It was the 31st of May 2011, a day that I will always remember because that was the day when the comic book community was shaken. DC Comics publishers Jim Lee and Geoff Johns announced that they will be renumbering their 52 comic titles back to issue # 1. Lee and Johns called the relaunch the “New 52” which was met with mixed reactions from fans. It was not only because they were restarting the DC universe, but there were radical changes in the character’s costumes. One of the biggest controversial costume changes was to Superman’s icon costume. The changes to his costume were that his red trunks are removed, a high V-neck is added, and his entire costume is almost armor-like. As a huge fan of the man of steel, I felt that it was big insult and a slap in the face to me and every hardcore fan across the world. That was not the only change to the man of tomorrow that made my head boil. In fact, what made me upset was the fact that his foster parents, the Kents were going to be deceased and his marriage to Lois Lane would be erased. I had mixed feelings over the marriage being broken up but the fact that Clark will not be able to go back to Smallville, Kansas to seek guidance from his earth parents pissed me off. I mean seriously, how could you take away they take the one thing that made Superman human.
Throughout the summer, I spent my days protesting against the new 52 and even supported the costume players who were against Lee’s and Johns’ business decision. However, I had a change of heart when the first issue of the Justice League came out. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Ms. Martin’s class had ended and I had gone to Atlantis Comics to see if they have anything good then I picked up “Justice League # 1”. After reading it and seeing Superman’s entry to fight Batman and Green Lantern at the end, I was sold. The next week, I picked a superman-related comic called “Action Comics” and I was completely blown away by it. If you have not picked up the first issue of Action Comics, I recommend you do. Grant Morrison breathed life into Superman by bring the Man of Steel back to his crusade against corruption in politics ways and being called “The Champion of the Oppressed” once again. It was as if Superman was more Clint Eastwood than Christopher Reeve. Another thing to look after is that every book in the new 52 has this mysterious lady with a purple robe and hood making cameos. This gives fans hints that something big is going to happen. I have to admit that I hated the decision that DC Comics made but I have come around to like it.
