlike any other in the DCU - bowties optional!

Thanks Wil (and Nick)! Stay tuned to The Source for a first-look at Silva’s take on Jimmy Olsen in the coming weeks.

Tags:

action comics, jimmy olsen, nick spencer, r.b. silva, Superman

OPEN THREAD: What’s YOUR favorite DC Comics cover…ever?

It’s been a celebratory week here at The Source, what with our string of lovely 75th anniversary variants, the TASCHEN news and the first look at DCU: LEGACIES #1.

But we’re not done. As we continue to celebrate DC’s 75th anniversary, we thought it’d be a great time to look back at the company’s illustrious history and see what you, the fans had to say. But this isn’t your usual open thread, folks.

Let’s talk covers. To say that the cover image is important would be a huge understatement. It's what draws you in. Everyone remembers their first cover. Everyone has a favorite. That one image that just screams “Comics!” and takes us back to a simpler time where our biggest concern was how many copies of a certain title we’d be able to lug home from the shop that day. I can think of a few that stand out for me in an instant. So, Source readers, here’s the question: What’s your favorite DC Comics cover? Why?

But that’s not what makes this open thread special. Not only do we want to hear what your favorite cover is, we’ve got comments from some of the biggest names at DC.

Curious to hear what they’ve got to say? Click below, and don’t forget to check Vertigo’s GRAPHIC CONTENT and WildStorm’s THE BLEED for even more creators chiming in.

DAN DIDIO, DC Comics Co-Publisher

I stuck to books that came out during my tenure. As far as covers go, THE FLASH #207 by Michael Turner. The Flash has never looked so fast standing still.

DAVID FINCH, BRIGHTEST DAY cover artist

My favorite DC cover is by Alex Ross, and it's for BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE. It's got Bruce standing with his back to the viewer and he's running his hand over the scars that crisscross his whole back. It just captures everything that Batman is about for me. He's not afraid to do whatever it takes to get the job done, and he's willing to sacrifice his own body and mind to the cause.

BRIAN AZZARELLO, FIRST WAVE writer

OUR FIGHTING FORCES #150. Joe Kubert's covers told stories that were sometimes better than the one's in the books.

JIMMY PALMIOTTI, JONAH HEX co-writer

My favorite comic cover has to be JONAH HEX #27 by Jordi Bernet. There is so much storytelling packed into this single image as well as

brilliant composition by one of Europe's greatest illustrators. Jordi is and will always be one of my favorite artists.

JT KRUL, GREEN ARROW writer

Tough call. I could easily rattle off a bunch of the obvious ones: Killing Joke, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Watchmen, etc. But one that always stuck with me was Denys Cowan's cover for THE QUESTION #34. It was the first Question comic I bought (don't ask me how the book managed to elude me until then). There's a such a haunting quality to the man without a face, but it's the masses behind him that really help set the mood. That cover, not to mention all the Question covers drove me to spend money I didn't have in college on back issues to fill my run. Each week, I'd tell myself I'm only going to get one or two, but I always walked out the door of my LCS with five or six. But who needed food, when you had great comics, right?

STERLING GATES, SUPERGIRL writer, SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE SUPERMEN co-writer

TEEN TITANS #14. How can you look at this great Nick Cardy cover and NOT want to read this issue?

Not only have the other Teen Titans DIED, their ghosts are haunting Robin!

I always wondered if they were encouraging him to quit being a superhero, or quit life and join them six feet under. The dead can be a selfish lot, so I have no trouble imagining them trying to get Robin to come on down…

LEE BERMEJO, JOKER, LUTHOR artist

Gotta say my favorite DC cover has got to be Bill Sienkiewicz's cover to THE SHADOW #1. Just a beautiful, graphic image that is aggressive as well as elegant, modern and timeless simultaneously. Those two Uzi's unloading in your face blew my young mind and made me an instant fan of both the character and Sienkiewicz's genius. The key was in that squinted eye, though. I think it was the first time I felt like a participant as opposed to reader.

DUSTIN NGUYEN, BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM artist

Mignola's cover to BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #54 pretty much sums up everything i love about the look of Batman. Bold simple colors, plenty of drama in an otherwise static pose, and the eyes- perfectly positioned inside the silhouette of a horned cowl. And it's RED, i like red."

