Superman Unchained #5 – Review

By: Scott Snyder (story), Jim Lee (pencils), Scott Williams (inks), Dustin Nguyen (art), Alex Sinclair & John Kalisz (colors),

The Story: If Superman’s image of himself 40 years from now is that bad, what hope is there for the rest of us?

The Review: While some folks may decry any grimness that enters the ultimately cheerful Superman mythos, I always thought Clark’s halcyon childhood in the comics was a bit too sugar-coated to be credible.  If Smallville and Man of Steel did the comics one better at anything, it was giving the young Clark some actual trauma and a bit of a temper—too much at times, sure, but my point is the changes weren’t inherently bad ones.

Since the DC relaunch, the comics have aligned more closely with Superman’s TV and film appearances by emphasizing that Smallville life was not always watching sunrises/sunsets from wheat fields.  Now, I may join the pitchfork-bearers when it comes to things like killing off the Kents,* but I have no problem with the notion of Clark’s burgeoning powers as a consistent source of tragedy for him.  It’s logical that his nature would invite more dramatic consequences to his actions than the typical farm boy.  With his origins, it’s asking too much to make it seem as if he experienced the ups and downs of childhood and adolescence like everybody else.

Smallville #7 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Chris Cross (pencils), Marc Deering (inks), Carrie Strachan (colors)

The Story: I hate to say it, Batman, but people have a habit of getting shot around you.

The Review: With all the news coming out of DC about upcoming new series, it’s made me start thinking about my reviewing future.  I have a pretty sizable stack of series I cover, somewhere upwards of thirty a month, and anyone who’s followed my work since I joined this site knows I have never once skipped a review unless I’ve Dropped it first—which means I’ve never actually skipped a review.  So adding titles to my list is always a fraught, juggling act.

So let’s say I want to cover Vibe, Katana, and Justice League of America next year (and there are even more I’m looking at).  Do I really want to do 33+ reviews a month (including weekly coverage of Arrow and Young Justice—if and when it ever comes back)?  I do have a life, difficult as that is to believe.  I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m giving a good hard look at the things I’m reading and it looks like Smallville may be one of the expendable items.

Smallville #6 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Jamal Igle (pencils), Marc Deering (inks), Carrie Strachan (colors)

The Story: Batman discovers it’s a little harder to flip-drop Superman than other folks.

The Review: Last month, I went through a strange, almost revelatory moment with the title, where I realized that no matter how much I or Miller or anybody else wanted it to replace the show we watched semi-diligently, it never would.  Comics, particularly ones involving superheroes, are all about indulgences, taking fictional liberties and playing up the action.  For a drama and talk-centered series like Smallville, comics don’t always translate its appeal.

Remember how often and how much of the show used to involve two-character scenes, with long, windy streams of dialogue (and lots of talking while turning away from the other person).  Fighting sequences were limited by budget constraints, but that made the personal storylines more integral to the show.  Miller has almost reversed the action-drama ratios here, and that produces an “episode” that doesn’t much resemble those of its televised predecessor.

Smallville #5 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Chriscross (pencils), Marc Deering (inks), Carrie Strachan (colors)

The Story: Just when you thought the teenage angst was gone, along comes a teen and angst.

The Review: Once you got used to the idea of seeing Superman on television (especially in the low-rent settings of a CW show—remember how often people would have to drive up to farm just to have a conversation?), the funnest part was the guest stars.  I’m not really talking about the actors so much as the parts they played.  For anyone longing for a live-action Justice League, seeing Aquaman or Cyborg or Lois Lane in an Amazon outfit was just irresistible.

The transfer from small screen to printed/digital page sucks a lot of the fun out of the experience, sadly.  For comic book fans, the appeal of guests and cameos on Smallville was seeing your favorite characters come to flesh-and-blood, grizzled and beautiful life.  It’s like how putting Clark in the cape and costume in a comic doesn’t really compare to putting Tom Welling as Clark in a genuinely stitched-and-sewn cape and costume on a high-def TV.

