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Man of Steel (2018) #1-6
The Man of Steel
The Last Son of Krypton is about to meet his home planet's nemesis.
After revolutionizing superhero storytelling in such classic titles as Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil and New Avengers, acclaimed comics author Brian Michael Bendis brings that same magic to the DC Universe with this explosive new Superman saga. Featuring the work of artists including Jos� Luis Garc�a-L�pez, Ivan Reis, Jason Fabok, Evan "Doc" Shaner, Steve Rude, Ryan Sook, Kevin Maguire and Adam Hughes--The Man of Steel marks the beginning of an amazing new era for Superman!
A remorseless killer called Rogol Zaar has arrived on Earth, bringing wide-scale death and destruction in his wake. Only Superman and his cousin, Supergirl, stand between Zaar and the completion of his mission--the utter annihilation of the Kryptonian race.
But even as Kal-El and Kara struggle to contain this new existential threat, the world's greatest superhero faces a completely different challenge in his adopted home city of Metropolis, where Clark Kent still lives and works--but without his wife and son.
The stage is set for a reckoning like nothing Superman has ever faced, and everything that matters to the Man of Steel hangs in the balance!
Collects The Man of Steel #1-6 and stories from DC Nation #0 and Action Comics #1000
After revolutionizing superhero storytelling in such classic titles as Ultimate Spider-Man, Daredevil and New Avengers, acclaimed comics author Brian Michael Bendis brings that same magic to the DC Universe with this explosive new Superman saga. Featuring the work of artists including Jos� Luis Garc�a-L�pez, Ivan Reis, Jason Fabok, Evan "Doc" Shaner, Steve Rude, Ryan Sook, Kevin Maguire and Adam Hughes--The Man of Steel marks the beginning of an amazing new era for Superman!
A remorseless killer called Rogol Zaar has arrived on Earth, bringing wide-scale death and destruction in his wake. Only Superman and his cousin, Supergirl, stand between Zaar and the completion of his mission--the utter annihilation of the Kryptonian race.
But even as Kal-El and Kara struggle to contain this new existential threat, the world's greatest superhero faces a completely different challenge in his adopted home city of Metropolis, where Clark Kent still lives and works--but without his wife and son.
The stage is set for a reckoning like nothing Superman has ever faced, and everything that matters to the Man of Steel hangs in the balance!
Collects The Man of Steel #1-6 and stories from DC Nation #0 and Action Comics #1000
184 pages, Hardcover
First published November 6, 2018
26 people are currently reading
1929 people want to read
About the author
Brian Michael Bendis
4,409 books2,574 followersA comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.
Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.
Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.
Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.
Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.
He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
September 24, 2020
So Bendis gives Superman's origin a newish spin.
Remember when Brainiac was responsible for the destruction of Krypton? <--vaguely?
Well, now there's some new dude who (to me) kind of seems like a noseless Doomsday knock-off who did it, and he's out to cleanse the universe of the Kryptonian plague.
You have to respect a guy who finishes the job.
But as to the reason behind it?
Well, we're not sure yet. But this fucker is quite determined.
Also, it looks like Jor-El may be mixed up in this somehow...
Speaking of Jor-El, he's apparently alive and roaming around the universe in a ship.
I haven't been keeping up with all the new shit so my initial response was, When the fuck did this happen?, but then I realized it's fine. I'm ok with mystery.
Mystery makes everything so mysterious...
And speaking of mystery (<--you like my segues?), something mysterious has happened to Lois & Jon.
Where are they? What happened?
Eh. You'll find out.
I thought this was a pretty cool story. This is a solid start to a new chapter for Superman. And there were enough panels that were heartstring tuggers that I felt pretty darn good when I closed the book.
Looking forward to finally diving into the new Superman title!
Remember when Brainiac was responsible for the destruction of Krypton? <--vaguely?
Well, now there's some new dude who (to me) kind of seems like a noseless Doomsday knock-off who did it, and he's out to cleanse the universe of the Kryptonian plague.
You have to respect a guy who finishes the job.
But as to the reason behind it?
Well, we're not sure yet. But this fucker is quite determined.
Also, it looks like Jor-El may be mixed up in this somehow...
Speaking of Jor-El, he's apparently alive and roaming around the universe in a ship.
I haven't been keeping up with all the new shit so my initial response was, When the fuck did this happen?, but then I realized it's fine. I'm ok with mystery.
Mystery makes everything so mysterious...
And speaking of mystery (<--you like my segues?), something mysterious has happened to Lois & Jon.
Where are they? What happened?
Eh. You'll find out.
I thought this was a pretty cool story. This is a solid start to a new chapter for Superman. And there were enough panels that were heartstring tuggers that I felt pretty darn good when I closed the book.
Looking forward to finally diving into the new Superman title!
July 29, 2020
Wow, what did Superman do to upset Bendis. Ok I will admit I am not a Superman fan, but I got hooked by the hype of Michael Bendis writing Superman. Unfortunately this book just reinforced my opinion of Sups, but even I felt sorry for the "Man of Steel". Short of what the Joker did to him in Injustice this total dismemberment of every aspect of Superman's life is pretty much all he need for a villain turn.
3 major event are happening devouring Metropolis and especially Superman. His life professional and personal is wrecked. There is a mysterious arsonist on the loose, and the main villain with a goal to destroy the whole Kryptonian race. This is another thing I did not like this guy had Superman at his mercy a number of times but just left him there. I also did not like the way the stories were drawn out all of this could have been done in half the number of issues.
I don't think I will be back to see where this run goes. Very disappointing after all the hype.
3 major event are happening devouring Metropolis and especially Superman. His life professional and personal is wrecked. There is a mysterious arsonist on the loose, and the main villain with a goal to destroy the whole Kryptonian race. This is another thing I did not like this guy had Superman at his mercy a number of times but just left him there. I also did not like the way the stories were drawn out all of this could have been done in half the number of issues.
I don't think I will be back to see where this run goes. Very disappointing after all the hype.
July 19, 2018
Here it is: Mister Marvel himself, Brian Bendis, finally made the move over to the enemy, DC, after years of writing for Marvel, and this is his much anticipated first DC book, his big debut - with the most iconic superhero of them all, no less, Superman - in The Man of Steel. Ohhhh boy! Ohhhh… crap. Unfortunately we got Blandis. I was severely unimpressed with this one.
Give Doomsday an axe and you’ve got the big bad of this woefully dull story: Rogol Zaar. He hates Kryptonians. Hey, Superman’s a Kryptonian! Time for them to trade punches! Guess who wins? Also, someone’s starting fires around Metropolis! Snore…
Superman’s got his red panties back… yay…? He’s also back doing really boring good guy stuff like rescuing lil kiddies from burning buildings and punching giant robots - the kind of generic crap Superman’s been doing for decades - while Clark’s characterisation is the usual gawrsh shucks country boy routine, clumsily stumbling around the newsroom. I guess that’s the point, to signal a return to the classic character of yore, only it makes for yawny reading.
