For this installment of 9 Articles for Action Comics #900, I thought I would see what retailers from around the US and Canada had to say regarding the monumental milestone. See if you can spot your local comic shop below. Then leave a follow-up comment below.
Name: Michael Tierney
Store/Location: Collector's Edition/N. Little Rock, AR; The Comic Book Store/Little Rock, AR
Website: http://www.thewildstars.com/
What can be said about Superman that hasn't been said before? He's such an iconic character, who's inspired several generations with the dream of flight and super-human feats.
What I find most interesting about Superman are the contradictions, since he's really a Man of Steel with Feet of Clay. It took him 50 years to pop the question of marriage to Lois Lane. After she said Yes, he subsequently faked his death as Superman and then again as Clark Kent, until Lois caught him in the arms of a topless island girl – which happened to be the precise moment when his amnesia miraculously vanished!
Superman has always had a unique, and very understanding, supporting cast!
Name: Richard Neal
Store/Location: Zeus Comics and Collectibles/Dallas, TX
Website: http://www.zeuscomics.com/
Poor Superman. He rarely lost a battle; but he never came out unscathed. The fate of the universe at stake and Superman's sacrifice often was his cape, a leg, an arm or a boot. Rarely did he join forces with the rest of the Justice League. I couldn't afford them. My small allowance was spent replacing the Superman toy that was the foundation of my imagination.
Name: Dan-o
Store/Location: Cashman's Comics/Bay City, Michigan
Website: www.cashmanscomics.com
My first exposure to Superman was a Justice League of America comic bought for a long road trip. JLA led quickly to whatever I could find on the spinner rack at the Quick Trip. Action Comics staring Superman was a constant. Big giant stories and big giant guest stars, Action Comics had it all!
In today’s marketplace, where it is now common practice to relaunch a series several times with new #1 issues only to be “rebooted” back to the original numbering system (with issue #500 or #600 i.e. Daredevil, Iron Man, Amazing Spider-Man, Hulk, etc.) several months later, it is a true milestone for a comic book to reach issue #900 without any such gimmicks. For this fan, Action Comics #900 will be a much appreciated rarity in today’s market – a “real” issue #900!
Despite a few changes over the years, the common factor between Action Comics #1 and #900 is the Man of Steel himself – Superman. When asked why Kal-El is my personal favorite, my answer is simple, “Superman was the first larger than life ‘hero,’ and set the standard for everyone else to follow. Without Superman, there would be no Batman, and arguably, no Wolverine, Venom, or Deadpool.” Also, and this may sound corny, but in today’s “let’s ridicule, complain, and/or mock EVERYTHING” society, I’m glad to set an example for my kids by promoting the ideals Superman has represented for over 70 years. So bring on Action Comics #900, and #950, and #1000; I’m not going anywhere – and neither is Superman!
Name: Peter Carbonaro
Store/Location: Heroes' Haven/Tampa, FL
Website: http://www.heroeshavencomics.com/
In the Chuck Austen/Ivan Reis Action Comics series, every page was exactly that - ACTION - even the transitions between panels had a bullet shaped Superman flying through the air. Austen, who can easily trend toward writing the tasteless mind-numbing issues exactly like Jeph Loeb always does, definably shows he's better because this entire run was jamming from start to finish.
Name: Jay Bardyla
Store/Location: Happy Harbor Comics v1/Edmonton, AB
Website: www.happyharborcomics.com
Customers were unhappy when Superman comics didn’t contain Superman during the New Krypton storyline. But Action Comics featuring Lex Luthor was the best the title has ever sold for us during our store’s 12 year history. Thanks, Pete and Paul! As a fan, I have always dreamed of how great it would be to write a Superman comic and terrified of it at the same time. Who does he fight? How do you make the threat real? The obstacle of the character took the fun out of creating a story. But Paul Cornell showed me how you get around that sometimes. Thanks. That was fun!
Name: Ed
Store/Location: Collector's Paradise
Website: http://comicsandcards.net/
Though Paul Cornell's Action has not driven up sales of Action in a big way, there is definitely a buzz on the series. Cornell's reputation as a writer is fantastic, he's not the type that has "haters" and is generally considered a great writer that needs a break out hit. His Marvel stuff never caught on, but it was such a pleasure to read. Captain Britain and the MI13 was the first time I heard about him, and loved the book. It actually sold really well in our store because we hand-sold it so well, so we were quite surprised when it was cancelled due to low sales. I think the sales velocity of his Action Comics run suffers from the usual thing: No Superman. DC's Superman titles will only sell when Superman is the main character in them. Cornell's Luthor-centric issues are superb, but will not gain mass readership because Superman is not in them (well, until issue 900 when DC has announced they are bringing Supes back into the title).
Superman has not been one of my favorite characters because he's tough to write. He's a character with ultimate powers and very few flaws. His only flaws are Magic and Kryptonite. Well, there is only so many times you can do a Kryptonite villain of the week story or a magic-based villain story. All that's been done to death. I think the idea of making Action Comics into a Luthor book was inspired, but unfortunately a typical DC reader is quite stuck in their need for Supes in the book.
My first experience with comics is also my first Superman book. In 1992, working at Fairfax High School, I heard about the "Death of Superman" and was very intrigued. I had never read comics, but this caught my attention. During my lunch break, I went across the street to the original Golden Apple store, and got a copy of that issue and all the build up issues of Action Comics and Justice League. I loved the books, and started looking into other stuff. Two years later I was the owner of Collector's Paradise. Now, 17 years later, I still very fondly remember my first comic book experience and its connection to Superman.
Name: Chris Brady
Store/Location: 4 Color Fantasies/Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Website: http://www.4colorfantasies.com/
I hear a lot of people complain that Superman is annoyingly moral and obnoxiously overpowered. What those people fail to realize is that those two opposing traits are what make him an engaging character. He can't do whatever he wants because he's a moral person and I'm glad he is a moral person because he can do anything. Superman is an ideal, one that a lot of people can't handle.
Take Lex Luthor, the anti-Superman. He does whatever he wants and yet has no powers beyond a deep pocketbook. I have a vivid memory of Action Comics #795, wherein Lex Luthor has been elected president of the United States and has also discovered that Clark Kent is Superman. It is revealed that Lex, for all of his evil, has harbored a secret love for Lois Lane, which he says is the only thing that has so far protected Clark from his wrath.
In the ensuing momentary stalemate we see that the one thing Luthor wants – the love of a decent person – is something the repugnant narcissist can never have. This moment solidified in my mind the fact that Superman doesn't always win because he's more powerful, he wins because he's the better person.
To be continued...
Well, that's it for this go 'round. I would like to offer 900 thank you's to comicshoplocator.com for providing such a valuable tool in finding so many awesome comic retailers. Be sure to check them out if you're in need of your comic fix and don't know where to get it.
Next up, we'll have a few poll questions. Then, stay tuned for some stellar interviews from the creative team behind Action Comics #890 through #900.
You can find the previous posts in this series here and here.
