Superman Returns
The Story:
Clark Kent has been living a normal life for a year now with no superpowers. After an attack by villains working with Intergang, Clark Kent suddenly has his powers returned. Lex Luthor who managed to escape prison is working on a new way to take down the Man Of Steel with the Sunstone crystal he recently obtained. Superman has to figure out how to stop Lex Luthor's plan and save all of Metropolis.
My Thoughts:
This story takes place one year after the Infinite Crisis. It's written by Kurt Busiek and Geoff Johns who together, deliver a knockout story returning the Man Of Steel to Metropolis and the rest of the DC Universe for that matter. If you've read the event 52, than you know Superman hasn't been present but Clark Kent has still been on the scene in Metropolis. We get to see Clark Kent the reporter which was fun to read. We see that Clark doesn't need a suit and cape to be a hero. He still manages to help people and expose evil wherever it surfaces. Of course when he does regain his powers, the story becomes even more exciting. We see him return to action and perform all the amazing feats he's so well known for. I like how he quickly disbanded the small cadre of villains. It wasn't just that he defeated them that made the story great, it was the way he went about it. The writers really did a good job on Superman's characterization. It was spot-on and I think that's why I enjoyed this so much. Not all writers can write Superman the way he's suppose to be but these two writers do it perfectly.
The highpoint of this comic for me was the showdown between Superman and Lex Luthor. When these two meet, they tend to steal the show. The dialogue during their confrontation was so eloquently written and executed by both the writers and the artists.
The art is drawn by Pete Woods and Renato Guedes. Both men do an amazing job. I really liked Pete Woods style. His panels were so detailed, especially the backgrounds displaying the city. Of course Alex Sinclair's subtle colors accentuate the pencils so well. I think the only thing I didn't like about the art was the way Lois Lane was drawn. I didn't like her with short hair but that's just a minor annoyance I had. The covers by Terry and Rachel Dodson were nicely done as usual.
I would highly recommend all Superman fans to check this out. Even if Superman isn't your favorite character it's still worth the read. A great story about overcoming adversity and good triumphant over evil.
Rating: 5/5