Review: Superman #24

Superman #24 came out last week, the 'finale' of the Psi War storyline that Scott Lobdell has been weaving through both super-titles recently. Lobdell has backed off this story the last couple of months, maybe so he could write all of the upcoming 'Krypton Returns' books. Our old friend from Supergirl, Mike Johnson, once again steps in as writer on this chapter. I do wonder if Lobdell plotted this finale. Johnson does a fine job here, wrapping things up and tidying up some of the hanging questions I have about the plot.

Eddy Barrows is on art here and does a great job. I'm not surprised. Barrows stuff is always sharp and slick. It just seems he can never stay on time with a monthly title. With the wild psionic action and crazy physical brawls in this finale, Barrows really is able to shine here.

I put 'finale' in quotes above because while the acute problem of the various psionic factions vying for control of Metropolis was stopped, all the villains escape, slinking away to plot more. Also it is a brutal issue with some horrific imagery when the Psycho Pirate cuts loose on the citizens of town. It seems a bit much for a Superman comic. Lastly, there is one key panel which shows the new 52 attitude towards the man of steel, something mirrored in the recent movie.

I still think this was one of the better arcs in the 2 years of Superman stories in the New 52 (Morrison's run is exempt from inclusion in my mind). These villains with mental powers just pose a bigger threat in my mind than Mongul for instance. And Lois has a decent sized role here, albeit with powers. I want to see Lois the reporter more than Lois the novice psionic.

The book opens up right where the last book ended. Lois, infected and energized by psionic power, battles the Psycho Pirate who simply shut down Superman last issue.

There are some leaps here. The Psycho Pirate is powerful enough to have defeated Hector Hammond and Queen Bee. He is strong enough to be battling Superboy in a High School somewhere (still idiotic given what he is doing here. What would he gain from antagonizing teenagers). And he is replete with power having sucked Superman dry. So how Lois, who just inherited her powers, is able to parry effectively for a bit.

This opening splash is a great representation of Barrows' work here. The snakes from the Medusa mask, the cityscape. The odd angle, putting Lois and the Pirate upright when really they are at wild angles (Superman being the 'ground' X axis) all works.

And this page works as well, the panels formed by the splayed out psionic snakes. That is nice. There is even a sort of 'emotional spectrum' here, with the panels colored vividly with one major tone.

The Pirate is impressed enough with Lois to leave her alive. He tells her she must decide quickly ... join him or be killed by him. It is a bit of hubris on his part. Perhaps that is his flaw. But off he goes to strip the citizens of Metropolis of their civility and let their emotions run wild.

Lois uses her new powers to jump start Superman's mind. He is shocked by her appearance and her willingness to fight the Pirate. Before they can dwell too much, the other villains show up.

First Hector Hammond arises.

And then we see the Queen Bee in her real form. I have to say I was very happy to see this. All of the Twenty, those touched by psionics, have slowly mutated into monstrous forms with bulbous brain-heads. I wondered how the Queen Bee could be so super-model perfect. Turns out that was just her glamour. She actually looks more like the Aliens Queen. So thanks to Johnson for removing that slight problem I had.

With the Pirate being the biggest threat amongst them, Superman and Lois decide to team up with the Queen and Hammond.

Sure I have read Superman stories where he has briefly teamed up with villains to fight villains but it is usually with a wry smile. It usually ends with Superman imprisoning all the villains, even his temporary allies. We don't see that here.

And I suppose the Pirate is a bigger threat. Hammond and the Queen simply want to enslave the city. Heck, the Queen wants them to be fodder for Brainiac. These 'allies' aren't saints.

But the Pirate is the more pressing issue. He has removed all civility and reason from people. And it is here that we see some terrible imagery. People fighting and shooting and looting and lighting fires. Okay ...

But children becoming cannibals? Gnawing on the recent dead like the Vendol from The Thirteenth Warrior? It seems excessive. It reminded me of the horror we saw in the last arc of Alan Moore's Miracleman. This seemed gratuitous.

