That was fun. Listening to you is always nice. And I agree with the idea that the biggest part of Superman is "A hero because of his morals and beliefs, not because of his power."
I'm old enough that I got to grow up with Christopher Reeves' Superman. I'm glad you made it through the sea of edge to find the Superman that generations have loved and been inspired by.
Yeah, I still can't stand the cynical, gritty versions of the character. But this kind of thing showing that it's his morals, desire to help, humanity, and empathy that make him heroic should be what we all take from the character. It's hard to lose that in the first two Reeves movies, very easy to in the newer ones.
Odd thing is I agree, but as much a people Man of Steel I like that Superman but agree with others that it was starting to get gritty. I wish they balanced the serious with the hopeful part of Clark Kent
What I like about Superman: he likes people. He wants to help people. Yes, if he can, Superman will stop to get a cat out of a tree. Big and small, Superman wants to help people. He genuinely is the big blue boy scout.
My favorite Superman moment of all time will always be when he saves the young woman from committing suicide in All-Star Superman. Nothing will ever quite show this it is his humanity and empathy that makes him truly Superman.
A great Superman comic that celebrates who Superman is as a hero and a person, as well as showing how he cares about people and wants to help people, even somewhat showcasing what Superman has gone through over his tenure in comics. Superman will always be my favorite superhero.
Knowing nothing about this particular issue, I saw this at an Ollies store at a ridiculously low price and instantly bought it. Didn’t get a chance to read it yet, but I definitely will now. Thank you Steve.
Kinda wish more hero media had them dealing with the brush strokes that make the bigger picture, saving the day to day folks who are to be threatened by these cosmic horrors and universe eating whatevers. It feels so good to hear about people wanting to do good in the world as well as for the entire world
Thanks for this video - as a (obviously) huge Superman fan, it's nice to see the character get some genuine appreciation from someone who understands the character. Well done, as usual!
I enjoyed this. I stopped collecting years ago, partly due to retconning and poor writing; but I still enjoy comics as an art form and it's good to hear someone talk about it in an articulate fashion who's still passionate about it.
My Dad used to buy me Superman and other DC comics almost every day in the 60s (I was born in 1955) and I absolutely loved them and had piles of them! Wish I'd kept them. I never got Marvel comics and I've never actually been able to get into the Marvel characters at all!
Was cool to hear a mention of Superman: the Secret Years. A buddy recommended it to me a year or so back, i'm glad he did, i loved it. Though i wish they'd let the writer do their originally planned number of issues. The pacing is a little off. Still a really fun read.
I love action comic’s 1000 it was fantastic and seeing Superman still being a family man with a wife Lois lane and they have there son Jonathan Samuel Kent superboy as his little 10 year old self is so cute and adorable in my opinion.
I think the difference to love letters and pandering bullshit is quality. The neat thing about love letters is they often end up standing on their own: Shovel Knight is a love letter to 8-bit action platformers that became a beloved franchise in its own right. Stardew Valley is a love letter to Harvest Moon, which seems to have become the defacto farming sim. Granted, these examples are both video games because that's the headspace I live inside, but the same principle should be valid in comics, movies, and TV. It's all about what you put into it more than what you take from what you are writing a love letter to.
Minor pronunciation head's-up: Butch Guice's last name rhymes with "rice". I've heard it pronounced both "gwice" and "gice" (hard g, not j), and I believe Guice himself pronounces it the latter.
"Winning? Is that what you think it’s about? I’m not trying to win! I’m not doing this because I want to beat someone! Because I hate someone, or because I want to blame someone! It’s not because it’s fun. God knows it’s not because it’s easy! It’s not even because it works, because it hardly ever does! I do what I do because it’s RIGHT! Because it’s decent! And above all, it’s *kind*. It’s just that. Just kind."
Something interesting about the Five Minutes part is that it's noticeable that some of the park is based on the planned Superman theme park in Metropolis, Illinois. The statue at the entrance was planned for that park and a smaller version actually stands to this day in Metropolis. The town is also allowed to use the Superman name and his symbol. The football team in that town is the Metropolis Supermen and the newspaper is called the Metropolis Planet.
The Fifth Season had me hoping that Lex could return to heroism. He could have a Venom character arc. He's proven he can be a fantastic hero, and the billionaire supervillian schtick has to be getting old.
I missed the part where it was mentioned this is a few years old, not a very recent release, so I was really thrown off when Steve mentioned "this is the first time Bendis has written the character" after mentioning a story using a villain I knew showed up in Bendis' Superman run. Had to immediately look up when AC1000 came out, then it all made sense. Nice rundown of this issue, though, was quite interesting.
