Is this bugging anyone else?

[umbc8]

If anyone's been reading the Superman comics lately (or reading about them), you'll know that they have rid themselves of the S-Shield numbers. They will now only be used when they do crossover stories. This means that for the time being, each book is kinda on its own. I mean, some of the subplots (Lois and her mom travelling the world, for example) will carry over between the books, but for the most part the comics are their own. For alot of fans (myself included), this is heaven. You no longer have to buy all 4 Superman books to get the story. People have been clamoring for this for years. And now that we've got it, I've been seing quite a few people who are either hating it or seem totally confused by the concept. It's not that hard to figure out.
Last week I saw a review for the latest issue of Superman: MOS that complained because it did not continue from the end of Superman #178, which cameo ut a week earlier. All I can say is, well, DUH! The four books are telling stories that occur around the same time. Each book has it's own story to tell. If the end of an issue of Superman say To Be Continued then that means the story will be continued in the next issue of Superman. How hard is that to figure out?
According to Jeph Loeb, there won't be a Superman crossover until July. This is how it's going to be for the next 5 months. We are now getting the best of both worlds. At least they aren't dropping the the crossovers all together.

That's my two cents. Anyone else have an opinion?

[Russkafin]

I don't see why it's such a hard concept, it's the same way the Batman titles work... Batman, Detective, Gotham Knights, etc all have their own storylines, but sometimes join up to tell a larger story (i.e. NML, Bruce Wayne: Murderer). I think it's a much better way to do it for two reasons... one, you don't have to buy all the titles if you don't want to. And two, the writers get to tell their own stories all the way though instead of starting it and then passing it off to the next title, which sometimes really breaks the flow of the story!

[Calhoun07]

I for one am very glad they are doing this. I will now be more willing to read Action Comics and Superman. I just want to read only two titles as it is and this will make it easier on me. I would love it if they did away with cross overs period. I hate cross overs.

[James Harvey]

I'm glad the sheilds are dropped. DC is finally taking some chances with the titles, and I'm glad. New logos, no more numbers, it's great. The titles can finally breathe on their own. Now, if DC would par the line down to 2 or 3 comics, then I'd be even more happier...

[SilentBobWooHoo]

I'm glad they're doing this...I just wish they would decrease the Batman and Superman books like Grayson said. I say we really don't need LOTDK and MOS.

[James Harvey]

Bingo! We don't need so many titles. Marvel has parred down the Spider-Man and X-Men titles and sales have improved. Well...given that the new creatives teams are helping, too. I think we could definatly do without Legends and could definatly do without Man of Steel.

[Samhaine]

Originally posted by SilentBobWooHoo
I say we really don't need LOTDK and MOS.
I actually really like MOS. I mean, this is the only place to see obscure characters like S.T.R.I.P.E., Steel, and Prof. Hamilton in such a focus. I've really enjoyed how this book has gone. The iffy one for me has been Adventures. Joe Casey is probably one of the most inconsistent writers I've read.

[SilentBobWooHoo]

hmm...I do like MOS better than Adventures also...but DC isn't gonna drop Adventures with such a large issue count. Perhaps they could kill MOS and move Schultz over to Adventures?

[James Harvey]

He's so inconsistent he's been booted off Uncanny X-Men (WOO!) but his stuff has been pretty good on Adventures. I think it was issue #596, takes place right after the war, that really wowed me. Casey/Weiringo(sp) made an awesome team, and it sucks that Weiringo left so quickly (like he did on Robin).

[SilentBobWooHoo]

whoa, who's taking his place on Uncannny??? Maybe I'll have a reason to resubscribe to it then...

[Samhaine]

Originally posted by SilentBobWooHoo
whoa, who's taking his place on Uncannny??? Maybe I'll have a reason to resubscribe to it then...
Chuck Austin. The only thing I've read from him was Ultimate X-Men #13, which was pretty decent, but I haven't heard favorable things about U.S. War Machine, so let's hope he can do a better job than Casey. (the only thing I don't get was that he did such a good job on Children of the Atom; how did he get so bad? maybe because he was trying to live up to Morrison?? :confused: )

[Brainatra]

Re: those complaining about the books not being linked: Not sure what the big deal re: not having the books linked would be---it's the way that multiple books with the same character *used* to be, at least before the 90's crossover mania began....

Re: the # of Superman books: Far as I can tell, Superman (or characters related to him) has always been in multiple book titles (being their biggest character, I guess that'd be why).... lessee:

1942:
Action Comics
Superman
World's Finest Comics (as one of several features)
Possible appearance or two in "All-Star Comics" with the JSA?

1952:
Action Comics
Superman
Adventure Comics (Superboy stories)
Superboy
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen (series started this year)
World's Finest Comics (as one of several features IIRC, though this was the year that Supes and Bats first teamed up in the comics, making this the 50th anniversary of such stories I guess)

1962:
Action Comics
Superman
Adventure Comics (LSH/Superboy-related stories, IIRC)
Superboy
Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen
Justice League of America
World's Finest Comics (Superman-Batman teamups)

1972:
Action Comics
Superman
Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes
Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane
Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen (though "Lois Lane" and "Jimmy Olsen" might've been cancelled in '72 and replaced with "Superman Family", I think)
Justice League of America
World's Finest Comics (Superman-Batman teamups)

1982:
Action Comics
Superman
Legion of Super-Heroes (sporadic Superboy appearances)
New Adventures of Superboy
Daring New Adventures of Supergirl (IIRC, said short-lived Supergirl title was started this year)
DC Comics Presents (Superman teaming up with various DCU guest stars)
Justice League of America
World's Finest Comics (Superman-Batman teamups)
Superman Family (cancelled this year, IIRC)

1992:
Action Comics
Superman
Superman: Man of Steel
Adventures of Superman
various appearances in other titles, I'd presume...

2002:
Action Comics
Superman
Superman: Man of Steel
Adventures of Superman
JLA
Superboy
Supergirl

If I missed any...um....oops? :-)

-B.

[DerekPowers]

wait, were all the superman books linked all during the 90s? i thought only during cross-over stories.

[Brainatra]

Originally posted by DerekPowers
wait, were all the superman books linked all during the 90s? i thought only during cross-over stories.

No, all of them were linked during the 90's, almost all the time from at least the "Death of Superman" onward (they had enough multipart/crossover storylines running through them that there wasn't much of a break between plots...).

-B.