Review: Superman #42

Superman #42, the penultimate chapter of the Kingdom of Zod crossover, came out this week and brought us closer to an ending. But I don't know if it brought me closer to liking this event. So many questions. So many magical answers. So much I don't understand. 

Joshua Williamson does a solid job on this from a character viewpoint. There are good character bits for Prime and Superman. There is a wonderful moment for the cousins. And there is some intersesting interaction between Superman and this young Zod. There is even a nod to some Krypton history that might make me crack open old books to remind myself.

But the big parts of this story - the Kryptonite meteor, Zod's plot, the removal of the expanding Green K- have been inscrutable. Why would Zod want to invade Earth and thought the best way was to shower it with variant Green K? How did he get it? How did he coat it in inertron? Why did it grow? How did Superman deactivate it? All stuff I have to roll with and since all those are key points to the story, it feels like too much. In this issue we get a preview for what will for sure be the deus ex machina for the finale.

So will I be a bit happy to see this wrap up next week? Yes. It is too much of a headache to think about.

The art is a nice split between Eddy Barrows, who continues to shine and Eduardo Pansica, an old friend around these parts. Their styles are sort of similar so the issue flows fine. There are a couple of very well done big art moments that added some punch here. And I love love love the Takara variant cover above.

But on to the book.

Review: Action Comics #1102

Action Comics #1102 came out last week, the next issue in the Kingdom Of Zod event, and the second chapter focusing on a time travel jaunt to Krypton before it exploded. I have struggled with the main plot of a Kryptonite plague happening on Earth. But chapters 5 and 6 of this event have been an interesting diversion, taking us back to Krypton and focusing on the two characters who would have the most interesting take on being on the planet again - Kara and young Clark.

Mark Waid has been doing a great job on the current Superboy stories in Action Comics, letting us see him at the earliest stages, learning his powers, and growing as a hero. But he barely knows about Krypton as a concept. So seeing him on Krypton, experiencing it for the first time, and knowing that perhaps he could change things and have it survive is all interesting. Waid clearly knows young Clark's voice and he makes these stories compelling. 

And Waid also loves Supergirl and she continues to shine in this Krypton arc, weighing her love of the planet and her need to keep the timeline and Superman's legacy intact. Supergirl might actually be the star of this issue.

The action is also great with Kara and Clark trying to escape a Krypton prison, get Ursa to stop talking, and get back to the time bubble. 

Montos is on art and his fine pencil style works well here. His fight scenes really shine as you see the effort and anger on the combatants.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #41

Superman #41 came out this week, the next chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover. This is a 9-parter and this is chapter 4 so we are basically at the halfway mark. And this is quite an issue as it takes a hard ... and I mean HARD ... left turn taking this story to two places I was not expecting.

I will say that this whole arc is building off of the  Kneel Before Zod mini-series from 2 years ago. (All those issues are reviewed here at that link so feel free to dive in!) I will remind you that mini-series was supposed to be 12 issues but was cut by DC to 9, so I wonder if some of this plot was supposed to be touched on or even begun there. Also, as pointed out by friend Mart Gray, the opening pages which fill in what happened in that mini are direct lifts from that book. (Hope writer Joe Casey and artist Dan McDaid are getting some compensation.) In that book, I was surprised by how beaten down Zod was initially and how domineering Ursa was. Suffice it to say, we see that play out here.

I will also say that one of my biggest peeves about this whole story is the 'Kryptonite everywhere' aspect when it seems to have little or no impact on the action. Our Kryptonian heroes seem more irritated by being surrounded by Green K than in agony. So I decided to read this issue ignoring the Green K conundrum and I found that it reads better that way. But it seems odd that I can ignore the driving plot element. And I wonder if we will ever learn how Zod got that massive Green K meteor, altered it, covered it in intertron, and sent it on its way.

But enough backstory, Joshua Williamson and Eddy Barrows give us the best chapter of this arc. We get decent action. We get some plot progression. We get to see Superman in action. And we get two ... no three ... major developments and plot twists. I don't know if those new threads will pay off but I am more interested in them than the growing Green K stuff. 

On to the details.

Review: Supergirl #16

Supergirl #16 came out this week, the first chapter in the Kingdom of Zod crossover. While I am thrilled that the opening chapter is in the Supergirl book, perhaps bringing more eyes to the title, I have to say this story starts off a bit rushed and confusing. 

