Superman, Vol. 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El

Superman (2018)

by Brian Michael Bendis, Ivan Reis (Artist), Brandon Peterson (Artist)

The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather, Jor-El, changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. The Unity Saga continues, and truly unites the House of El-as Superman, Jor-El, Supergirl and Superboy face intergalactic attacks from Rogol Zaar, General Zod and an armada of alien warriors and assassins! Collects SUPERMAN issues #7-15.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Dc Comics, Superman, Superheroes, Comic Book, Graphic Novels Comics

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 26, 2019

About the author

A 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.

Reviews

[Sean Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not exactly Mark Waid on Birthright, but Bendis is spinning himself a pretty fine Superman yarn here. Well, check that—it’s really more of a House of El family yarn, with Superman almost an ancillary character relative to his son Jon (aka Superboy) and dear old dad, Jor-El. It’s a little bit cheap, but Bendis leverages decades of Superman history to bestow upon Kal a galactic reputation such that, when he simply shows up in the midst of a raging three-party battle in the middle of outer space (can you be in the middle of outer space?), everyone stops and looks chastened, like grandma just walked in on them masturbating.

Reis (primarily) and Peterson draw a certain type of superhero book—big, heroic, money-shot-y—with supreme skill, and it’s the perfect complement to Bendis’s spacefaring epic.

I’m already signed up for Vol. 3. Hopefully with fewer sticky-handed, guilt-shamed aliens.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this arc. I hated that Bendis aged Jon to 17 just so he could take over the Superboy role in the Legion of Super-Heroes. I really loved the relationship Peter Tomasi established with Supes and Jon. Watching Superman be the greatest Pa on the planet was a joy that left me with a warm feeling each issue. I hate to see that end. I don't know why writers are always in such a hurry to age up kids in comics. Once they get older, it tends to be the same stories over and over until they feel the need to introduce a new kid to replace the current Superboy, Robin, Kid Flash, etc.

I loved the reintroduction of the LSH. It's good to see the team back. I felt like Bendis left a lot on the table with Rogol Zaar and Jor-El. We still haven't seen their role in the destruction of Krypton even though it looks like their story may be over for now. The stuff he's establishing with the House of El and Superman's role in the galaxy is really great.

Ivan Reis is the man. I love the classic, epic feel he brings to his art.

[Artemy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truthfully, I think this arc lost a bit of steam midway through, and ultimately felt a tad too long. But it's still really solid and fun Superman book that just tells the story it wants to tell, it's pure classic superhero comics escapism and there's nothing wrong with that. Bendis still has a phenomenal handle on Superman and Super-family characterisation, and to those who are tired of Rogol Zaar (which, I admit, I too started to get towards the end of this arc) — the book seems to be done with him, at least for now. I really look forward to what will come in the next book, everything that's been teased so far of Bendis's Legion of Super-Heroes looks rad as hell. As a massive Superman fan I'm still very into what Bendis is doing with him, and I couldn't be more happy that he ripped the character away from the hacky hands of Tomasi and Jurgens.

[Теодор Панов · Rating 5 out of 5]

„Superman, Volume 2: The Unity Saga: The House of El“ задържа отличното си ниво от първата част, дори тук нещата достигат до още по-големи висоти. През първата 1/3 от комикса се разкрива историята на Джон Кент и липсващите години. Има прескачане в паралелни светове, което води до появата на Ultraman – Kal-Il (Earth 3) и SuperWoman.
А Джор-Ел пък е забъркал една наистина страхотна каша.



Битката се пренася в космоса, а броят на супергероите и злодеите нараства непрекъснато. Историята придобива супермащаб, а сраженията са умопомрачителни. Като Супермен, Супербой (Джон Кент) и Супергърл обединяват сили срещу общия враг Рогол Зар.


😱

Комиксът предлага една шеметна история, изпълнена с множество шокиращи обрати.



Оценка: 4.6

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up I was never a huge Superman fan. I guess when young, or teenager, you're always going to be more into the ultra violent "badass" superheroes. So Supes was scratched off my list really early on in my comic reading days. As I got older I started to be more attached to a guy just trying to do the right thing. Then when he had a kid, and I am now a father, I relate even more.