I would have bet my life I read this issue and it ends with a Daily Planet correspondent dinner roasting Lex Luthor so hard he becomes president to get his revenge on them; but since the only story you described that I remember is the one about the mugger, maybe I didn't read this issue. Maybe I read some other anthology that includes the mugger story.
Interestingly enough, the 1000th issue of Action Comics is not issue #1000. It's probably issue #993 [tho likely earlier]. There were two #0s, 2nd issue #23 [or #927] had 4 more issues as .1-.4, and there's that #1,000,000 issue....
As a cynical teen I couldn't stand Superman for all the standard fanboy reasons. As a cynical 50 year old he's a firm #3 favorite for me (1 and 2 have always been Spider-Man and Iron Man, since 1982). Kal-El's greatest superpower has always been Clark Kent, and the best Superman stories ever build on this.
Excuse me? He is not as strong as The Hulk?!? I guess it depends on which version of Supes your talking about I guess. The Silver age version (and Bronze age I think) in which Supes can move planets and even stars? I don't think so.
That was fun. Listening to you is always nice. And I agree with the idea that the biggest part of Superman is "A hero because of his morals and beliefs, not because of his power."
This series has turned me into a Superman fan after having only seen the grittier versions my whole life. I'm really grateful for that.
I'm old enough that I got to grow up with Christopher Reeves' Superman. I'm glad you made it through the sea of edge to find the Superman that generations have loved and been inspired by.
Yeah, I still can't stand the cynical, gritty versions of the character. But this kind of thing showing that it's his morals, desire to help, humanity, and empathy that make him heroic should be what we all take from the character. It's hard to lose that in the first two Reeves movies, very easy to in the newer ones.
Odd thing is I agree, but as much a people Man of Steel I like that Superman but agree with others that it was starting to get gritty.
I wish they balanced the serious with the hopeful part of Clark Kent
What I like about Superman: he likes people. He wants to help people. Yes, if he can, Superman will stop to get a cat out of a tree. Big and small, Superman wants to help people. He genuinely is the big blue boy scout.
I don't even read that much Superman; yet, you make me love him!!! 😍
My favorite Superman moment of all time will always be when he saves the young woman from committing suicide in All-Star Superman. Nothing will ever quite show this it is his humanity and empathy that makes him truly Superman.
A great Superman comic that celebrates who Superman is as a hero and a person, as well as showing how he cares about people and wants to help people, even somewhat showcasing what Superman has gone through over his tenure in comics. Superman will always be my favorite superhero.
Knowing nothing about this particular issue, I saw this at an Ollies store at a ridiculously low price and instantly bought it. Didn’t get a chance to read it yet, but I definitely will now. Thank you Steve.
Kinda wish more hero media had them dealing with the brush strokes that make the bigger picture, saving the day to day folks who are to be threatened by these cosmic horrors and universe eating whatevers. It feels so good to hear about people wanting to do good in the world as well as for the entire world
Thanks for this video - as a (obviously) huge Superman fan, it's nice to see the character get some genuine appreciation from someone who understands the character. Well done, as usual!
I enjoyed this. I stopped collecting years ago, partly due to retconning and poor writing; but I still enjoy comics as an art form and it's good to hear someone talk about it in an articulate fashion who's still passionate about it.
My Dad used to buy me Superman and other DC comics almost every day in the 60s (I was born in 1955) and I absolutely loved them and had piles of them! Wish I'd kept them. I never got Marvel comics and I've never actually been able to get into the Marvel characters at all!
Was cool to hear a mention of Superman: the Secret Years. A buddy recommended it to me a year or so back, i'm glad he did, i loved it. Though i wish they'd let the writer do their originally planned number of issues. The pacing is a little off. Still a really fun read.
I felt like crying. You're a great writer, sir! Superman is my favorite hero!
I love action comic’s 1000 it was fantastic and seeing Superman still being a family man with a wife Lois lane and they have there son Jonathan Samuel Kent superboy as his little 10 year old self is so cute and adorable in my opinion.
I like Steve's Stuffyman costume; truly the greatest superhero.
I think the difference to love letters and pandering bullshit is quality. The neat thing about love letters is they often end up standing on their own:
Shovel Knight is a love letter to 8-bit action platformers that became a beloved franchise in its own right.
Stardew Valley is a love letter to Harvest Moon, which seems to have become the defacto farming sim.
