Sentimental Slugfest Spectacular
The Good: Oh boy do I love Marco Rudy's artwork.
I like how the issue was set up by the conversation with Tim, it really represented the balance of Superboy between 2 titles, Teen Titans and Superboy.
The battle between Superboy and Doomsday was as epic as I expected it to be. A completely brutal throwdown with both sides giving it all they had.
There were some key hints that clued me in on the secret of Reign of Doomsday.
I know it's a common complaint in all the Reign of Doomsday issues, that Doomsday just shows up out of nowhere, has a brawl, and leaves, but that's is the very nature of Doomsday. He's a single minded brute, and although it seems cliche, not too many villains these days are so ridiculously simple, and it's actually his simplicity that makes him such a dangerous foe.
I HAD the point this out because I didn't see any other reviewer mention it, and I didn't even catch it on my first read, and I don't know if it was Lemire's idea or Rudy's idea, but something was done here that sets this apart from all the other Reign of Doomsday issues with a brilliant nod to The Death of Superman. The panel count. The issue starts off with 5 pages at exactly 12 panels each. Followed by 3 pages of 6 panels each. Followed by (The only one that throws off the pattern just a bit) 4 pages of 4 panels each. followed by 3 pages of 3 panels each, 2 pages of 2 panels each, then a huge single panel double page spread, and concludes with a return to 12. Just like the last 4 issues of The Death of Superman being all 4 panel pages, all 3 panel pages, all 2 panel pages, and then all single panel pages respectively. It was a neat way to show the epic scale of the battle back then and it was a GENIUS move to reference here.
The Bad: This probably only affects me as a reader jumping in on the crossover, but there was some stuff about some side character I couldn't quite follow that felt a little out of place.
The rapid decreasing of panel layouts and there being only 20 pages instead of the usual 22 meant that the fight felt a little bit short. I know it lasted the whole issue, but it got a tad rushed towards the end.
Cassie left the Teen Titans? Huh? I'm pretty sure that in fact didn't happen. Or if it's GOING to happen, an issue# pointing it out would be nice, or SOME kind of editors note.
In Conclusion: 4/5
This has probably been one of my favorite Reign of Doomsday issues. It was simple in all the right ways, but not without deeper character insights. And the artwork of Marco Rudy, combined with the panel count nod leave me with a great amount of respect for this issue.