I don't know if I quite understand what Zod is trying to accomplish here. I don't know why he isn't impacted by a ton of Green K around him. But that is more a commentary on the overall story. Let's concentrate on this issue. 

Sophie Campbell does a solid job showing how Kara is trying to grow into her role of Heir to the House of El. How Kara is trying to be a leader for the El family in Superman's absence. But it isn't going to be an easy transition so seeing Kara doing her best to keep the team together on a dangerous mission into El Caldero is great characterization for our title hero. This is a Super-event so there are plenty of other characters here but Campbell really has Supergirl in the spotlight.

The art is a mix between Joe Quinones and Paolo Villanelli. The styles are quite different with Quinones being a more smooth style and Villanelli being more thin-lined, angular, and a bit rougher. The result can feel a bit jarring and I don't know if that is the best way to start an event either.

I honestly hope I understand Zod's plan at some point. But I don't yet. On to the issue.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #6

Kneel Before Zod #6 came out this week, meaning the book is at the halfway point. 

I have pretty interested in the overall plot of the book, giving us a deep dive into the persona of General Zod. We have seen him in a sort of 'mid-life crisis' mode of ennui as he rebuilt New Kandor. He is haunted by visions of Jor-El.  Then there was a moment where he was sort of down and out with Ursa taking over. And then there was rage as he bashed his way through several attacks and ships.

While this peek into Zod's mind has been interesting, the issues seemed a bit light with many pages filled with over the top, brutal action.

This issue is much more story-driven than action driven which made me happy. I don't know what Zod's plans with New Krypton will be. I think it is fascinating that he seems interested in leading an army out for unknown conquest. Writer Joe Casey is peeling back Zod's gruff exterior to show me a more complicated being. 

But the big thing about this issue is that it is  chock full of Legion of Super-Heroes mythos. From character races to 9-panel grids, this felt like an 'evil Legion' book. For a Legion fan like me, this was wonderful. Made me realize how much I miss the IP. 

Artist Dan McDaid continues to bring a sort of rough, grungy style to the book, perfect for this prison ship environment. I love how his Jor-El is clean and unblemished, a stark contrast to everything else in the book. 

I still don't know how I fully feel about this book. Pieces really grab me. But this issue sparkled. On to some specifics.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #5

Kneel Before Zod # 5 came out last week, another issue dominated by Zod mowing through people in a rather gruesome fashion. This seems to be a sort of pattern of the book. There are a few crumbs of plot and characterization among the pages of violence.

I understand this is a General Zod book. So I knew violence was going to happen. Writer Joe Casey is filling in some history of Zod, showing maybe how he became what he is. We continue to see the sort of Jor-El obsession Zod has. And Casey does a great job of including some Kryptonian lore and some DC alien races, giving this a bit of depth. But these feel like crumbs. Last issue was dominated by pages of Zod just killing Khunds. This issue is dominated by pages of Zod killing Kaffarians. I need a bit more.

This also starts the book on a whole new direction which means all the plots we started on New Kandor in the first 4 issues seem to be in the rear view mirror unless we get back there. 

It all means I kind of don't know what to make of this series so far, a mix of an interesting look at Zod in the midst of countless pages of gore.

Dan McDaid continues to bring a nice rough feel to the proceedings. Zod is monstrous in this, still devastated by the explosion last issue. McDaid adds some nice flourishes to panels, having the art add to the mood. I love his scenes on Krypton. And the long violent scenes are beautifully horrifying. 

But I do wish the issues had some more story in them.

On to the issue.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #2

 When Kneel Before Zod was announced as a mini-series, I didn't know what to expect. For a while Zod was everywhere. Then he was nowhere. Now he was going to headline a book? And from creators who I didn't really know.

Kneel Before Zod #1 came out last month and was a solid first issue, laying out a number of plot threads. One of the more interesting ones was seeing the beginning of a rift between Ursa and Zod. For the last couple of decades, the two have been a team. Zod was the more calculating leader. Ursa the blood thirsty assassin, the tip of his sadistic spear. 

Last week Kneel Before Zod #2 came out and focused mostly on their interactions. Joe Casey shows us how things are unraveling. After years of seeing Zod portrayed as the ultimate alpha predator, looking to amass power and destroy his enemies, this issue showed us some cracks in his psyche. Last issue we saw him hallucinating Jor-El. This issue we see a weary leader who is a bit lost in machinations. His bloodlust seems dimmed. And Ursa is there, ready to seize control of their situation. Again, interesting. More than I thought the book might be. 

