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Comic Review by:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet |
Writers:
J. Michael Straczynski-Sup #702
Carey Bates-Last Family #1 |
Artists:
Eddy Barrows-Sup #702
Renato Arlem-Last Family #1 |
Shipped on:
Superman #702-080410
Last Family/Krypton #1-081110 |
Publisher:
DC Comics |
MSRP:
Superman #702-$2.99
Last Family of Krypton #1-$4.99 |
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(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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“I’m two and a half issues into Straczynski’s ‘ground-breaking’ run,
appropriately entitled “Grounded”, and I’m still impressed.”
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If I wasn’t already familiar with the way comic book
shipping works, meaning that I know Superman #702 was already months-in-the-can
by the time it shipped, then I would have honestly believed that this was in
direct response to the vocal detractors of issue #701. It was so UNLIKE what I
had read in the previous issue that I wasn’t sure we weren’t reading a fill-in
story. I mean, sure, the premise was still there, Superman walking the nation
attempting to reconnect with the people he’s devoted his life to, but there was
less hope and idealism and much more comic bookish faux-problem solving.
Whereas the last issue was heavy on the chatting and light on ANYTHING else, and
I was alright with that, this issue is heavy on action, of a sort, as Supes
plays some guys in a game of basketball, fights some aliens, and ultimately
restores Detroit’s failing economy. Of course there’s a bit more to it than
that, but it’s not something I want to give away flat out; let’s just say that
it’s an interesting stance for American Government officials to take after
dealing with a super-human/alien war for the planet Earth. I guess Big Blue does
have a lot of pull, huh?
Eddy Barrows is a natural talent; his layouts are solid, panels are dynamic and
interesting, and his characters are spot-on. I enjoy, immensely, his ability to
make even a game of pick-up basketball look as if it was as intense an
experience as Superman pummeling some hidden-alien super-tech. I was moved by
the expressive emotional reaction Superman delivers when forced to turn to those
he doesn’t know for help, and the boyish sense of wonder Barrows conveys on the
face of Clark Kent. His Lois Lane is super hot too!
I’m two and a half issues into Straczynski’s ‘ground-breaking’ run,
appropriately entitled “Grounded”, and I’m still impressed. I’m not SOLD on the
arc, which is said to last twelve issues, but I do feel as if it shows promise;
it’s not as if I have anything to compare it too, and that’s a good thing, at
least. The team of Barrows and Straczynski is top notch, and I hope to see a
great deal more from them in the future, especially if the story isn’t bogged
down by line-spanning, continuity-shaking, status-quo changing events.
Meanwhile the return of the thought-lost ‘Elseworlds’ line of stories from DC
Comics is upon us! After the line’s cancellation a few years back I, as well as
anyone else, didn’t think we’d get to see stories like this anymore, but
thankfully we’re all incorrect and the powers-that-be have seen fit to grace us
with this debut tale exploring the (not so) new idea of Superman’s family
accompanying him on his journey to Earth as Krypton is destroyed. Written by
“Superman” writer-of-days-gone-by Carey Bates, ‘Last Family of Krypton’ is a
terrific read; free to take the characters in any direction that he may choose,
it follows Jor-el and Lara more than Kal-el at this point, but I imagine that
along the course of the three over-sized issues we’ll see Clark develop into
some semblance of the man we’ve known for a long, loooooong time.
What do highly advanced alien beings seeking refuge on a seemingly primitive
planet do to earn the trust of those who may hate and fear them? How about start
a Fortune 500 company (appropriately entitled ‘JorCorp’), or a religion based on
their alien-God (Raology)? Setting up home base in, where else, Metropolis, the
El's have their work cut out for them, but the fact that the humans embrace the
latest arrivals with open arms makes things a tad easier. Kal-el is a bit of a
handful for his busy-busy-busy parents, and in the grand tradition of
experimentation and adaptation Lara opts for the boy to live his life as a
Human, under the careful watch of an adoptive family.
There were a few interesting choices, including the White’s (ala Perry) and the
Wayne’s (ala Thomas and Martha), but in the end it’s a loving pair from Kansas
(you guessed it) named the Kent’s who managed to win the trust of the El’s,
giving Kal, now Clark, a steady, thoughtful upbringing. It’s similar enough to
the traditional concept of the character, yet slightly skewed enough to feel
like a new take on the old idea; I can’t even express how cool it would have
been for Clark and Bruce Wayne to grow up together as brothers, constantly at
odds, maybe even developing an unhealthy rivalry, but alas it wasn’t meant to
be.
Bates manages to throw yet another twist readers’ way as the El’s end up
pregnant, with twins, and the ever-expanding family grows by two. It’s a twist
that I didn’t see coming, but a welcome surprise, and one that is sure to make
the following two issues extremely interesting. The idea of Superman has always
been that he’s the ‘last son of Krypton’, so I’m excited to see what it’s like
when he’s just the ‘older brother of the last son/daughter of Krypton’. Can the
El’s change the world for the better? Will there be a bit of a nasty sibling
rivalry? How does Lex Luthor (oh yeah, he’s in there) fit into the equation? All
of these questions went through my mind as I hit the last page, anxiously left
to twist in the wind until next month.
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2010 by their respective
owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2010 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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