2004 Comic Book News Archives
June 8, 2004: Chuck Austen Talks “Action Comics”
The Pulse sat down with Chuch Austen to talk to him about his work on "Action Comics" and what his take on Superman is. Here's an excerpt from the interview...Q: What do you think is necessary to make Superman interesting?
A: Make him someone you can relate to as a human being. Make him charming and entertaining and fun and real. I'm a strong believer that stories and characters are much more accessible if you have something personal about them you can latch onto. Something about them you can relate to. In my opinion, Superman works best when he's set against a backdrop of the familiar, because he's such a fantastic character. If you always put him in a fantastic situation, with fantastic powers, a perfect personality that always makes the right choices, a perfect alter ego, with the perfect wife and job ... who can relate to that? And who cares? I'd be annoyed by it. He's the perfect mirror that shows you every pore and every wrinkle on your face, and makes you feel terrible about yourself, not better. And I think he had the same effect on a lot of readers.
By making him more "human," and more someone I understand as a person, I think it's made him someone others can get into. A character you can understand and like. So far the reaction's been amazing, so it seems to be working. Knock wood [laughs]. It also certainly doesn't hurt that I've got the brilliant Ivan Reis to visualize my scripts. That goes a long way. Ivan gives Superman and Clark such great expressions, and makes him live and breathe as a charming, intense man. There are some things coming that are going to knock people on their asses.
Go Ivan!
Q: What were your instincts with the character?
A: To make him more like he was when Siegel and Shuster created him. Make him funny, confident, and most of all, entertaining. An "Every Man" who had this secret of, "If you only knew." It was a simple formula, really. Give people something they can relate to, entertain them with it, and they will come back. People need to enjoy reading Superman. He's the first and greatest superhero ever created! He spawned this entire superhero industry! So my instincts were: go back to what worked. You wouldn't think that would have been such a challenge, but it was. Make him entertaining first. Make him the big, summer, action blockbuster that's just a load of fun while you're sitting there, escaping reality. Not as topical, deeply meaningful, or intelligently written as Azarello's or Rucka's Superman, but unique and fun.
Read the entire interview at The Pulse website.
2004 Comic News
Listed below are all the Comic News items archived for 2004.- January 9, 2004: Three Different Supermen in 2004?
- January 10, 2004: Jim Lee Interviews Lee Bermejo
- January 10, 2004: Jim Lee Interviews Brian Azzarello
- January 12, 2004: Three Supermen Rumor False
- January 21, 2004: Art Adams Signs Exclusively to DC Comics
- January 21, 2004: Pre-Order CGC 9.8 NM/MT Grade Copies of First Jim Lee Drawn Superman
- January 23, 2004: Julie Schwartz in Hospital Again
- January 29, 2004: Price Rise for Superman Comics
- February 3, 2004: Superman/Batman vs Aliens/Predator
- February 3, 2004: Newsday Publishes History of Comics Article
- February 3, 2004: Alex Ross Interview
- February 4, 2004: Superman to Sport Painted Cover by Matt Wagner in May - (Updated with Images)
- February 8, 2004: Julie Schwartz Dies
- February 10, 2004: Comic Art Exhibition at Mizel Center for Arts and Culture
- February 11, 2004: Superman Comics Back to Press for Second Printing
- February 11, 2004: Milligan Talks “Kid Amazo”
- February 12, 2004: Jim Lee Talks Superman
- February 22, 2004: Sold Out “Godfall” Issues On Sale for $10!
