Adam Hughes' Superman and Wonder Woman

Action Comics # 3 Review

Another nice issue. The only weakness is the pacing as it cuts and jumps all over the place at times. But we begin with the new DCU version of Krypton. I just fell in love with these pages done by Gene Ha. It's clear a lot of thought went into the way the architecture and clothing looked and the planet is not cold and sterile. It's an advanced society, with relationships just like ours, there is love and friendship and gossip...it is so wonderful to see baby Kal-El surrounded by this warmth. A testament to the two people and race that sired him.

We learn that Jor-El is not only a controversial scientist but he is heroic himself. Lara is brave and beautiful.And Brainiac is now linked to Krypton's destruction.  We also see a fierce Krypto.

We see Clark, now as a reporter, continued tangling with the police. His exposure of corruption is not making them happy because it causes trouble. Great to see Clark with attitude. Superman's presence in Metropolis is still troubling to the public and Glenmorgan is trying to deflect his shady doings by focusing on Superman and stirring paranoia. You really feel for Clark in this issue. You get a sense of what he lost and how he is struggling just trying to do good and fight for justice. You feel his isolation and his passion. And he does not have to mope to do this by the way.

Lois is trying to get Clark over to the Planet and for now he does he does not want to because it is owned by Glenmorgan. Again Lois thinks Clark is following her to get scoops as if she is the only one who has that monopoly, I guess.  Lex as we expect is wheeling and dealing with Brainiac. And we see John Corben volunteering to be a super soldier. Not really impressed by the way the man who would be Metallo is depicted so lame and his motivations are now to impress Lois.


Best Panel : Clark asleep in his messy room. Looking exhausted, and vulnerable and like a real young man.

Art was a little rushed at times.Clark's face looked like it was melting a little in places but I still loved Rag's art. Contrast it with Ha's and you get the different feels for Krypton and Metropolis. Kal-El is now down in the mud with us humans and it isn't pretty. Oh and it seems Krypto's ghost is keeping vigil over Clark.

I give this issue 4 out of 5 stars.

Superman #2 Review

Another forgettable issue. It's not a bad book. Writing is not the worse and art is good. But the tone DC want to set for a new Superman is utterly failing because it feels totally out of sync with their main character in Justice League and Action Comics. Yeah, I get it. He is older and more restrained but why the hell does Superman have to be so mopey? And why does the start of a new chapter in the mythos have to feel so mediocre? This book should be up there with Action Comics, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, etc and instead it belongs lost in the middle as average, and to me, boring.

George wants to give us our money's worth. He wants to give us something contained. Nice ambition. But it is clear to me DC wants to keep old school fans or fans crying over the reboot happy with this title by trying to say, it is a new Superman. It's Clois soap opera, monster of the week and it feels trite.

There must be a less heavy handed way of trying to get sympathy for Superman. It's a generally bad way to set up your hero as mopey because he can't get a woman. I repeat, he is not Peter Parker.

So I took away three things from this issue.


1. Clark needs to get laid. And there is zero chemistry between him and Lois but they keep shoving them in our faces.

2. Superman is a little dense. He can't work out the thing fighting him is invisible. Once again he needs to be followed by Lois and the news gang (while continuing to give us a lot of exposition) and she has to, in the most cliched way, help save his hide. But for Lois' quick thinking... YAWN.

3.  Sad Sack Superman. For decades Superman was alone and he never behaved like this. If only...if only...if only I got a date with Lois...I guess I would smile now and then and stop slouching and pouting.

Best Panel: Well, I really don't have one. I guess I like this cause of the perspective with him lying sideways, face on the smashed floor. Merino does draw a nice looking Superman.

If you going to do new, then do new and have some consistency with your star. He is the new DCU Superman. He is passionate, tough, compassionate, socially conscious, even feels different but he is not needy and mopey.

I give this a miserable 2.5 out of 5 stars.