Superman Getting New Costume As 'Action Comics' Relaunching With New No. 1

PHILADELPHIA — More than seven decades after Superman made his debut in "Action Comics," DC said Friday the long-running title will restart at No. 1 in September with the Man of Steel sporting a full-blue suit sans his long-standing red trunks.

The publisher's announcement, first reported by the Los Angeles Times on its website, also included details on new titles for Supergirl and Superboy, too, as well as a solo Superman series that will be written by George Perez and drawn by Jesus Merino.

The cover to "Superman" No. 1 shows the hero in a blue suit, red boots and cape and large "S" on his chest.

Perez reinvigorated Wonder Woman during a five-year run in the 1980s for DC. He also guided "The New Teen Titans" to success with writer Marv Wolfman. In 1985, he illustrated the company's mammoth "Crisis On Infinite Earths" maxi-series that restructured the DC Universe.

"Action Comics" has been a cornerstone of DC's comic titles and its first issue – published in June 1938 – featured the debut of Superman, aka Clark Kent, a mild-mannered newspaper reporter for The Daily Planet who was actually a Kryptonian raised by Kansas farming couple Jonathan and Martha Kent.

"Action Comics" is DC's longest-running series in terms of issues, having reached No. 901 this month.

Since then, the character created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Schuster has become one of comics' enduring icons, spawning radio and TV serials in the 1940s and 1950s and then films starring Christopher Reeve before returning to the small screen in "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" in the 1990s and the just-concluded "Smallville," which aired for 10 seasons.

DC said nothing about its plans for the new "Action Comics," but revealed it will be written by Grant Morrison, whose gritty take on "Batman and Robin" and this year's "Batman Inc." has a reputation for revamping characters. Morrison also penned "All-Star Superman," a 12-issue collection of tales that was made into an animated DVD.

Rags Morales, who has drawn "Identity Crisis" and "Countdown to Infinite Crisis" was tapped to illustrate the new "Action Comics."

"Supergirl," which will be written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson, and drawn by Mahmud Asrar, also features a new look, with the Kryptonian teen ditching the mini-skirt and midriff baring shirt in favor of a martial-inspired cape with boots.

"Superboy" will be written by Scott Lobdell and drawn by R.B. Silva and Rob Lean.

DC is launching 52 titles at No. 1 in late September featuring scores of its characters, including Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and the Justice League.

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Online:

http://www.dccomics.com

Comments

[happyblackman]

10:36 AM on 06/13/2011

I remember them making him over some years back.

[DocManhattan]

02:25 AM on 06/13/2011

Won't be sorry to see the trunks go ... But that red belt? Hmmm ... Full body blue suit needs something brighter to avoid being boring. Stuck to the gold/yellow belt and add a splash of red somewhere on the suit around the waist and hips.

[onionboy]

09:07 PM on 06/12/2011

Incredible! This has only happened like 10 times.

[dngrwoman]

08:06 PM on 06/12/2011

I am happy that The Man Of Steel is getting a makeover! DANGER WOMAN

[JDM73]

06:02 PM on 06/12/2011

I love Superman, but he belongs to the Golden Age. Stop trying to reinvent him and leave him back there in 1938 on that day-glo "Action Comics" cover, grinning as he lifts Butch Matson's car over his head. Can you imagine some boneheaded comic or film executive constantly reinventing Tarzan or Buck Rogers every couple of years?

[ArtCarnage]

11:34 PM on 06/12/2011

Well, yes, I can. Let's see, there was the original film Tarzan, Elmo Lincoln, back in the silent era. He was reinvented as a sleeker, more athletic ape man years later by Johnny Weissmuller. He was then reinvented as a more wordly and intellegent King of the Jungle on TV by Ron Ely. His British roots were emphasized in the '84 film "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan". And he got the full Disney treatment in '99s "Tarzan". And that's leaving out the two radio versions, first in the 1930s, then again in the 1950s.

Buck Rogers, which has been a comic strip, movie serial, a TV series in the 1950s, and yet another TV series in the 1980s, has had similar transformations.

[JDM73]

12:31 AM on 06/13/2011

But those franchises petered out decades ago, with the exception of a few failed attempts to revive them. Superman has been constantly overhauled for almost seventy-five years: in comics alone we've seen Golden Age Superman, Earth 1 Superman, John Byrne's "Man of Steel", the much-hyped death of Superman, and "Reign of the Supermen" (which is when things got truly, uproariously ridiculous). We've also had Kirk Alyn as Superman in film serials, George Reeves as Superman on TV, and Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh as Superman in major motion pictures.
New costume? Starting over at #1? Sounds like another tired attempt to milk a few more dollars from a character whose potential was exhausted long ago. Why not just say, yes, Superman is a lovely character and we all have a lot of affection for him, but rather than putting a new hat on Malibu Stacy we're going to call it a day and move on to something else.