A couple of new characters are introduced to the cast: flame-haired Deputy Fire Chief Melody Moore, aka Obvious Potential Love Interest, and Robinson Goode, the hotshot City Desk Reporter, replacing Lois Lane at the Daily Planet. I didn’t dislike either but I didn’t like them much either. They’re just sort of… meh. Obvious table-setting.
Towards the end, we finally get something more than Superman and Supergirl punching the unimaginative one-dimensional villain over and over, with the appearance of a supposedly dead character (nobody stays dead in superhero comics, ever!), setting up Lois and Jon’s upcoming storyline. That might be fun, and the reveal of the firestarter was somewhat intriguing. It’s really not much though.
A bunch of talented artists drew this story and, while I can’t say any of the art is bad, none of the pages really stood out as all that special or memorable. Nobody took any chances and the comic looks like any other Superman book.
I’d hoped The Man of Steel would be a fresh, exciting beginning for both Bendis and Superman, a much-needed shot in the arm for the Superman line which has been stagnant for years. But Bendis was on autopilot for some reason, producing a story as uninspired and dull as the worst of his Marvel stuff was. It’s not poorly written, nor poorly drawn, it’s just not at all interesting.
The Man of Steel is Superman-by-the-numbers which couldn’t be more tedious for me as someone who’s been reading Superman comics for years. Hopefully Bendis finds his footing in his next Superman and Action Comics story arcs (definitely both trade-waits for me now after this!) but this one is an extremely underwhelming beginning to one of the comics year’s most anticipated events.
Give Doomsday an axe and you’ve got the big bad of this woefully dull story: Rogol Zaar. He hates Kryptonians. Hey, Superman’s a Kryptonian! Time for them to trade punches! Guess who wins? Also, someone’s starting fires around Metropolis! Snore…
Superman’s got his red panties back… yay…? He’s also back doing really boring good guy stuff like rescuing lil kiddies from burning buildings and punching giant robots - the kind of generic crap Superman’s been doing for decades - while Clark’s characterisation is the usual gawrsh shucks country boy routine, clumsily stumbling around the newsroom. I guess that’s the point, to signal a return to the classic character of yore, only it makes for yawny reading.
A couple of new characters are introduced to the cast: flame-haired Deputy Fire Chief Melody Moore, aka Obvious Potential Love Interest, and Robinson Goode, the hotshot City Desk Reporter, replacing Lois Lane at the Daily Planet. I didn’t dislike either but I didn’t like them much either. They’re just sort of… meh. Obvious table-setting.
Towards the end, we finally get something more than Superman and Supergirl punching the unimaginative one-dimensional villain over and over, with the appearance of a supposedly dead character (nobody stays dead in superhero comics, ever!), setting up Lois and Jon’s upcoming storyline. That might be fun, and the reveal of the firestarter was somewhat intriguing. It’s really not much though.
A bunch of talented artists drew this story and, while I can’t say any of the art is bad, none of the pages really stood out as all that special or memorable. Nobody took any chances and the comic looks like any other Superman book.
I’d hoped The Man of Steel would be a fresh, exciting beginning for both Bendis and Superman, a much-needed shot in the arm for the Superman line which has been stagnant for years. But Bendis was on autopilot for some reason, producing a story as uninspired and dull as the worst of his Marvel stuff was. It’s not poorly written, nor poorly drawn, it’s just not at all interesting.
The Man of Steel is Superman-by-the-numbers which couldn’t be more tedious for me as someone who’s been reading Superman comics for years. Hopefully Bendis finds his footing in his next Superman and Action Comics story arcs (definitely both trade-waits for me now after this!) but this one is an extremely underwhelming beginning to one of the comics year’s most anticipated events.
February 21, 2021
Boom! Bendis lands in DC Comics with a bang!
Lois and Jonathan are missing, the Daily Planet is dying, villains are returning to Metropolis in droves and there's possibly a serial arsonist running rampage. This six part mini-series is more Bendis-tast-tic than the Superman book, with great dialogue, multiple arcs and great cameos from the DC Universe. Bendis comes straight in with his own super villain and a slew of supporting characters, peaking my interest and anticipation of reading his Action Comics. 8 out of 12.
Lois and Jonathan are missing, the Daily Planet is dying, villains are returning to Metropolis in droves and there's possibly a serial arsonist running rampage. This six part mini-series is more Bendis-tast-tic than the Superman book, with great dialogue, multiple arcs and great cameos from the DC Universe. Bendis comes straight in with his own super villain and a slew of supporting characters, peaking my interest and anticipation of reading his Action Comics. 8 out of 12.
February 19, 2020
Bendis brings his characteristic dialogue and twists to Superman and DC for the first time. I like the voice he gives Superman, strong and caring without treating him as a Boy Scout. My favorite scene was his interaction with Batman and the fire chief. The story though needed to be streamlined. A miniseries should stand on its own. There's the introduction of 2 new reporters. One, Robinson Goode, as having ulterior motives. The other, a replacement for Cat Grant as a gossip reporter. Neither have stories that go much of anywhere in this. Bendis should have waited to introduce them during the regular runs in Superman and Action Comics. I also found the way he drew out Lois and Jon's disappearance REALLY frustrating. It was just a couple of pages at the end of each issue where he tread the same ground over and over again until issue 5. Just get to the point. It was a cheap way to create false tension.
The book heats up once this new alien shows up. He's menacing and something of a zealot. Bendis elects to leave his motivations a mystery for now, but boy does he hate Kryptonians. There's a lot of artists on the book due to the weekly schedule. Most of them had similar styles and I didn't find it distracting at all, although a lot of my friends had issues with it. Regardless, it's Bendis so I'll be picking up the next arcs to see where this is headed.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
The book heats up once this new alien shows up. He's menacing and something of a zealot. Bendis elects to leave his motivations a mystery for now, but boy does he hate Kryptonians. There's a lot of artists on the book due to the weekly schedule. Most of them had similar styles and I didn't find it distracting at all, although a lot of my friends had issues with it. Regardless, it's Bendis so I'll be picking up the next arcs to see where this is headed.
Received a review copy from DC and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and in no way influenced by the aforementioned.
November 16, 2018
Given that Brian Michael Bendis is like the weird lovechild of Stan Lee and a less misogynistic David Mamet, it seems sort of strange to be commenting on Bendis’s first foray into tackling iconic characters at the Distinguished Competition as we mourn the passing of The Man.
Bendis had such a long and storied career at Marvel precisely because, generally speaking, he was so good at getting to the core of the human side of the company’s flagship (and lesser known) characters, even in the midst of ridiculously overblown crossover events. While there have been other efforts to humanize Superman over the years, Bendis’s attempt to Marvelize him, which is what this feels like, achieves mixed results. Here and there, flashes of brilliance poke through, and there are issues where the art rises to the occasion. Mostly, though, it’s uneven, and I found myself shrugging indifferently at competently executed but otherwise unremarkable superhero fare. (It certainly doesn’t touch the rarified air of Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright.)
