Superman re-imagining?

[Relish in Chaos]

So here's something I was wondering about in the "Would you rather be ignorant or knowledgeable?" thread. Why or how has no-one done a graphic novel that serves as a potential continuation of Superman's character (arc) in The Dark Knight Returns (yes, I know it's not canon, but it doesn't have to be) as what Superman could've turned out like after becoming tired of having his naive ideal of justice being repeatedly abused by the US government. Sure, it might play off as a rip-off of Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen.

Sure, "dark" and "Superman" don't really seem to mix, but from what I've heard, many comic book fans appear to think that Superman's just a boring, overpowered, big blue boy scout. So maybe they'd give this new interpretation go? And preferably, not have it written by Frank Miller, who sadly lost his sanity in 2001.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

Didn't he die once? And become like Dark Superman or something? But yeah, I'd read that. Man of Steel loses hope completely. Grows a beard. Ditches the costume. Leaves Earth. Maybe even creates a race of beings. They view him as a god figure. Then things turns bad. His creations start wars amongst themselves or something.

I dunno, I'm not that well-versed in comics.

 

[Gatx]

Didn't he die once? And become like Dark Superman or something?

When he came back after getting "killed" by Doomsday he wore a black suit and sported a mullet. That's the closest I can came to what you're talking about.

 

[faefrost]

Marvel pretty much published the story you are looking for way back concurrently with when The Dark Knight Returns was published. Mark Gruenweld's classic 1985-86 12 issue miniseries Squadron Supreme.

 

[Remus]

Don't forget Marvel's Dark Reign. When the Sentry lost it he brought down Asgard and nearly wiped out the planet. He was ready to corrupt the world and ride it like a horse, something akin to Sephiroth's plan in FF VII. I'm liking seeing Supreme Power as part of the new Avengers team. It adds another powerhouse to fight alongside the god and the green behemoth, which translates to bigger threats to meet that kind of muscle.

 

[Sack of Cheese]

So here's something I was wondering about in the "Would you rather be ignorant or knowledgeable?" thread. Why or how has no-one done a graphic novel that serves as a potential continuation of Superman's character (arc) in The Dark Knight Returns (yes, I know it's not canon, but it doesn't have to be) as what Superman could've turned out like after becoming tired of having his naive ideal of justice being repeatedly abused by the US government. Sure, it might play off as a rip-off of Dr. Manhattan from Watchmen.

Sure, "dark" and "Superman" don't really seem to mix, but from what I've heard, many comic book fans appear to think that Superman's just a boring, overpowered, big blue boy scout. So maybe they'd give this new interpretation go? And preferably, not have it written by Frank Miller, who sadly lost his sanity in 2001.

Injustice prequel plays out as something like that! It's still running, pretty well-written too!
Other than that there's the Superman: Earth One reboot which was kinda angsty and broody I suppose?

I like him as he is though. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Risingblade]

Naw I like him as a boyscout. He's the symbol of everything a hero should strive to be, a role model and really nice guy. I think the idea of making him dark is pretty stupid, we already have enough dark heroes.

 

[Johnny Impact]

Didn't he die once? And become like Dark Superman or something? But yeah, I'd read that. Man of Steel loses hope completely. Grows a beard. Ditches the costume. Leaves Earth. Maybe even creates a race of beings. They view him as a god figure. Then things turns bad. His creations start wars amongst themselves or something.

When Doomsday killed him, he was interred for some time. Four new characters appeared, all claiming to be Superman:
The Last Son of Krypton, a cold-hearted, black-suited killer who fried criminals with his heat vision;
Cyborg Superman, basically 2/3 Superman, 1/3 Terminator, who claimed to be from the future and was all about good PR;
Superboy, an "edgy" clone of Supes with altered powers, an earring/leather jacket combo, and an arrogant jackhole attitude;
and Steel, an Iron Man-style suit piloted by a weapons designer trying to erase his past mistakes.

The Last Son turned out to be a new form of the Eradicator. He was also the one who'd been keeping Superman "alive" in the Fortress of Solitude and was ultimately responsible for returning/repowering Kal-El. The Cyborg turned out to be some old third-string villain I never heard of who grew himself a Kryptonian body from a few cells.

If I recall correctly Cyborg Superman affiliated himself with Apokolips, turned an entire Earth city into a giant Apokoliptian engine, killed the Last Son, and was himself destroyed shortly thereafter. Steel and Superboy were still around, last I knew. Superman sported a mullet for years after his return, and a black suit for at least a few issues.

Is that what you were talking about? Or is killing Superman now a biannual event?

 

[Tokeism]

The best Superman re-imagining I've read is Superman: Red Son.

Kingdom Come is also good

 

[silentNate]

Superman: Red Son is pretty decent... especially as it has you almost routing for Lex Luthor!!