Superman #4 Review

    

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Jamal Campbell, Nick Dragotta
Colors by: Jamal Campbell, Frank Martin
Letters by: Ariana Maher
Cover art by: Jamal Campbell (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 16, 2023

Superman #4 delivers the scoop on Lex Luthor's history as a hero of Metropolis and enemy to Dr. Pharm and Graft. What other secrets will Superman learn this day?
Is It Good?

Superman #4 is a winner for one reason above all else - a surprise twist at the end you won't see coming, and it's a hoot. Yeah, it's that good.

When last we left Superman, he neatly wrapped up Parasite's swarm invasion with a little help from Lex Luthor and Livewire. Now, we learn Superman has used Luthor's advice to perform great deeds, but Luthor refuses to reveal what he knows about Dr. Pharm and Graft... until now. Meanwhile, Dr. Pharm chooses his next supervillain test subject in Silver Banshee.

Joshua Williamson's script starts off well enough, but as a positive, it gets better as it moves along. Superman's conversation with Luthor in prison is clever. Lex's recounting of his early days in Metropolis is fascinating (although not to be trusted as the complete truth), and the fight against an upgraded Silver Banshee is visually cool.

Still, the winning moment comes with a last-minute twist that had me laughing out loud. Admittedly, not everyone may feel the same, but that twist (no spoilers here because it's too good) is exactly the kind of creative surprise DC readers should expect in every title.

How's the art? As you can see from the credits, Jamal Campbell gets a little help from Nick Dragotta, but thankfully the collaboration is seamless. The art looks fantastic with powerful figures, dynamic action, and superb colors from Campbell and Frank Martin. It's unclear why Campbell needed additional hands, but you honestly can't tell the difference when compared to the previous issues.


About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Superman #4 continues Superman's struggle to find and stop Dr. Pharm and Graft with Lex Luthor's reluctant help. The story gets better and better as the issue progresses, and the last-moment twist is amazing. Couple a great story with fantastic art, and this issue is a winner.

9/10