Superboy #3 – Review

By: Scott Lobdell (writer), R.B. Silva (penciller), Rob Lean (inker), Richard & Tanya Horie (colorists)

The Story: She’s melting—melting!

The Review: From the start, this series has emphasized Superboy’s disconnect from the “outside.”  His virtual existence has prevented him from taking a position on the big moral compass one way or the other, and so far, we’ve mostly gotten hints that he leans toward the dark side.  Now, you don’t get to have “Super” in your name unless you have some tendencies toward the heroic, but whether the real world will bring that out of his is a different matter entirely.

That’s the question we run into in this issue, when he manages to escape the depths of the Earth, only to realize the surface has its own set of hellish experiences.  His first real introduction to humanity is through young swingers Tony and Allison.  Tony reacts to Superboy naturally—and violently—but the surprisingly well-spoken Allison offers a more mixed experience.  She starts out flirty and wise (“We’re just regular people around these parts.  Fragile, even.”), then turns flinty (“—you freak!”) once she suffers the side-effects of Superboy’s powers.

Before he gets the chance to figure out this tricky situation, Superboy gets confronted by another Pen 51 resident, a buxom, fiery, redheaded alien (not Starfire, unfortunately) who tracks him down to…well, she doesn’t give a very good reason, actually.  She accuses him of following her, while the facts are clearly the other way around, and their brief confrontation does little more than establish Superboy’s Kryptonian heritage, which we all, old and new readers, knew anyway.

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.