Still, there’s enough potential here for me to check out more of Bendis’s DC stuff, if only because a 20-year track record of putting out high-quality books earns you a few extra whacks.
Bendis had such a long and storied career at Marvel precisely because, generally speaking, he was so good at getting to the core of the human side of the company’s flagship (and lesser known) characters, even in the midst of ridiculously overblown crossover events. While there have been other efforts to humanize Superman over the years, Bendis’s attempt to Marvelize him, which is what this feels like, achieves mixed results. Here and there, flashes of brilliance poke through, and there are issues where the art rises to the occasion. Mostly, though, it’s uneven, and I found myself shrugging indifferently at competently executed but otherwise unremarkable superhero fare. (It certainly doesn’t touch the rarified air of Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright.)
Still, there’s enough potential here for me to check out more of Bendis’s DC stuff, if only because a 20-year track record of putting out high-quality books earns you a few extra whacks.
July 4, 2018
HOT. DAMN.
In a stunning turn of events, Brian Bendis swoops in and single-handedly (well, with a little help from six of DC’s most talented artists) saves Superman from years of stagnation and trash storylines one after the other. Now that’s a nice present for the character’s 80th anniversary! And look, I am not some mindless Bendis fanboy — I fully and openly admit that his last few years at Marvel were not good. His stories felt mediocre, tired and downright hacky at times. Most of his creative output was in greedy cash-in titles, like Defenders, Jessica Jones and Guardians of the Galaxy, and it didn’t earn him any goodwill from loyal DC fans who were afraid that he’ll come and ruin everything. But I mean it when I say that Man of Steel is the best writing Bendis has done in many, many years — it feels energized, exciting and fresh, his characterization is spot on, his signature dialogue is crisp, and the gorgeous, GORGEOUS artwork from DC’s top talent makes the whole package so good I can barely handle it. Seriously, this is as good as his early days on Daredevil and Alias, only with years of human and professional experience added on top of that, plus an exceptional understanding of Clark, Lois and Jon as separate characters as well as a family unit. Add an excellent portrayal of Supergirl, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and so many others, mix in some good old high quality fun super-heroics, and you have a winner. You all know that Superman is my favorite character, but it’s so rare to find a great Superman book, especially an ongoing one — well, this promises to be one of those. Man of Steel is an excellent start for a larger story, and by the look of it, it’s only going to get better as Bendis takes over both Superman and Action Comics titles. I absolutely can’t wait, and I’m almost shaking with excitement just thinking about it. Hot damn, indeed.
In a stunning turn of events, Brian Bendis swoops in and single-handedly (well, with a little help from six of DC’s most talented artists) saves Superman from years of stagnation and trash storylines one after the other. Now that’s a nice present for the character’s 80th anniversary! And look, I am not some mindless Bendis fanboy — I fully and openly admit that his last few years at Marvel were not good. His stories felt mediocre, tired and downright hacky at times. Most of his creative output was in greedy cash-in titles, like Defenders, Jessica Jones and Guardians of the Galaxy, and it didn’t earn him any goodwill from loyal DC fans who were afraid that he’ll come and ruin everything. But I mean it when I say that Man of Steel is the best writing Bendis has done in many, many years — it feels energized, exciting and fresh, his characterization is spot on, his signature dialogue is crisp, and the gorgeous, GORGEOUS artwork from DC’s top talent makes the whole package so good I can barely handle it. Seriously, this is as good as his early days on Daredevil and Alias, only with years of human and professional experience added on top of that, plus an exceptional understanding of Clark, Lois and Jon as separate characters as well as a family unit. Add an excellent portrayal of Supergirl, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen and so many others, mix in some good old high quality fun super-heroics, and you have a winner. You all know that Superman is my favorite character, but it’s so rare to find a great Superman book, especially an ongoing one — well, this promises to be one of those. Man of Steel is an excellent start for a larger story, and by the look of it, it’s only going to get better as Bendis takes over both Superman and Action Comics titles. I absolutely can’t wait, and I’m almost shaking with excitement just thinking about it. Hot damn, indeed.
July 30, 2018
Here it is. The first major book in the DC Universe made by Brian Michael Bendis! Is it good? Actually, yeah, it's pretty fun.
So this Man of Steel Mini-series starts with Superman being the hero we all know and love. He goes around the whole city, protects everyone he can, and fights for the greater good. I know after the shitty man of steel and batman vs superman movies you might have forgotten that Supes is heroic but Bendis gives a nice reminder by having him save hundreds of people in the first few issues here.
However, we all know it can't stay good. For some reason Jon and Lois are not in this current superman storyline. Instead we get flashbacks of Clark remembering a moment when he lost his son and daughter but what happened to them and where did they go? Mystery! Then we got a new Doomsday lookalike mofo come down and try to cleanse the world of Superman and his kind.
Good: I really enjoyed watching Superman being heroic. Very true to his character. I enjoyed some of the dialog a lot, mostly with Jon and his third draw, and also liked Superman with Batman and the fire fighter. The fight scenes are pretty great at times, and some of them are out of this world epic. Oh, and nice to see Supergirl get some love here.
Bad: Okay...some of the dialog is bad. One in-particular moment is with The Flash saying "Poo Poo"...yeahhhhhhhhhhhh. Also the main villain just kind of one note. I didn't really like the change in the art every issue either, could be jarring.
Overall solid, fun, little mini series to give Bendis his opening to his new series (he'll be writing Superman AND Action Comics). It didn't blow me away but it gave me a good time, well paced, and fun action. A 3 out of 5.
So this Man of Steel Mini-series starts with Superman being the hero we all know and love. He goes around the whole city, protects everyone he can, and fights for the greater good. I know after the shitty man of steel and batman vs superman movies you might have forgotten that Supes is heroic but Bendis gives a nice reminder by having him save hundreds of people in the first few issues here.
However, we all know it can't stay good. For some reason Jon and Lois are not in this current superman storyline. Instead we get flashbacks of Clark remembering a moment when he lost his son and daughter but what happened to them and where did they go? Mystery! Then we got a new Doomsday lookalike mofo come down and try to cleanse the world of Superman and his kind.
Good: I really enjoyed watching Superman being heroic. Very true to his character. I enjoyed some of the dialog a lot, mostly with Jon and his third draw, and also liked Superman with Batman and the fire fighter. The fight scenes are pretty great at times, and some of them are out of this world epic. Oh, and nice to see Supergirl get some love here.
Bad: Okay...some of the dialog is bad. One in-particular moment is with The Flash saying "Poo Poo"...yeahhhhhhhhhhhh. Also the main villain just kind of one note. I didn't really like the change in the art every issue either, could be jarring.
Overall solid, fun, little mini series to give Bendis his opening to his new series (he'll be writing Superman AND Action Comics). It didn't blow me away but it gave me a good time, well paced, and fun action. A 3 out of 5.
July 8, 2018
While not the most mind-blowing, memorable start, Brian Michael Bendis debuts his DC career with freshness and optimism that is clearly reflected in The Man of Steel.
