I’m Not Sold on DC’s Summer of Superman

This summer is shaping up to be a pretty big one for Superman. In case you’ve been living under a rock, there is a new Superman movie soaring into theaters in July. It’s the first feature film in James Gunn’s new DC Universe, so a lot is riding on the Man of Steel’s shoulders. On the comic book side of things, we also have the Summer of Superman, a publishing initiative by DC to capitalize on the hype around Superman’s new film. We’re talking about new story arcs, new titles, and new creators, all working together to tell the best Superman stories they can.

It all sounds pretty great on the surface, and you have to give DC and Warner Bros. credit for properly marketing Superman for the diehard and casual fans. But I couldn’t help but wonder if all this effort will turn into a winning formula. There’s a reason why there have been multiple variations of Batman movies over the last several decades, and why Superman continues to be a puzzle that creatives struggle to solve. The Summer of Superman sounds good on the surface, but will it produce more readership for DC?

Too Much Superman Content Can Be A Bad Thing

The Summer of Superman is already underway after the release of Summer of Superman Special #1 in April. The oversized, 48-page one-shot was broken up into three different chapters featuring a tale of the past and two in the current day, all setting up stories in DC’s three main Superman titles. Action Comics by writer Mark Waid and artist Skylar Patridge, Superman by writer Joshua Williamson and artists Dan Mora and Eber Ferreira, and the brand-new Superman Unlimited by writer Dan Slott and artist Rafael Albuquerque.

But those aren’t the only Superman-related comics for the summer. We also have Supergirl by writer/artist Sophie Campbell, Krypto: Last Dog of Krypton by writer Ryan North and artist Mike Norton, and Superman: The World by a host of international talent. That’s six books in total, putting Superman on par with the likes of Batman as far as monthly output goes. Of course, some of these are just limited series and aren’t intended to last that long, but there could be an argument that a “less is more” strategy is wisest. Providing content for hungry and eager fans is warranted, but you don’t want to burn them out too quickly.

As the name “Summer of Superman” suggests, these comics will be spread out through the summer, running from May until the end of June. Superman premieres in theaters on July 11th, so the idea is to have the comics already in stores by the time the movie hits. Can movie audiences be transferred into monthly comic book readers? Previous examples have me skeptical.

Out of all the books, Superman Unlimited probably has the best chance of catching the eye of new readers. It has the advantage of having a shiny #1 on the cover, letting customers know this is a Superman story just starting, so they won’t be dragged down by that pesky thing called continuity. Superman Unlimited also has an interesting premise, with the Man of Steel’s destruction of a huge Kryptonite meteorite littering the Earth with the space rock.

What’s Next After Summer of Superman?

Let’s say there is a surplus of new readers for Superman comics after the Summer of Superman. They’ve enjoyed Supergirl and even follow Krypto’s adventures in his comic. Will these fans continue to pick up these comics once the Superman movie has come and gone? DC absolutely must stick the landing with all of the titles in the Summer of Superman. There is always the possibility that readership will lapse as we move farther and farther away from the theatrical Superman. DC is aware of this, which is why Superman has an important role in its All In initiative and events like “We Are Yesterday” and whatever is coming at the end of the year.

But “We Are Yesterday” is a prime example of how a good story can become convoluted and confusing, going back to how continuity is a gift and a curse. Trying to figure out how Superman ties into a big crossover event can either be appealing or cause readership to dry up. Slapping a “Summer of Superman” logo on the top of a comic is great for marketers, but the question is, will it work for casual readers? DC needs to have a long-term plan in place to make customers stick around for more Superman.

The Boy Scout has always been a tough sell, but count me as not being sold on the Summer of Superman.