New 52 Superman: Kind of a Different Character

A couple of months ago, DC announced that they would be relaunching their entire universe with 52 (get it?) new first issues. Sorry we didn’t report on this. We had some…. things going on. But now, we don’t, so we can report on this:

Yesterday, the DC Source Blog released some details on the new Action Comics and Superman series. The new series will feature a new take on the Man of Steel, changing aspects of his origins in AC and aspects of his modern, adult life in Superman.

Action Comics, written by Grant Morrison with art by Rags Morales (Identity Crisis), will take place a few years before the Superman series. It will focus on Superman’s origin and the new direction Morrison and Morales are taking it.

The new Clark is more alien than human this time around. He doesn’t fit in with the world he is living on or any of its people. He has to deal with the loss of the home he never knew and the loss of his adopted parents. Because apparently they are dead.

Clark’s new origin also seems to be taking a couple of cues from the amazing yet awful TV series Smallville (at least I think so). Clark is still getting used to his new powers. While he can do the basic stuff, like run faster than a speeding bullet and leap tall buildings in a single bound, he cannot really fly. He can kind of do it but he still doesn’t have the hang of it yet.

The first story arc of the new series will focus on Superman’s costume. It will show how it evolves from the t-shirt, jeans and work boots from the cover of Action Comics #1 (as seen above) to the suit of armor on the cover of Superman #1 (as seen below).

Superman, written by George Perez (Crisis on Infinite Earths) and drawn by Jesus Merino (Final Crisis and Trinity), will be set in the present day of the new continuity. But, of course, things will be a little different than people will remember.

For starters, Clark and Lois aren’t married. In fact, they have never been married. Clark is a swinging single bachelor in this new series. With his powers, he might give speed dating a whole new meaning…. Sorry. Just…. Sorry.

As for Lois, she is with someone. We don’t know who, though. All we know is that it is someone from the Daily Planet. Along with her new man, she will have a new position within the Daily Planet.

As you can see from the cover (that’s it to the right), Clark is sporting the new costume. It looks like basically armored up version of his old suit. According to the blog, his new suit “pays tribute to his Kryptonian past.”

And that’s about all we got in terms of details. To be honest, I have never been much of a Superman fan. I don’t know precisely what it was about him, but I just never liked the character that much. Maybe with this new one I can grow to like the character, but my hopes aren’t high.

Action Comics #1 goes on sale September 7 and Superman #1 goes on sale September 28.