Smallville #4 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Pere Perez (art), Chris Beckett (colors)

The Story: Chloe stares at her own death right in the face.

The Review: As it so happens, when I bought this issue of Smallville, I noticed my comic book shop had a small, prominent display of Marvel’s Ultimate line of books, probably the most substantial investment in an alternate-reality series ever.  After flipping through a few of the trades, I came to Ultimate Spider-Man and realized that no matter how compelling or well-crafted any of these characters will be, no one will ever think of them as the definitive heroes.

So there’s a kind of futility that comes attached to these parallel Earth series.  Granted, no one has established the world of Smallville as an “official” parallel Earth with its own numeric designation in the grand scheme of DC’s Multiverse just yet, but what else can it be?  As a continuing series, it can’t operate under the Elseworlds moniker (if indeed DC ever plans to use that brand again), and it’s certainly not meant to supplant the current Superman in a major way.

Smallville #3 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Pere Perez (art), Chris Beckett (colors)

The Story: Lois’ dad grills her boyfriend—with machine gunnery.

The Review: Ever since comic book writers got the idea of bringing “relevant” topics to their work, they’ve gotten into the habit of placing their protagonists into moral quandaries no amount of superpowers can solve.  The one which continues to plague capes to this day goes something like this: if you have the power to accomplish almost anything good thing you can think of, which ones do you choose?  More importantly, what makes one choice worthier than the other?

I could be wrong, but I’d guess no superhero has had to confront these questions more often than Superman.  In fact, every year or so there’s one story arc where Superman has to deal with the guilt over not being able to save everyone.  Let me start off by promising I won’t go all dirtbag legal-eagle and say, “Well, legally, no one has an actual duty to rescue-blah-de-blah-de-blah…” While that’s a practical sentiment which I understand, I really think it’s a crummy way to see things.  It’d be almost criminal to have the power to save so many lives and not use it.

Smallville #2 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Pere Perez (art), Chris Beckett (colors)

The Story: In which the 1% find that you can’t occupy a building if it’s in space.

The Review: I feel very safe in saying that Smallville (the TV series) disappointed nearly every one of its devoted fans when it ended without a single, concrete image of Tom Welling in the cape and tights.  After all the time invested in the show, the only appropriate reward would’ve been seeing Clark take on the heroic guise he was destined to take.  No wonder this title sported a big, splashy cover with a photo-realistic Welling in complete blue get-up on its debut.

In the same way, while Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor had some strong storylines—and make no mistake, he was consistently one of the best things to come out of that show—he never got the chance to engage in those grandiose plots his incarnation in the comics became famous for.  Here, Miller cleverly uses the show’s continuity to bring Luthor to that next level of ambition, where he becomes, in his father’s words, “extraordinary.”

Smallville #1 – Review

By: Bryan Q. Miller (story), Pere Pérez (art), Randy Mayor & Chris Beckett (colors)

The Story: Somebody save me…I don’t care how you do it…Just save…save…Come on…I’ve been waiting for you.

The Review: Smallville was one of those oddball, hybrid shows the WB tends to produce: a bit too weird and geeky to get mainstream appeal, yet not radically weird enough to achieve cult status with actual geeks.  It was a show centered around Superman mythology, and yet a lot of the times, what went on in the show had little to do with Superman.  Though I watched and enjoyed it at times, I can’t say I ever got invested in it.

Still, it didn’t surprise me when DC decided to go the Buffy/Angel route and spawn off a comic-book spin-off for the longest running Superman live-action series on television.  I probably never would’ve looked at it twice if Miller’s name wasn’t attached to the project.  I greatly enjoyed his lively, irreverent style of writing when he did Batgirl (featuring the unsinkable Stephanie Brown, whom I still miss every day), and since none of DC’s new 52 offer quite that same flavor of story, I decided to eat the sword and check out what Miller could do with the Smallville gang.