And now my biggest problem with the book ... once again we see Superman willing to kill if the threat is big enough. Or at least willing to consider a killing move before exhausting all other options.

Lois deduces the mask is what is making the Pirate so powerful. Superman has to remove it.

Look at his face as he acknowledges that removing the mask might kill the Pirate. She even says it might effect the crowd. So what does Superman do? While the Queen and Hammond distract the Psycho Pirate, Superman flies and rips off his mask.

It might kill the Pirate. It might make things worse for those he controls. But that is the first thing he does.

Not fly him away from the crowd. Not fly him up to the thin air to see if he can knock him unconscious. Not fly around him like a cyclone to shock the air out of his lungs. Not use his superbreath to make him hypothermic. Nope ... head straight for the jugular, human life be damned.

It is a subtle change in Superman isn't it. Now it is implied that if the threat is big enough he could kill.

And it feels wrong.

Of course, it doesn't kill the Psycho Pirate. But that isn't the point. The point is Superman was willing to do it knowing it might kill him. Especially when other options hadn't been explored.

Then a very nice wrinkle.

The mask seems to have a will of its own and tries to seduce Superman into putting it on. That would be a decent wrinkle alone.

But then psionic Lois uses her power and influence to have Superman take it off. And she ends her plea by calling him Clark! Shaken free by her voice, he removes the mask and incinerates it with his heat vision.

But Lois knows Superman is Clark! Was it her psionics? Did she 'know' deep in her heart and her psionics revealed the truth to herself? Who knows? But that is a great twist.

Of course, with the adrenaline rush over, Lois lapses back into her human form and her coma.

So we get this scene at the end where Superman proclaims that Lois is his best friend. So tell me, is this a case of him protesting too much? Trying to convince himself not to be in love with her because she is with someone else? Or is this DC shoving the Clark/Diana thing down our throats more, pushing Lois away more?

I suppose best friend is better than enemy or absent.

Lois ends up back in the hospital, brought there as Clark who happened to 'stumble upon her'. As for the villains ... they all get away. All of them. Sure, they are hurting and weakened. But Superman let them all escape to wreak havoc later.

So it is sort of a non-end. The Pirate and Lois know now that Clark is Superman. And Superman is willing to use a kill option to end a threat.

The action scenes were engaging and the art was vibrant. So overall this ends up being a decent issue. The ups are high. The lows are low.

Overall grade: B/C+

Review: Superman #22

Superman #22 came out this week, another good issue for writer Scotty Lobdell, a trend that has been true for this title since H'El on Earth played itself out. The Psi-War brewing between HIVE and Hector Hammond is certainly an engaging plot, one that Superman isn't well-equipped to deal with. But even within this arc, each issue has slightly improved from the last. It has been a while since I have looked forward to the Superman title. Right now, I am.

It helps that this issue actually gives us some time with Clark as well as with supporting cast members Cat Grant and Jimmy Olsen. Yes, Lois is completely absent from this issue. But I hope that means in the future she will get good moments like Cat and Jimmy get here. It also helps that Lobdell recaps the story so far by having Superman review the events in his head. It brought me up to speed and helped clear up the initial confusion of why H.I.V.E./Hammond are fighting when the last time we saw them (in Action Comics) they are allies. I knew that flash forward in Action would flummox me.

The art in the issue is done mostly by Eddy Barrows. I have always liked Barrows art but I have come to realize he just can't get things done on time. This issue is no difference. While Barrows does the bulk of the art, recent Smallville artist Daniel HDR pencils pages 13-15 and Geraldo Borges who did art on some of the Legion issues of Adventure Comics filled in on 16-18. Hat tip to blog friend Mart Gray of the great
Too Dangerous For A Girl comic review blog for the art breakdown. HDR and Borges style is cleaner, with less line work. But it is all good.

As usual, Kenneth Rocafort does stellar work on this cover. The whole point of the Queen is she is supposed to seduce you or fill you with honeyed word so you will obey her. This image works for that feel.

