G2FACTOR: SS11 #10, ACTION #11 PLUS DC & SDCC NEWS

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.

G2FACTOR: ACTION COMICS #1 X2 & SWAMP THING #1

The Original - Siegel & Shuster

Join us on Saturday, September 10th as we discuss the classic 1938 Action Comics #1, the issue that started a multi million dollar industry and America’s most recognizable icon worldwide.

We will compare it to Grant Morrison’s 2011 version seeing how their tone, stories, and characters are similar and different.  Are current times indicative of the late 30′s?  Does the history of the Superman character since that time demand some acknowledgement?

Is Superman more than an alien with superpowers and a secret identity?

Does he catalyst people to aspire to be better than they are?  To be all that they can be?

Is cynicism a valid portrayal of maturity?

Does might make right?  Should that question be brought up in a story involving Clark Kent?

DCnU version

Should Lex Luthor be drinking hyper caffeine drinks?

Lois Lane, has she met Superman face to face? Has she met Clark Kent face to face?

Jimmy Olsen is now friends with Clark but not Superman?

Is General Sam Lane like his Post Crisis self or more like his Ironside/Flashpoint self?

And who is this mystery woman that the DCnU has appearing in multiple #1 issues? Did you spot her?

Swamp Thing #1n

And why are we talking about Swamp Thing #1?

Despite the fact Dan Didio said there would be no crossovers, Superman complete with Kryptonian armor shows up to speak to Alec Holland.

Yes, the mystery woman shows up in it, too

Press on this link G2Factor and check out the live streaming and chat.  Downloads on talkshoe & iTunes after the show.

Enjoy!

G2FACTOR: FLASHPOINT 5 TO DCnU JUSTICE LEAGUE 1

Barry gives us DC's version of One More Day

What’s really going on in the DC Universe?  From comic history and wikipedia:

In 2007, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Joe Quesada felt dissolving the Peter Parker and Mary Jane marriage and returning Spider-Man to his roots was necessary to preserve the longevity of the character for the next 20 or 30 years. Quesada said he and other previous editors-in-chief had long been seeking an opportunity to begin a new methodology in which to tell Spider-Man stories, but had not found a reasonable way to do so. Quesada said, “It’s very easy to un-marry a character, or fix something like that: you just do a huge universal retcon, and say a few events in history didn’t happen. But that’s really not the way we do it here at Marvel.” But that ended up being exactly what they did.  (emphasis mine)

In Spidey’s case, this is how the scenario went:

After his Aunt has been shot, Spider-Man seeks help to save her life. He encounters the demon Mephisto, who offers to save her life if Spider-Man gives him his marriage. Spider-Man and his wife Mary Jane Watson agree, and this part of their history is erased so that, effectively, they have never been married.

In the DC version (Flashpoint series), it is the Flash’s mother who has murdered by the Reverse Flash and Barry doesn’t want her dead.  So he runs back through time to change events.  He thinks it is Thawne who has changed the world, but it is his own actions.  He tries to reset things to where they were before, but unfortunately he resets history.

This week in a NY Times interview, Jim Lee, Co-Publisher of DC Comics had this to say regarding the DC retcon:

DC, which is owned by Time Warner, has long lagged behind its rival Marvel Comics, the Disney-owned publisher of Spider-Man and Captain America, in market share if not audience enthusiasm. Its latest company-wide overhaul has been almost a year in the making, devised in October at an editorial retreat where staff members were trying to create a love triangle for Superman,who wed Lois Lane in 1966.

Once the team decided it did not have to be bound by this marital detail, “we started talking about a lot of crazy, what-if situations, and out of that openness came the idea of renumbering the entire line,” said Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Comics and an illustrator of the new Justice League series. (emphasis mine)

Superman fans greatest fears came true this week when DC pulled a Spidey, not just with Superman’s marriage but with all it’s other married characters except . . . Animal Man.

Marvel did it first, but does DC Comics think they’ll do it better?  These and other questions will arise as we discuss the chaperoning in of the new DCnU.