It is, for sure, an about face for everything we have read of Zod recently. While it seemed shocking, and maybe a bit out of character, I had to remind myself that it has been a while since we have seen him. Time has passed so there maybe things we don't know that has led him here. I am a giant fan of John Boorman's Excalibur. In that movie, Uther Pendragon, after years of marauding, wants to settle back and raise a child. He grew weary of battle. This issue reminded me of that.

All this leads to the dramatic cliffhanger of Ursa seizing control. Unfortunately, all thoughts about where this might go were spoiled by Bleeding Cool here. Read at your own risk.

Dan McDaid's art is bold and has a sort of blunt beauty to it. His Ursa is wonderfully mad. 

As an aside, seeing Ursa dominate Zod might rankle some people. But this is completely in her character. It made some sense to me that if she saw weakness, she would take control.

On to the book. 

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #283

Today was an open slot in the blog schedule and had been a while since I had done a back issue so I was pondering what to cover. With Kneel Before Zod on the shelves, I thought looking back at the original Phantom Zone story and the introduction to General Zod might be fun.

So set the time machine for 1961 and Adventure Comics #283. In all transparency, I have this issue in the Tales From The Phantom Zone trade so might be mining that particular collection more in the future.

Pretty solid cover here by Curt Swan promoting The Phantom Superboy and name dropping the Phantom Zone for the first time. And nice ethereal colors on the phantom hero, showing us the terrain in the background.

On to the story.

'The Phantom Superboy' was written by Robert Bernstein with solid art by George Papp. 

As was the custom back in the day, the opening page was almost a second cover teasing the story. Given how the Phantom Zone and the two villains in the story have remained major components in the Superman mythos, it is a little amusing that neither are strongly shown in either place.

Instead, here, we learn that Superboy is an intangible phantom and that the Clark Kent robot that is imitating him is about to reveal his big secret. Obviously this very Silver Age story construct is a silly part of this story.

Review: Kneel Before Zod #1

Every so often I am surprised by a book being green-lit. Who would think that DC would consider publishing a General Zod maxi-series? But here we are.

Kneel Before Zod #1 came out last week, the first issue in this title written by Joe Casey with art by Dan McDaid. About 2 years ago, I was likely to complain that Zod was being over-used. But I think this is going to be the first major current story for Zod since Batman/Superman #8 from 2020! That was pre-Covid. But I did have to revisit that story to remember how we got here. 

Zod is on a planet named New Kandor. He has half the bottled city of Kandor's citizens in his possession. He is present with his wife and son. And based on a recent back up in Action Comics #1060, he is performing some forced evolution on the natives of this planet to create a super-army. The United Planets are working with Zod but keeping a close eye on him.

With that backstory in place, we get this premiere issue. Kelly is showing us a typical Zod, hellbent on achieving his goals and ready to rule. But we also are seeing how addled he is, seeing visions of past enemies. We see how he is adherent to old customs of a dead world. And he is looking more and more alone with threats all around him.

As compelling of seeing a mentally and physically vulnerable Zod is, Casey also gives us an interesting take on Ursa and Lor-Zod. Ursa seems like a loving mother and a composed ruler. That is intriguing and a far cry from the knife wielding sadist I am used to. And Lor seems like a carbon copy of his dad, always incensed and ready to lash out.

Will all that keep my interest on a long series? I'm not sure yet. 

The art by Dan McDaid is economical, bringing a classic feel to the book. I also like the cover by Jason Shawn Alexander, a sort of warped view of the more loving All-Star Superman #10.

On to the book.

Review: World Of Krypton #6

Work and life in general has been hectic here so I am just catching up on comic reviews. 

Today I'll look at World of Krypton #6 by Robert Venditti and Michael Avon Oeming, an issue which came out 2 weeks ago.

This is the last issue of this mini-series. And let's admit it, as readers we all knew where this was going. There ends with the destruction of Krypton. That's the origin.

And yet, the creators do something interesting, at least for me. I assumed we would be ending this mini-series with a classic shot of Jor-El and Lara looking up as a rocket streaks away from the exploding planet. After all, I just said that is where this story ends. Instead, Venditti ends this mini-series a bit more open-ended. Yes, the planet will explode. But there is still some time left, some stories unsaid. As I have enjoyed this mini-series, it left me clamoring a bit for more. Always a good sign.