FRANCO, TINY TITANS writer/artist

That's an easy one! My favorite cover has always been the NEW TEEN TITANS #13!! I saw this thing and it knocked me on the floor! I knew the Titans were going to be in trouble when somebody kicked Robot Man's tin can and hung him out to dry in the middle of the Amazon forest!!! There was just so much detail here and I remember pulling it off the rack and just staring at it for a while and the guy behind the counter yelled at me and asked if I was gonna buy it or just stare at it all day. I did both! It was the first series that compelled me to go find all the back issues. Mr. Perez is the master!

ART BALTAZAR, TINY TITANS writer/artist

SUPERMAN #337. AW YEAH! WHAT? Superman quits? NEVER!

Awesome cover! The colors rock! Awesome Bad Guys too! First time I ever saw Metallo! This cover has mystery, Drama, conflict and adventure! I love how happy the bad guys are to finally defeat the Man of Steel! The Super Friends cartoon was on TV at this time, so it was cool to see Brainiac and Bizarro. PLUS! All those Bad Guys together is what we want to see!

JUDD WINICK, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST co-writer, POWER GIRL writer

My favorite cover is ACTION COMICS #500. "The Life Story Of Superman". It's my favorite DC comic. It told the entire story Superman. It was like getting 10 pounds of Ice Cream. The cover SCREAMED to me--THIS IS SPECIAL! and it was and it is.

YILDIRAY CINAR, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES artist

The cover I picked up is BATMAN #366 by Walt Simonson. The cover speaks for itself. The layout, composition, lightning...One of my favorite covers in my entire collection since my childhood.

ACTION COMICS #889 marks the end of the CAPTAIN ATOM co-feature

Before Captain Atom can move into the pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST, he has some business to take care of. Specifically, in his co-feature, which has been running in the pages of ACTION COMICS in recent months, courtesy of writer James Robinson and artist CAFU. The story concludes in ACTION COMICS #889, and we — with some help from ACTION COMICS assistant editor Wil Moss — got a chance to check in with the creators about their story.

Take it away, James:

"It's been an honor to work with the supremely talented CAFU for the past year, documenting the adventures of Captain Atom. We got to establish Sorcerers' World in the 21st Century, which was a blast. We also got Captain Atom to a place where he is free and clear of his tangled past to stand among the heroes of JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST. I'm very proud of my work on this co-feature and thank DC, my editor Matt Idelson, assistant editor Wil Moss, co-plotter (for the first few episodes) Greg Rucka, inker Bit, colorist Santiago Arcas and letterer Rob Leigh for being a part of this with CAFU and I."

And CAFU:

"This is, by far, the project I've enjoyed the most doing, ever. I've enjoyed every single one of these chapters with Captain Atom born in James and Greg's brilliant restless minds. For me, it's been a great challenge - things as different as huge battle scenes with orcs against wizards; epic superhero fights, dinosaurs, and a lot of my favorite DC characters... This series has had it all! If you add Santi Arcas' incredible color work that gave so many life to these stories, and Bit's invaluable help in some of them, and the perfect work environment our editors Matt and Wil have created for all of us, everything has clicked! So I can just say...I'm very sorry it's over!"

No tears yet, guys! Let's take a look at a few pages from the final installment:

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Tags:

action comics, Cafu, captain atom, Greg Rucka, James Robinson, Superman

Are Nightwing and Flamebird ready for the ultimate challenge?

Writers Greg Rucka and Eric Trautmann close out their run on ACTION with a doozy, featuring art by Pere Perez. With the fate of both New Krypton and Earth weighing on their young shoulders, are Nightwing and Flamebird prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice? Check out the pages below for a clue or two.

ACTION COMICS #889 hits 4/28.