Superboy #9 – Review

By: Jeff Lemire (writer), Pier Gallo (artist), Jaime Grant & Dom Regan (colorists)

The Story: It’s like looking in a mirror, isn’t it?  Make that several hundred mirrors.  In 3D.

The Review: It’s sometimes difficult to take teen superheroes seriously partly due to their smaller scale adventures.  Their villains tend to be sub-par versions of more famous counterparts (not unlike the heroes they face off with), and even when they manage some degree of originality, they rarely pose the kind of serious threat Justice Leaguers face on a daily basis.

Superboy sure has come a long way from sparring with King Shark off the Hawaiian coast.  Ever since he saved the universe during Infinite Crisis, his caliber of villain has definitely gone up a notch.  Limiting his flying grounds to Smallville seemed on the surface to hold him back, but this issue proves there’s plenty of dastardly stuff happening in the Midwestern farm town, and let out of control, the world will no doubt suffer.

Of course, the fact Phantom Stranger is involved should be proof enough that Superboy faces nothing short of an epic challenge, especially considering the fedora-wearing man’s unusually urgent behavior of late.  This recent take-charge attitude turns out to be a ruse for a pretty significant plot twist, one with half a chance of surprising you.  Although Lemire does a fairly good job using Stranger’s cryptic clauses to cover up the big reveal at the end, let’s face it: old P.S. has been acting rather out of character (read: grim and patronizing) lately.

Actually, we get quite a lot of major developments this issue, as Psionic Lad’s (Psion, I should say, as he and Simon agree the “Lad” part sounds more like something his great-uncle would’ve really dug) loyalties finally get put to the test.  While it’s comforting to see his moral compass remains squarely in goodhearted territory, it all becomes a moot point when the mission in Smallville’s underground Hollowville takes a turn for the worse.

Superboy #3 – Review

By Jeff Lemire (writer), Pier Gallo (artist), Jamie Grant (colorist)

The Story: Just as Superboy’s getting a new handle on balancing what’s normal in his life and what’s not, Smallville High falls victim to a mass migraine of epic proportions, the work of…Psionic Lad!

The Review: Last issue’s run in with Poison Ivy and some plants gone wild rocketed through events so quickly that by the end, you felt winded, but not as if you really got anywhere, story-wise.  This time around, Jeff Lemire’s got his newest story arc on a slow burn, but with some creative narrative-hopping to keep the pace lively, and the effect on the storytelling is aces.  This issue splits its time equally on dealing with the aftermath from the previous story arc’s damage on Smallville, handling the newest threat to rear its head, and building up the chemistry among the principal characters.

It’s a treat when a comic book writer remembers that after a battle, there’s usually some reconstruction at stake.  In this case, the question of how to help Smallville’s farmers cope with the loss of pretty much their entire crop season leads to some great character moments.  Ma Kent’s monologue about the resilience of the town’s people is a great summation of what’s admirable about Midwestern character in general, and speaks to Lemire’s love of the area and its philosophy.

Also great is Kid Flash’s guest shot.  Why chat on the phone when super-speed allows for in-person conversations anytime, anyplace?  His appearance not only leads to a scheme to help the town (an upcoming event that’s already got me thrilled for March’s issue), but also sheds light on Superboy’s eagerness to reach out and involve his friends.  This quality also gives Superboy a terrific moment later on in his bittersweet call to Wonder Girl, a reflection of drama going on over in Teen Titans.

Character work is in fine form throughout this issue.  The tense conversation between Superboy and Simon Valentine on how to proceed with their superhero-sidekick dynamic gives intriguing depth to both of their personalities, and makes the first baby step toward Simon’s resentment of their partnership.  Lori also gets good page-time as she tries to get closer to her “cousin” of sorts, and ends up getting sucked into the center of the action.  The little wordless beats Lemire gives her—making eye contact with Superboy in class, then quickly turning away— really sell.  And man, I do love the return of thought balloons, because they work as carriers for melodrama in a way spoken dialogue never does: “I can’t let him know that I know…things are weird enough between us!”

