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The complete image of the new Johns-Lee rebooted JLA has surfaced (apparently at IGN) and it’s clear that we have a “Big Seven” of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg. Most of the new costumes involved higher collars. Superman has a new logo and no trunks over his tights. There are lots of other details, but when we mentioned earlier that these characters looked about the same, we meant it — these are tweaks on the traditional (Super Friends, licensing) looks for these characters, not huge changes.

Although, as several online pundits are pointing out, Green Lantern seems to be overcompensating for something his giant green crotch gun.

26 COMMENTS

  1. So this Johns/Lee team … that is the writing team, correct?
    Don’t tell me Lee is trying to do art on a monthly title again. That is a distaster waiting to happen. I’m not buying any monthly title Lee is doing art for.

  2. Wonder Woman still looks absolutely horrible.

    I can’t help but feel it’s incredibly arrogant for Jim Lee to think he can improve upon such classic costume designs.

  3. Well, I never liked the old WW costume, Lee’s approach is way better imho. And as far as arrogance goes, sometimes you just know how good you are, it’s called talent.

  4. Are Superman and Cyborg the same age now? This “new” Supes looks younger than a first-season Tom Welling.

    And I’m gonna say it: Aquaman looks cool.

  5. Superman looks more like Superboy, and what are those “rings” on Batman’s knuckles. As a piece of promotional artwork I’m underwhelmed. (I assume Cyborg was added to give the JLA so color. I think Vixen would have been a better choice as it would have added some color and another woman to the mix but that’s just me. Of course once again the Martian Manhunter, (who was given an African American secret Identity on Smallville), gets the shaft).

  6. Ok – so when can we expect issue 2?

    Lee’s art is great, but I don’t want the main JLA book to be quarterly or bi-yearly…..

  7. @Darren – just be thankful your getting your minority in the team. I don’t see one of then turning out to be gay – so I’m not getting my minority group at all….

  8. I agree that these are the iconic figures, — still, anytime you make even the slightest change to Superman’s costume, it is significant to pop culture (as we saw with Wonder Woman). Kids who don’t read comics will notice the change. The fact that his seems the most changed also seems significant, along with DiDio’s statement that they aren’t going back to the beginning, just when these characters were younger. So I wonder if this new priest-collar Superman will even have an origin at all.

  9. Isn’t there something about the rights to Superman’s costume reverting back to the families of Siegel and Shuster? That’s why Superman has a new look at least.

  10. @Bland
    You’re right — they can’t get around the costume so much, but they may – may (and that’s a pretty big may) – try to uses this moment to get around the Acton Comics #1 origin. Is this the “huge Superman news” they teased last week or is that just the return of Morrison? As with everything Internet-related, paranoia prevails!

    Meanwhile, in Marvel news, X-men: FC is supposed to be phenomenal. A continuity reboot in another medium that leaves comics continuity to itself (and its loyal readers).

  11. I wonder if the Superman redesign is in anticipation of a verdict in the Siegel/Schuster lawsuit. I don’t know all the legal ins and outs, but certainly this redesign might be part of that.

  12. “Jim Lee did Hush and that Superman arc no problem monthly.”

    He had plenty of advance time back then. Now let’s talk about All Star Batman and Robin’s release schedule. Which run was more recent?

    “Everyone need to have some faith.”

    Frankly, I’d have a lot more faith if this gimmick wasn’t being masterminded by the same editorial ‘brain trust’ who’ve been running their product line into the ground for the past few years. DC simply doesn’t have the talent pool anymore to make this ‘Hail Mary pass’ work for retailers and readers in the long run. But this change isn’t really about them anyway, despite the PR spin machine being worked overtime.

  13. Bland and Sphinx-

    As far as I know, they would only potentially get the rights to the things in Action #1, not the tradtional “S” and so forth. The costume in Action #1 is different to the tradtional Silver Age uniform, so I don’t think that’s playing a factor here.

    I think that they really think people can’t relate to Superman because he’s too old or married or has red trunks or doesn’t have a high enough collar. A slightly more slanty “S?” That’ll bring in the kiddies!

  14. Do DC thinks they’re being all feminist and progressive and fighting sexism by putting pants on Wonder Woman… while still having her boobs hang out like that. Suuuuuuuure they are.

    Never mind that superhero costumes are skintight and just painted the color of the costume.

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