G2 FACTOR

Sorry about the technical difficulties last week.  This week G2Factor will discuss Smallville Season 11 digital #10, Action #11, Action Annual #1 news, SDCC news and … all things Superman.

If you haven’t gotten it already, this is the icon to look for when purchasing and downloading Smallville Season 11 #10.

Another exciting chapter of GUARDIAN by Bryan Q. Miller with interior pencils by Pere Perez and digital cover art by Cat Staggs!  A special HELLO to Bryan & Cat who are at SDCC 2012 this weekend.

Be with G2Factor on Sunday,July 15th at 5pmEDT/4pm.  We’ve got 2 weeks of things to say!!!  Live chatroom and live streaming available.  Downloads after the show on iTunes and talkshoe.

While reading Action #11 by Grant Morrison, besides realizing he’s populating this book with tons of Silver Age characters; Lois’ niece, Susie, may have some concepts of a character in the pre-Flashpoint/new52, known as the protector of the DCU.  No, not Pandora. That’s new 52 crap.   Kismet.  She appeared not only in the Death of Superman story but also in the Dominus/King of the World story arc (both with Dan Jurgens contributing).   She appeared as a young girl much like Susie.  Here are some panels from Superman v2 #138.

Remember in the new 52 Superman book written by Jurgens, we know Clark is experiencing alternate realities.  In Superman v2 #183, Kismet disguised as a young girl tells Superman (who is married to Lois) that he is existing on four separate planes.  And we know that Morrison enjoys writing on different time lines.  Why not boost that with alternate realities?  Especially if the Superman book is being micromanaged and Jurgens is not able to tell the story he wanted to tell before being taken off the book at #12 (September, 2012).

A good idea should not die because of editorial.  ”One life spread across different places in time and space, all occurring simultaneously.”  Notice that Kismet is green and has a universe of stars, planets, galaxies throughout her body.  Now look at Susie in Action #11.

Susie is wearing green and has the universe in her eyes.  Coincidence?  Lois wishes she could stop thinking about her friend Clark who has ‘died.’   Precocious Susie reminds her auntie her name is not Suze.  ”Don’t worry, Aunt Lois.  You’ll be okay.  You won’t be sad for long.”  In this issue, we know Clark has taken on another identity.  Fireman Johnny Clark.  As Superman, he actually screams Lois’ name when she is injured.   An iconic moment for all Superman fans.

New readers cannot appreciate what are in the panels of Action #11 if they have no history of what came before.  The history gives the story depth and connectivity.  In a DC panel at SDCC, a fan stated she missed the history, Geoff Johns admitted, “I actually kind of agree, since we don’t have that timeline laid out now, that’s something we’re all moving towards and trying to build the depth.”  Morrison is not known for his depth.  You’ll get characters and concepts thrown in and MAYBE he’ll tie them in at the end of the story arc — whenever that may be.

October Solicits came out week before last.  Action Annual #1 was announced.  Sholly Fisch will be doing the main story for that issue.  BUT in a very controversial move, Max Landis, son of director John Landis, will be doing another story in the book.   Hollywood Kid Landis wrote the movie, Chronicle and on the day of its release, he uploaded a YouTube video about the Death of Superman.  Fifteen minutes of disparaging Superman especially and the entire DC Universe cast of characters.  We will definitely be discussing this matter on Sunday!   It’s not the first time DC has hired people to work on the new 52 Action who publicly have denigrated the character of Superman.  Rags Morales, anyone?

Should be a lively show!  That and all the SDCC news and rumors, too.   Might have to take some vitamins.

SUNDAY!  February 12th at 5pm ET/4pm CT, G2Factor will be covering the Death of Superman, 1992 – 1993.

Clark Kent and Lois Lane were engaged in 1990.  A couple of years later, the comic writers were planning a wedding.  These plans were POSTPONED due to the future airing of the Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television series beginning on September 12, 1993.   It was decided that the couple would marry when it could be done both in the comics and on the television show (which would mean waiting a few more years).  What to do?  A year’s worth of plans had to be scrapped.  Jerry Ordway had the answer, “Let’s just kill ‘im.”  Something he said at the beginning of every annual planning session.   This time the writers were so frustrated by the postponement, they agreed.  Let’s just kill Superman.

At that time, Superman had four books a month.  The Death of Superman spans nearly eleven weeks of comics.

In the future, G2Factor will also be covering the subsequent events of Superman’s death.  Funeral for a Friend (A World Without Superman) with 9 issues will follow.

The Superman titles were put on a hiatus for three months before the Return of Superman (or Reign of the Supermen) involving 28 issues which will end this epic moment in comic history.

A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

With the ending of Smallville, the ten year television series, fans wanted more, but careened into the DC reboot of their hero.  However, on February 9th, 2012, Smallville fans were happy to learn former story editor and writer for the show, Bryan Q. Miller (writer of Batgirl, Stephanie Brown comics pre-new 52) would be penning a Smallville Season 11 WEEKLY comic book series picking up 6 months after the Finale.   So tell your mother and your brother, your sister and your cousins, your daddy and your besties to download this electronic comic when it becomes available in April.  A print version of the four previous weeks will be available in May, just one year after the final episode of Smallville aired. It will also include an ‘episode’ guide.   The season premiere ‘episode’ of the comics will run 12 issues long and will have a one word title, just like the show.

G2Factor will cover each weekly issue as well as our favorite Superman stories, be they new 52 or not.

So join us as we discuss the Death of Superman on Sunday on talkshoe.  Live streaming and chat room available.  Downloads on iTunes and talkshoe.

Hope to see you there!