Who Could Replace Grant Morrison?
In June of 1938 Superman soared on to the pages of Action Comics #1 and became both an American cultural icon and the first comic book superhero. Superman’s debut helped launch the superhero genre and established its primacy within the comic book industry. Suffice to say, without Superman the majority of popular superhero characters simply would not exist. Regardless of the immense impact that the man of steel has had on the industry, more often than not creators have struggled to produce a worthwhile modern Superman comic. However, some felt that was a thing of the past.
In 2011 DC Comics announced that it would be relaunching its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero books, in which all of its existing titles were cancelled, and 52 new series debuted in September 2011 with new #1 issues. Suddenly there was hope for a satisfying take on Superman and when industry legend Grant Morrison was announced as the writer of Action Comics, Superman fans were absolutely thrilled! Unfortunately, almost a year after its September 2011 launch, Morrison’s Action Comics run has been met with a cloud of mixed reviews.
Fortunately, Morrison recently announced that he would be stepping away from the world of superhero comes and his that stint on Action Comics will conclude this January with issue #16. This announcement has led many Superman fans to speculate about who DC will hand-pick to fill Morrison’s shoes.
Allow me to join the party.
Because we here at RCB regrettably cannot predict the future and do not know who DC will hire between now and January, I’ve compiled a list of three current DC creators that I feel are talented enough to produce a worthwhile Superman series. So, without further adieu…
Jeff Lemire: Jeff Lemire is one of the most talented creators working in the industry today. His new 52 Animal Man run has been hailed as one of the best books since its September 2011 inception. He was recently was handed the reigns to Justice League Dark and his impact was immediate. Before Lemire Justice League dark appeared to be doomed. After being at the helm for only three issues Justice League Dark has been transformed into a must read series. With a proven track record and having already had experience rejuvenating a dying book there is no way that Jeff Lemire shouldn’t top this list. A creator of this caliber deserves the writing duties on a major title and it doesn’t get any bigger than Action Comics!
Kyle Higgins: Some feel that Kyle Higgins is still a relatively unproven commodity, but I would argue otherwise. Higgins has not only delivered an amazing New 52 Nightwing run, but was absolutely killing it on Deathstroke before the world collectively banded together and decided that, for whatever reason, they just weren’t going to buy the book. Higgins is still a young, but he has produced a lot of quality material at such an early stage in his young writing career. So, what does Higgins bring to the table besides a wealth of untapped talent? He is currently only writing one series for DC. Why is this important? Because he clearly has enough time to devote the proper attention to detail that a satisfying Superman run deserves. Furthermore, at only 27 years of age, Higgins possesses the keen ability to connect with a younger audience both through his writing and his social media presence. What better way to make Superman seem “cool” then by having a boat load of young fans get behind the man of steel?
Gail Simone: One of the biggest criticisms that tend to follow Superman is that he’s a boring boy scout who lacks a personality. Luckily, Gail Simone is full of personality and it shines through in everything that she writes. Don’t believe me? Read anything she has written. It’s there. Heck, even her tweets and tumblr rants pack personality! She’s both talented and hilarious. Tired of a boring boy scout? Gail Simone is the remedy.
Follow Corey Fryia on Twitter @coreyfryia.
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