The main villain in this mini-series is just one of those "destroy because it is the right thing" brutes whose personality isn't that carefully fleshed out, but hey, Superman is the main man anyway.
Tomasi really did well in his Rebirth Superman run and I really didn't see the the point of having a reboot simply because some new but high-profile writer is taking over. Yet I understand why there is a need to do this. Unlike Marvel resrarts that sjow up like notoriously crazy mushrooms, DC restarts are more organic. So I am hoping that his Superman run would be great.
The main villain in this mini-series is just one of those "destroy because it is the right thing" brutes whose personality isn't that carefully fleshed out, but hey, Superman is the main man anyway.
Tomasi really did well in his Rebirth Superman run and I really didn't see the the point of having a reboot simply because some new but high-profile writer is taking over. Yet I understand why there is a need to do this. Unlike Marvel resrarts that sjow up like notoriously crazy mushrooms, DC restarts are more organic. So I am hoping that his Superman run would be great.
January 23, 2024
Reread: 16/01/2024
You know I read this about a week ago but forgot to log it here but yeah a reread of this.. my 3rd time maybe and I kinda enjoyed this story as you get to see Rogol zaar introduction and his vs Superman battle like how suddenly it happens and slowly we get to see the origin of this villain and his hatred for Superman and yeah this was the title where a lot of cosmic stuff that Bendis did was introduced and it laid the foundations for it and he was a decent villain but I love the art here.. so many iconic artists working here and that scene of kandor final tribute was so good and one of my favorite pages of art and some dialogue is klunky but oh well decent read.
____________________________________________________________
This was a fun read!
Superman under bendis so we have him fighting a new enemy or dealing with his wife and son going to space with a certin individual but the big story is what happens when this mysterious new enemy Rogol Zaar comes into his world and destroys everything he may know about Krypton and it makes for an amazing story. I love how this enemy comes out of nowhere and we find he might have something to do with the destruction of his own planet and its less talk and more action and what he does hurts Clark in such a big way that he is forced to take action he usually would not take and then the inclusion of JLA and Kara was fun and makes for deep emotional plots and it sets the stage for big things to come!
Its a great volume and continues the promise of Bendis coming to DC and introducing new villains and also deals with a new enemy for Superman but I would have liked for his origin to be introduced here and like who is this council of galactic elders.. maybe if we got answers about it, it would be cool but still fun action, deep emotional bonds and a new status quo for the man of steel plus the art by Reis and Fabok in the end were solid. Just wow. Good one-time read.
You know I read this about a week ago but forgot to log it here but yeah a reread of this.. my 3rd time maybe and I kinda enjoyed this story as you get to see Rogol zaar introduction and his vs Superman battle like how suddenly it happens and slowly we get to see the origin of this villain and his hatred for Superman and yeah this was the title where a lot of cosmic stuff that Bendis did was introduced and it laid the foundations for it and he was a decent villain but I love the art here.. so many iconic artists working here and that scene of kandor final tribute was so good and one of my favorite pages of art and some dialogue is klunky but oh well decent read.
____________________________________________________________
This was a fun read!
Superman under bendis so we have him fighting a new enemy or dealing with his wife and son going to space with a certin individual but the big story is what happens when this mysterious new enemy Rogol Zaar comes into his world and destroys everything he may know about Krypton and it makes for an amazing story. I love how this enemy comes out of nowhere and we find he might have something to do with the destruction of his own planet and its less talk and more action and what he does hurts Clark in such a big way that he is forced to take action he usually would not take and then the inclusion of JLA and Kara was fun and makes for deep emotional plots and it sets the stage for big things to come!
Its a great volume and continues the promise of Bendis coming to DC and introducing new villains and also deals with a new enemy for Superman but I would have liked for his origin to be introduced here and like who is this council of galactic elders.. maybe if we got answers about it, it would be cool but still fun action, deep emotional bonds and a new status quo for the man of steel plus the art by Reis and Fabok in the end were solid. Just wow. Good one-time read.
December 19, 2018
Refreshing in its humanity and grimness, this Superman tale contains genocide, violence, and abandonment, but is not without its humor and upstanding morals. Those looking for repeats of tropes need not apply.
November 10, 2018
Blech! I was holding out hope for this after the last few superman volumes have been straight up abortions, but this was really lame. Ok, here we go (spoilers ahead):
The villain: A one-dimensional Doomsday knock off with a bit of Lobo thrown in. His motivation starts as "Krypton is a dangerous planet, we must destroy it" and--for no reason--morphs into "I have a racial hatred for Kyptonians". Lets put this into perspective: Lets say there is an island that I believe is building a doomsday device. I then go and wipe out the island. If I find out that two islanders survived and are now living peacefully on the other side of the planet, why would I then go and racially cleanse them? It seems like two different motivations and it doesn't make sense.
The villain is also ass-ugly. I don't mean beauty wise (but yeah, that too), he is just so uninspired and boring looking. He barely talks because he literally has nothing interesting to say.
Next, can we stop screwing with Superman's origin please? Pretty please with sugar on top? Is nothing in comics sacred? Superman has an awesome origin that truly works for his character. Now, however, we need to change that. First, his dad ends up being alive. Now, there is a whole new reason his planet blew up. Leave it alone DC. Look to the future, don't stomp on the past.
Next, Clark allows Lois and Jon to leave Earth with a crazy person that just recently imprisoned a bunch of innocent people and tried to beat the hell out of Superman. "There is no way we can stop Jon from going!!!!" Yeah you can. He is your fucking child. Grow some balls and tell his spoiled ass no for once. Christ on a cracker at Christmas!!!!!!!!
Next, the story jumps around forwards and backwards in time to set up a shocking surprise that is not shocking or a surprise. Stop it. Just tell me a normal freaking story for a change without acting like you are freaking Memento.
At the end, the Superman universe is all shook up!!!!!! Ooooh and aaaah and the such. Can't we just get a status quo and stick with it for a little bit? This isn't just a Superman problem either. Every few volumes of any particular comic they have to reset the world of the hero. BACK TO ISSUE ONE WE GO! REBOOT TIME! WHEEEEEEE! Knock it off. Just tell me a solid story goddamn it.
I really, really tried to find a reason to give this two stars, fam, but I literally can't think of anything that I liked about this dumpster fire.
The villain: A one-dimensional Doomsday knock off with a bit of Lobo thrown in. His motivation starts as "Krypton is a dangerous planet, we must destroy it" and--for no reason--morphs into "I have a racial hatred for Kyptonians". Lets put this into perspective: Lets say there is an island that I believe is building a doomsday device. I then go and wipe out the island. If I find out that two islanders survived and are now living peacefully on the other side of the planet, why would I then go and racially cleanse them? It seems like two different motivations and it doesn't make sense.
The villain is also ass-ugly. I don't mean beauty wise (but yeah, that too), he is just so uninspired and boring looking. He barely talks because he literally has nothing interesting to say.