In the grand scheme of things, the actual action in the issue is not enormous, but because of Lemire’s clever time-jumps between past drama and present action, the story is fraught with constant tension.  Besides, the revelation of what’s causing the chaos striking Smallville High has a great payoff with the appearance of the already endearing Psionic Lad and the chronally-exempt Hunting Party, who will be the main source of conflict for the next issue.

Superboy #2 – Review

by Jeff Lemire (writer), Pier Gallo (art), Jamie Grant (colors), and Sal Cipriano (letters)

The Story: Superboy teams up with Poison Ivy in order to figure out what is causing Smallville’s plant life to run amok.

What’s Good: This Superboy comic is delightfully weird.  There’s this wackiness that gives real life to the book throughout the story, from body-snatcher type aliens, to Parasite frogs, to people being physically attached to machines.  There’s a delightful kind of “weird science” to Jeff Lemire’s story, sort of like a slightly darker Back to the Future.  The tech looks home-made and zany and it adds a unique, almost Doom Patrol-like, taste to the comic, while also making the rural setting into something of a more surreal, rustic sandbox for Lemire to play in.

Lemire also continues to highlight Simon Valentine’s role in the comic.  On the one hand, Simon plays to the old literary tradition of being the guy who follows a great person, recording all of his mighty deeds.  This is, of course, complicated by Simon’s dissatisfaction of this state of affairs, and his strong desire to be a teammate as well.  Indeed, when Simon and Connor finally do team-up, it’s great fun and the two share a strong, and warm, dynamic.  How Simon comes to the rescue is also guaranteed to make you smile, as the kid in you will no doubt find it all kinds of awesome.

Poison Ivy is written very well.  Lemire does a very subtle job writing her; as you read the comic, you’ll constantly be distrusting her, even though you’ve no clear evidence for doing so.  Lemire also does a great job on her voice.  She’s arrogant, clearly feels superior, and many of her lines carry a distinct sexuality to their tone.  Yet, despite all of this, Lemire’s Ivy never chews the scenery or comes across as over the top, which makes her all the better of a read.

Pier Gallo’s art remains strong as well.  He delivers a comic that feels truly family friendly and, hence, likable.  Despite this, he also does a great job illustrating the machines, whether they’re made by Simon or the aliens.  I also felt that his framing was particularly strong.

Speaking of those aliens, I loved them in the couple of pages we saw them in.  From Gallo’s design to Lemire’s concept, they are simply brilliant.  The make the rural setting all the more weird, while functioning as a sort of call-back to old, black and white monster movies.  It’s body-snatching awesomeness and it makes me absolutely starved for Superboy #3.

What’s Not So Good: Not a lot.  I guess you don’t get as much reflection and thoughtfulness as last month and the insanity overrides the more contemplative stuff, but it’s still very fun, partially because of that.

Gallo also draws a couple of iffy faces, and his characters do look a little stiff at points.  Compared to how great the rest of his work is, it’s a little off-putting at some points.

Conclusion: Yup, no sophomore slump here.  Jeff Lemire is quickly establishing himself as a fresh new voice in superhero comics.

Grade: B+

-Alex Evans

A Second Opionion

Superboy #1 – Review

by Jeff Lemire (writer), Pier Gallo (art), Jamie Grant (colors), and John J. Hill (letters)

The Story: Superboy defends Smallville from a major member of Superman’s rogues gallery.

What’s Good: Reading this first issue of Superboy, it’s clear that there are two different Jeff Lemires at work here. There’s the contemplative, indie creator attuned to the tone and rhythm of rural life and then there’s the gleeful, DC fanboy eager to use his new toys in explosive fashion. The fact that these two sides of Lemire are perfectly balanced is why Superboy #1 is such a success.

