Review: Superman #43

Superman #43 came out this week, the first arc in the book after Kingdom of Zod and with Superman back as the titular character after Prime was headlining. I just keep feeling that KoZ was sort of a letdown. So I am glad that our hero is back and sort of bringing back a sense of order to the book. 

It being right around Halloween, I love that this story seems to be leaning into horror, a sort of different flavor after the sci-fi heavy arcs we have had recently. There are spooky things happening in the city. People are going missing. Marilyn Moonlight is out searching for answers. A Death Cult ... or is it a Resurrection Cult ... has formed! And inky monsters are roaming the streets, strong enough to hurt our heroes. Very cool. But there is still a foundation of DC lore to prop up the horror. Yes, that is a Black Lantern symbol sighting. Yes, Nekron is dropped.

Joshua Williamson really drops us into the action, starting the arc out with just enough crumbs to make me want more. And the cliffhanger is definitely intriguing. But more than horror, we get the usual Superman stuff to make the horror elements stick out from regular things. Lois and Clark are catching up. Clark and Jimmy are out investigating. Cat Grant is transitioning to serious reporter but her history continues to impact her. It works well.

Xermanico is our new artist and he brings a high polish to the book in the sunlight and the creepy scenes. Really like the work here, especially the horror elements. Superman fighting inky blobby ghosts? Nice!

This is a very good opening issue, a fresh feel to the book while putting Kingdom Of Zod behind us.

On to the details.

We start out with Cat Grant and Marilyn Moonlight out on night patrol. People have gone missing. Odd things are happening in Metropolis, things like a cemetery suddenly appearing in the middle of the city. The statues are petrified humans, 'the living death'.

Love Marilyn Moonlight's look. And I like that Metropolis has another protector, perhaps more urban legend and fighting the arcane threats of the city. 

But I really like the growth in Cat Grant. She is a far cry from the bra-busting pest she was in the past. She isn't a scaredy-cat (nice pun). She is going to follow the story. Cat definitely is the more malleable of a Planet reporter meaning Williamson can do things to her without upsetting any continuity apple carts.

Back at the Planet the following day, Lois is pointing out that Clark hasn't written a story in a while. Perhaps recent events are weighing on him and he needs a 'sabbatical' to get his head in the game.

The interplay between the two is great. Lois is both loving wife and boss here. Her running down the recent events ... all big things ... in Clark's history shows how he has been run ragged and maybe could use some down time. The whole scene feels right.

Especially when we see Clark 'woosh out' at the bottom of one page, fight Chemo on one page side mission, and then woosh in on the top of the next to pick up the conversation. That was fun!

Clark hears about the missing people and Lois tells him that she will assign the story to him, but only if he stays 'grounded', catching his breath and getting his bearings. What better way to keep him stuck in human mode than teaming him up with Jimmy on the gig. Really like Lois in this scene.

Love that 'woosh/woosh' trick. Very fun.

Rather than head to the police department to talk to the chief, Clark decides to look elsewhere. Who better to hear about the scuttlebutt on the street from than Bibbo. 

Bibbo is convinced the missing people have been taken by Space Zombies. 

But he does say that Cat was also searching for answers and she's gone missing. So much for staying in Clark mode. Clark takes off to investigate his missing friend.

Xermanico draws a great Bibbo. And Clark feels very Bronze Age in his excuse to get away. Needing 'milk and cookies' is akin to an 'upset stomach'. Talk about mild-mannered!

Now out as Superman, looking for Cat, he runs into those inky beasts and they wallop him before taking off.

Another great panel by Xermanico. These things are weird. 

And then a nice nugget.

The person controlling the beasts call them back into his gauntlet perhaps from Apokolips, powered by what seems to be Black Lantern energy. 

Interesting.

We cut to my favorite scene of the book.

That controller talks about how super-heroes always return from the dead and it is time for others who are suffering to get their loved ones back. So it isn't a death cult necessarily ... just led by someone wielding a Black Lantern gauntlet and saying Nekron will lead them. And Metropolis is the perfect place to form this because Metropolis was the site of a 'great death'. We see the bloody cape from Superman's death with Doomsday. That is a nice hook for the idea.

But what really sold the scene is Cat Grant being there as an acolyte. After all, she lost her son and has mourned him greatly. Why wouldn't she want him back. 

Hard to know if she is there under her own power (blackened eyes and all) or if this cult controls people with great grief. 

That is a powerful plot point and resonated with me.

As for Superman, this battle with monsters has made him a monster. Sunlight now burns him. Badly. Great end page by Xermanico here.

Can he power up? Or will he slowly run out of juice?

And why has this happened? Is he some creature of the night now?

A lot happens in this first chapter but it all clicked. It made me want more. And it is perfect for Halloween. 

Overall grade: A