Next, can we stop screwing with Superman's origin please? Pretty please with sugar on top? Is nothing in comics sacred? Superman has an awesome origin that truly works for his character. Now, however, we need to change that. First, his dad ends up being alive. Now, there is a whole new reason his planet blew up. Leave it alone DC. Look to the future, don't stomp on the past.
Next, Clark allows Lois and Jon to leave Earth with a crazy person that just recently imprisoned a bunch of innocent people and tried to beat the hell out of Superman. "There is no way we can stop Jon from going!!!!" Yeah you can. He is your fucking child. Grow some balls and tell his spoiled ass no for once. Christ on a cracker at Christmas!!!!!!!!
Next, the story jumps around forwards and backwards in time to set up a shocking surprise that is not shocking or a surprise. Stop it. Just tell me a normal freaking story for a change without acting like you are freaking Memento.
At the end, the Superman universe is all shook up!!!!!! Ooooh and aaaah and the such. Can't we just get a status quo and stick with it for a little bit? This isn't just a Superman problem either. Every few volumes of any particular comic they have to reset the world of the hero. BACK TO ISSUE ONE WE GO! REBOOT TIME! WHEEEEEEE! Knock it off. Just tell me a solid story goddamn it.
I really, really tried to find a reason to give this two stars, fam, but I literally can't think of anything that I liked about this dumpster fire.
December 24, 2018
Very disappointing. Here was me hoping Bendis was going to revive his now outdated career and produce some of his old genius that he had with Daredevil and Jessica Jones all those years ago. Wrong!
This is one of those outdated boring same old stories that Superman gets challenged by a new powerful Alien, do me a favour and just stop right there.
What a waste.
This is one of those outdated boring same old stories that Superman gets challenged by a new powerful Alien, do me a favour and just stop right there.
What a waste.
July 5, 2018
3.5! A solid starts that changes the status quo (some good and bad) and makes me excited for the future of Supes.
World: The art is good, there are a lot of great artists in this 6 issues series. That being said, the weekly issues and the deadlines does make the art janky, the reason there’s re so many artists is because of the deadline so the transition is not smooth at all, sometimes in issues themselves there are transitions that just hurt my eyes. The world building is solid, it’s a changing of the status quo and also using pieces that came from the past and also from Rebirth. Say what you will about some of the changes, at least it’s moving the world forward (I’ll get more into that below). What I don’t like is the rehash and the rehash of every new Superman writer dealing with the destruction of Kryton, we are so done with this that it’s now a cliche for a writer to come onboard Superman and do a “Secrets behind Krypton’s destruction!!” story, that’s a bit old. As I said the new status quo is interesting and I do look forward to how Bendis plays with Supes.
Story: The dialog is crisp, the pacing is solid and the writing overall is sure and steady. That being said I’m not a big fan of the destruction of Krypton being rehashed again and again so yeah meh. I did really enjoy the new villain though, he was interesting to look at, and I like that Bendis is playing the long game with him and not revealing too much about him yet so that future stories can deal with him, Rogol Zaar was a wrecking ball for Bendis and he did his job. The status quo change in terms of the Kent family unit is a bit hard to take, but one that I could see being good for Superman and the cast of characters. It’s nice to live in family bliss but as with stories, happiness does not make for good drama, I like that Bendis is not ripping the family apart but using this summer vacation to change the status quo. I loved Super Sons and I was one of the many who went on Twitter and ranted on the decision (I still want that series back) but if Jon is going to come back here a bit different and then we go into a Super Sons mini that hopefully will lead to a new series I am all for it. Lois leaving the Planet is also an interesting choice and also allows for Clark to stand out there and more drama there to ensue, you can already see the pieces that Bendis is putting together with the new reporter and Moore that are going to be interesting aspects that will challenge Clark and Supes respectively in different areas. Lois being on another planet also gives DC a chance to make her an even stronger character and I hope that’s where they are going with. Overall, a lot of questions were posed and a lot of pieces were moved to change the status quo for Bendis but hopefully this will turn out to be Ultimate Spider-Man good and not Age of Ultron good. I will say one thing, Kandor was heartbreaking and wow but I know that this will not be permanent cause...comics.
Characters: Bendis’ Superman has red trunks which makes me so happy, so let’s get that out of the way, I’ve always hated that they removed his trunks in the films and in the New52. Superman and Clark as a character in these 6 issues is clearly different from Jurgens and Tomasi/Gleason Superman. Superman is much more cerebral which I like, we get a large chunk of how he thinks (much like what he did with Peter and Miles and Riri), he’s still hopeful, he’s still a good man with ideals but there are instances and spurts of inner monologue where he cherishes the fight with Zaar which didn’t stil well with me (example of welcoming fighting and destroying all the windows in Metropolis...which he eventually did become Supes and take the fight to the Moon). Overall I like this new voice for Superman it’s human and also Superman at the same time, there is an edge to him which I like (much like Rucka did with Diana in Rebirth). Clark is also good but I’ve not seen enough of him yet to make a judgement the pieces that Bendis has created to interact with him will be interesting. The new reporter and the fire chief are interesting characters and I hope they pan out, please don’t make them into piney love interests cause we are way beyond this. The villain Zaar is interesting in how little we know about him, I like that cause it leaves a lot of story to tell in the future, he was a wrecking ball and that’s all we need. Lois is strong in the little we saw a of her and Jon is great, I hope this new status quo change will give them further depth moving forward. Oh, Kara was great, Bendis did her well, it’s quite clear how different she is to Clark immediately and I love that, her age and her rage is a great thing to tap on early, I am looking to where DC takes her.
A lot of good character changes and status quo moves that I enjoyed. They way we got there is a bit too cliched for me and I’m so tired of going back to Krypton’s destruction again.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is good, there are a lot of great artists in this 6 issues series. That being said, the weekly issues and the deadlines does make the art janky, the reason there’s re so many artists is because of the deadline so the transition is not smooth at all, sometimes in issues themselves there are transitions that just hurt my eyes. The world building is solid, it’s a changing of the status quo and also using pieces that came from the past and also from Rebirth. Say what you will about some of the changes, at least it’s moving the world forward (I’ll get more into that below). What I don’t like is the rehash and the rehash of every new Superman writer dealing with the destruction of Kryton, we are so done with this that it’s now a cliche for a writer to come onboard Superman and do a “Secrets behind Krypton’s destruction!!” story, that’s a bit old. As I said the new status quo is interesting and I do look forward to how Bendis plays with Supes.
