I don’t have time to make the graphics I want so the article I was going to do today will have to wait until tomorrow. So you’re getting this instead.
For those just here for Superman week, Jake & Leon is my Sunday comic strip, a mix of parody and commentary hosted by the titular characters. Naturally, Superman has popped up a few times. So thanks to time and just for fun here are the numerous appearances of the Man of Steel so you can see how badly I draw the S-shield.
Mostly, I just wanted to draw Superman.
This was part of a swipe at Marvel’s event overload, but during it I had this joke based on the current “Grounded” storyline. You know, the one where Superman decided to walk across the country. Exciting! No, not really.
Considering what Superman is exposed to in an average day…
Does anybody remember this explanation as to where Superman keeps his civilian clothes? Did they keep it post-Crisis? By the way, his cape got shredded a lot in the 90’s so that would have damaged the clothes in it. Try explaining that to Perry White.
Apparently they can.
This was just after convention season and the boys had decided to go to the arcade rather than get into the New 52 craziness that had started up around that time. This is rare since I don’t usually mix styles like this. Superman was done in one of the style I do for skits because I’ve established there are no real superheroes in the world of the comic. So this was obviously just a skit that the boys were more a part of than usual.
Panel one I’m really proud of myself for. Is it good? In your eyes maybe not, but putting the “camera’ was kind of new for me and pulling it off even that well showed some growth as an artist.
Don’t get me started on the boots.
Yeah, in the time it took me to post the previous strip, the new “armored” look of Superman 52 debuted. You can tell when I’m making fun of a Superman trope in general or the New 52 specifically based on which outfit I draw Superman in.
As much as you don’t want to, you remember the Spider-Armor.
Poor Spider-Man, losing his marriage to a universal retcon by editorial fiat. (They think he’s better as a loser who dates alot, which means when I draw Spidey for the strip he usually has Archie’s “R” and Charlie Brown’s shirt design. It was a one-time joke that I stick with.) And then the same thing happens to Superman and the Flash. That’s too bad. Now you can add original Green Lantern Alan Scott. Today’s creators seem to hate superhero marriages not involving Reed & Sue Richards for some reason.)
At least we have cool new logos. Oh, wait…
I question Geoff John’s idea as to what makes a better superhero, but it’s not like the pain started with him. Or maybe I’m just old fashioned.
And note that only one of them has had a hard reboot, much less two.
And in at least one version both parents died right in front of him because of a mistake he made as Superboy. I know his parents’ death is what drives Batman but sometimes writers take it way to far.
None from me, either.
The first two were pretty recent (panel 1 coming from the guy writing the upcoming movie…you can understand my concern) while the third panel is the Superman we USED to know.
Besides my weak drawing skills, although in my defense this was a rush job.
That was last week’s strip. I put it here because I wanted to end on the tribute. But yeah, there was a time when Superman and He-Man teamed up. I’ll tell you that story someday.
And I don’t believe that the guy in Man Of Steel is Superman, either. But maybe I’ll be convinced after Thursday. Maybe.
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