It’s clear right from the get-go that Smallville itself is not only key to the book’s atmosphere, but is such a presence that it almost constitutes a character in its own right. Lemire has managed to use Smallville to give the book an affable, friendly, and joyful tone; Superboy reads a lot like the superhero cartoons you loved as a kid, the sort that had that happy innocence but also never condescended. Smallville makes this book lovable, what with its intimacy and its nuances. It influences Connor, forcing him into contemplation as he interacts with nature itself in almost Romantic fashion and is also a vulnerable figure that needs protecting.

Then the DC fanboy Lemire steps in. The DC figures (Phantom Stranger, Parasite) are so opposite to Smallville that they create a sort of dissonance the lends the book a kind of goofy weirdness while creating some real excitement. Once the action starts flowing or Parasite is shown sucking the life out of Smallville, it’s clear that Lemire is having the time of his life, and that joy is infectious.

The transition between Smallville contemplation and comic book action is also expertly done and Lemire’s sense of pacing throughout the book is fantastic. Part of this is thanks to those moments where the indie Lemire and the DC fan Lemire bounce off one another, which is also when the book is at its most interesting. Take, for instance, Lemire’s choice of Parasite as a first victim; big and purple-skinned, it doesn’t get any more comic-booky and Lemire goes on to show the villain destroying and rotting out Smallville’s farmland wherever he sets foot. It’s as though the DCU is poisonous to the sanctity of Smallville innocence.

Then there’s the wonderful link between the book’s beginning, which features lovely narration as Connor ponders thoughtfully over a field, and how that very physically foreshadows how Connor defeats Parasite. It was definitely a fist-pumping moment where, in a way, Connor uses Smallville’s natural setting to defeat the outsider, Parasite.

Pier Gallo’s artwork is also a wonderful choice for the book and reminds me of a simpler, stream-lined, and softer Frank Quietely. Gallo’s work is subdued and homey, and thus perfect for Smallville. This, however, contrasts wonderfully with his depiction of Parasite, who is a lumpy monstrosity. Jamie Grant’s colors are also wonderful match for Gallo, enhancing everything that makes his work strong while glossing over and smoothing out any weaknesses. His tones a bright, happy, and, in a way, innocent, mirroring both Gallo’s work and Smallville itself.

Blackest Night: Superman #3 – Review

By James Robinson (writer), Eddy Barrows with Allan Goldman (pencils), Ruy José with Eber Ferreira (inks)

The Story: Superman is getting the stuffing beat out of him by Black Lantern Kal-L and Superboy. Ma Kent is being stalked by Black Lantern Lois Lane. Psycho-Pirate is turning Smallville into a warzone. Welcome to the final issue of this miniseries.

What’s Good: I mentioned in my last review that James Robinson had let the tension slip in issue #2. He brought it back. The last issue is wall-to-wall action with people we care about and villains we desperately want to see getting their just desserts. The dialogue is sharp now that we don’t have those clunky Norman Rockwell moments out of Smallville. On the plot, there are a lot of ways this could have gone wrong, considering the scope of the event and how it has been built up. Robinson pulled this off well, because (this isn’t really a spoiler) in this issue the heroes discover two weaknesses of the Black Lanterns. Also, I was wondering why Robinson included Supergirl and New Krypton in this miniseries. I now see why he did and it works. I expect that we’ll see the results of this issue brought back to the larger Blackest Night series, hopefully in issue #4 next week. It also makes me wonder if the other Blackest Night minis will be discovering similar vulnerabilities. All that being said, great story, satisfying conclusion.
On the minor players, Geoff Johns seems to have been conspiring to make Krypto cool. James Robinson helped out big time here. Krypto is awesome. All dog. All super. He’s like lassie…with a cape…and he’s indestructible…and he chews zombie arms right off…oh, and he’s got heat vision. The art team was critical in making Krypto work. A lot of books deliver solid heroes-in-tights moments, but Barrows and company brought dog expressions to the DC zombie apocalypse and that’s what made Krypto cool….along with heat vision. I’ve also got to give kudos to the art team for the color work on the different emotional states, some brilliant action sequences, a burning naked old zombie Lois Lane (trust me, she’s no Red Sonja), and some larger-than-life heroism.

