What you assume…Clark Kent loves Lois Lane. Lois loves Superman. Clark and Jimmy Olsen are best friends…is very different in The New 52.
Action Comics #19 is out this week with a new creative team. (Writer Andy Diggle and artist Tony Daniel have already announced their departures from the book.) DC Comics shared a first look inside the new beginning for the Man of Steel and exploring the status quo of Clark’s complicated relationships.
Next month’s Action Comics #19 was to be a new beginning for the Man of Steel with a new creative team. Writer Andy Diggle revealed via Twitter he was leaving the Superman book.
“Sadly I’ve decided to walk away from Action Comics for professional reasons. It was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make, especially with Superman’s 75th Anniversary and Man of Steel on the horizon. But it was the right decision. Onwards.”
Later today DC Comics Executive Director of Publicity Alex Segura revealed his Twitter:
The Man of Steel will have a new creative team and new look in 2013. DC Comics announced that Andy Diggle (The Losers, Green Arrow: Year One, Daredevil) and Tony Daniel (Batman, Detective Comics) will create Superman’s new adventures in Action Comics.
“I’ve always had a positive experience working with DC Comics, and it’s amazing to be welcomed back into the fold in such fine style,” Diggle tells THE SOURCE. “Even in an industry dominated by superheroes, Superman is THE superhero – the original and best – and I’m flattered, daunted and inspired in equal measure at being given the opportunity to build on such an incredible and historic legacy. The word ‘iconic’ is bandied around a lot in comics, but Superman defines the term. I’m excited to be working with Tony Daniel, whose artistic and storytelling skills will be bringing the world(s) of Superman to stunning visual life. Together we’ll be carving out spectacular new adventures that respect the past while redefining the future of the Man of Steel.”
Tony Daniel relaunched Detective Comics starring Batman and talks about moving from Gotham City’s dark hero to the Metropolis Man of Steel.
“First, let me say that I am really excited to be working with Andy Diggle on ACTION COMICS,” continued Daniel. “Superman is a character I’ve wanted to work on for quite a while now and I’m now very fortunate to be given this tremendous opportunity to work with such an iconic character. I look forward to drawing each and every character in Superman’s universe. I anticipate this being a fun ride for me and hopefully for Superman fans as well. I can’t wait to get Andy’s first script and sharpening my pencils! Thank you everyone for your support of my work on BATMAN and DETECTIVE COMICS over the years. I already miss the Dark Knight, but I look forward to starting anew with the Man of Steel in ACTION COMICS. I hope to see you all in Metropolis!”
Justice League #12 courtesy DC Comics
Superman and Wonder Woman recently began a romance in Justice League #12. Diggle talked with Comic Book Resources about his direction for the series including the Clark/Lois/Diana interaction.
“I don’t know how much I can talk about how it will relate to other titles, but like I said, I very much want to balance the extremely epic, massive-scale action heroics with the human side of Kal-El and Clark Kent too. I would like to see him explored a little bit more. And I would like to see his relationship with Lois Lane explored a little bit more in the New 52.
Obviously, the relationship with Wonder Woman is going to complicate that whole dynamic. That could all seem pretty predictable, but with the Wonder Woman wildcard there, it makes everything a little bit more interesting and dramatic.
One of things that really appeals to me about coming into “Action Comics” now is the fact that, with the creation of the New 52, continuity has stopped exploding for the first time in years. It’s created a level playing field where you can actually go in and start building new stories from the ground up without having the continuity turmoil, which used to be the case for a long time. It’s actually very exciting to build something new, and everyone at DC is pulling in the same direction. Everyone is building this new continuity from the ground up and giving it a degree of internal cohesion and internal logic rather than piecing it together over decades, which is what we had before. That’s exactly what you want as a writer in a shared universe.”
Diggle said to expect classic characters like Daily Planet Editor Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and Lex Luthor. The writer said he’s like to “more of the backstory of Krypton.”
What about that suit in the promo art? Is sure looks more steel than the traditional blue.
The new team begins with March’s Action Comics #18.
An all-star lineup of creators will pay tribute to the Eleventh Doctor in an all-new Doctor Who Annual 2012 from IDW Publishing out this week. This oversize issues includes three stories.
While Matt Smith will say goodbye to Amy and Rory on the television series, writer Tony Lee is leaving the Doctor Who franchise with this Annual. The writer has helmed series, one-shots, miniseries and even the current crossover between the Time Lord and the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
“It’s an escape story,” Lee tells Comic Book Resources of his final story, “The Doctor willingly enters 1962 Alcatraz to rescue a friend after he learns of his death in a riot. It’s ‘Escape From Alcatraz‘ with timey-wimey fun and shimmer-suited aliens thrown in. And a familiar face or two. I wanted to do something ‘big’ in my 11 pages, rather than have people just sitting at a table talking to each other. I like the running, jumping, climbing trees school of Doctor Who.”
The all-star creative team includes legendary comics writer Len Wein, Dr. Who novelist Richard Dinnick, artists Matthew Dow Smith and Mitch Gerads.
Andy Diggle and Mark Buckingham will be the creative team on a new series spinning out of the annual which includes a prelude of their upcoming story.
