Art By: John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Dean White
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 24, 2015The Fan
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
Alright, my first review of Superman!.......sorry if you were a fan of Jim's style of reviews because from here on out....... or at least until we switch books again, I'm going to be spoiling the hell out of them. For this issue of Superman we'll be diving into the Truth, but even though we've had a bunch of issues dealing with that story so far, this will be a prologue setting things up.......which I find really weird, but what the hell? We'll go with it. So let's dive into Superman and eventually find out what led to Superman's depowering and Lois outing Superman's secret identity. Let's check it out.
Explain It!:
Our issue begins with Clark tying up a few things at work before Jimmy and him go out to see a basketball game. It's here when Clark receives an anonymous text from someone saying that they know who's behind the recent string of robberies and crimes that were acted out with advanced weapons. So with this tip, Clark figures "What a scoop!" and Jimmy and him head off to see who's behind this dastardly deed and how they're pulling it off.
The anonymous tip leads our intrepid reporter........and cameraman to a factory in Technology Park, Clark and Jimmy sneak in and begin taking pictures of the man in charge, who's walking a foreign diplomat around, showing off his gigantic, advanced 3D printer that makes all the advanced weapons and he goes on to explain how they have ones like this at several different sites, so I guess it's weapons abound! Of course, Clark and Jimmy get spotted by some guards and before either one can get ....... advanced weapon-ed, Clark suits up and Superman takes down the guards before getting attacked by the spider-like 3D printer, which now seems like it's a weapon itself as well....... Hell, the bad guys should just produce these printers because man did this one give Superman a run for his money. The battle causes the factory to explode and do to Superman using his new favorite toy: the solar flare, to take down the terror technology, the bad guy gets away. Back at the Daily Planet, Clark and Jimmy get their photos printed and Lois shows up and like she usually does, she joins the two on the story because she recognizes the bad guy as a recently elected Senator.......... who fooled Clark and Jimmy because he wasn't sporting his mustache that was shown on all his election posters....... Yeah, that's pretty funny. So the trio run with the story and the Senator is taken down and all is right in the world........... that is if Clark's anonymous source didn't know that Clark's actually Superman. Yeah, it seems that this mysterious texter is running a sort of extortion on Clark and threatens to reveal his secret if he doesn't do exactly as he's told...........Which at that moment meant that when a blue haired lady with dreadlocks comes to The Planet looking for Clark, he's supposed to give her over to the authorities........which surprisingly he does. Don't worry though, it's not like he called the cops on her or tricked her, he simply let two officers with an arrest warrant out for her take her when they showed up. Again, it still seems like a shitty thing to do, but Clark redeems himself.
In the end, as the woman is put in a car and then asks if they're actually cops, we see Clark dressed in black and sporting shades jump down on the roof of the vehicle and take the impostors out and save the woman....... It's just too bad that Lois came snooping around when Jimmy was waiting with the car and became involved with the getaway when Clark showed up. Don't worry though, it's not like Clark was rocking the S when he got in the car, but if I was Lois, I would definitely think that something was up. If that wasn't bad enough, since Superman went and used a portion of his solar flare at the beginning of the issue, he's not 100% super and gets shot as the faux cops come running after him and the woman. We're told that she has information about who's really behind the weapons and that the Senator was only a pawn, but I don't know if Clark's going to be able to report on it because as the issue closes, we see our heroes' car drive away as they keep screaming "Clark!".
That's it for this issue of Superman and I'm a little upset that we didn't get more "Truth" going on here. Every other "Super" book seems to be telling the story about what Superman is going through now that he doesn't have his full powers and his secret is out of the bag, but this seems to be taking it's time in getting to that and instead showing us a mystery about a weapons manufacturer. I just hate when a story is completely disjointed and has no real feel of events throughout it. Yes, this is the beginning of "Truth", but it just doesn't feel like it the way that the other titles are showcasing the new status quo for Superman. As for the art, I'm a bit biased here because I read Romita Jr.'s Spider-Man in the 90's and I was never a real fan of his style and while I still can't say that I'm a fan, I did find myself enjoying his style more with this title then I ever did with Spider-Man back in the day and besides for Lois having a few moments where she was sporting "liver lips", I kind of dug it. The biggest disappointment for me though, was the inclusion of the "Solar Flare" again. Since Geoff Johns introduced it, it's like we have to have it in every Superman title and I was really happy to get away from it with the "Truth" story arc, but then we have it again here. Now maybe it's because of this power that Superman eventually becomes the way he is now, but I'm just so damned tired of seeing it.