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Tags:

action comics, eric trautmann, flamebird, Greg Rucka, new krypton, nightwing, pere perez

Editor Wil Moss on Alex Garner’s stunning Nightwing and Flamebird send-off

As Nightwing & Flamebird wrap up their run in next week's ACTION COMICS #889, we wanted to give them a truly dynamite final cover, so we contacted the talented Alex Garner, and he delivered this gorgeous piece of work! Check it out and don't miss #889, as Nightwing & Flamebird have their final showdown with the warped clone of the Kryptonian sun god, Rao, which leads directly into May's WAR OF THE SUPERMEN event!

Tags:

action comics, alex garner, eric trautmann, flamebird, Greg Rucka, nightwing

PAUL CORNELL STEPS IN AS NEW ACTION COMICS WRITER

I know what you're thinking -- "Didn't they just announce a new ACTION COMICS writer?" Well, we did. But stuff has changed and we'll get to that in one second.

Firstly, starting in June, HUGO award-nominated writer Paul Cornell will join interior artist Pete Woods and cover artist David Finch on ACTION COMICS. Cornell comes to DC with a very shiny resume, including work as a novelist and in comics and television -- notably, for the Dr. Who series. Cornell steps in at a critical point for our hero, coming out of THE WAR OF THE SUPERMEN. So, what does he have in store? Well, let's ask him. Take it away, Paul:

"I'm proud and honored to be taking on such a historic title. It's particularly great to begin by featuring Lex Luthor, who's always been one of my favourite characters. So many legendary creators have written this title in the past that I'm giddy and frankly terrified at the prospect of following in their footsteps."

And who wouldn't be psyched to work with artists like Woods and Finch? As you can see from the Luthor image above by Mr. Finch and the Woods images below, ACTION promises to earn its title in spades.

But what of Marc Guggenheim, who we announced as the new ACTION writer a ways back? Well, we swung by Superman Group Editor Matt Idelson's office for some info. Matt?

"I'm very bummed to be missing out on this chance to work with Marc who I think would have kicked some serious butt on ACTION. The story he pitched began to evolve into something quite different, something Marc knew would be great, but he had concerns about whether he was the man to write this tale. Rather than do a disservice to the book, the readers and himself, Marc decided to step away from ACTION, and we both know that sometime in the future, we'll be collaborating on Superman for sure.

“With Guggs out of the picture, there was only one person to turn to, one writer who could bring this book to those Guggian heights while still making it his own—Paul Cornell. Shockingly, he accepted the challenge. In the short time we’ve been working together, his enthusiasm has blown me away!

Happily, no sooner had Marc stepped off than another editor swooped in to work with Marc on a project that will be announced in the near future."

So, wait -- we get an ongoing ACTION COMICS series from Cornell, Woods and Finch and a top-secret Guggenheim series? Sold.

Stay tuned to THE SOURCE for more on what's next for Marc, and for some more upcoming SUPERMAN and ACTION COMICS art.

Tags:

action comics, david finch, marc guggenheim, paul cornell, pete woods, Superman

New ACTION art team in June: Woods on interiors, Finch on covers

I'm not much of a mind reader, but I'm pretty sure some of you were wondering this while reading the first issue of LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON: What is Pete Woods doing next?

Well, he's doing two more issues of LAST STAND, that's a given. And those'll be a treat, brought to you by the writing team of Sterling Gates and James Robinson, and a perfect lead-in to the "100-Minute War" that's kicking off in WAR OF THE SUPERMEN.

And, starting in June, Mr. Woods will be joining new writer Marc Guggenheim as the regular artist on ACTION COMICS. Pete's done a spectacular job chronicling Kal-El's adventures on New Krypton, so it was a no-brainer to have him swing on over to one of the ongoing titles. But what does he have to say about it all? Take it away, Pete:

"I am absolutely thrilled to be working with Marc on Action Comics. I also feel incredibly blessed to have David Finch doing covers- I have

been a fan for years. Marc and I have some fun plans for this book and intend for it to live up to it's name!"

Oh, and we have some art to show, of course. Here are a few pages from the next issue of LAST STAND.

And if you're going to be in the Seattle area this weekend, make sure to say hello to Pete, who'll be at the Emerald City show as well.

But that's not all we have to talk about here. In addition to Woods coming on board as the regular artist, ACTION COMICS will also be sporting a new cover artist in superstar David Finch, who kicks off his run with this menacing look at Lex Luthor.