Brian Michael Bendis Controversial Comments On Superman Surface: Man Of Steel Is Not Relevant & Not Identifiable? Plus More On DC Comics!

News, Top Story

Brian Michael Bendis Controversial Comments On Superman Surface: Man Of Steel Is Not Relevant & Not Identifiable? Plus More On DC Comics!

With news that Brian Michael Bendis is becoming the authoritative guiding voice for Superman at DC Comics, I decided to peruse his website Jinxworld for any earlier thoughts on Superman and DC Comics. Here is a selection of relevant comments on both and more from a few years ago.

      (1) Bendis’ Past Comments On Superman.

      WHAT’D YOU THINK OF RUCKA’S SUPERMAN?
      I am not a big Supes guy but I will read Rucka’s. I did get the Gotham Central trade and its gorgeous.

      IF YOU COULD DO WHATEVER YOU WANTED ON A SUPERMAN BOOK, NO CONTINUITY, USE PROFANITY, WHATEVER, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
      Realize the character has no value in our more modern culture and cancel it.. Then USM would be the number TWO book :)

      YOU STATED THAT SUPERMAN WASN’T A RELEVANT CHARACTER ANYMORE. WHY?
      No, I said I didn’t think he was identifiable. Peter Parker is totally identifiable, I wonder if Superman is.

      (2) Bendis’ Past Comics Industry Comments.

      WHAT DO YOU SEE AT THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH COMICS TODAY?
      Fans rewarding bad behavior of creators and publishers. (Late books, bad rushed comics, solicitation lies..)

      WHY DO YOU ALLOW BOOKS WITH YOUR NAME IN TO BE SUBJECT TO MERELY COMMERCIAL MOVES (LIKE VARIANT COVERS?)
      Well, I appreciate your very well worded thoughts on the subject. Truth is I have no or very little say in the matter of variants. It’s an entirely different part of the business than the one I am in. But I do know that retailers love them. They ask for them and the ones you see are more often than not ones that retailers, when asked, requested. Fans like them too. Look, they sell. I say, do what I do, only buy what you like. Only support the books by creators you think really want to give you the best they have. If it has more than one cover, look at them, and buy the nicest one. And don’t worry about what anyone else is buying.

      (3) Bendis’ Past DC Comics Comments.

      WHO’S THE WORST CHARACTER IN MARVEL AND DC?
      Metamorpho.

      IF YOU COULD WRITE ANY DC BOOK WITHOUT RESTRICTIONS, WHICH WOULD IT BE?
      No joke, Plastic Man with Alex Maleev. Dark noir stretchy guy.

      DO YOU GET TIME TO READ OTHER BOOKS? WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO?
      I read tons of books. Very excited for Green Lantern: Rebirth. Wolverine will be Millar’s best. I love Warren Ellis […] Iron Man will be amazing. The art is stunning.

      ARE YOU A FAN OF CHRISTOPHER PRIEST’S WORK?
      Yes, but I haven’t read enough.

      WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE STORY ABOUT A BAD CHARACTER?
      Alan Moore’s Clayface story.

      DID YOU EVER READ JAMES ROBINSON’S STARMAN?
      Yes. I liked it.

      WHAT ARE YOUR ‘MUST READ’ COMICS?
      Planetary, Astonishing X-Men, Global Frequency, Ultimates, I could go on and on..

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!