So Peter had been killing it on the main Superman line in rebirth. Sure, some arcs towards the end got wacky but the family moments really hit. I loved everything with Jon and Clark and Lois. It all worked really well. Then came Brian Michael Bendis, and one of the first things he does is age Jon 7 years, making him a 17-18 year old teenager. Twitter exploded, and I'll admit even I was taken aback. People loved this new kid Superboy, especially Super sons with Damien and Jon together. So why go and ruin that?

Well this is the volume that actually proved to me age really doesn't matter. The reason I loved Jon, besides his innocence, was his eagerness to prove to his dad he's a hero but also a good boy(man) and always be respectful. This Jon here hasn't changed a bit. Still filled with eagerness to prove his worth while protecting those who need it. We still have Superboy in his prime (no pun intended) just a tad bit older.

This volume focuses on the return of Superman's son but we get to learn why he aged. The story is actually sad and it made me worry for a huge twist but luckily it didn't go a bad way. With that we get pretty much the entire house of el, and more, teaming up to finally take out the crazy son of a bitch who keeps trying to kill him. On top of that Superman has to figure a way to bring all the space communities together.

Overall, this was great! I truly loved everything with Jon. I also enjoyed the dialogue a lot with Jon, his father, and mother. It rang true, it gave us emotion, and the feelings hit you all at once. The art is pure bliss, as each fight scene is bigger and better than the last. Bendis builds a universe around these characters and it all works so well.

My one negative was probably the way they stop the villain. It all happened a bit too fast.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this chapter. This might be my favorite Superman story since the first arc or two in Superman rebirth. A wonderful comic for Superman fans! A 4.5 out of 5.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This eventful 2nd volume takes Superman out on a cosmic adventure and teams him up with his entire Kryptonian family, in a story about Krypton's legacy involving everything from General Zod, Jor-El, and Rogol Zaar. There's a ton of material and action packed into this one volume and it even ties into the Supergirl comic in cool ways.



There's a lot of controversy shadowing this volume with many people up angry and up in arms about a decision made in regards to Jonathan Kent's character. While it would have been great to continue the growth of the character the way that Tomasi and Jurgens introduced in Rebirth, and I will miss that, it has to end at some point and I don't necessarily see this as being a terrible idea. I'm waiting to see how it all plays out! This volume was so very enjoyable on its own though.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did start to lose interest in this midway. It felt a little repetitive and retreading the same ground. But it’s an okay readable arc. I am curious to check out his Legion stuff, though I might trade wait...

*just read issue 15, which is the actual end of this arc, and it does end nicely. I think Bendis just needs to work on his “getting there”

[Jesse A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressive work from BMB. I dont generally love Supes in space but this story does well and doesnt overstay its welcome.

2nd read: A bit busy at times, with too much monologing, but I enjoyed the art and the story overall was good.

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

There are characters in the fictional world that were created so long ago that their stories are known by just about everyone and anyone without actually taking an interest in them. To change the smallest thing about their lives would be called a heresy, but in the hands of the right person, anything is possible. Writer Brian Michael Bendis attempts the impossible as he takes on Superman's saga and brings changes to his story that no one else would dare to think about. From bringing out the Man of Steel's paternal instincts to unveiling the unknown regarding his home planet Krypton, the upcoming revisions to his lore will redefine his character in unimaginable ways.

What is Superman: Unity Saga: The House of El about? Picking up exactly where the previous story arc left off, writer Brian Michael Bendis further revamps Superman's history through his son Jon Kent's dramatic transformation and his sudden discoveries of the universe. The story then shifts its attention to Superman's father Jor-El and looks into his own history and the secrets that he has been hiding from everyone else as galactic warfare forces his hands and ties him directly to Superman's newest threat Rogol Zaar. Collecting issues #7-15, this lengthy story arc continues to expand and transform a well-known lore into a brand-new avenue promising change and a new kind of hope.

It is jaw-dropping what writer Brian Michael Bendis accomplishes through this comic book series while building up his Leviathan event on the side—even making an effort of mentioning it in this narrative as Superman takes a pause from it to help his son, returned from an epic adventure in space with his grandfather, as he requires immediate assistance in a troubling dilemma. While the story arc begins by looking at the existential crisis embraced by both Jon and Jor-El as well as the parental bond that suffered immensely from the loss of precious time between Superman, Lois Lane, and their son, the story takes a quick dive into Krypton's history and its secret origin covered within another conspiracy.