Last issue Hector Hammond was kidnapped by H.I.V.E. and brought to their headquarters. Unfortunately, Hammond's powers have been augmented by a sudden surge of electric energy. Still, the H.I.V.E. headquarters is Queen Bee's domain. Her troops surround Hammond and she demands that Hammond recognize his role as a mere tool in her plans to dominate the world.

I love this panel structure by Barrows. With the Queen apparently in charge, the panel is shaped like a honeycomb. The point of view here, looking up at the Queen gives her the feel of power, as if we are kneeling before her as well. Nice.

That art riff is flipped on its head on the next set of pages. It turns out the gun-wielding drones were psionic illusions by the Queen, a feint that Hammond saw through quickly.

Suddenly, the ordered honeycomb panels give way to round bulbous panels, not unlike Hammond's head. Suddenly the perspective is different, the Queen looking much less larger-than-life. As always, when art and words complement each other, comics are at their best.

I also have to say, I love that Hammond needs his own slaves to help him with even the most menial tasks. To see this soldier propping up Hammond's arm as he chokes the Queen added a slight element of humor to this scene.

As fun as this mini-skirmish was, the following scenes of Clark and the supporting cast were even better.

We get to hear Superman talk about how ill-prepared he is for a psionic war. He can't punch or heat vision a telepathic attack. And if it weren't for Orion's defenses, he would be helpless.

There is something about this sequence where we see multiple images of Superman turning into Clark that smacks of old-school comic fun. I thought this was great.

Lastly, I am glad that Clark seems to get the same weird vibe off of Dr. Veritas. She studies him closely. She makes veiled double entendres at him. She seems to know more about his capabilities than he does. I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes some New 52 version of Maxima or Rampage.

Clark meets up with Cat Grant. Clarkcatropolis.com, the revolutionary news blog site the two are trying to set up, is struggling. I love how Clark notices the small things about Cat that show she is hurting a bit financially. An empty Starbucks coffee cup and cheap shampoo. That doesn't sound like Cat.

But more importantly, it adds a bit of character to Cat Grant. This is the first incarnation of Cat I kinda-sorta like. She isn't vapid or hateful like prior versions. It would be easy for Cat to give up on this dream when things got tough but she isn't walking away. I am pretty sure the old Cat would never stick it out this long, let alone do this to begin with. Kudos to Lobdell for tweaking her character like this.

Now we can talk journalistic integrity at some other point but Clark decides it is time to break a big story on the site ... specifically a story he learned via his super-powers.

After last month's tip on The Twenty, Clark does some digging. It turns out that STAR Labs is holding some powerful young super-powered individuals as 'test subjects'. These are part of this mysterious Twenty.

Now I don't know if I like STAR Labs being turned into another big bad corporation instead of the upstanding research firm it has always been. Holding people against their will and experimenting with 'treatment'? Sounds nefarious. And knowing the DCU, it will turn out the military is funding this.

Lastly, I thought for sure the Twenty were going to be something mundane like The Hundred or Intergang. We learn that the Twenty are Twenty people who went missing during Brainiac's attack on Metropolis (as seen in Morrison's run). How the heck didn't more than twenty go missing? Are these people still missing? Or known to have been missing and then found? Since they are a legend ... how did that start?

Back at HIVE, we are again shown that Hammond is suddenly much more powerful than anticipated. The Queen is only able to escape by flashing an image of Hammond being shot by guns into Hector's head. There is a page of Hammond being literally blown to bits by guns that all turns out to be illusion. It is one of the things that I like about this story so far. I have to keep on my toes a bit because I might not be able to believe everything that I see.

The bottom line is Hammond suddenly has all that is H.I.V.E. at his disposal.

In a bit of a stretch to set up a scene, Superman decides to 'check in' on Jimmy. Last issue, Jimmy manifested Superman's personality trait of feeling utterly alone. (Now I don't think Superman ever feels that way ... but whatever).

Jimmy is living it up on his parents dime. Last month we heard they were dead and Jimmy inherited their billions. Here we learn they are famous and have 'gone missing', like many famous people do. There has to be more than this here.

