Review: Superman #34

Superman #34 came out last week, a DC KO tie in and a pretty big treat for a Legion fan like me. More impressive than the LSH stuff in the issue is that somehow writer Joshua Williamson continues to make me like reading his Superboy Prime.

The KO stuff is really on the periphery of the issue. The main plot is Prime, Lois, and a Superman Robot trying to get to Doomsday to give him the information we learned from the Lara Lor-Van tapes. That trip takes a few detours as we get to contrast the brash Prime to the earnest Superman simulacrum. We are on a sort of redemption tour for Prime and his being inspired by an automaton is a nice wrinkle.

We know Josh Williamson is going to be writing a Legion of Super-Heroes book in the future. Maybe we see some glimpses of what he thinks of the Legion in this book. I hope that book sings.

Eddy Barrows is on art and I have always loved his work. He really has shined on this arc and it is great to see his take on these DC KO landscape. His splash pages are fantastic. And wait until you see his Legion.

On to the book.

'I, Superman' is a great title for the book, riffing the classic 'I, Robot' story of a robot gaining sentience. One of the main characters in the book is the Superman Robot who has been imprinted with Superman's memories and ethics so much, it thinks it is Superman. Interesting.

Afraid of the implications of putting these robots in harm's way, Superman shuts down the project, leaving the robot army in the Fortress.

Check out the snazzy actual Superman sporting Eradicator like shades and a red duster jacket. I wonder if Williamson asked for that outfit or if Barrows did it on his own.

As I said, this Robot thinks like Superman, even telling the repowered Lois how much Clark loved flying with her by his side. Even Prime can sense the optimism.

Maybe because he is smiling and more entertaining than prior evil, brooding, angry Prime, I like this one's metatextual comic speak as well.

The Dark Legion Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad crash into the Fortress to rescue evil Sun Boy. 

Within the Fortress they stumble on to Superman's Legion room. 

Check out the splash of classic Legion, from the original Invisible Kid to Ferro Lad to Blok and White Witch. My favorite Legionnaire, Wildfire is so nice that Barrows put him in there twice! I mean, drink it in Legion fans.

I can only hope that this is the Legion Williamson has in mind for the new book. Awesome.

And then a rare moment of characterization from the Dark Legion. I mean all we have seen from them is snarling rage and lethal force.

To learn that this version of Garth and Imra love each other just like in classic continuity. And they have been hiding their love so it couldn't be used against them by their Darkseid fueled teammates. 

Garth and Imra, a love so strong it is more powerful than a Darkseid fueled universal reboot.

Again, this small moment makes me trust Williamson on a Legion book even more.

En route to the Watchtower to talk to the Time Trapper, the Robot informs Prime about what Superman thinks of him. 

Prime disappoints Superman. Also, Prime reminds Superman of himself, how scared the Man of Steel was with his powers. I think this is a nice new take on this relationship, that Superman can maybe see how easy it would have been to go off the rails like Prime. And then wondering why Prime can't get back on track.

And I'll admit that I laughed at the middle panel. How many of us have heard that line on either TV or in movies or in real life!

The world is slowly becoming Apokolips, complete with fire pits, as the trip fly to their destination. 

The robot makes them slow down to rescue the Royal Flush Gang who didn't believe the world was ending and stuck around to loot. Thankfully, the robot has Superman's personality and stops the potentially universe-saving trip to save some C-listers. Prime might have just flown by.

He might say it is time to move on but his expression, beautifully rendered by Barrows, shows he is thinking about what he is witnessing ... like maybe regret that he didn't save this group himself.

In the Watchtower, we see a battered Time Trapper Doomsday. The other members of the Quantum Quorum scarpered when the Dark Legion arrived. He isn't sure what information the robot could give him that he wouldn't already know. 

And how important is this tidbit from Lara? 

And it has been remarkably easy to beat up this Time Trapper Doomsday who is supposed to be one death away from Godhood.

The Dark Legion is ready to torture Lois and the robot to try and get this information when a hero arrives.

It's Prime. He remembers how he lost control in Infinite Crisis. He hasn't wanted to lose control again. But maybe now is the time for him to lose it. Boom!

Now that is a cliffhanger.

So for being a crossover in a brawl-event like KO, this issue was more of a character focused story. We get the Prime/Robot thread, showing us what Superman should be like, but also peeking into what Superman thinks of Prime. And then those three panels of Garth and Imra. Wonderful.

Throw in that 2 page Legion poster by Barrows and you have a winner.

Overall grade: A