What’s Not So Good: The first big splash page with Kal-El was so busy that I had a bit of trouble figuring out what was happening. Otherwise, nothing but nit-picking.

Conclusion: Robinson, Barrows and team brought this miniseries to a satisfying conclusion that will tie effectively into the larger Blackest Night book. A lot of fun. I’m looking forward to the other Blackest Night minis, especially Wonder Woman’s.

Grade: B

-DS Arsenault

Adventure Comics #3 – Review

By Geoff Johns and Michael Shoemaker (writers), Francis Manapul and Clayton Henry (artists), Brian Buccellato and Brian Reber (colorists), Elizabeth V. Gehrlein (editor)

The Story: If issue #1 was the set-up and issue #2 was the boy-finds-girl, then issue #3 is really the buddy story. Conner (Superboy) and Tim Wayne (Red Robin) are best friends who have been separated for a year. A lot of water has passed under the bridge for one of them. Conner has missed out on a lot of his friends’ troubles while he was gone, none more so that Tim. No one could use a friend more than Tim right now, but as we’ve seen in Tim’s own book (see my reviews on the excellent Red Robin series), he’s on a quixotic quest that on the face of evidence, is a little bent. They have stuff to work out. In the meantime, things turn sinister with Luthor and Brainiac planning in the background. The back-up feature is a vignette starring Sunboy and Polar Boy on the latter’s home world.

What’s Good: There’s a lot to like about the Smallville created by Johns and Manapul. It’s not saccharine-sweet, like other renditions I’ve seen recently. It feels honest. The school scene with the uber-nerd lab partner was good. The super-dog trying to please his master with gifts was brilliant, with Johns and Manapul having caught dog psychology perfectly, multiplied by Kryptonian DNA. This type of environment is a great backdrop for the kind of Lex Luthor-vs-Superman soul-searching that Conner is living.

And I can’t say enough about how well Manapul and Buccelato do in bringing Smallville to life. The art is not sepia, but it is different in feel from what you see being done in other books (and I include in that comparison the best in the field). I guess the best way I could put it is this way: sometimes you look at a book, panel by panel, and you get the impression of grit. Other times, the mood is slick and modern. The art team has made this book feel rural and mid-western.

Most importantly of all, Johns and Manapul made me feel something. They caught Red Robin’s desperation without having to show him in a panic. The quiet moments and the reluctant admissions made his pain all the more poignant. The dialogue is perfect and honest and gives Conner his opening to be Conner, not someone worried he’ll become like Lex Luthor, or even someone who has to worry about emulating Superman.

The Legion entry was a winner. I could have stayed for more of Conner and Tim, but it was fun following poor Polar Boy around, and watching Sun Boy be taken down a peg.

What’s Not So Good: The back-up Legion of Superheroes story is not yet cohesive. But, given the quality of the rest of the book and the limited amount of pages the backup has gotten so far, I’m ready to let Johns pull all his pieces together before he reveals the links.

Conclusion: Johns and Manapul are delivering great character stories while putting the pieces in place for a menace to come to Smallville. This is a slow simmer of a book and considering what Johns did with his simmering time on Green Lantern, I’m staying tuned.

Grade: A-

-DS Arsenault

Blackest Night: Superman #2 – Review

By James Robinson (writer), Eddy Barrows (artist), Ruy Jose with Julio Ferreira (inkers), Rod Reis (colorist)

The Story: Black Lantern Kal-L (the original Superman from Earth-2) is looking to paint Smallville black, and he brought some post-living help in the form of Psycho-Pirate and the original Lois Lane. Standing for truth, justice and a speedy end to DC’s zombie apocalypse are Kal-El (our Superman), Superboy and Ma Kent.

