Who can save Superman now? KURT BUSIEK!

[Captain Kal]

Kurt, how many forums do you post at regularly to answer questions?

Too many!

Well, I can reduce the potential forums for you somewhat.

I strongly recommend that you don't post at Superherochat or The Comic Edge.  Those forums have the kind of flame-happy goons that hated Thor being beaten by Superman and have been banned from all the civilized forums elsewhere.  Hey, they had to go somewhere, right?

IIRC, you used to post at Alvaro's and they're very good for treating visiting creators.  Walt Simonson was a regular there on their Orion board back in the day.  I have my own issues about that forum, but it's good for creators there.

[Kurt Busiek]

IIRC, you used to post at Alvaro's and they're very good for treating visiting creators.  Walt Simonson was a regular there on their Orion board back in the day.  I have my own issues about that forum, but it's good for creators there.

I still check in there, but they don't get a lot of CONAN or ASTRO CITY talk, so until and unless I'm doing something that gets more play there, I doubt I'll have much to respond to.

kdb

[Captain Kal]

BTW, I just noticed lately that ASTRO CITY resembles 'atrocity'.  Was that intentional or just an accident?

[Kurt Busiek]

BTW, I just noticed lately that ASTRO CITY resembles 'atrocity'.  Was that intentional or just an accident?

Coincidence.  But not one we haven't thought about playing with.

"Monstro City" resembling "monstrosity" was deliberate, though.

kdb

[Captain Kal]

Kurt, you mentioned how Superman works as an updated character and the versatility of the character has come up several times on this thread from both you and others.

In your opinion, how much of that versatility is inherent in Siegel's original portrayals?

How much of that is due to the richness of the myth-building in the decades since he first appeared?

If it's the latter, what do you think -- and how do you feel for that matter -- about DC ditching nearly all of that rich history after the Crisis?

[Kurt Busiek]

Kurt, you mentioned how Superman works as an updated character and the versatility of the character has come up several times on this thread from both you and others.
In your opinion, how much of that versatility is inherent in Siegel's original portrayals?  How much of that is due to the richness of the myth-building in the decades since he first appeared?

Don't really know.

If it's the latter, what do you think -- and how do you feel for that matter -- about DC ditching nearly all of that rich history after the Crisis?

That was one of the updatings he works as.

It's twenty years ago.  There were things they lost that I liked, things they added that I liked.  I could quibble with bits of it, but mostly -- so it goes.  I like the Schwartz Superman a lot, but I doubt what we'd have today would be much like it, even if CRISIS hadn't happened, just as the Superman of 1975 wasn't a whole lot like the Superman of 1955, or the Superman of 1965 wasn't much like the Superman of 1945.

It kinda seems like any take on Superman starts to get tired after ten or twelve years or so, and gets juiced up by a fresh approach.  But ten years of monthly adventures in multiple books adds up to a sizable body of work, so it's hard to gripe that it didn't get explored enough, at least to my mind.

kdb

[dto]

Mr. Busiek, I thought I'd bump this thread up again to thank you both for your work and for frequenting this message board.  I've enjoyed our past conversation concerning Superboy-Prime and "Superman: Secret Identity".  While I am glad to see Prime once again in "Infinite Crisis", I'm also a bit apprehensive over DC's plans for this kid.  I take consolation in the fact that whatever fate's in store for Superboy-Prime (while I'd like to see him join those comic book-fans in Mark Waid's "Legion of Super-Heroes", the cynic in me is bracing for the "heroic death" that'll inspire Conner Kent to finally get his act together) I still have your "Clark Kent" and family.

I don't usually collect new series (the back issue bins own my wallet), but I've heard many enthusiastic reviews about "Astro City".  Last week I found a nearly-complete run of Volume Two (was #23 the last one?) at an irresistable price.  But I'd still might have passed on it had I not read "Superman: Secret Identity" AND seen your comments on this Message Board.  I'll probably get the "Local Heroes" and "The Dark Age" issues soon.

Perhaps this is a personal quirk, but I usually collect individual issues even when they are compiled in a trade paperback format.  I just prefer reading comics as they were originally intended, rather than a collected volume with a thick spine and the cover art consigned to an appendix gallery.  Even the added "goodies" don't usually tempt me.

But since "Astro City" Volume One is now rather pricey, I bought the trade paperback.  I'm now rather glad for this, since I had the advantage of slowly reading through your Introduction.  I must have looked like a bobble-head doll, since I was nodding in agreement all the way.   :wink:

I just finished the first story, featuring the Samaritan dreaming of flight.  It's HARD to put down the book at that point (like eating just one Lays potato chip), but I need more uninterrupted time to fully enjoy this ride.

Thanks you again, Mr. Busiek.  While I always considered Metropolis to be my "favorite city" (and hopefully after "Infinite Crisis" it will continue to be), I definitely need to check in with the Astro City Visitor's Bureau and Chamber of Commerce.

And now, please excuse me -- I have a lot of reading this weekend...  

[Kurt Busiek]

I don't usually collect new series (the back issue bins own my wallet), but I've heard many enthusiastic reviews about "Astro City".  Last week I found a nearly-complete run of Volume Two (was #23 the last one?) at an irresistable price.

Actually, #22 was the last one.  If you have a copy of #23, I want your dimensional gate!  [Of course, in this dimension, what was planned to be #23 wound up as LOCAL HEROES #3, but still...]

Thanks you again, Mr. Busiek.  While I always considered Metropolis to be my "favorite city" (and hopefully after "Infinite Crisis" it will continue to be), I definitely need to check in with the Astro City Visitor's Bureau and Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks for the very kind words!

kdb