Review: The Krypton Chronicles #3

The SyFy premiere of Krypton airs tonight, a show looking back at Superman's grandfather and the politics of Krypton in the years before its destruction. In preparation for that I have been reviewing The Krypton Chronicles, a miniseries from 1981 in which Superman learns about his lineage.

I have reviewed the first two issues here and here. Today I review Krypton Chronicles #3, the final episode which has Superman going all the way back to the first person the adopt the last name of El. The first two issues were on Rokyn, providing us with a decent side plot to help break up the ancestry information dump. This issue is much more exposition based with Superman just looking backwards and reporting what he finds.

I have enjoyed this mini-series more that I remembered. It is fun to get these tangential looks at Krypton culture as well as this deep dive into the El family. I also love that Supergirl is involved in all three issues. She is an El as well and should be part of this research mission.

So who was the first El? Jump in!

Back Issue Box: The Krypton Chronicles #2

The SyFy series Kryton is going to start in about a week and with that in mind I decided to review The Krypton Chronicles, a look at the history of the El family, published in 1981.

This is a great series to review all the minutiae of Krypton lore and Superman's ancestors in one sitting. What is clear to me after reading this is that Superman comes from an amazing family as it seems every generation has had some member which ultimately changed the destiny of the planet.

Krypton Chronicles #2 has us look even farther back as we get to see several of Superman's ancestors explore the planet, develop to most rudimentary of tools, and lead a movement to free the planet from other worldly oppressors. Seriously, the Els get stuff done.

What I like about these first two issues is that they aren't just historical flashbacks. There is a subplot taking place in the current time, an enemy trying one again to thwart one of the super-cousins. As we move along, you'll see why this holds a special place in my heart.

Last week I reviewed the first issue.  So let's move on to this one.

Back Issue Box: The Krypton Chronicles #1

We are just over two weeks away from the SyFy Channel television show Krypton, a show focusing on the El Family generations that lived on the doomed planet before it exploded. Supposedly the show will look mostly at Superman's grandfather and the politics of the planet during that time.

With this look back on the small screen as well as the recent time travel trip by Superman in the recent Booster Shot arc in Action Comics, I thought taking a look back at the El Family and their history on Krypton was timely. And what better comic to look at than 1981's Krypton Chronicles.

This three issue mini-series really took a deep dive into Superman's family history as well as the culture of Krypton itself. As you'll see, the El Family were really destined for greatness, in the middle of seemingly ever major event on the planet there was. No wonder Superman is of such high stock and merit. And, no wonder Supergirl is so noble as well. One thing to say about this mini-series, Supergirl definitely is an appropriately big part of it. This is her family as well.

The mini-series is written by E. Nelson Bridwell, famous for his encyclopedic mind for Krypton history and Superman minutiae so that makes sense. The art is by the legendary Curt Swan with inks by Frank Chiaramonte. While there is a plot weaving through the lessons, this really is a sort of historic text as we learn about what transpired on Krypton.

On a personal note, posts like these remind me how long I have been running this site as I have plenty of links within this site that go to prior posts.

On to the book.