What’s Good: I can’t say enough good things about the art. Every face is expressive, every hero expertly muscled and every Black Lantern is scary as sadistic zombie superheroes can be. The color work by Reis was also brilliantly done, especially in all those unlined glowing effects, as well as the color cuts across people showing their emotions. If you want a really nice piece of art, color and all, check out the shards of ice on page ten. I also loved watching the Black Lanterns almost drool over the emotions they were producing. The art team produced an effect that was really creepy. Rage, avarice, fear, hope, will, compassion, love: each with their own color and mood, all being sucked up by the foot soldiers of the zombie apocalypse.

What’s Not So Good: A lot of this issue felt really flat in the writing department. Blackest Night: Superman #1 built up a great head of steam and set all the pieces in play, but this second issue didn’t move them very far. The balance between Kal-L, Kal-El, and Conner has shifted a bit, but really, the fist fight they were in the last issue is dragging on.

The minor Norman Rockwell dialogue flaws I pointed out last issue also reappear in this one, stronger than before and at times, incoherent. The over-smiley barber in Smallville in the morning is told “Thanks for staying open,” which in the morning makes no sense at all (leave me a comment if you think I missed something). Through some problem in the lines around the dialogue bubbles, some kid called Simon says his own lines and his mother’s. And unfortunately, the small panel with the Army vet had me reaching for my insulin. The shame is, none of that first set up page was necessary. Robinson could have thrown us into some substantive action. Given how I think the plot didn’t advance very far, and how disconnected the subplot feels with Supergirl, I’m wondering if there just wasn’t enough story material to fill the three issues of this series.

Another problem was that the dialogue was doing extra duty as exposition, like when Psycho-Pirate says “…me, Roger Hayden, the Psycho-Pirate! I steal people’s emotions.” Some villains are talky, but that’s a bit over the top. It’s an example of why text boxes should probably make a comeback. And even dialogue that wasn’t being saddled with exposition felt a little uninspired, like Conner’s “No way, you sick weirdo! Give me back my town!” Too bad.

Conclusion: The Blackest Night storyline has a lot of potential, so it’s unfortunate that this story was so average. It was drawn by an extraordinary art team, though.

Grade: B-

-DS Arsenault

Blackest Night: Superman #1 – Review

By James Robinson (writer), Eddy Barrows (penciller), Ruy Jose with Julio Ferreira (inker), Rod Reis (colorist)

The Story: Kal-L, the original Superman, the one born on pre-crisis Earth-2, rises from the dead. Kal-El (the current Superman) and Conner (Superboy) are in Smallville on the anniversary of Pa Kent’s death. Just imagine how things gets bad.

What’s Good: The Art, it blew me away. I haven’t run into Barrows with Jose, Ferreira and Reis before. This art team is brilliant. The ‘camera’ angles run from ant-point-of-view (splash page), bird’s-eye view (page 2), pedestrian point-of-view, to ceiling-fan-point-of-view, to out-of-the-pit-point-of-view. It sounds like a lot of contortions, but visually, Barrows keeps approaching every scene, and even panels within scenes, from different angles, making every view fresh. And the level of realistic detail is sharp, from the cracks in a headstone, to the lettering on the general store, to textured hair and clothing. Colorwise, Reis does an amazing job. Robinson shows us Smallville frequently through the eyes of Black Lantern Kal-L and he runs across the Blackest Night colors and emotions: purple for love, yellow for fear, etc. It’s not only well-done visually, but it fits perfectly with the writing.