Bits and Pieces:
Don't go expecting much of our new Superman here because this is a prologue to the "Truth" story line where our boy scout is still rocking his blues and his cape. While I enjoyed this story for the mystery it presents, I was kind of let down that this was called the "Truth" because of how different it feels from the rest of the Superman titles. I guess Gene Luen Yang is giving us a slow burn but so far it's just more solar flares and a disjointed feeling when paired with the rest of this story line.
6/10
Clark and Jim are fun. Can Lois start acting like a real reporter and just go chase her own leads and get her own headline? Muscling in on Jimmy and Clark's story was a jerkish thing to do and her contribution seems weak anyway...but then that is Lois from since the Golden Age onwards.
ReplyDeleteYea, I'm waiting to hear what Lois fans think of all this
DeleteWhat I just read from that comment above:
Delete"yeah, the boys are so fun! Wish it was just the boys! How dare that woman come along and ask to be included? How dare she be assertive and aggressive and go after what she wants? How dare she do what's right and call Clark out on his crap when he seemingly showed zero compassion for a woman who came seeking help? You know women! They be trouble! "
Lois Lane is a Queen. She was the best thing about this book and the only character that Yang actually wrote heroically. Clark came off as a total jerk and Jimmy like a child.
I hate the premise of this arc for Lois. I hate that it sets her up to fall even though the story seems to indicate that she may prove heroic in all of this. I hate a rift coming between Lois and Clark but I will say this: let them fight it out for awhile if they want to. Let them yell and scream at each other. And then let them have the crazy hate sex that we've been waiting for for 77 years. Bc although I prefer the romance/marriage, I'll say this...even fighting it out they still have more chemistry between them than anyone else.
Lois's contribution weak? Don't make me laugh. Superman may be dating Wonder Woman now (yawn) but Lois is still the woman who has him by the balls and I'm HERE for that. LOL
Kate
...and now we've heard. I figured there would be a strong reaction from Lois fans about this and combined with the hate for Superman/Wonder Woman, Lois does seem to be getting a bit of the shaft lately. Of course if your comment is true, she'll be getting more of a shaft sometime soon *wink* *wink*
DeleteThe day Lois show she can stand on her own and sell a book on he own without shafting the subject is the day she will be seen as a good reporter. The character is dependent on Clark and Superman to be relevant. She couldn't even sell a one shot and get a series going because her fans her only concerned about shipping. They say one but the reality is Lois cannot stand without Superman. The same Wonder Woman who they raging at... has her own title that isn't reliant on Superman and for many decades she did not need Steve Trevor's to define who she is. Lois cannot say the same.
Deletewhat have a solo book have to do with being a good reporter? this is a big flawed logic. Lois discovered the senator was a arm dealer, fair enough she get part of the scoop.
DeleteLois had a solo book that outsold batman on silverage, u really have no idea what you are talking about,
Also WW was created as solo superhero and lois was created to co-star on superman books, compare the two is flawed and unfair.
Yep Lois Lane was a jerk. I don't give a toss she is a female. What she has some special privilege to just keep bullying her way into Clark/Jim's stories?. If she was a male reporter, the behavior is that of a jerk. If that was Steve Lombard or Cat Grant, you hear from those Lois fans. She drew a mustache on a pic...wow. Like Clark couldn't see that. I agree she has Clark by the balls because writers make him stupid and he can't seem to do stuff that people like Pak and Morrison would have had him figure out already. But must find a way to shoehorn Lois in there, mustn't we? Because if we did write Clark as he should be written, both would be on his/her own beat , chasing their own leads and reporting their stories. Like you know good reporters do?
