DON'T DRINK THE MILK!
Written By: Patrick Gleason, Peter J. Tomasi
Art By: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, John Kalisz, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: April 5, 2017
Release Date: April 5, 2017
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
It's a post Reborn world we're living in now boys and girls and with that, hopefully some answers to what all that means going forward. Yeah, in the Reborn crossover we saw the red energy of the New 52 Superman and Lois combine with the blue energy of the Pre-Flashpoint Superman and Lois and with that........ the memories of both merged, creating a world where the people closest to the Kents will know them for their actions during the New 52 and the previous continuity....... Yeah, I don't exactly know what this mean, like did Superman go out for a pack of smokes one night and spent some time banging Wonder Woman, while Lois and Jon were at home? Who knows? What we will get is a bit of hope back in the DC Universe and in our lives because at least now we won't have to distinguish what Superman we're talking about anymore because all have become one. Let's jump into this issue and see if any answers are thrown our way and if not at the very least we'll get to see what our new arc has in store for us. Let's check it out.
Explain It!:
Our issue begins with Jon trying to be the best Superboy he can be by doing what all stupid kids did who idolized Superman growing up and that's jumping off of a high spot to see if they could fly. Yeah, it doesn't quite work out for Jon yet, but at least he didn't go and break a leg as most did when they tried. This leads us to a simple "A day in the life of" type of story, where we see Jon and Kathy playing, Superman flying over Hamilton County, inspiring all who take notice, Clark working on the farm and us seeing the first real change in this Universe from Reborn and that's having Mr. and Mrs. Kent on the mailbox out front of their house. That's right people, no more White, no more Smith, we're back to Kent and it seems that everyone around them is okay with that.
Everyone's day is cut short though when Cobb Branden drives by and tells Lois of an impending storm coming in and that they should all go inside and take cover, which leads us to Lois asking whether or not Clark and her are going to talk about what happened to them in the Reborn arc.......... which apparently they're not, but the storm blows over and Jon is ready to go to sleep when he notices his father step outside like he saw at the beginning of this series when Batman and Wonder Woman came a callin', but instead of being afraid like he was previously, he suits up and meets his father outside, where Batman and Robin are waiting. The cool moment is cut short though when Lois shows up and grabs Jon by the ear and invites everyone inside for pie............ Batman doesn't eat pie.
In the end, we find out that Batman has come to Hamilton County because he was going over the tests of Jon he took and he's convinced that because Jon is a Human-Kryptonian hybrid that he should already be more powerful than Superman is and that something in the environment must be stunting his powers' growth. Clark thinks this is ridiculous, but after noticing all the milk that Jon drinks, Batman goes and investigates Cobb Branden's farm and when he tries to take a sample of milk from the prize cow Bessie, the milk turns black and actually attacks Batman, wrapping around him as a putrid tendril. We leave this issue with Cobb Branden coming on the scene and telling Bessie not to worry because he'll put this trespasser with the other ones.......... What's up Cobb? Yeah, I figured you were creepy, but this is just over the top.
That's it for this issue of Superman and where I was hoping to get some big answers to what exactly happened at the end of the Reborn arc, instead we get a mailbox saying "Kent" on it and Superman saying he doesn't want to talk about it right now........... Yeah, that's not much at all, but somehow Gleason and Tomasi were able to skimp on these details and still give us an issue that left me really entertained and making me remember why I love these characters so much. It's just the family dynamic for the most part, which I love and the added bonus of having the Dynamic Duo showing up and getting this new arc off to a hell of a start with that bad ass cliffhanger. Gleason's art is top notch throughout this issue and while I'd love to get some Reborn answers in this new arc, I think I wouldn't mind if it kept things to itself for the moment if the rest of the arc is as strong as this opening issue.
Bits and Pieces:
While you won't get the Reborn answers you're looking for here, what you will get is the same great family dynamic that you've come to love out of this book and the start of an interesting story that seems to be very Superboy centric. The art is great throughout and I can't wait to see what happens next issue.
8/10
I'm not surprised, but I am disappointed that events of the New52 and Reborn are being swept under the rug. I have very mixed feelings about this portrayal of Superman. The Byrne Superman was the Supes I grew up with so technically this is "my Superman," but it doesn't feel quite right. It's like a Stepford Superman. He's too perfect. Jon is too endearing and doe-eyed to be taken seriously. DC is trying to make Superman great again, but it feels hollow, like they are trying to get something back that never existed in the first place. I can't connect to this character or the family dynamic. Plus I swear Gleason draws the eyes bigger and bigger with each issue, which may be heightening the creep factor!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the new 52 Superman is dead, well not technically but you get it, and people like John above will moan and groan about whatever story is thrown at them. I'm very satisfied with the familial tone and the focus on Lois and Jon recently. Hope Jon doesn't follow the footsteps of his future self during new 52 and start genocide against meta-humans and heroes.Superman was meant to be perfect and goody goody from his inception because he is an alien unlike the most of us bad earthlings. Now I know that Bessie the cow is Hellcow who somehow managed to escape from Marvel and Mr.Cobbs must be someone along those lines not Harvest XD
ReplyDeleteSuperman was created as an outsider. He was an immigrant who helped the downtrodden and fought for social justice. A "goody goody" he was not. I'll go back to my moaning and groaning now.
DeleteI agree with Kiki. I feel like that family aspect has been the strongest aspect of the Superman book, but that definitely speaks to a specific type of person. I can see how Tomasi's run isn't for everyone, but I've loved it. And the events of New 52 and Reborn aren't being swept under the rug. It's very clearly stated that "we will" talk about it. Patience.
ReplyDelete