Superboy #11 – Review

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

The Story: Superboy gets by—with a little help from his friends.

The Review: Amidst the din and hype over the newest launch of Superboy, with critical darling Lemire at the helm, I remain largely puzzled by the lavish praise on this title.  Not that I don’t see its possibilities—far from it.  But now, one issue shy of a year’s worth of material, the series still feels like it’s winding up its first story arc.

And now, just when Lemire should be pulling out all the stops to make good on his and his star character’s potential, he just stops.  To prep the title for yet another relaunch come fall, Lemire was obligated to expedite the finish of his major storyline, and in combination with the reduced page count, that means he only had one option to get everything done in time: a big, wordy pile of exposition as told by either the raving Tannarak of the implacable Phantom Stranger.

Most of the action comes from Simon and Lori’s attempts to use their mere mortal means to escape the clutches of a life-draining blob-man and a town full of clay rednecks.  Since they have the least means to defend themselves (with Psion out of commission), these parts clearly have the most bite to them.  That said, Simon ends up doing little more than inadvertently serving as a decoy, leaving Lori to save them both with a couple moments of idiot-savant improvisation.

Speaking of Psion, he serves as a painfully obvious reminder that this title has definitely not gone anywhere it intended to.  Considering all the buildup Lemire put in towards the earnest lad’s possible betrayal—only because his superiors in the future commands him to so as to save their world from doom—it’s just disconcerting that you’ll never now find out what the future holds for him and his puppy-dog friendship with the Boy of Steel.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Detective Comics #881 – The finale to one of the best Batman stories ever from the industry’s hottest new writer is, in my mind, quite possibly the best single issue of the year.  All too often, great series or runs end in lackluster fashion.  This is not one of those instances.  At all.

Most Anticipated: Journey into Mystery #626 – It’s a big statement, but I’ve officially decided to proclaim Kieron Gillen and Doug Braithwaite’s Journey into Mystery the pound for pound best monthly comic currently being put out by Marvel.  With every installment, I know that I’m going to be getting top of the line storytelling starring a character I’ve come to truly love and artwork impressive to the point of making me wonder how this book is so consistently on time. If you are not reading Journey into Mystery, you are very much in the wrong.

Other Picks: Daredevil #2, Captain America #2, X-Men: Schism #3, Superboy #11, Avengers #16, Invincible Iron Man #507

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Detective Comics #881 – Endings are hard, but Scott Snyder, Jock & Francesco Francavilla aced this one.  Not only did they bring an end to their instant classic year-long tale on Detective Comics, but they brought down the curtain on Detective Comics itself.  I know there will be a new #1 in a month, but it really won’t be quite the same so it was wonderful to see Tec end with such a wonderful story and issue.  If you haven’t read this storyline, you simply must do so immediately.  Runner-up: American Vampire: Survival of the Fittest #3

Most Anticipated: Hulk #39 – This run on Hulk by Jeff Parker, Gabriel Hardman and a few other artists has been flat-out awesome.  Just as Snyder’s Detective Comics has been the best thing at DC for the past year, Parker’s Hulk has been the best ongoing at Marvel.  And this issue features (a) the final bit of the series drawn by all-star artist Hardman and (b) the culmination of a much teased storyline featuring this OMEGEX villain who is some kinda cosmic planet-killer.  Sounds awesome (and pretty)!

Other Picks: The Walking Dead #88, Avengers #16, X-Men Schism #3, Sergio Aragones: Funnies #2, Spider-Island: Spider-Girl #1 (with art by Pepe Larraz who I really enjoy)

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week:You know it was an underwhelming week when you’re choosing between Squirrel Girl and an X-men book that only got a C-. On a week when my personal pull list is this thin, I’d better not give out this award.

Most Anticipated:X-Men Schism #3 – I’ve been enjoying this run quite a bit. The production values are good and the whole arc is about waiting for the other shoe to drop…. And who doesn’t love the Hellfire Club?

Other Picks: Journey into Mystery #626, Thunderbolts #162, Deadlands: Death Was Silent One-Shot