Review: Superwoman Special #1

Superwoman Special #1 came out last week, a partial look at the origin of Lois' super-powers while also hinting at some upcoming storylines in the Superman book. With art predominantly from Edwin Galmon, this one was an unexpected treat.

Since taking over the book, Williamson has been guiding the super-family in a very entertaining direction. I have really liked the majority of storylines that he has thrown at us. In what I think is a lost art, he has given us some subplots or hints at the future to make me want more. 

Here, we learn the 'how' Lois got her powers. We learn about some potential pitfalls and weaknesses she might have. But we see her in action, we see her interact with the cast of the book in a new way, and we see Lois' bravery. The book ends with two big questions which made me want to keep reading. On top of that,Williamson writes a great Supergirl in this book, having her be a mature, caring friend of Lois who also happens the be the veteran dispensing her own wisdom. Tremendous.

As I said above, Galmon does most of the art on the book and really shines. We get some pages by Laura Braga and Nikolas Cizmesija to round things out. I really enjoyed Cizmesija's work on a recent Azrael book. But Galmon is the standout here. 

I am not always a fan of human supporting cast members getting powers. (Lois is a hero already in my mind.) I am not a fan of stories where characters powers might short out at any time. But the plots woven in this one are so tantalizing, that I am on board for now.

On to the specifics.

The book starts with Lois suffering writer's block. But luckily Kara and Lana show up offering an alternative ... a night on the town and some super-heroing.

It leads to this great splash page of Superwoman, Superwoman, and Supergirl flying around and dealing with crime and disasters. Beautiful.

There was a lot to like about the opening scene (available on line). But I love Kara and Lana showing up in street clothes to entice Lois away from the desk. I just think it is cool that Kara is coming to Lois as a friend, and more importantly as a friend who recognizes that Lois needs some head space away from work. 

Williamson has written Supergirl as the field commander of the family, a sort of second in charge. So this felt natural.

Afterwards, the trio enjoy a coffee on the top of the Eiffel tower. 

Lois says she just can't figure out how to write a story about Superwoman. And she no longer has Perry to bounce ideas off of. So Kara, again being a good friend, says Lois can bounce her ideas off them. Yes, Kara isn't Perry and doesn't have Perry's experience with journalism. But she is a friend. Love that panel with Lois' face of confusion/consternation and Kara's playful elbowing.

But how could I not include a 'Superwoman Red/Superwoman Blue' comment from Lana. You might recall wayyyy back in the Superwoman title, it started out that way. 

The story that Lois is struggling with is her own story. It is a way for Lois to tell us her own origin story.

In the midst of Absolute Power, Lois decided to join the fray. After all her husband and son were hurt by Amanda Waller's plot. So she strapped into some SuperCorp suit and flew towards Gamorra.

En route, while interacting with some of the Amazos, her suit shorted out and she tumbled out of the sky. She wakes up on the Planet's roof.

Why did it short? Who scooped her up out of the ocean and brought her back to Metropolis? What was this suit?

We get shown some of the info but not all. 

Later, trying to get a pen that rolled under a couch, Lois learns she has super-strength.

She heads to SuperCorp and tells Mercy. Or rather she shows an inattentive Mercy why she should heed Lois' interruption. She shatters Lex's sequoia desk.

I love how Mercy recognizes this is something to be dealt with. Cancel all appointments.

Again though, Supergirl steps in. She wonders why Lois went to Mercy first and not the supers. There is some wisdom in the question even if Lois responds by saying Mercy has earned her trust. 

But this little interaction by Williamson answers a question I would have had as a reader. Don't give me what I want. Give me what I need.

And then the 'who knows when your powers will end' moment. Lena says Lois cells are super-charged like a Kryptonians. But is she still processing the yellow sun? Supercorp advises that Lois shouldn't use her powers since they possible could peter out.

Will they abruptly end? Wane? If just end, why would Lois ever fly when she could suddenly drop from the sky? 

Still Lois is Lois. Heading home that day she steps into a gunfight between crooks and the Metropolis police at superspeed. She gets shot but she's luckily bulletproof. 

She couldn't sit idly by while others could be hurt. Even with the Lena warning, even without knowing her level of invulnerability, she jumped in. That's heroism.

In a nice touch, she keeps the bullet in her belt to remind her of the dangers she is facing now.

Check out Kara though. That is a stern, italicized 'LOIS'. Supergirl knows the risks of superheroics. It is clear Lois doesn't and Kara needs to advise. A simple use of italics/bold adds so much. 

Back home, Lois reveals her secret identity to Clark. 

This was my favorite panel of the book.

Glasses flying, shirt rip, confident 'I'm Superwoman' using the cover font, looking away dramatically.

That all sings. 

Great work by Galmon. 

With Clark in the know, they head to the Watchtower to get her checked out by the heroes.

Even Mr. Terrific is unclear the extent and expiration date of her powers.

I don't necessarily know if we needed this scene as it doesn't add much to the Mercy scene. Although a bit at the end of the book builds off this.

Lois makes the decision with Clark to use her powers, even joining in a super-family battle with Brimstones.

I have been talking about Supergirl's role in the book as an almost hero-mentor, voice of experience for Lois. 

Supergirl knows Lois' struggle is that she is having fun with these powers. 

This simple panel of Supergirl welcoming Lois to the club was really marvelous. Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Mark Waid, and Williamson have really written a strong Supergirl these last years. Here, it is veteran Supergirl giving Lois advice, welcoming her into the fold, and being a sort of role model. That is a cool role reversal and shows respect for the character.

If the book ended there, I'd have been thrilled but we got two more hooks to make me want to come back.

One, Mercy knows why Lex built that suit Lois was wearing. Mercy has the suit. I suppose that implies it was SuperCorp who rescued Lois. But why not tell Lois ... unless Lex was up to no good with that suit and it's abilities.

And then this bomb. The suit was reaching out into space for powers to ape like Amazo. If Lois grabbed Kryptonian-level powers, who did she rob? 

Zod.

Given the abrupt ending of 'Kneel Before Zod', the hinted at 'Superman loses an eye fighting Zod' hint by Williamson in the last Superman issue, and now this, it looks like Zod is heading to Earth to start/finish his story. We still don't know where New Krypton is.

Overall a great story. Fun revelations about Lois' origins and her dealing with her powers. Lois' heroism. That playful identity reveal. Kara as veteran leader. And some foreshadowing of things to come. Beautiful art.

Great special.

Overall grade: A