Review: Superman #32

Last month, Superman #31 shined a bright spotlight onto Lois, showing how she works as she tracked down Deathstroke and got the mercenary to open up about his life as a cold-blooded killer. It was a fantastic issue giving Lois fans a story they could sink their teeth into, something that has been pretty rare in recent years.

Superman #32, from the same creative team of writer James Bonny and artist Tyler Kirkham, continues that story but shifts the focus back onto the Man of Steel. After an issue of her essentially being a hero, Lois slips into the role of damsel in distress, used as a prop to see if the Terminator can push Superman to an extreme action.

The story is fine with a nice little twist ending. The art is great. And had the first chapter not preceded this, I might have liked this more. But after Lois starring last issue, this felt a little flat for her. And, I will admit, the characterization of Deathstroke felt a bit more like Deadshot here and so that also felt a little off.

And that is kind of a drag because I loved last issue. Everything clicked ... Lois, Deathstroke, and Superman. This issue just felt like a step back. On to the book ...

Review: Superman #31

Superman #31 came out this week and was a huge surprise. Why? It was a Deathstroke story that I liked.

A brief history. I liked Deathstroke back in the earliest days. Okay, sleeping with Terra was completely creepy. But he was a guy with a haunting past. He was clearly deeply troubled. In the end in New Teen Titans when he has a sit-down with Changeling, he feels exhausted. And that was good.

Then, the 90s happened. And everything was extreme. And suddenly Deathstroke became the ultimate badass. He killed everything. He skewered people. He assassinated Firestorm. And he was everywhere.

Everywhere.

And that character archetype, the cool as the other side of the pillow, heartless killer? It doesn't work for me. And I am sure that in the 30 years hence, there are good Deathstroke stories.

So when I saw this story solicited I kind of groaned. "Let me guess, Kryptonite shuriken?" was going through my already bored mind.

Then I read the issue. I had never read anything by writer James Bonny, someone who has a chunk of Deathstroke on his resume. Suddenly this more complicated Deathstroke was back. Here was a guy that seems to be going through the motions of life, almost bored or mentally exhausted with his life of violence. And he has a little bit of honor. And he treats Lois with respect. In fact, this is a Lois story, not a Superman story. We see her at her finest. Brilliant.

Tyler Kirkham is on art and I have waxed his car before. His art is just so beautiful. His Lois is gorgeous and strong. The action sequences feel a little static but they portray a freeze frame of the battle wonderfully.

On to the book.