Story: The dialog is crisp, the pacing is solid and the writing overall is sure and steady. That being said I’m not a big fan of the destruction of Krypton being rehashed again and again so yeah meh. I did really enjoy the new villain though, he was interesting to look at, and I like that Bendis is playing the long game with him and not revealing too much about him yet so that future stories can deal with him, Rogol Zaar was a wrecking ball for Bendis and he did his job. The status quo change in terms of the Kent family unit is a bit hard to take, but one that I could see being good for Superman and the cast of characters. It’s nice to live in family bliss but as with stories, happiness does not make for good drama, I like that Bendis is not ripping the family apart but using this summer vacation to change the status quo. I loved Super Sons and I was one of the many who went on Twitter and ranted on the decision (I still want that series back) but if Jon is going to come back here a bit different and then we go into a Super Sons mini that hopefully will lead to a new series I am all for it. Lois leaving the Planet is also an interesting choice and also allows for Clark to stand out there and more drama there to ensue, you can already see the pieces that Bendis is putting together with the new reporter and Moore that are going to be interesting aspects that will challenge Clark and Supes respectively in different areas. Lois being on another planet also gives DC a chance to make her an even stronger character and I hope that’s where they are going with. Overall, a lot of questions were posed and a lot of pieces were moved to change the status quo for Bendis but hopefully this will turn out to be Ultimate Spider-Man good and not Age of Ultron good. I will say one thing, Kandor was heartbreaking and wow but I know that this will not be permanent cause...comics.
Characters: Bendis’ Superman has red trunks which makes me so happy, so let’s get that out of the way, I’ve always hated that they removed his trunks in the films and in the New52. Superman and Clark as a character in these 6 issues is clearly different from Jurgens and Tomasi/Gleason Superman. Superman is much more cerebral which I like, we get a large chunk of how he thinks (much like what he did with Peter and Miles and Riri), he’s still hopeful, he’s still a good man with ideals but there are instances and spurts of inner monologue where he cherishes the fight with Zaar which didn’t stil well with me (example of welcoming fighting and destroying all the windows in Metropolis...which he eventually did become Supes and take the fight to the Moon). Overall I like this new voice for Superman it’s human and also Superman at the same time, there is an edge to him which I like (much like Rucka did with Diana in Rebirth). Clark is also good but I’ve not seen enough of him yet to make a judgement the pieces that Bendis has created to interact with him will be interesting. The new reporter and the fire chief are interesting characters and I hope they pan out, please don’t make them into piney love interests cause we are way beyond this. The villain Zaar is interesting in how little we know about him, I like that cause it leaves a lot of story to tell in the future, he was a wrecking ball and that’s all we need. Lois is strong in the little we saw a of her and Jon is great, I hope this new status quo change will give them further depth moving forward. Oh, Kara was great, Bendis did her well, it’s quite clear how different she is to Clark immediately and I love that, her age and her rage is a great thing to tap on early, I am looking to where DC takes her.
A lot of good character changes and status quo moves that I enjoyed. They way we got there is a bit too cliched for me and I’m so tired of going back to Krypton’s destruction again.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
April 26, 2019
Strange to see Bendis writing for D.C.
Still between his writing and the solid artwork throughout this volume, this is a good comic.
Is it brilliant? Nope. It's not even "VERY" good. But it is good. Superman, and Supergirl, run into Rogol Zaar. Zaar says he killed all the Kryptonians. Apparently, he missed two and has come to Earth to rectify that mistake. Meanwhile, Superman is also trying to figure out who is setting random fires.
Sounds like a weird mix of epic and boring, but it works for the story. Again, this is not brilliant, but it is not terrible either. I didn't even make the "meh" sound. Am I going to run out and get Volume 2? Unlikely. But, should I come across it, neither shall I spit out a curse and try to immolate it.
So a good comic, let's see where Bendis takes Superman. I'm willing to check out what comes next.
Still between his writing and the solid artwork throughout this volume, this is a good comic.
Is it brilliant? Nope. It's not even "VERY" good. But it is good. Superman, and Supergirl, run into Rogol Zaar. Zaar says he killed all the Kryptonians. Apparently, he missed two and has come to Earth to rectify that mistake. Meanwhile, Superman is also trying to figure out who is setting random fires.
Sounds like a weird mix of epic and boring, but it works for the story. Again, this is not brilliant, but it is not terrible either. I didn't even make the "meh" sound. Am I going to run out and get Volume 2? Unlikely. But, should I come across it, neither shall I spit out a curse and try to immolate it.
So a good comic, let's see where Bendis takes Superman. I'm willing to check out what comes next.
July 25, 2025
This ended up being pretty good. Opens up with Superman losing a fight to new comer Rogol Zaar. Who is this guy? We learn that it was him that destroyed Krypton and he had learned there are more Kryptonians on earth and wants to destroy or “cleanse” this planet also. There was also the mystery of where Lois and there son Jon is. Plus there have been a rash of fires being set around Metropolis. We eventually learn where Lois and Jon have gone and we get the backstory on why Rogol Zaar destroyed Krypton. All interesting stuff. At the end of the book someone confessed that he has seen who has been setting the fires. That was a very crazy reveal. Looking forward to seeing what that’s all about. Solid artwork, great fight sequences and an interesting story going. So far so good on my Bendis Superman experience.
July 10, 2018
An okay read. So Brian Michael Bendis has left Marvel to now write for DC. I'll admit I only ever read a couple of Bendis's Marvel stuff, he never really blew me away as a writer, but I was still slightly curious to see what he would do with Superman! So the story follows Superman as he battles against a big brute, alien villain, who hates Kryptonians because...reasons. And in the background Lois and Jon are missing, where are they?
To talk about the good, I will say the story overall had its good moments. I liked the writing, not of the whole story but rather some really good moments here and there that makes me think Bendis has a good grasp on the character of Superman. The actions scenes are pretty fun to read. The artwork all round is very good, despite the fact that the book jumps between artists, its overall a very visually appealing book!
The main bad thing about this book is that its basically just a Bendis prelude and to what he clearly has planned for both the Superman and Action Comics titles. Many of the storylines don't conclude and are left on cliff hangers, which will clearly only be concluded later on, hence why I just view this entire mini series as just a prelude. Because of that, this book doesn't really feel like it could stand on its own. The villain as well is very boring; he's big, he's powerful, he does very evil things (some quite shocking), but at the end of the day there is no substance to him.
Apparently this series also contradicts a lot of continuity from storylines in other books like Teen Titans. I don't read Teen Titans so I can't comment, but some Teen Titan fans may have issues with it. Overall this an okay read, its not an immediate must have.
To talk about the good, I will say the story overall had its good moments. I liked the writing, not of the whole story but rather some really good moments here and there that makes me think Bendis has a good grasp on the character of Superman. The actions scenes are pretty fun to read. The artwork all round is very good, despite the fact that the book jumps between artists, its overall a very visually appealing book!
The main bad thing about this book is that its basically just a Bendis prelude and to what he clearly has planned for both the Superman and Action Comics titles. Many of the storylines don't conclude and are left on cliff hangers, which will clearly only be concluded later on, hence why I just view this entire mini series as just a prelude. Because of that, this book doesn't really feel like it could stand on its own. The villain as well is very boring; he's big, he's powerful, he does very evil things (some quite shocking), but at the end of the day there is no substance to him.
Apparently this series also contradicts a lot of continuity from storylines in other books like Teen Titans. I don't read Teen Titans so I can't comment, but some Teen Titan fans may have issues with it. Overall this an okay read, its not an immediate must have.