My guess? The elder Olsens are 2 of the Twenty.

The conversation is broken up by a sudden earthquake as tentacles like those seen in Brainiac's attack on the city suddenly spring from the ground and start shaking the block apart. And then Superman's brain seems to overload and he crashes through the ground.

Did that tentacle attack really happen? Or were they also more illusion?

That is two references to Brainiac in this issue. We know from the solicits that he is on his way back to Earth.

Superman crashes right into the arms of the Queen Bee on the run.

And from her we learn even more about the Twenty. She is one of them. She (or they) has been preparing for Brainiac's return. She seems to have a lot of anti-Brainiac sentiment here. So she is an enemy of an enemy. Heck, she says she is trying to protect the city.

We should start ticking off the members of The Twenty we know of/suspect. Queen Bee. That actor from last issue. That ninja women from last issue. The Olsens. What about Dr. Veritas??

As for art, I love this sort of anti-pieta. Sure it looks like Michaelangelo's Pieta. But that is one evil looking Queen Bee. And I doubt she is supposed to be comforting/mourning Superman. It is a dark reflection of the classic Pieta and that works here.

So overall an entertaining issue on all levels. The PsiWar plot proceeds with Hammond and HIVE duking it out. We get some quality Clark/Cat moments. We learn Brainiac is enmeshed in this whole thing. And the art was solid throughout.

Not bad.

Overall grade: B/B+

Review: Superman #20

Happy Memorial Day !!

Superman #20 came out last week and I thought it was a pretty fun read with some very interesting moments. I certainly have had my complaints about Scott Lobdell and his treatment of Superman but one thing he shows here is just how vulnerable Superman would be to telepathic attacks. With the upcoming Psi-War storyline, I think this is just a sort of hors d'oeuvre to that larger arc.

Now as usual, I have some small problems with the characterization of Superman. But with the shroud of 'altered mental status' hanging over the Man of Steel, I am a bit more willing to roll with things here.
Add to that the tried and true comic plot line of two heroes slugging it out, something I am willing to accept when done rarely, and the big action, I thought this fun in a Michael Bay movie sort of a way.

There is one thing about the book that I am still on the fence about. I have never been a fan of the Superman/Wonder Woman romance but whether I like it or not, it is happening. One thing that has bothered me is that the characterization of Diana in mainstream books like Justice League and Superman is so different from her character in her own book. I had actually started to read Wonder Woman as though it were an Elseworlds title. Lobdell brings her book and plot into this book. On the one hand, as someone who doesn't mind continuity, it made me glad to see this. On the other hand, it doesn't explain the difference of her character in the different books.

Aaron Kuder is on art here and I like his style. He isn't quite Frank Quitely but he quietly brought a Quitely sort of feeling to the issue. And that cover, with the bright yellow background certainly leapt off the racks.

Now the book opens on a very intriguing scene. Ma and Pa Kent are alive. Clark is married to Lana Lang. And they have a 'little girl', a cute little puppy. It seems like the perfect life ... loving parents who understand you and a loving wife who accepts everything about you. There are some nice lines here like Lana saying she knew how crazy her life would when she agreed to be married to Clark as well as Pa talking about Clark's stubborn streak, like not giving up against Doomsday.

But we know this is fantasy or telepathic-induced dream state because the Kents are long dead and we haven't seen much of Lana outside of a few scenes in Morrison and Fisch's Action Comics.

What is interesting to me is that it is Lana that is the 'dream wife'.
Not Lois.
Not Diana.
Lana.

Is it that she would be the 'safe choice' for this idyllic life. That a life with Lois and Diana would never be this calm? Or does Clark still feel that Lana is the one that 'got away'? Hmmm ...

I might be overthinking this. But I find that Lobdell chose Lana for this scene extremely interesting.

As I said, the art here works for me.

I love this title page with Orion's fist shattering this fantasy world and smashing Superman. The huge fist destroying that world completely works as it jars Superman and brings him back to reality.

I also like that the title is simply 'WHAM!', keying me in that this is going to be a knockdown drag-out brawl.

