Third time is a charm on this one
After 2 previous creative teams the book was one of the weakest tittles I picked up every month (DC’s most iconic hero doesn't deserve such bad stories) so now here is my question, is this really Scott Lobdell? Because if it is then I’m pretty shocked and glad he is doing such a great job with the first issue of his run on superman. Making this creative team change a very nice welcome as not only it reminds me that this book can have good stories, but is a good prelude to the superman crossover about that's about to begin.
The issue starts with Superman working out using a machine that is pretty much gives the weight as heavy as a planet and our hero easily bench presses it for five straight days and barely dropping one single drop of sweat…..who said he still wasn't as strong as before? He is doing this in an underground lab to see if he can exceed his current strength thanks to Helspont who promised to come back in the annual, supervised by a omniologist named Shay Veritas who I have no idea who it is but superman trusts her enough to let her know info about his power levels. He goes back home and catches olsen….getting laid on the shower of clark’s room….because that I needed to see….he goes to the daily planet where he finds out that Louis is moving with her boyfriend, depressing the smallville guy till he has it enough with the way things go around there and quits while telling his boss that he sucks for making journalism into a joke (while it goes against true, justice and the American way….oh my god! Superman is back!). later, clark is found outside eating a hotdog while cat grant tells him that she inspired him to quit too till they are interrupted by a giant awesome looking dragon alien terrorizing the city….this is why I love comics people. Superman fights it but he gets easily sent all the way to (that must be a really strong dragon) as sups uses his power intelligently to send the people from the area away to safely and uses the oil from the ground to take the thing down. The issue ends with Kara arriving totally pissed off (when doesn't she?) and calls our hero a liar because that thing was a prehistoric creature from krytop, as the new villain of the crossover watches…..and how is superman supposed to know this? I do recall him saying he was a baby when he left krypton…..
The Good:
We get to see more of superman’s power as he can easily bench-press a planet for 5 days straight without sun (That is pretty amazing, and here I thought DC depowered him or something). Also the art looks gorgeous which I hope is here to stay for it’s one of the best things about the book. The sketchy style and feel of it makes everything bigger and greater (love how the artist and colorist can easily make me buy this and make things like the dragon alien thing look awesome). Overall the story and direction are great, is more like the superman I know and I’m pretty sure he would quit the daily planet if he saw it become into everything he is against in the world of journalism. Also, who in the world says there aren't challenges for the man of steel? This dragon alien was a nice threat that was taken cared off properly with quick thinking instead of just punching it till it drops
The Bad:
Not really, I was pretty surprised of how well this was done….except that who is that lady in that “almost” at the center of the earth base? That needs to be explained later. Also Kara as much as I love her….she needs to chill out a bit, going always around shouting or punching superman for everything is getting old. She should know that he was a baby when he arrived to earth from krypton. There is no way for him to known that majestic massively huge alien dragon was from their dead planet.
Overall: 4.5/5
A very good start to a run I was expected so little from. I now expect great things to come out as the superman event that finally puts together the trio of supers starts next month. It seems to be superman’s time now that the public will focus on him with the upcoming man of steel movie and with another potential great creative team coming to action and Snyder teaming up with Jim Lee for next year….I think a new era of greatness is coming to the man of steel