October 15, 2018
3.5* I read this in single issues. I actually didnt mind Bendis with how he provided his own reworking of superman. However his usual strength of dialgoue was at times pretty cheesy. The change of art style was distracting and I hope they get someone consistent for future Superman titles.
August 25, 2019
Not as good as Bendis’ career highs, not as bad as his lazy/overworked lows. I don’t know what I was expecting - knowing what the man can do, it’s hard to see what he does and not want more of the tight plotting and quippy dialogue that I’ve seen from him.
I enjoyed:
- Superman doing his best to keep himself from losing control
- Supes not being totally aloof and painfully unreachable
I rolled my eyes at:
- explicit mention of “situations Superman can’t punch his way out of” - twice
- fake-out villain
- silly generic quipping that doesn’t illuminate characters
I enjoyed:
- Superman doing his best to keep himself from losing control
- Supes not being totally aloof and painfully unreachable
I rolled my eyes at:
- explicit mention of “situations Superman can’t punch his way out of” - twice
- fake-out villain
- silly generic quipping that doesn’t illuminate characters
January 25, 2019
2.5 stars
I was hoping for a little more with Bendis and DC. I just didn't like his chronology in this, where it skips time in the story with no heads-up. I also didn't like some of the dialogue. It just wasn't what I was hoping for from Bendis or even in a Superman comic. I didn't feel like there was any substance. Just action-packed the whole way through.
I was hoping for a little more with Bendis and DC. I just didn't like his chronology in this, where it skips time in the story with no heads-up. I also didn't like some of the dialogue. It just wasn't what I was hoping for from Bendis or even in a Superman comic. I didn't feel like there was any substance. Just action-packed the whole way through.
January 28, 2024
This was fun. I really like the art, but I didn’t like Flash and Batman writing.
December 9, 2018
Well that was underwhelming. I was expecting Brian Michael Bendis to do something new and different with Superman, but instead I get a book that is not dissimilar from what Dan Jurgens and dozens of others have been doing for the last few decades. Super bland.
The big, bad villain - who stole Swamp Thing's nose and Lobo's space motorcycle - is a super snooze who hits stuff a lot, but apparently thinks about hitting stuff five moves in advance? Mostly this means he tactically retreats every so often so the heroes can stand around and talk about stuff even more boring than him.
This is the first Superman book I've read in a while, so I must admit to being confused about things like a not-dead Jor-El (looking like Cable in a headband) and an adolescent son of Superman. This book did nothing to explain where the hell these guys came from or why I should care when they go away.
I think I was supposed to care that Bendis destroyed two long-standing pieces of the Superman mythos, but the presence of not-dead Jor-El tells me that nothing gone stays gone if the next writer wants them back.
Basically, this is a prime example of why I read fewer and fewer superhero books from DC and Marvel each year.
The big, bad villain - who stole Swamp Thing's nose and Lobo's space motorcycle - is a super snooze who hits stuff a lot, but apparently thinks about hitting stuff five moves in advance? Mostly this means he tactically retreats every so often so the heroes can stand around and talk about stuff even more boring than him.
This is the first Superman book I've read in a while, so I must admit to being confused about things like a not-dead Jor-El (looking like Cable in a headband) and an adolescent son of Superman. This book did nothing to explain where the hell these guys came from or why I should care when they go away.
I think I was supposed to care that Bendis destroyed two long-standing pieces of the Superman mythos, but the presence of not-dead Jor-El tells me that nothing gone stays gone if the next writer wants them back.
Basically, this is a prime example of why I read fewer and fewer superhero books from DC and Marvel each year.
July 5, 2018
So...I've always been a pretty big Superman fan but I have never actually had one of his books as a monthly pull. I mean, sure, I've followed the bigger arcs and graphic novels, kept up to date as best as I could...but I was never heavily invested.
With Bendis coming onto the book I figured I should take a peek.
Am I ever glad I did as I ended up really enjoying this mini springboard of a series that will lead into the ongoing title. Maybe its because I'm not burnt out on the character...maybe its because I'm not knowledgeable enough to pick up on any redundant storylines or major gaping plot holes. Or, maybe its just because it was a damn fine story.
I'ma go with the last one.
If this is any indication of how Bendis is gonna handle Superman in his new ongoing title...well... let's just say that I've already put it on my pull list.
And that's the best compliment I can give it. For a guy that has been collecting comics for 30 some odd years and never had Superman on a pull list but now does...well...I think that's saying something! :)
With Bendis coming onto the book I figured I should take a peek.
Am I ever glad I did as I ended up really enjoying this mini springboard of a series that will lead into the ongoing title. Maybe its because I'm not burnt out on the character...maybe its because I'm not knowledgeable enough to pick up on any redundant storylines or major gaping plot holes. Or, maybe its just because it was a damn fine story.
I'ma go with the last one.
If this is any indication of how Bendis is gonna handle Superman in his new ongoing title...well... let's just say that I've already put it on my pull list.
And that's the best compliment I can give it. For a guy that has been collecting comics for 30 some odd years and never had Superman on a pull list but now does...well...I think that's saying something! :)
February 1, 2019
Loved the art. The story takes Superman in a new interesting direction. Lets see what BMB can do with him.
March 14, 2019
"He doesn't look like Superman without the shorts."
Still not entirely sure how I feel about this. Obviously whenever there's a switch in creative teams it takes some time getting used to the changes, some subtle, some not so much. And that's without the baggage of having Brian Michael Bendis onboard.
There are parts of this I feel are a direct response to the Zack Snyder's moody, depressive take on the DC films. There's a definite upbeat, old school vibe at times that makes me smile, I really love that classic view of Superman.
But it's not all "gee whiz, Superman!". There's some darker parts to this too for those who don't want to read a book of Superman rescuing cats from trees.
I think for the most part Bendis does a decent job on the characters. I like his Superman and his Batman. I'm not sure about his Clark Kent. I know the bumbling, awkward Clark is a legitimate interpretation but I've never really been a fan. Thankfully he doesn't turn it up to eleven, but it seems to be the version of Clark he's leaning towards.
My biggest issue is with the Lois and Jon section of the story. They are two of my favourite characters in the Superman universe and honestly it feels like Bendis doesn't know what to do with them so he's going out of his way to sideline them. I hope I'm wrong because I'd hate for Bendis to come along and fuck up the relationships Jon has formed throughout his journey.
So, it's a good start, but there are certain elements I'm worried about. Either way I will have to wait until the next volume before I'll know if my concerns are warranted or unfounded.
Still not entirely sure how I feel about this. Obviously whenever there's a switch in creative teams it takes some time getting used to the changes, some subtle, some not so much. And that's without the baggage of having Brian Michael Bendis onboard.
There are parts of this I feel are a direct response to the Zack Snyder's moody, depressive take on the DC films. There's a definite upbeat, old school vibe at times that makes me smile, I really love that classic view of Superman.
But it's not all "gee whiz, Superman!". There's some darker parts to this too for those who don't want to read a book of Superman rescuing cats from trees.