- March 2, 2004: “Superman: Godfall” Continues to Sell Out at DC Comics
- March 3, 2004: Superman in Wizard #150
- March 7, 2004: Jeph Loeb Talks New Supergirl
- March 11, 2004: Mark Waid Says “Birthright” New Official Superman Origin
- March 16, 2004: Artist Ian Churchill Signs Exclusive Contract with DC Comics
- March 16, 2004: DC Staff and Talent Head West for Wizard World LA
- March 17, 2004: Ivan Reis Talks “Action Comics”
- March 18, 2004: Jeph Loeb Talks “Superman/Batman”
- March 18, 2004: DC Comics Rushes Sold-Out “Superman/Batman #8” Back to Press
- March 18, 2004: Kryptonian Translation of “Superman/Batman #8”
- March 21, 2004: DC Panel at Wizard World LA
- March 23, 2004: Chuck Austen Talks “Action Comics”
- March 24, 2004: Eddie Berganza Talks About Superman in 2004
- March 25, 2004: “Godfall” Continues to Sell Out at DC Comics
- March 26, 2004: Kurt Busiek Talks “Superman: Secret Identity”
- April 2, 2004: DC Unveils New Collected Editions
- April 5, 2004: DC and DF Present Signed Superman Comics for June
- April 11, 2004: Brian Azzarello Talks Superman
- April 13, 2004: “Superman/Batman #8” Second Printing Sells Out at DC Comics
- April 18, 2004: “Superman/Batman #8” is Diamond's Top-Selling Comic fo March!
- April 18, 2004: Stuart Immonen Talks “Superman: Secret Identity”
- April 19, 2004: Alex Sinclair Talks “Superman”
- April 20, 2004: Ivan Reis Signs Exclusive Deal with DC Comics
- April 21, 2004: Jim Lee and Michael Turner Take the Cover Challenge on “Superman/Batman #10” and “Superman #205” [Updated with images]
- April 22, 2004: DC Comics Rushes “Superman/Batman #8” Back to Press
- April 22, 2004: Jim Lee on “Superman” and Life Advice
- April 27, 2004: Gene Ha and Arthur Adams Talk Superman Covers
- May 11, 2004: Chuck Austen Talks “Action Comics” and “JLA”
- May 18, 2004: Dexter Vines Talks About Inking “Superman/Batman”
- May 26, 2004: Rags Morales Talks “Identity Crisis”
- June 8, 2004: Chuck Austen Talks “Action Comics”
- June 9, 2004: Comic Book Idol - Round 2
- June 15, 2004: DC Comics “Ask The Editors” Online Letter Columns
- June 21, 2004: Stan Lee Writes Superman for Julie Schwartz Tribute Issue
- July 8, 2004: Joe Casey Talks Superman
- July 9, 2004: Kim Howard Johnson Talks “Superman: True Brit”
- July 25, 2004: San Diego Comic Con Superman News
- July 28, 2004: Grant Morrison's Return to JLA
- August 16, 2004: “Superman/Batman” Panel at Wizard World Chicago
- August 31, 2004: Rick Veitch Answers Questions About “The Question”
- September 20, 2004: Greg Rucka Talks “Adventures of Superman”
- September 22, 2004: DC Sends “Identity Crisis #1” for Second Printing
- October 5, 2004: Comics Gaining Educational Reputation
- October 19, 2004: Scott McCloud Talks “Superman: Strength”
- October 19, 2004: DC Comics Pay Tribute to Christopher Reeve
- November 4, 2004: Rags Morales to Pencil Adventures of Superman #636
- November 11, 2004: David Goyer to Write “Superman/Batman”
- November 12, 2004: Superman Colorist Appearing at Comic Expo
- December 16, 2004: Chuck Austen Leaves “Action Comics”
- December 17, 2004: “Superman/Batman #13” Takes Top Spot on November Sales Chart
- December 17, 2004: Matthew Clark Talks About Drawing Superman
- December 20, 2004: Changes for Superman in 2005
- December 21, 2004: New Creative Team for “Superman” Comic
- December 21, 2004: “DC All-Stars” - DC's Answer to Marvel's Ultimate Line
- December 22, 2004: Grant Morrison Talks About “All-Star Superman”
- December 22, 2004: John Byrne in New Creative Team for “Action Comics”
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