Orion and Superman certainly throw down pretty fast. I suppose I can understand why. Superman has been dealing with people acting crazily, his mind tampered with, and then out of nowhere someone he doesn't know attacks him.

And the action is beautifully rendered in wide screen panels and splash pages. Orion punched through an empty building and skipping across the bay. Orion hoisting an aircraft carrier as a club. Big art for big action.

Now I don't mind Superman using his fists against a presumed bad guy. But he should be above pettiness and this sort of chest thumping.

If there was one thing that stuck out as feeling wrong in this issue it is this line from Superman talking about pounding Orion until he'll be in an ICU drinking from a straw. Superman shouldn't say things like that no matter how ticked off he is. This bothered me. Superman should inspire and no one would say this sort of thug-talk is inspirational.

I do love how Kuder draws a huge S-shield. That is how it should be.

During a pause in the brawl, Diana shows up.

When she realizes that Orion is the 'villain', it leads to an awkward interaction. More than anything, this shows just how separate Wonder Woman's title has been. You would think that if she was in a close relationship with Clark that she would talk about Zola, the war of the gods, and Orion. But it is clear from her dialogue that Clark knows nothing about it. She says Orion is helping her with a 'project' ... not 'protecting Zola' ... not 'helping figure out Olympus' ... 'a project'. It basically means Clark knows nothing about her life. It really makes the relationship that much weaker in my mind.

That said, I understand Superman's response to Orion. A beefy guy shows up who clearly has a history with your girlfriend, a history you know nothing about. I know I would feel awkward and respond icily. I think it humanizes Superman a bit.

It turns out that the prophecy Orion heard about, the one where Superman destroys the Earth, was based on Hector Hammond possessing Superman. Orion actually apologizes for hitting first without talking.

I absolutely loved this panel where Wonder Woman uses her lasso to coax Hammond to reveal himself. You can feel the surprise on Diana and Orion, both flinching away. And Hammond's head on Superman's body is just horrific. Funny how Hammond says he made a 'world of peace' for Superman and that was the Lana world.

I don't know if I will ever understand the powers of Diana's lasso but this seemed an okay application.

What I didn't necessarily like was how Orion is able to use his Mother Box to force Hammond out as well as build up psychic walls so Superman can't be possessed again. That all seemed deus ex machina to me. I suppose that I should say novus deus ex machina as this is a new god in a machine. It seemed a bit too easy.

Okay. So while Orion continues to feel out if Diana has feelings for him and Diana keeps him at a distance, Superman sulks. Artistically, this panel works sublimely with Superman tiny in the distance.

As a guy who once felt like he was miles away while bruisers wooed wonderful women, I actually empathized here. For me, Superman is Clark, the shy nice farm boy. I could understand how he might be intimidated or feel hurt from this. She is a princess. Orion is a god. Clark is a farmer's son. It's why he didn't think he should date her in the Byrne era.  I said it before, it sort of humanized Clark a bit.

And, I suppose it shows just how awkward I must have felt in my adolescence if it still surges to the surface now and then.

I do wonder if I am in the minority here. I wonder if this whole interaction seems off for other people. I especially wonder what Diana fans think.

Orion leaves and Clark and Diana promise each other a quiet night together. Hopefully she will tell him something about her life! And I would have been okay if the issue ended there.

But instead we get this weird image of a decaying Lana from the dream world apparently still somewhere in the deep recesses of Superman's mind. Pretty scary image, especially given the more pristine Lana seen in the reflection.

Will this seed left by Hammond be utilized by someone in the upcoming Psi-War? I hope so. I would hate for this page to never be referenced again.

So where do I land with this issue. Certainly there were parts that I enjoyed - the big action, Superman feeling spurned a bit, the intriguing Lana world, and Aaron Kuder's art. But Superman saying he was going to smash Orion felt off. And this issue weakened the Clark/Diana relationship more since it is clear she doesn't talk to him at all about anything happening in her life.

I suppose I was in the mood for loud action.

Overall grade: B