ReplyDeleteshe wasn't a jerk, it is you that is a lois hater.
Deletealso why no one call jimmy or superman jerks for keeping the secret from lois?
pure sexism
Its not sexist Jimmy is his best friend Lois is not just that simple. Lana has known his secret before anyone to poke another hole in the sexist theory. The simple fact is without being Clark's love interest she is just kind of forced into the story doing little things with random big payout
ReplyDeleteI have a theory to share: I think that Clark gives Lois the identity story in order to take away the his blackmailer' s leverage. The idea that Lois screwed Clark over is misdirection. That's it...
ReplyDeleteNow I dig that theory and I understand the misdirection to keep everyone guessing how it went down, I just wish this story arc was organized better because it seems kind of harsh going from this to Action Comics at the beginning of the month with how harsh Clark and Lois are towards one another.
DeleteLois, the solo character, I like, but not the romance with Superman. Superman with Wonder Woman makes more sense to me.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I feel that the reason why Lois does not have her very own ongoing series yet is because, SOME of her louder fans, are doing her a disservice. Every argument they have towards her strength as a character is usually accompanied with how her and Superman are "destined" to be together, and how Superman is "better off" with her, and how she "grounds" him.
I say, let her be on her own with her own book, and have her own romance for a change and let Superman be with Wonder Woman.
Lois does not need Superman. I've read dozens of great Lois stories where SHE is the heroine, not "Superman's Girlfriend".
DeleteEric - I have to agree with you there. The Lois in BATMAN/SUPERMAN wasn't even remotely likeable.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, that was Batman/Superman. At least you knew what I meant so this conversation didn't go off the rails.
DeleteWell this was jarring as hell. Every superman book is dealing with the fallout and this one is dicking around with the previous status quo . well that what I get for trusting covers and solicits 😐
ReplyDeleteThe comments hating on Lois on this site make me laugh out loud because it's so predictable. It would be funny if it wasn't so immature and sad.
ReplyDeleteLois Lane is a powerful character on her own with her own fans and, now, her own YA novel series doing very well. She is the star of the book and Clark Kent is merely a small supporting player. She is complex because she is both an amazing woman on her own and also half of one of the most famous fictional relationships in the world. She is both.
Valuing the bond between Lois and Superman, as many women do, does not mean that either character is not wonderful on their own. It means that as the characters were created together and intended to be partners and a pair, they bring out certain things in the other that people enjoy. It's no different than enjoying Holmes and Watson except in this case.::sometimes they kiss. So don't try and play this game where you blame her "fans" for misuse of her in a sexist comics medium bc that's laughable. It's also coming from a place of total bias bc you want her out of the way so you can ship Superman with Wonder Woman.
The hatred towards Lois from certain fans has always and will always been rooted in sexism and it's laughable across the board. She's not a trophy. She's much more threatening than than Lana Lang has ever was. She doesn't fit into the simple mode of being a trophy girlfriend and some men just cannot stand that and it's both sad and hilarious.
Wonder Woman and Lois are both wonderful and are both treated equally poorly by DC Comics. Wonder Woman should have her own love interest as opposed to being co-opted to be with Superman---the one guy in the world who when powered actually matches her physical power. Lois should be treated as a partner and yet she's constantly put down by guys who would prefer that Superman have a hotter prize on his arm. Lois is integral to the Superman mythos and the mythos suffers when she's pushed aside. Wonder Woman has her own wonderful mythos that outside of Justice League should not revolve around Superman. Both women are wonderful and deserve better treatment across the board. The attacks on Lois are laughable and predictable and, at this point, I expect nothing better but hope that eventually you people grow up.
-Kate
I have ALWAYS LOVED Lois since 1974 when I first started reading SUPERMAN FAMILY and she was a dynamic, exciting character who did not need Superman in the least.
DeleteMy love for Lois exists to this day and I also LOVE Superman/Wonder Woman!
Lois does not need Superman or a husband to be exciting and unique!