Spoilers After The Break: The Final Days Of Superman

Unlike some of our readers who may not have been born yet, I was a regular in the comic book stores in 1992 when DC pulled the ultimate publicity stunt and killed off the Man of Steel.  His death in Superman #75 sold 3 million copies.  It was a perfect storm.  You had regular comic readers interested.  Former comic readers interested.  Non-comic readers.  The young and old.  Fans of the Superman movies or various TV shows.  Everyone was talking about it.  It was during a time when the death of a character seemed to actually mean something and didn’t happen every other day.  Especially to such an iconic character.   Sales were also boosted by occuring during the comic market boom as people were buying multiple copies as investments, hoping to cash in down the line.  Especially the variant black polybagged version which featured the logo above.  “Fans” were buying two copies.  One to open and read and one to lock away in a pressure sealed vault for safe keeping.

As we know, the market boom crashed not long after and this issue has often been attributed as having a major role in that.  But that’s a different column.  We’re here today to talk about the potential latest death of Superman.  More (including spoilers) after the break on the ongoing Final Days of Superman storyline in Superman #51, Batman/Superman #31 and Action Comics #51.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Eight

I’ll admit I ran out of steam and interest with the release of Convergence #8.  It took me awhile to get around to completing my reading of the tie-ins, and it didn’t help they were some of the weaker tie-ins of the bunch.  Plus Secret Wars was full steam ahead over at Marvel and I was excited to move onto that.  As such, this final post on DC’s big early summer event got lost in the shuffle.

But since I am contractually obligated to finish these posts, I’ll make a very late attempt to clue things up after the break.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One, Part Two
Week Six: Part One, Part Two
Week Seven: Part One, Part Two

Read on for Week Eight spoilers after the break for Convergence #8, Convergence Action Comics #2, Convergence Detective Comics #2, Convergence Blue Beetle #2, Convergence Booster Gold #2, Convergence Crime Syndicate #2, Convergence Infinity Inc #2, Convergence Justice Society Of America #2, Convergence Plastic Man And The Freedom Fighters #2, Convergence Shazam #2 and Convergence World’s Finest Comics #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Seven Part Two

Obligatory Aquaman money shot for Watson.

(Editor’s Note: Let’s all be kind to Jimmy and pretend it is the week of May 20th.  He really does try very hard to get his work done on time.  But for someone with commitment issues (ask Ms. Impossible) he can’t seem to say “No” to any project that comes his way.  So remember, it’s May 20th, Convergence is not over, and Jimmy is awesome.  Thanks from Gabbing Geek.)

Hey everybody!  A couple of clunkers in this batch of issues as we finish up the penultimate week of Convergence.  I’m looking forward to next week when the finale gets released.  I’m sure it will all start making sense at that point.  I’m sure nothing crazy and continuity shattering will occur and everything in the New 52 will be just as we left it two months ago.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One, Part Two
Week Six: Part One, Part Two
Week Seven: Part One

Read on for Week Seven spoilers after the break for Convergence Justice League America #2, Convergence Green Lantern Corps #2, Convergence New Teen Titans #2, Convergence Superboy And The Legion Of Super-Heroes #2 and Convergence The Flash #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Seven Part One

Step One in finishing write ups on all issues of Convergence: forgetting Convergence is over and that you already know how it ends.  Step Two in finishing write ups on all issues of Convergence: forgetting your are burned out on Convergence and more interested in the ramping up Secret Wars.  Step Three in finishing write ups on all issues of Convergence: actually reading the issues.

So I’ll soldier on.  I can’t even call it a labor of love, but I’ll get through it!

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One, Part Two
Week Six: Part One, Part Two

Read on for Week Seven spoilers after the break for Convergence #7, Convergence Wonder Woman #2, Convergence Swamp Thing #2, Convergence Hawkman #2, Convergence Adventures Of Superman #2, and Convergence Batman And The Outsiders #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Six Part Two

There’s a lot of deaths this week, but not of Watson’s main man!

