The Man of Steel #2 Review and **SPOILERS**

New Women, No Cry

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis 

Artists: Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, Jay Fabok 

Colors: Alex Sinclair 

Letters: Josh Reed 

Cover: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Sinclair 

Associate Editor: Jessica Chen 

Editor: Michael Cotton 

Group Editor: Brian Cunningham 

Cover Price: $3.99 

On Sale Date: June 6, 2018

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

He’s taken off his hat and coat, and now Brian Michael Bendis is sitting at the table proper, waiting for a glass of water. Are you gonna deny him? I sure as hell won’t! I reviewed Man of Steel #2 for the site, and you can read it right here!

Explain It!

After last week’s Man of Steel #1, there’s one question for and one demand of Brian Michael Bendis that I saw around the internet: the question is “What has happened to Lois and Jon?” and the demand is “You better not have fucking done anything untoward to Lois and Jon.” Perhaps it is difficult for non-Superman fans to appreciate that we just got a readable character back; after his concerning portrayal during the New 52!, and then the absolute bear of a series that ran during the DCYou, the titles Action Comics and Superman have, since Rebirth, been very welcoming to those of that that love the Big Blue Boy Scout. And the last thing we want, Mr. Bendis, is for you to fuck it all up.

I am pleased to say that, by my estimation, BMB has a good handle on the core things about Clark that give us the warm fuzzies: his selflessness, his smile, his genuine love for a species of which he is not explicitly a member. The big action to-do in this issue involves Superman knocking out a giant robot being manipulated by Toyman—the original, Winslow Scott version, not the more current Hiro Okarmura incarnation. I like Hiro a lot, but I’m not going to die on the hill that his character must be maintained forever (nor do we have confirmation that Hiro has been excised, either.) He dumps Toyman off on Hal Jordan, who is hanging around since this whole fight happens in Coast City. After kindly rebuffing questions about his well-being, Superman takes off for Metropolis to clock in at the office again.

At the Daily Planet, people are just confused about where Lois is as the reader. Seems she and Clark are “estranged,” but he remembers, leaving off from last issue, some weird metallic bug monster that Clark punched clean to the moon. This explains nothing in particular, but at least we have another increment of information that might tell us the whereabouts of Lois and Jon. Also, more arson fires pop up in Metropolis, which Superman helps dispatch, but at the moment they seem unrelated to more pressing matters to hand: Rogol Zaar, who may have had a hand in destroying Krypton many years ago, is on his way to Earth! And he has an appointment with Superman, though Superman doesn’t know it yet.

I have to say, this series is hitting a lot of the right notes for me. Despite there being a batch of artists on the book, which is weird, transitions between them are not jarring, and the story on a whole is easy to read with some very cool-looking splash pages. For now, things are moving at a good pace, and include Superman doing random acts of heroism, which is something I have missed from his pre-New 52 incarnations. Of course, I would love to know what’s up with Lois and Jon, I imagine everyone reading intently feels the same way. But the core Clark feels right, and when that works, then we can be instilled with the hope that Bendis hasn’t had them chucked into Lobo’s blender and drank as smoothies or whatever. He is certainly writing this character very carefully.

Bits and Pieces:

This book hits a lot of the right notes that will feel comfortable to fans of Superman, and while the "big mystery" remains under wraps, there are nuggets of interest that should serve to keep you hooked in. Plus: random acts of heroism by Superman. That just feels right.

8/10