I also think that Venditti has done a good job mining the past, picking up pieces of the established history that work, and then crafting this fresh take on things. The mirrors into our own current world are there, no doubt, but not presented in a preachy way. This is more a parable of frankly where we are in the world today. 

Oeming's art is an acquired taste but it has grown on me throughout the series. The use of electronic panel borders still works for me, giving this a feel for some discovered found footage file by Kal on Earth. His sassy young Kara continues to amaze me. And the action sequences, and there are many in this violent filled finale, flow well with palpable strikes.

I am sad to see this series end and wouldn't mind seeing these creators hook up again. Maybe for an old-fashioned 'Tales from Krypton' back-up in one of the Superman books?

I'd be remiss if I didn't include a shot of the variant cover by Cat Staggs showing Kara holding baby Kal. I assumed we would see this sort of thing in the series as well but we just never get there.

I will point out that the outfit Kara is wearing is Staggs' design for the Smallville book. Just a great variant.

On to the story specifics.

Review: Batman/Superman #7

Batman/Superman #7 came out this week starting a new storyline by Joshua Williamson with art by Nick Derington. It is a very story again showcasing the alliance of the world's finest heroes this time trying to stymie an ongoing war between two of villains:Batman's Ra's Al Ghul and Superman's General Zod.

Williamson again shows the inner thoughts of the heroes and why they are natural partners. It is interesting to see each dealing with the other's rogue. Ra's may be an extreme threat to Batman but to Superman he's just a guy.

It also builds on the death of the Kandorians in Brian Michael Bendis' Man of Steel. In that book, I thought for sure that Rogol Zaar literally trampled the mini-Kryptonians underfoot. But here they are intact ... just dead. And perhaps, as such, they are ready to be raised and repopulate New Krypton. That's a decent plot.

Derington's are is wonderful. It is both classic in feel but with a sense of flair. I think he is better suited for the Batman side of the proceedings than the Superman stuff but that's just me. I loved his work on Doom Patrol and it is just as spectacular here.

Thankfully, this also means infected Joker Batmen are not present. Progress!

On to the book!

Review: Superman #11

Superman #11 came out this week, The Unity Saga: The House of El part 5. With Event Leviathan around the corner, the time has come to reunite the El Family and time to finish up the Rogol Zaar storyline which began back in last May's Man of Steel.

Brian Michael Bendis has a lot of plot threads out there that have been simmering along. Rogol Zaar's history and motivations are still unknown. General Zod and Superman's visions of the future have blipped in and out. Superboy being gone and now older is just being addressed. Jor-El being alive (sigh) and deranged (sigh) has been running through this book since before Bendis took over. Most interesting is that all these plots are interwoven. So this arc seems like it is going to tie off all the plot threads into a neat bow.

As for the events of this issue, I love Superman's presence in the galaxy, a known hero who is able to shut down a battle quickly. And the last page is winner both in image and words.

This is a wide screen issue which takes place during an intergalactic brawl between four factions. There are two page splashes. There are half page panels. There are giant images spanning two pages with smaller panels around that anchor. Big action deserve big art. Ivan Reis with Joe Prado and Oclair Albert really convey the scope and size of the action.

I do feel like Leviathan is building some momentum for the DC books across the board. That said, I hope the ending of this story doesn't feel rushed!

On to the book.

Review: Superman #6

Superman #6 came out last week and was a very entertaining read.

From formatting decisions to plot progression to knock down fight sequences to emotional beats, this whole thing gave me a lot to mull over when it was done. And that isn't even mentioning the highly anticipated and highly dreaded cliffhanger ending.

But there was a story-telling moment that I have to admit surprised me and therefore impressed me quite a bit. When this grizzled and semi-jaded comic reader is caught off guard, it needs to be mentioned.

All of that means I must extend my respect to writer Brian Michael Bendis who has somehow made me interested in this Rogol Zaar story. I started out shrugging at this whole thing and looking forward to Action Comics much more. But these last couple of issues have really been standouts.

Of course, equal credit rests on the art team of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. The book opens up with amazing double splash pages as Superman's conflicted thoughts surround the slugfest between titans. The art is just stunning. This is one of those issues where I paused before turning the page to make sure I was drinking in all the artwork.

Anyways, there is a lot to mull over in the details so on to the book.

