Action Comics without Superman? Yes, they did try it once already, back in “Action Comics Weekly” starting with #600… and lasting until John Byrne took over the book after his “Man of Steel” run. Does anyone know if “ACW” is now considered a success or was it pretty much filler until Byrne was scheduled to take over?

John Byrne's Man of Steel run was BEFORE Action Comics Weekly. Byrne's last issue was #600. George Perez took over when ACW ended.

And Superman still appeared in Action Comics Weekly, he just wasn't the only star.

Bruce Wayne no longer Batman? Didn't this happen already in "Knighfall", back in 1993? Look how well that went: Bruce (as expected) became Batman once again. And what happens if Batman actually dies in the comics? How will this affect the movies? Or do Batman comics even get a bump in sales when the movies come out? Didn't tons of people want to read about Batman and the Joker after seeing "The Dark Knight"? What happens when those people (many of whom may be old-time readers) pick up a Batman comic and find Bruce Wayne is long dead and some joker (pardon the pun) is now Batman.

I can hear the confusion already when someone picks up the comic they haven't read in 20 years and asks why Jason Todd is Batman when he remembers calling a 900 number to kill Robin, all those years ago.

To anyone not getting it, this is sarcasm.

I have really fond memories of Action Comics Weekly... Although it did have a Superman strip in it 90% of the time (usually just two pages and often the centrespread)

It seemed like a try-out area for writers and artists, so typically there was some great stuff and some dross...

I remember Wild Dog featuring quite prominently, and some great Blackhawk stuff too...

Oh, yeah... And a Phantom Lady cover that really belonged on the top shelf... Boy did I get some looks across the counter that week!

Superman has always been an adult, it's part of his character, and it's not too far-fetched to believe he would be married.

If anything, I think that a married Superman is easier to identify with (and although I'm only 25, I'm British and got into Superman through the Fleetway reprints magazine over here, and have read single, engaged and married Superman stories) as it helps show his human, vulnerable side. Without the human relationships in the Superman books, he'll just be an overly powerfull alien again.

This change won't last.

(Technically, far more people, especially under the age of 25, have only gotten the character by way of the recent movie [in which they were neither engaged nor married], the animated universe, in which they’ve neither been engaged or married, and Smallville, in which they aren’t even dating, than have ever picked up a comic book…)

Maybe if you went to under 20, possibly lower - Lois & Clark was a smash hit for a couple of years.

Bullshit. I’m 23 and have been reading comics for sixteen years.

Ivan, I'd prefer you not react so angrily, but I'd also like you to note that sixteen years ago, Clark and Lois were engaged, so you did not contradict the statement as presented.

Bullshit. I'm 23 and have been reading comics for sixteen years.

"Well no one can identify with a married Superman"

I CAN identify with a married Superman pretty well; sadly poor writing and lousy editorial decisions sometimes makes it more difficult.

It's 1988 all over again, only this time I don't have to flunk my senior math class

Everyone under the age of 25

That's a dying breed of comic fan.

Anyway, to me the real question here is how badly Didio will manage to botch all these new initiatives. The only successful thing in the mainstream continuity DC universe under his watch has been 52. And by successful, I mean in terms of critical reception AND sales. Point is, Didio will find away to botch all these AND somehow keep his job.

And I've always liked DC's present-day outer space settings, which will be getting quite a workout between Superman, the Green Lantern Franchise, and the new R.E.B.E.L.S. book...

I hear Jimmy is going to be the new Superman and it's going to be totally permanent! Brubaker to write.

Seriously though, this is just a horrible idea.

Well no one can identify with a married Superman.