Convergence clues up five more pre-Zero Hour/Wildstorm/Kingdom Come crossovers that will likely have little significance to the event as a whole.  There are quite a number of deaths in these issues.  I’m starting to suspect that Battleworld Telos is going to end up sticking around the main DCU with all those cities intact, so maybe those deaths will have meaning in the near future.  (As I write this, Convergence #8 has not been released yet.  But once you’re reading this it will have been and you will know the fate of Telos and it’s inhabitants.)

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One, Part Two
Week Six: Part One

Read on for Week Six spoilers after the break for Convergence Aquaman #2, Convergence Catwoman #2, Convergence Green Arrow #2, Convergence Justice League International #2 and Convergence Suicide Squad #2. 

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Six Part One

With Deimos becoming the main villain of this event, and Telos and his “Contest of Champions” being pushed to the wayside, Convergence is getting a bit more interesting.  The main mini-series anyway, the tie-ins are still not adding much.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One, Part Two

Read on for Week Six spoilers after the break for Convergence #6,  Convergence Batman Shadow Of The Bat #2, Convergence Green Lantern Parallax #2, Convergence Superboy #2, Convergence Supergirl Matrix #2 and Convergence Superman The Man Of Steel #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Five Part Two

Hey Watson! It’s Aquaman being a dick. No wonder he’s your favorite.

Convergence continues to trudge along with little of significance happening besides Rucka and Hamner’s return on The Question.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two
Week Five: Part One

Read on for Week Five spoilers after the break for Convergence Justice League #2, Convergence Speed Force #2,  Convergence The Atom #2, Convergence The Question #2 and Convergence Titans #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Five Part One

I’m back baby!  (Editor’s Note: Jimmy, you used that two posts ago.)  As Convergence continues its trek towards being the most forgettable crossover event ever.  The tie ins are not bad, but seem to have little to no bearing on the main book and vice versa.  If you like a particular DC character from a particular era, pick up those books.  Otherwise, just pick up the main mini-series, which may be of interest.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One, Part Two

Read on for Week Five spoilers after break for Convergence #5, Convergence Batman And Robin #2, Convergence Superman #2, Convergence Nightwing Oracle #2, Convergence Batgirl #2, and Convergence Harley Quinn #2.

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Four Part Two

No Aquaman cover this week, sorry Watson.

Well, I’m officially behind on Convergence.  We’re already into Week Five and I still haven’t finished Week Four.  Things aren’t going to get any better any time soon as Secret Wars kicks into gear and I’m off on special assignment for a week starting Sunday to investigate the non-geeky phenomenon known as golfing where it is warm because Canada and go frack yourself winter.  So hang in there with me, I’ll get all this stuff covered eventually…

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two
Week Two: Part One, Part Two
Week Three:Part One, Part Two
Week Four:Part One

Read on for Week Four spoilers after break for Convergence Crime Syndicate #1,  Convergence Infinity Inc #1, Convergence Justice Society Of America #1, Convergence Plastic Man And The Freedom Fighters #1 and Convergence World’s Finest Comics #1

Jimmy Attempts To Read All Of Convergence: Week Four Part One

It’s nice to see Convergence actually take itself a bit seriously this week and not just seem like the old Marvel “Assistants Editor’s Month” where it was just a free for all with no care or consequences.  They even make attempts to address recent events in the DCU and incorporate them.  Particularly interesting because they involve the former New 52, which to this point, outside of Superman’s appearance in issue #0 and the small Superman: Doomed tie-in, has been kept at a distance.

Be sure to catch up on all the Convergence happenings with coverage of:

Week One: Part One, Part Two

Week Two: Part One, Part Two

Week Three:Part One, Part Two

Read on for Week Four spoilers after break for Convergence #4, Convergence Booster Gold #1, Convergence Blue Beetle #1, Convergence Detective Comics #1, Convergence Action Comics #1 and Convergence Shazam #1.