Three of these Superheroes are not in this issue & Cyborg is not a hero yet.

Justice League #1 begins to show us the development of this group of superheroes.  In this new world, people have xenophobia and it’s not just the ordinary joes.  Written by Geoff Johns with art by Jim Lee.  Apparently we’ll be getting hero intros at the end of each issue.  So no real surprises here.

Man of Steel, the movie, has been releasing photos of Cavill in the super suit.  We’ll be discussing our reactions.

Join us on Saturday, September 3rd at 6pm ET at G2Factor.  Live streaming & chatroom.  Aftershow.  Downloads on talkshoe & iTunes.

Hope you’ll join us.

G2FACTOR: DEATH OF ACTION COMICS VOL 1 AND LOIS LANE TOO

Join us on Saturday, August 27th at 6pm EDT while we discuss Action 904, DCU Online Legends 14, Flashpoint Lois Lane & the Resistance 3, Flashpoint Project Superman 3, Superman Beyond 0, and Retroactive Superman 1990s. LOTS to talk about!!!

Really rough week for Lois Lane fans. She dies in two comics, is already dead in another and loses her husband after this week. It appears DC has made her carrion for Superman to save the world 24/7 in the DCnU. And what about Clark? Where the hell is he?

More DC news regarding Rags Morales’ blog, Flashpoint and the beginning of the DCnU next week.  It should be lively or deadly, we can’t decide which yet.

Click on G2Factor to participate in live streaming or chatroom. Aftershow. Downloads on talkshoe and iTunes.

Also check out the last issue of OSCK magazine. Much thanks to Erika and Kate for coordinating it. And many thanks to Christine, the idea gal.  G2 FACTOR got a mention!

G2FACTOR ALL STAR SUPERMAN SHOW CANCELLED TODAY

Join us next week for discussions on Flashpoint: Project Superman #3, Flashpoint: Lois Lane & the Resistance #3, Superman Beyond #0 and the last issue of Action Comics for volume 1.

It should be a great show, especially since it is the week before the #1s begin.

Thanks everyone for your support.

G2FACTOR: ALL STAR SUPERMAN & SUPERMAN BATMAN #87

Grant Morrison's All Star Superman is now an animated movie.

In preparation for the new Action #1 in September, G2Factor will be taking a look at the comic book series and the animated film of All Star Superman.  What can we derive from this Silver Age themed tale in the Golden Age researched story to come in the DCnU?  You can visit introtosuperman for more information regarding this story.

Where does Joker get his giant mallets?

We’ll also be discussing Superman Batman #87, the last of that title for an undisclosed period of time.  See how Clark Kent deals with the Joker and keeping Batman’s and his own secret identity in tact.  This title often was outside continuity and during the last three years was the only place to find the Kent marriage involved.  That will no longer be the case next month since the marriage, amongst other things, is getting shoved into a void to make way for the new DCnU.

Join us on Saturday, August 20th at 6pm EDT as we dissect these stories and news regarding Superman and some of his DCU friends on the G2Factor on talkshoe.  Live streaming and chatroom are available.  Also an aftershow.  Downloads on iTunes and talkshoe after completion of show.

Hope to see you there.

Enjoy!

G2FACTOR: Lois Lane is Back to the Future

Lois goes to a future. Meets a very different Superman.

Lois goes to the future. Meets a very different Clark.

Whether it’s via Kryptonian technology based on the Phantom Zone Projector or a Legion ring, Lois Lane time travelling teaches us one constant, the Man of Steel is lost without her.

Saturday, August 13th at 6pm EDT, G2 Factor examines the simple intricacies of this iconic relationship.

We’re very happy to be reviewing Superman:  The Animated Series’ BRAVE NEW METROPOLIS and Smallville’s season 9 episode, PANDORA.  If you’ve ever read Superman’s FOR TOMORROW series in the comics, you will recognize Jim Lee’s amazing art come to life.

