Review: Superman '78 #6

Superman '78 #6 came out last week marking the end of this mini-series and making me want a sequel immediately.

Writer Robert Venditti and artist Wilfredo Torres absolutely captured the feel, tone, and look of the Donner Superman universe. They gave us the Lois and Perry and Lex we know from those movies. And they also gave us Brainiac, a villain they made somewhat sympathetic.

But they main thing they did here was give us a Clark that was instantly recognizable. This is a Clark who won't give up, who understands goodness, and who inspires. If you want to give someone a book that epitomizes who Superman is and what he stands for, this is a pretty good book. 

Torres continues to shine, giving us great likenesses and fantastic action. The art definitely brings out the emotions these characters are feeling. In particular, the scenes with Lois just sing.

It all feels like it ended too quickly. How I would have loved 3 or 6 more issues of this team doing this Superman. Maybe this will sell well enough to get us a sequel. And while we are at it, maybe we can get a Supergirl '84 book too!

On to the specifics!

Review: Superman '78 #5

Superman '78 #5 came out last week and was an excellent penultimate chapter in this six issue mini-series. The second to last chapters have an important job in stories like this. They have to move the plot forward enough so that the story can be wrapped up in the finale. 

Here writer Robert Venditti and artist Wilfredo Torres bring us to the brink. Superman is brought back from Kandor, He meets Brainiac in battle. We get a decent cliffhanger. But Venditti also brings us, as he has throughout this book, wonderful personal moments and solid character beats. 

Wilfredo Torres also gets to shine here. The back half of the book is the sort of brawl I wished to see in a Reeve Superman movie. He tosses in a bunch of Easter Eggs too ... Richard Pryor (from Superman III), Barney Miller, and Shaggy. His likenesses are spot on with (for me) his Jackie Cooper the best. 

There's a lot to be wrapped up next issue. What happens with Brainiac? With his cities? What happens to Lex? Will we see a Lois/Superman romantic moment? But I think the way this issue plays out, there will be plenty of room to cover all the bases.

On to the book.

Review: Superman '78 #4

Superman '78 #4 came out last week. We are on the back half of this mini-series and I already miss it. Robert Venditti and Wilfredo Torres just get it. They seem to understand Superman the way I understand him. I cannot tell you how much I love this book.

Venditti captures the voices of these characters in the Donner universe perfectly. From Lois' brashness to Luthor's bombast to Clark's 'aw shucks' Midwest attitude, the book's dialogue sings. In particular, Luthor's narcissism is just spot on. I hear Gene Hackman's voice in my head.

But even beyond those main characters, Venditti has expanded the universe giving us a Brainiac which fits in seamlessly, He gives us an El family which matches the early scenes of the movie. 

Most importantly, he gives us Superman.

 

Meanwhile, Torres captures the universe just as well visually. His lines are clean. The characters look enough like the actors to make this feel like a continuation of the film universe. Even his new additions, like Brainiac ships and drones all look like something that could have been in the movie. 

Enough gushing. On to the book. 

Review: Superman '78 #3

Superman '78 #3 came out this week and remains this perfectly charming, perfectly nostalgic title that I need right now. 

I saw the first movie in the theater as a young child and I unabashedly love it. I was hoping that somehow this title would capture that magic. I wanted to be transported back to that young Anj who suddenly believed a man could fly.

As I have said before, writer Robert Venditti and artist Wilfredo Torres are doing just that. This comic is such a cleansing deep breath, going back to a simpler time where maybe heroism is still sort of black and white, but also giving me a wonderfully entertaining story. 

There are homages to the movie and Silver Age comics. There is self-sacrifice on the part of our hero. And there is excellent Brainiac action, something we all hoped to see back in the day. It is a joy to see this Superman interacting with  his parents and his Kryptonian culture. But most of all, it is great to see the conniving Hackman Lex Luthor, such a deliciously captivating character.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the great cover by Amy Reeder, a favorite of mine. I love the reflection of Jor-El and Lara over the shoulder of Superman and his surprised face. Great visual.

On to the book.

Review: Superman '78 #2

I love the 1978 Superman movie. It had action. It had charm. It had humor. And it had a Superman I could believe in. Not just that he could fly but that he was truly good.

When Superman '78 was announced, I wondered if it could capture that magic. Two issues in and I can say yes.

Superman '78 #2 came out this month and made me smile. Writer Robert Venditti captures the spirit of the movie so well. From Superman earnest nature to Lois' spunk to Luthor's subtle evil mixed with wry humor. He even brings in some Superman II nods. It all just sings. 

Perhaps most interesting is how his Brainiac feels like the Brainiac we know but also is different enough to feel right for this univers.

Wilfredo Torres brings exceptional art here, evoking the actors who played these roles without being overly photo-realistic. His Superman really looks like Christopher Reeve. And his action sequences flow nicely. 

If you like the movie, you should be reading this book. On to the details.

Review: Superman '78 #1

Superman "78 #1 came out last week and it definitely lived up to the hype.

I was a kid when Superman the Movie came out and I believed a man could fly. I think Christopher Reeve was a fantastic Superman and Clark; you believed people would be fooled by the glasses and posture, keeping his identity straight. And I believed that a spunky, independent woman like Margot Kidder's Lois was the perfect match for Superman. Add to that a deliciously snarky and slightly overconfident Luthor by Gene Hackman and you had a universe that I loved visiting.

When DC announced this mini-series, I was champing at the bit to read it. I always wanted to see Richard Donner introduce a Brainiac to his vision. When writer Robert Venditti said that the Coluan was the villain of this book, it made me smile.

And then artist Wilfredo Torres began leaking art, I became even more excited. His stuff evokes the actors from the movies perfectly. I mean, when you see his Jackie Cooper Perry White, you'll see.

Of course the story has to be good. And this is a great opening chapter. A nice wrinkle to the origin seen in the first movie has been seamlessly added. This is a world that isn't filled with super-beings, hero or villain. So seeing how the citizens react to the action and how they will react to the upcoming battles will be fascinating to read. As I said, we get Brainiac too. I'm happy. 

On to the book!