Matrix Monday: Adventures Of Superman #444

Last week I began the idea of Matrix Mondays,  a spotlight on some of the pieces of the Matrix Supergirl's history which I haven't covered during the 10 plus years of this site.

First stop is The Supergirl Saga, the storyline which brought back a Supergirl to the DCU. Last week I covered chapter one in Superman #21. Today we'll dive right into the second chapter in Adventures of Superman #444, by writer John Byrne and art team of Jerry Ordway and Dennis Janke.

This was an interesting time in the DC Universe. The Crisis was only a couple of years in the past. The idea of something being pre-Crisis or post-Crisis was still fresh in readers' minds. And the long-reaching continuity ramifications were still being discovered. It also meant that if creators wanted to take one last look back, they could do so. Readers still remembered infinite Earths.

Ahhh ... but we should have been able to remember. There was only one universe throughout time after the Crisis. As a result, if you wanted to cobble together some sort of coherent patch in Legion continuity, you would come up with the concept of a 'pocket universe', a slice of time/space that wasn't a whole universe.

Please pass the ibuprofen.

Still, something had to be done to fix the Legion. So here we are.

This issue does what a middle chapter is supposed to do, filling in the details of a story while setting up a satisfactory ending. This issue is basically a flashback of the Pocket Universe Earth and what happened after the death of Superboy in the Baxter Legion book. It does give artist Jerry Ordway the opportunity to revisit Silver Age looking elements of the DCU. Nothing like old school Quex-Ul to make a long time Superman fan happy!

And we get just a smidge more of this Supergirl.

But this is an info dump in preparation of the finale's conflagration.

One last note. I love that the cover of this issue is basically the first panel of the story. Here is Superman kneeling at the graves of the Kents who on this world have passed.

On to the book.

Review: Superman #5

Superman #5 came out last week, written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado.

I have said in the past that Action Comics has been more enjoyable to me recently. But the last two issues, Bendis has really brought it. There is a lot here that I loved. There is humor. There is plot progression. Bendis picks up a plot thread that has been hanging for a while. Heck, I even like General Zod in this issue. I haven't been interested in Zod in about a decade. Just amazing.

Two moments stand out. There is a moment of Ma and Pa wisdom at the end which made me sit up and cheer.  And there is a Lois mention that showed me that maybe Bendis gets the Kent/Lane relationship at its foundation. They happen back to back at the end of the book and I was thrilled. Pitch perfect ... you'll see.

Add to that the usual stand-out art by the team of Reis and Prado. There is something so classic about their approach to the material. Whether gleaming spires or ruined zones, the two bring it. In particular, Superman looks pretty ragged here, appropriate given the fight he has been through. I also love Adam Hughes' cover, riffing on the classic Superman #32 cover from the 40's.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #998

Action Comics #998 came out this week, ending the Booster Shot storyline and bringing the end of the Dan Jurgens run on the book that much closer. With Brian Michael Bendis' run just around the corner, I am glad that Jurgens is able to finish up some of his storylines. And this chapter brings this story to a decent close, although I suppose we'll have to see what happens in the next couple of months to see if it how it truly wraps up.

I have never been a big fan of Booster Gold and here, at least, we get a sense of how much weight must be on his shoulders. With access to time travel, he is probably tempted to try and change things. We see how much self-resolve he has to resist that temptation.

That said, the nature of time travel never quite makes sense to me which is why I find these stories a bit vexing. Throughout the story, Booster says that events in the past are more concrete and cannot be changed. Meanwhile future events are more malleable. But what is 'past' and what is 'future'? Our future is someone else's past. Sigh. I guess I just have to roll with it.

And this story for the most part takes place in the future. So while Superman and Booster are able to escape a heinous situation, the real question is will Superman change that future now. Is there an issue where Zod's control of a planet is addressed now? Or do I have to read Green Lantern?

The art on the issue is done by Will Conrad and he brings a slick precise style to the proceedings. I wouldn't mind seeing Conrad on a monthly book. His stuff is great.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #997

Action Comics #997 came out this week, another chapter in the Booster Shot story arc, the last arc for Dan Jurgens prior to Brian Michael Bendis taking over the super titles. Jurgens has certainly shored up the book since Superman Reborn. There has been a classic feel to the stories. And, while not as extensive as I'd hope, he brought in a feeling of super-family to the proceedings.