Join us at G2Factor on talkshoe.

No matter  what age of the story or whether or not Lois knows the secret, her life affects Clark Kent/Superman like no other.  She is as much a part of his complete characterization as his dual identities.  In September, Clark and Lois lose their marriage in comics continuity.  We have not seen very much reverence for this status quo change in the last few books of Post Crisis.

We do know that Clark and Lois are in each other’s orbit in the DCnU’s Superman books authored by George Perez.  Grant Morrison, who is writing Action Comics, has not really given us anything definite regarding Clark/Superman meeting Lois in his first issue.   We hope that he does include, at the very least, a meeting between Lois and his Bruce Springsteen Superman.   In the 1938 issue, we saw Clark asking Lois out for a date in their very first panel together and she met Superman that evening when he saved her from mobsters.

Flashpoint has only given us glimpses (literally) of ‘Subject One’ outside his books or Flashpoint #3.  Lois Lane was barely in her second Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance book.   How this Flashpoint series will affect the Action comics or Superman comics of the future is uncertain.   Superman appears to be taking the brunt of this change with the interment of his marriage and return to his first days in Metropolis.  (On the flipside, Batman has an internment program going with multiple Robins over a five year period.)

Live chat room and streaming during show.  Possible aftershow.  Downloads available on talkshoe and iTunes.

Hope to see you there!

G2FACTOR: Superman #714 The Beginning of the End of an Era

Saturday, August 6 at 6pm ET, G2Factor will say good bye to the first of the comics that had the Kent marriage in continuity.  Clark is speeding towards Seattle as the mystery woman (a Mary Sue character) has Lois by knifepoint.  This is the same situation Lois is experiencing in Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance.  Coincidence?

Will DC mark the end of an era and Superman v3?  Will there be a tribute to the strong marriage of Clark Kent/Lois Lane/Superman?

Also on sale this week is Flashpoint #4 featuring the Marvel family and World of Flashpoint #3.

Join us in the live chat room or listen through live streaming.  Possible aftershow.  Downloads are available on talkshoe or iTunes after the show.

G2FACTOR: Flashpoint PROJECT SUPERMAN & LOIS LANE & RESISTANCE 2

Kal-El, government test subject

July 27th pick up Flashpoint Project Superman #2.  General Sam Lane thinks of Kal-El as more than a specimen.  Also on sale on Wednesday is Lois Lane and the Resistance #2 and Action 903.

G2Factor will be discussing these comics on Saturday, July 30th at 6 pm ET.  Also more on the Superman Reboot.

Only one more month of comics that may or may not address the Kent marriage.  During Comic Con we found out our OTP were not the only victims of Marriage Wipeout Syndrome.  Except for Animal Man (Morrison would probably quit if they touched his precious.) every other married couple will be without spouse or they’ve completely disappeared from the DC storytelling horizon (Wally West).  Matrimony and females are icky apparently in the DC comic book mentality.

Check out last Saturday’s G2Factor show about the Reboot.  Live streaming and chatroom available with downloads on talkshoe or iTunes.

G2Factor is compromised mostly of  female Superman fans.  We read comics!  We are artists and storytellers.  Don’t forget about us, DC.  Our money is just as good as 14 to 34 year old males.

G2FACTOR: BOOK REPORTS & FLASHPOINT #3

DC Comics surprised us this week with Flashpoint #3: Project Superman Revealed.  We’re very excited about this issue.  (Find out what Geoff Johns did to Krypto!  Bad Geoff!)

What did they do to Baby Kal-El?

Also, we will be discussing comic book stories that appeal to us.  The Search for Kryptonite from Superman/Batman and elseworlds such as Speeding Bullets and Superman Monster to name a few.

So join us on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 6 pm ET at G2Factor.  We’re on talkshoe and that allows us to have live streaming and chat as well as downloads from talkshoe and iTunes.  We usually have an after show so stick around to talk to us.

Thanks to all our regulars!  We truly appreciate you.

Tom and Eric are hot!