Granted, these examples are both video games because that's the headspace I live inside, but the same principle should be valid in comics, movies, and TV.
It's all about what you put into it more than what you take from what you are writing a love letter to.
Minor pronunciation head's-up: Butch Guice's last name rhymes with "rice". I've heard it pronounced both "gwice" and "gice" (hard g, not j), and I believe Guice himself pronounces it the latter.
"Winning? Is that what you think it’s about? I’m not trying to win! I’m not doing this because I want to beat someone! Because I hate someone, or because I want to blame someone! It’s not because it’s fun. God knows it’s not because it’s easy! It’s not even because it works, because it hardly ever does! I do what I do because it’s RIGHT! Because it’s decent! And above all, it’s *kind*. It’s just that. Just kind."
It’s nice to see more modern art in an episode of this series given your tendency to focus on silver age.
Love this series, would love to see you cover more Bronze age stories
22:42 FILLER NOTHING! That one of the stories I legit remember from this issue!
Something interesting about the Five Minutes part is that it's noticeable that some of the park is based on the planned Superman theme park in Metropolis, Illinois. The statue at the entrance was planned for that park and a smaller version actually stands to this day in Metropolis. The town is also allowed to use the Superman name and his symbol. The football team in that town is the Metropolis Supermen and the newspaper is called the Metropolis Planet.
Superman is a great character.
Great review and insight Steve. Well said, always enjoying your content.
Thanks!
Superman.
i originally came to this channel for the political comedy, but stayed for the star trek and and comic book talk. 👍
But, Star Trek is the political comedy! 😄😄😄👍
You know it’s a green screen because the store is so clean.
The Fifth Season had me hoping that Lex could return to heroism. He could have a Venom character arc. He's proven he can be a fantastic hero, and the billionaire supervillian schtick has to be getting old.
I remember jim lee doing a splash page in minutes at Morrisoncon. It was stunning to watch him work.
Yoooo 11:43 no chill whatsoever...lmao
I appreciate your including a Marv Wolfman story. I'd love a look on his '80s run on Action Comics. It's a favorite.
I missed the part where it was mentioned this is a few years old, not a very recent release, so I was really thrown off when Steve mentioned "this is the first time Bendis has written the character" after mentioning a story using a villain I knew showed up in Bendis' Superman run. Had to immediately look up when AC1000 came out, then it all made sense. Nice rundown of this issue, though, was quite interesting.
I would have bet my life I read this issue and it ends with a Daily Planet correspondent dinner roasting Lex Luthor so hard he becomes president to get his revenge on them; but since the only story you described that I remember is the one about the mugger, maybe I didn't read this issue. Maybe I read some other anthology that includes the mugger story.
Do Action Comics #761, it's one of my favorites, just a great love story
Superman is not only cooler than Batman, he's easily far stronger than Hulk.
For some people the lees said about the Bendis run and the creation of Rogal Zar the better.😊
We need Bibbo in the new DCEU.
Why Superman? Because he chooses to be a Good and Decent Person every second of his life. You can't say this about anyone else.
Zach Snyder, "Not on my watch!"
So we have 15 years till the ultimate nostalgia flood
Interestingly enough, the 1000th issue of Action Comics is not issue #1000. It's probably issue #993 [tho likely earlier]. There were two #0s, 2nd issue #23 [or #927] had 4 more issues as .1-.4, and there's that #1,000,000 issue....
Post script; Of Tomorrow is great to remember today (sorta lol).
Feliz dia de los Muertos.
I bought the deluxe version of this issue when I traveled to Halifax.
As a cynical teen I couldn't stand Superman for all the standard fanboy reasons. As a cynical 50 year old he's a firm #3 favorite for me (1 and 2 have always been Spider-Man and Iron Man, since 1982). Kal-El's greatest superpower has always been Clark Kent, and the best Superman stories ever build on this.
Make more Superman videos pls!!
John Byrnne's time on Superman? (Might have been when I stopped reading it. Maybe. Not necessarily because of Byrnne. I just remember it.)
This feels like the opposite version of Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader
I'm ready to be reclaimed
Excuse me? He is not as strong as The Hulk?!? I guess it depends on which version of Supes your talking about I guess. The Silver age version (and Bronze age I think) in which Supes can move planets and even stars? I don't think so.
Have a nice no longer spooky day yall
Feliz dia de los Muertos.
"He's not as strong as the Hulk-"
Ah, no, this isn't true
Depends which Hulk, really.
Bendis Superman run was so bad and garbage in my opinion.
It's Bendis, so... shocker?
Bendis bendising it up.