I think for the most part Bendis does a decent job on the characters. I like his Superman and his Batman. I'm not sure about his Clark Kent. I know the bumbling, awkward Clark is a legitimate interpretation but I've never really been a fan. Thankfully he doesn't turn it up to eleven, but it seems to be the version of Clark he's leaning towards.
My biggest issue is with the Lois and Jon section of the story. They are two of my favourite characters in the Superman universe and honestly it feels like Bendis doesn't know what to do with them so he's going out of his way to sideline them. I hope I'm wrong because I'd hate for Bendis to come along and fuck up the relationships Jon has formed throughout his journey.
So, it's a good start, but there are certain elements I'm worried about. Either way I will have to wait until the next volume before I'll know if my concerns are warranted or unfounded.
November 24, 2018
Superstar Brian Michael Bendis comes aboard at DC ... and it's disappointing.
I mean, he went straight back to the well of a supervillain whose main resume item is having destroyed Krypton, an idea that's not new, and in fact was used this decade in Superman: Earth One, Volume 1. And, that supervillain is a big stupid Doomsday-type foe, which pretty much never leads to good storytelling. Someone even recognizes the similarity with the Death of Superman inspired cover to issue #5. And there's a gratuitous, marque loss of life, just to prove what a big-bad he is, that will have to be reversed at some point. Finally, we get a total deus ex machina to end the story, one that could have been pulled out at any time.
Oh, and I continue to be unthrilled by the use of "Jor-el", another modern-day happenstance that I'm waiting to be reversed. But at least he's less gloaty and evil than in Superman: Action Comics - The Oz Effect.
Besides all of this, Bendis makes really amateur use of a out-of-sequence story that just muddles the whole narrative. And meanwhile, we get a second plotline about fires that's never resolved.
On the plus side: good new supporting cast members, interesting storytelling, and a great setup from that out-of-sequence story. But it's not enough to save this uneven mess of a story.
(2.5 stars, and so on the line that I had hard times picking between 2 or 3.)
I mean, he went straight back to the well of a supervillain whose main resume item is having destroyed Krypton, an idea that's not new, and in fact was used this decade in Superman: Earth One, Volume 1. And, that supervillain is a big stupid Doomsday-type foe, which pretty much never leads to good storytelling. Someone even recognizes the similarity with the Death of Superman inspired cover to issue #5. And there's a gratuitous, marque loss of life, just to prove what a big-bad he is, that will have to be reversed at some point. Finally, we get a total deus ex machina to end the story, one that could have been pulled out at any time.
Oh, and I continue to be unthrilled by the use of "Jor-el", another modern-day happenstance that I'm waiting to be reversed. But at least he's less gloaty and evil than in Superman: Action Comics - The Oz Effect.
Besides all of this, Bendis makes really amateur use of a out-of-sequence story that just muddles the whole narrative. And meanwhile, we get a second plotline about fires that's never resolved.
On the plus side: good new supporting cast members, interesting storytelling, and a great setup from that out-of-sequence story. But it's not enough to save this uneven mess of a story.
(2.5 stars, and so on the line that I had hard times picking between 2 or 3.)
March 19, 2025
In comes Rogol Zaar, out goes Rogol Zaar
I read this many series right after starting Snyder's Batman/Superman Vol2: World's Deadliest, as in the first pages Rogol Zaar and his destruction of Kandor was mentioned as the opening of the story, and since I've been going deeper and deeper in the Metal arc and consequent works, I've been finding the storyline branching and looping with other works, which made me decide to pause the reading order at Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen, and go back to complete Batman/ Superman to cover one of the continuously growing sideroads. And at the first page I find myself at yet another junction!
Thankfully, this is a sealed mini-series with no further or prior direct links, yet the story had some aspects that I believe to have been explained/ originated somewhere else and being played here as apparent parts of the story that need no explanation, like the fact the Louis and Kent are married, the appearance of Superman's father, and the alternate probable future of Super Man's son.
As said, the story is good, but the character of Rogol Zaar was new to me, so I don't know if he is one of the rouster of villains that have been always there and thus no need to build up a character history for him, or it was the early introduction of him, and he will show up in later works to explain himself and his source of hatred to Krypton...
MiM
I read this many series right after starting Snyder's Batman/Superman Vol2: World's Deadliest, as in the first pages Rogol Zaar and his destruction of Kandor was mentioned as the opening of the story, and since I've been going deeper and deeper in the Metal arc and consequent works, I've been finding the storyline branching and looping with other works, which made me decide to pause the reading order at Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen, and go back to complete Batman/ Superman to cover one of the continuously growing sideroads. And at the first page I find myself at yet another junction!
Thankfully, this is a sealed mini-series with no further or prior direct links, yet the story had some aspects that I believe to have been explained/ originated somewhere else and being played here as apparent parts of the story that need no explanation, like the fact the Louis and Kent are married, the appearance of Superman's father, and the alternate probable future of Super Man's son.
As said, the story is good, but the character of Rogol Zaar was new to me, so I don't know if he is one of the rouster of villains that have been always there and thus no need to build up a character history for him, or it was the early introduction of him, and he will show up in later works to explain himself and his source of hatred to Krypton...
MiM
January 22, 2023
Pretty... pretty... pretty bad. It's not just that Bendis doesn't understand the characters. It isn't even that Bendis forces the plot and characters to go places that very few Superman fans are likely to appreciate. It's the fact that this shit is nearly unreadable. I mean-- I thought Bendis was this superstar comic book writer-savant, that poaching his ass from Marvel was some kind of coup for DC, but this is some of the worst sequential art storytelling I have ever read. It's just awful, stupid, and, frankly, insipid. It's almost as if Brian Michael Bendis doesn't think readers like you and me can tell the difference between a story and a nonsensical progression of words and images that sort of look like a Superman comic, if you squint.
The ONLY REASON this gets a second 🌟 from me is because of the wasted inclusion of art by talents like José Luis García-López, Ivan Reis, Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, and Kevin Maguire .
The ONLY REASON this gets a second 🌟 from me is because of the wasted inclusion of art by talents like José Luis García-López, Ivan Reis, Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, and Kevin Maguire .
December 28, 2018
Not bad, but Bendis hasn't really changed his methods from his Marvel days. He likes to change what was canon, in this case, modifying Supes' origin, not so much the 'what' but the 'why'. He creates 'mystery' by changing the status quo (Clark and Lois' relationship) but not really telling you what happened until later. He creates drama by introducing new characters as well as repeating dialogue and sequences over and over again, giving you slightly more each time (which to me is just to take up pages.)
There's inherently nothing wrong with this volume, it's just Bendis has a way of shaking things up, but never really delivering on expectations or promises. Overall the art is pretty good throughout.
There's inherently nothing wrong with this volume, it's just Bendis has a way of shaking things up, but never really delivering on expectations or promises. Overall the art is pretty good throughout.
July 10, 2018
BENDIS FIRST FULL VOLUME OF DC WORK. And it's really good. Very Bendis and you can see he's already trying to shake things up, but I think he has a good handle on Superman. It also doesn't hurt that he's teamed with some amazing artists here.
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