So it is a shame that this is the arc he is ending on. Because for some reason, this just isn't clicking with me. It may be that the impetus for this time trip is the fact that Mr. Oz turned out to be Jor-El. Not a fan of that. I wonder if the Oz story is going to be forgotten? Picked up by Bendis? Explained in Doomsday Clock? I think forgotten ... which would mean a several year buildup is just swept away.

And then the rest of the story ...  the trip back to Krypton, a story idea that never works for me for some reason. And, of course, Booster ... a character I've never took a shine to.

Here we have a loud, action filled chapter with Superman fighting General Zod, Ursa, and Lor-Zod. It is visually stunning. It is a good battle. But that's all it is ... a battle.

If anything, the subplot of Lois saving her father is the more compelling of the two storylines. That moves forward nicely.

Brett Booth brings a lot of style and zing the the proceedings. But many pages have wild panel layouts which at times made for confusing readings. I had to decide how to read the word bubbles in oddly angled shots. Still, the art was wild.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #996

Action Comics #996 came out this week, the next chapter in the Booster Shot arc and probably my favorite chapter to date. While there is one enormous foreshadow dropped into this issue that made me cringe, for the most part I liked what I read. This definitely veers into the timey-wimey nature of the DCU as the solution to the evil we see in this issue is to go back in time and make it never happen to begin with. My mind is just too awash with possible futures right now to keep it all straight.

I would be remiss if I didn't say that Lois is truly a co-star in this book, taking up half the pages as she goes on her side mission to save her father, and showcasing everything she has to offer. Whether it is brains or physicality or just networking, this is the Lois that fans like me have been craving to see. So kudos to writer Dan Jurgens for giving us this little slice of heaven.

I also would love to pick Jurgens brain to see just how much of pre-Flashpoint DC history has been melded into this post-Rebirth post-Reborn continuity. We saw that Our Worlds At War happened, as seen in Supergirl. Is War of the Supermen also back in?

The art on the issue is done by Will Conrad and he brings a precise nature to the proceedings which work well. Whether it is an alien world, or the back of a cargo plane, or the dimly lit streets of a Logamba, his stuff really sparkles.

On to the book!

Review: Action Comics #994

Action Comics #994 came out last week, the second part of 'Booster Shot' by writer/artist Dan Jurgens. And it is another chapter of timeline hijinks as Superman tries to figure out how Jor-El became Mr. Oz. As I said when reviewing last issue, the concept of Superman going back to Krypton before its destruction isn't a favorite trope of mine. And Booster Gold isn't a favorite of mine. So as a result, I am trying to see the positive in this arc despite my disinterest in the foundation of the plot.

There is a lot of timey-wimey stuff here. I actually muttered 'pocket universe??' under my breath at one point. And that always makes me cringe a bit. In particular, this issue has Superman actually wonder 'what if' things were radically changed in the timeline, a question I think maybe he would have moved beyond by now. Still, that quick peek into a possible past was intriguing.

One underlying theme here is dealing with fathers. The Lois subplot with her father does have an interesting wrinkle.

And the art here is pure Jurgens with inks by Art Thibert. It has a classic feel to it, very reminiscent of the 90s.

On to the book.

Review: Action Comics #993

Action Comics #993 came out last week, the second part of an arc where Superman goes back in time to investigate Krypton's destruction and the first part of the story 'Booster Shot' guest starring Booster Gold. After all, who messed with time to pluck Mr. Oz/Jor-El away?

I have never been a huge fan of Booster Gold. And I have never really been a huge fan of stories where Superman visits Krypton before its destruction. There are always too many questions that need to be answered. Does he lose his powers immediately? Or do they gradually wear off? How does he get off Krypton if he is powerless? And what is he hoping to get out of such a visit?

And so I enter this story already a bit on edge. At the very least, this Superman is only hoping to get a peek at Krypton's destruction from afar and only ends up on the ground because of a glitch.

But to add to the mix, there is a continuity error in this book which I feel is almost unforgivable. And that also sort of soured me. Writer Dan Jurgens should know better. But the editor should definitely know better. It may end up being that 'Rebirth' or 'Reborn' has changed things. Or maybe some of the anomalies we see here are new truths. But if it has no one but DC knows it.

Jurgens is also on art with Joe Prado inking which gives this issue a very classic feel to it.

There is a long way to go in this arc and maybe it'll grab me a bit more moving forward.