Review: Superman The Stranger #2

Superman:The Stranger #2 came out this week and was one of the best reads of the week for me. This is a Golden Age sort of Superman operating in the 30's. He is a populist hero. He doesn't have the wisdom of the Kents in his background. And he simply wants to help. 

Wes Craig is the writer and artist on the book and he has a clear direction he is going at here. This is a Superman trying the help the ordinary people being crushed by the system that exists around him. That makes him progressive to some and a danger to others. In this issue we see how he is trying to right wrongs that he sees around him with his physical presence. He is almost Batman-like in his approach.

Unlike last issue, the politics here aren't nearly as 'in your face' or preachy. That was one of my quibbles with the first issue. But here, the tone is tempered a bit. We are shown the issue. It isn't ham-fisted. We aren't told the issue. It is embedded in the story. 

I read comics for the story. So seeing this naive Clark trying to live a life and do what's right is a fun ride. Seeing elements ripped from Fleischer studio cartoons or the earliest of early Superman stories props up the sentiment of the story for old time fans like me. 

But it is the visuals that really struck me here. From those nods to early stories, to the inkiness of the dimly lit jazz clubs, to the very innovative page constructs of the Luthor epilogue that adds to the story, the art here is one to linger over, savor. In particular, the Luthor pages were mesmerizing as the complemented the words and feel of that scene so well.

I liked this issue a lot and look forward to seeing where this goes from here.

Remember, this is the 30s. So Clark heading to an African-American jazz bar is very progressive.  But it is clear he frequents this place a lot, knowing the musicians and the staff. Especially the singer Hazel. 

But what I like about this is his stepping back a bit from the scene that bothered me the most in the first issue. Remember the scene where he lets the knife-wielding robber escape because it must have been out of desperation. And the people almost knifed were looked on as villains because they were rich and prejudiced? 

Here at least he says he is stopping muggers and burglars. Maybe they were just hungry. Or ... maybe they're bad people. But at least we hear he is stopping them.

But he wants to do more. This is an untested, newly active Superman. He is still learning what his mission is.

Even more progressive than going to a jazz bar is going home with the singer. Interracial relationships were very rare back then. This is another way we are shown that Clark is not hampered by bias or prejudice around race or class or belief. Show me this, don't tell me.

But I think he isn't being honest when he says it isn't his first time. He strikes me as very innocent.

The romantic tryst is interrupted by screams for help. Clark leaves the apartment to see if someone needs help only to find out it was people being silly. When he returns, Hazel is leaving.

The art so far in the issue was lush but this page hit me. 

We start with a lightbulb dangling from a ceiling.

Then we see the sexually frustrated Clark alone looking up.

We are looking from Clark's POV in that first panel, a stark broken ceiling and a bare bulb. Hardly what he thought he'd be seeing.

And then this trapped lonely guy in his shoebox apartment. 

Great page giving us so much information of his frustration and loneliness.

We get to see Lois at the Planet where she is being harassed by a bunch of the old boys, demeaning her for her sex and her capabilities. 

I love this feisty, strong, unfazed Lois who responds by tossing her cigarette in the worst offenders coffee.

Fantastic. 

Again, tremendous art here. 

Janitor Clark sees the story that Lois is working on. A union boss is missing. A real estate developer is going to bulldoze affordable housing to build new expensive apartments. 

Clark is struck by it and decides to act.

He stalks the real estate guy and pounces on him.

Now this is another great shot with Craig showing us his beliefs. Superman is in front of a bas relief of working men symbolism, pick axes and shovels. Very communist/socialist imagery there. 

And perhaps even worse is that the evil developer says this ... which I assume is meant to be taken as evil. He is talking about how he will get ahead by making this deal and he says 'In this country, if you put in the work, it might take a while, but you put in the work, you get the reward.'

Is that so wrong? Isn't that what we should be aspiring to? Hard work and compensation?

The political bend in this book is obvious.

Superman then grabs the guy and starts jumping an eighth of a mile, leaping tall buildings, and scaring the snot out of the guy. 

This is right out of Siegel/Shuster times and must be a terrifying way to get her point across. I don't think the current Superman would think of doing this. But this is a different Superman.

And it works. The man decides not to bulldoze the buildings. 

Superman is quite pleased with himself thinking what he did is what he is meant to do.

But then his dreams haunt him as he hears a voice saying he should rule.

So it looks like we have another 'sent to conquer' storyline, another Krypton and Jor-El wasn't a paradise. 

Maybe Clark is going to have to overcome his own people's prejudices as well.

We end with another close look at Luthor who has rounded up international scientists to help push forward his technological dreams. 

The whole scene plays out beautifully in the art. We see large vertical panels that only show half of Luthor, half his face, as he talks about the good he wants to accomplish. But showing him that way, like only half of him, makes it feel like he is fibbing.

And we get a couple of small inset panels where he says he is a servant to the scientists. But they are small which also gives the sense that it is just lip service.

He has his agenda.

Real wonderful page layouts.

And then we see he is the person who kidnapped the union leader. His scientists will make long range atomic missiles. He will rule.

The union leader is brave in the face of insanity saying he is one of many. It is the people Lex should fear. More of that populist/communist feel here.

And check out that last panel of Luthor, holding a sword up to his face, bisecting his head like the long panels we saw before. Perhaps this and those panels are a hint he is possessed? A second entity? 

He kills the leader.

This Luthor is quite mad. But he has mobilized and actualized his plan. When will Superman come face to face with him.

So yes, the politics are still here but not as grating as in the first issue. I like this novice Superman figuring things out. But it is the page layouts and art that really make this book sing. One of those books I thumbed through immediately after I read it.

Overall grade: B+