Waid is having a blast with the work, weaving in humor, the trials and tribulations of being a teenager, all while bringing us super-heroics. It is a sort of 'Superman Year One' now that Superboy is back in the continuity. But if I have to be honest, it is the Smallville High stuff that I am loving most. Especially the Lana stuff.
And speaking of Lana, Skylar Patridge's art, especially the Smallville High stuff. Patridge seems to know all the things that would drive young Clark into fits and she infuses Lana with all of it. The action stuff is fun too, including some cool looking robots throwing hands.
And speaking of Lana, Skylar Patridge's art, especially the Smallville High stuff. Patridge seems to know all the things that would drive young Clark into fits and she infuses Lana with all of it. The action stuff is fun too, including some cool looking robots throwing hands.
I am really getting a kick out of this, partly because I can see a little of myself in poor Clark pining for Lana. On to the book.
Ahhh, but this isn't a super-suit. The friction burns off almost everything leading to this embarrassing moment back in Smallville.
I do love seeing these drills as Clark tries to test the limits and learn what he can and cannot do.
But I know Waid. It was important for us to learn this limit. I am sure we will see this play into the arc somewhere. Perhaps exceeding the time by pushing himself?
Her breezy goodbye while casually calling their diner get together a date. Perfect.
Clark being completely flummoxed by it all. Perfect.
Interesting.
Perhaps in some showdown with Captain Comet?
We see how well he prepares, running over 900 scenarios to make sure General Lane gets some desired outcome.
It will be interesting to see just how many strings Comet is pulling to figure all this out. Remember, we heard him talk about having to put down heroes on other planets who veered into fascism.
More on this later.
Back in school, Clark tries to figure out how to approach Lana when she approaches him. The old friends decide to hit the diner together and Lana calls it a date.
There is so much to love in these simple panels that shows why Clark would be smitten.
There is so much to love in these simple panels that shows why Clark would be smitten.
Lana leaning over the water fountain, holding her hair back with Clark clearly forcing himself not to look at her. Perfect.
Her breezy goodbye while casually calling their diner get together a date. Perfect.
Clark being completely flummoxed by it all. Perfect.
Perfect.
Is it a date???
Look at Clark suffer trying to pick out the right outfit.
Waid knows when to pull the nostalgia card out. That middle outfit - red sweater, white shirt, blue pants - is the classic outfit from the Silver Age. Heck, it was in the Bronze Age too!
It isn't lost on Clark that he has to 'be himself' wearing phony glasses. Another nice wrinkle as Clark learns what this new life means.
And then the 'date' is Lana just jibber-jabbering about how in love she is with Superboy!
I don't know if I can speak for everyone but I have been in Clark's shoes. I love how he is just throwing his head back in disbelief (and probably grief) as Lana talks about how wonderful Superboy is.
And the word balloons of nonsense talk with just key words heard shows how Clark is just tuned out.
But again, Lana putting her head in her hand and looking dreamily out is great.
How will Clark deal with this? Reveal he's Superboy? Self-loath the hero that the girl loves?
The 'date' is ended when Comet communicates telepathically that Clark has to stop a crime in Metropolis. Raze, met earlier in the arc, is trying to demolish Will Magnus' lab. And he has a couple of flunkies with him. Moreover, the crime, while real, was also done to lure out Superboy.
Here me now. This villain is somehow linked to Comet. How did he get free from the last encounter with Superboy? How did Comet know about this crime? And why didn't he stop it himself?
I think these people might be working for Comet, maybe without knowing who they are working for. Or maybe Comet is telepathically controlling them, goading them into these actions?
I think this is a trap that Comet has somehow sprung for Lane.
I think this is a trap that Comet has somehow sprung for Lane.
There is decent action as Clark fights some Magnus robots Raze has activated to fight. We see Clark go toe-to-toe and even take out the flunkies.
But amid the metals the group is stealing is Green K, still an unknown. And suddenly weakened, Raze gets the upper hand.
This is the first appearance, chronologically, of Green K in this new continuity.
Interesting.
This really is a new 'Secret Origin', adding new details.
But Raze is stopped by General Lane ... and a whole squad of guys. And Lane is out for Superboy too.
How did Lane get there so fast? And why did he bring so many guys? Why is the military involved in a robbery?
Unless this was all a set-up. Unless they knew this was going to happen. And Comet had to be part of it.
Unless this was all a set-up. Unless they knew this was going to happen. And Comet had to be part of it.
Great cliffhanger.
And great issue. I have been having so much fun reading this. The words, the plot, the art all mesh effortlessly. It is a ton of fun!
Overall grade: A-
2 comments:
Top review. I am glad that you are also thinking that Captain Comet has to be playing Sam Lane, I can’t believe Mark Waid would sully such a famed Atomic Agw hero by making him a baddie. It’s just a shame he never knew about kryptonite, poor Clark looks in awful pain. Wouldn’t it be weird if Doc Magnus ever made a kryptonite Metal Man? Then again, it’s probably happened in some DC Comics Presents. I forgot!
I agree, the Smallville High stuff is golden – I especially like Pete’s question this issue.
"Lana leaning over the water fountain, holding her hair back with Clark clearly forcing himself not to look at her. Perfect."
Is it, though? Sure, that's a perfectly natural pose to adopt when drinking out of a water fountain, we've all seen long-haired people having to hold their hair back like that. But I'm old and cynical and remember too many incidents of comic artists using "adult content" imagery as models for female characters, either due to laziness or a desire to put one over on readers and editors. Because you can also find that same pose in plenty of porn, only the young lady in question will be performing fellatio and holding her hair back so the camera's POV of the action isn't obscured.
Granted, this may very well be entirely innocent, and if so that's all on me for being suspicious and dirty-minded. If it isn't, someone's not being quite as subtle about slipping things past the editors as they think, although they sure have maintained a good level of deniability.
Post a Comment