[Steamboater]

04:03 PM on 06/12/2011

Would rather have seen Supeman in a pair of leather chaps and knee high Wescos.:)

[UncleJimbo]

11:49 PM on 06/12/2011

Just a Speedo Please!......

[MikeDu]

02:20 PM on 06/12/2011

Back in 1961 even your most mediocre comic book would easily sell 600,000 copies. And kids would READ them, not place them unopened into hermetically sealed packaging in the hope of a cash windfall from a 'collector' 20 years down the road. Creeping 'a-literacy' (knowing how to read but chosing not to) combined with collector mania has all but killed the industry. Thier primary revenue stream is now selling movie right to stale 50+ year old comics characters. Green Lantern? Really?

[kapalabhati]

09:35 AM on 06/13/2011

A-literacy. I love that!

[nikolasoddfellow]

01:00 PM on 06/12/2011

LOL. Who cares!?!?! :0)

[UncleJimbo]

11:50 PM on 06/12/2011

Lois and Jimmy!

[LuLou Murder]

11:44 AM on 06/12/2011

Calm down, people. The classic costume will be back, and so will the original numbering. DC makes too much from merchandising to permanently change the costume, and they won't be able to resist publishing Action Comics #1000 in a few years.

[Vgman]

10:01 AM on 06/12/2011

I am no expert on comic background stories, but the way I see it is that super hero costumes should be comfortable and practical. No capes unless they are used for something, no bright colors, no dresses/skirts, no breasts popping out, etc. The costumes should be updated if the characters are functioning in the modern era. Yes, it is a comic book, but if you are going to argue the virtues of design and practicality then simple is best.

[proggirl]

10:30 AM on 06/12/2011

There are some very practical superhero outfits- Batwoman (modern), Starman (90s), and Manhunter (modern). It's rare, but it does happen.

[cdub1991]

11:52 PM on 06/12/2011

They do wear much better shoes these days.

[tfcrow]

08:51 AM on 06/12/2011

George reeves was the best superman.

[UncleJimbo]

11:50 PM on 06/12/2011

Yes!

[cameron d]

08:39 AM on 06/12/2011

Marv Wolfman: now that's a name!

[proggirl]

10:31 AM on 06/12/2011

Wolfman was the writer who created the character Blade. You may have seen the movies.

[BookKeepersSon]

08:33 AM on 06/12/2011

How about straightening Alfred E Newman's teeth while they're at it?

Preposterous.

(I know he's not a DC comic, but you get my point)

[fataggie]

08:58 AM on 06/12/2011

Actually, yes, he is. Mad magazine was bought in the early 1960s by Kinney Parking, the same people who would later buy DC Comics, and successor owners Time-Warner merged Mad fully into its comics operation around 1995.

[BookKeepersSon]

11:34 AM on 06/12/2011

Well,,, ya learn something every day!

Thanks

[fataggie]

06:57 AM on 06/12/2011

There might be at least two Superman outfits. What I presume is the cover of Action Comics #1 (the #1 that doesn't cost a million dollars, I mean) shows Supes in a T-shirt with an S on it, and wearing patched-up jeans:

http://www.comicbookresources.com/assets/thumbnail.php?file=/assets/images/articles/1307736879.jpg&w=300

DC is trying to bring heroes designed for the 1930s and 1950s into the 21st century. It's a big gamble, because comic book fans rank somewhere behind the DAR and the Tea Party in their love for change. I wish DC well with this; its comics were a gigantic part of my childhood fifty years ago or so, and I'd like to see the company and its creations continue on for decades to come.

Up, up and away!

[zenju2]

05:32 AM on 06/12/2011

The best look Superman ever had was when Kal-El returned from death....long hair, and that awesome all-black costume with the silver "S" logo, no cape. Apart from the classic look, it's my all-time favorite.

[LLNYRN]

12:32 PM on 06/12/2011

The Black Costume was one of my favorites too.
Especially when Dan Jurgens drew it.

[DocManhattan]

02:22 AM on 06/13/2011

Yeah, that was a good look. But the classic costume holds so much nostalgia value for me! Still, no reason why Superman should have just ONE uniform ...