What about the writing? With only a few dialogue issues, it’s top notch. Robinson evokes small town America in Smallville. At the diner, they talk about the guy who cut his hand in a band-saw. Kal-El and Conner are natural and real, while Kal-L is probably the creepiest Black Lantern. He keeps on making promises that inspire more and more fear. He belittles Connor and manipulates Kal-El’s emotions. He’s really, really powerful. There’s no reason for me to think that he won’t win. He’s simply a great villain.

As a side note, I think another great example of how good Robinson’s writing is would be to look at Krypto. The concept of Krypto is frankly stupid. He’s an early-silver age DC creation pandering to the juvenile audiences of that time. In 2009, it’s really easy to not hit the right note with him and have him come off like the Jar Jar Binx of the Superman mythos. Robinson handles Krypto deftly: the reader likes him, as they want him to protect Ma Kent. He definitely has grown to be a character that readers can’t easily get annoyed with.

What’s Not So Good: This was almost a flawless performance. The failings were minor and are mentioned now only because I’m picky: I thought the dialogue of some of the residents of Smallville came off as cliche or a little too Norman Rockwell. I think Robinson overdid it in those moments, but it doesn’t detract much.

Conclusion: Buy this book now! You’ll love it. I did.

Grade: A

-DS Arsenault

Adventure Comics #1 – Review

by Geoff Johns (writer), Francis Manapul (art), Brian Buccellato (colors), and Steve Wands (letters)

The Story: Conner Kent returns to life in Smallville, trying to understand and relive the experiences of both Clark Kent and Lex Luthor.

What’s Good: If there were ever a wholesome, family comic, this is it. This really is a kid-friendly comic, but I don’t mean that in a disparaging or simplifying sense that should put off any more wizened fans. Adventure Comics is kid-friendly in the way that the Paul Dini/Bruce Timm manned Batman animated series was kid-friendly. It’s comfort food certainly, but it doesn’t condescend, leading to an awesome comic for younger readers and a fun, relaxing read for the more wizened.

This entire issue serves merely as a prelude of things to come and certainly opens promising doorways. I enjoyed the characterization of Superboy, a character as much trying to find his place in this world as he is attempting to negotiate his lineage, recognizing both Luthor and Kal-El as his parents, leading to a very effective ending…  And of course, there’s Krypto– only the most heartless of readers can despise Krypto, who has a scene this month that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. The damned mutt is adorable, thanks in no small part to Manapul.

Speaking of Francis Manapul, the man’s work is a thing of beauty. His work carries that same warm, lovable tone as the writing, truly capturing the sparse grandness of the American heartland. Manapul makes Smallville look like a place that’s impossible not to embrace, while many of his frames carry a kind “flashback” feel, thanks to the pseudo-painted style to run parallel to the warmth and vitality of the young characters.

What’s Not So Good: Unfortunately, plot-wise, there’s not a whole lot going on. I said that this month functions mostly as a prelude, and really, one can’t help at times to feel that this issue is nothing but a giant preview. Characters of future importance are given the barest glimpse, Superboy begins to establish his life in Smallville, and well, that’s pretty much it. It is done fairly masterfully so that it isn’t blaringly obvious, but in hindsight, there’s only the slightest bit of forward momentum, and that comes from the ending. If this weren’t a full-sized issue, I’d be tempted to call this Adventure Comics #0 if there wasn’t one already.  There’s no sign of clear direction and no real development of any of the supporting characters.

Also, the back-up is a complete mess and an utter waste of time. Despite being advertised as a Starman story, you’re getting one page recapping Superboy’s history with the Legion, a double-page spread detailing all the Legion’s members, and a final page of teasers for things to come. That means the actual story is all of four pages. Those four pages feature a babbling insane Starman, playing an albeit amusing game of bowling, before having an encounter/revelation that’ll probably only be of any worth if you’re fairly familiar with the character. There’s just nothing here.

Conclusion: A lead feature that goes down easy, yet it is unfortunately paired with a weak back-up…  Make no mistake, the main is good and expertly executed, but it’s just a preview.

Grade: B-

-Alex Evans