While the focus is lost as the narrative progresses, there is an appreciatable effort put into reworking the foundation of Superman's life and lore through other characters, especially that of his son Jon Kent. In fact, writer Brian Michael Bendis does a terrifying beautiful job in connecting his story with that of the ongoing stories in the DC universe through beautiful integral references. He also isn't scared of rebuilding some of the political overtones of galactic drama while setting up the stage for brand-new storylines, e.g. the arrival of the Legion of Superheroes. At the cost of some concision, a desire for revitalizing Superman's mythology was thus privileged.

To accompany writer Brian Michael Bendis in this journey is an impressive cast of artists who did a fantastic job in capturing the epic scope of his tale. Among these talented pencilers is Ivan Reis, known for his ability to draw bombastic sequences that remind readers that certain creatures are far bigger than humans and that Earth is much smaller once you enter a galaxy squirming with countless other lifeforms from a myriad of planets. There are also some very original splash pages that invite the reader to rotate the graphic novel to appreciate the grandeur of certain sequences. Colourist Alex Sinclair furthermore ameliorates the visual style through vibrant colours, stylistic gradients, and lively contrasts.

Superman: Unity Saga: The House of El is an ambitious and daunting expansion of Superman's lore through his son's quest for purpose through self-discovery.

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Tiag⊗ the Mutant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superman makes so much more sense in space, Brian Michael Bendis just got me into Superman with this story arc, I just hope it goes on for a long while.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, Superman’s son, Jon, returns from his adventure with grandpa Jor-El and he has aged up to a 17 year old. Jon tells Lois and Suoes what happened and we get to see it all play out. Jon and Jor-El flying around all over outer space getting caught up in all kinds of ish. After hearing all of this, Superman takes Jon and goes looking for his dad. Rogol Zoar is back and we learn some juicy tidbits about his background and more secrets about the destruction of Krypton. So far I have been having a blast with Bendis’ Superman and Reis and Peterson have been killing it on the art. Looking for to keeping the train rolling with the next volume.

[Baba · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another surprisingly weak Bendis installment of Superman! Jon recounts his story of his lost years (which could have been a Hell of a lot better and/or intriguing), before the reunions are complete the House of EL has some tidying up to (hectic plotting and art), until the final pay-off is towards the end when a conspiracy is revealed that has been built up over Bendis' previous issues.. so hopefully this is going somewhere special. 6 out of 12... It all needs a bit more of a serious approach to building a Bendis DC legacy

[Rory Wilding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been reading the trades of Brian Michael Bendis' two runs on the Man of Steel, I've enjoyed Action Comics more than Superman as the former better showcases the character through his mild-mannered alter-ego using his journalistic skills, whilst pairing up with his wife, Lois Lane. Bendis' run on the main Superman title explores the cosmic side of the character, which at times can be too grand and facing monstrous figures that I don't care about as shown in the first volume.

Although the previous volume ended with the return of his super-son Jon, the story sets up the family reunion that I really wanted to see. As someone who read Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's run on Superman, which wonderfully explored Clark Kent's role as father and husband, as well as making his wife and their son as main characters in the book, what works best about this volume is seeing this family dynamic returned and changed, not least with Jon having aged from an eleven-year-old to a seventeen-tear-old over the course of three weeks.

Although we do see Lois and Jon journeying across the galaxy with Clark's biological father Jor-El, Lois realises the galactic danger that is out there and has no place there, hence returning to Earth. As for Jon, he is trying to find a purpose than just being Superman's offspring, whilst wrestling with his relationship towards his grandfather, who clearly has issues, from secretly knowing that his home planet of Krypton will be destroyed to suddenly causing a number of worlds across the galaxy to be at war with each other.

There is a lot going on here in terms of intergalactic politics and over the course of nine issues, this section of The Unity Saga overstays its welcome and even suffers from some of the problems from before, such as the antagonistic presence of Rogor Zaal, who we finally get his origin and reveal whether or not he was the destroyer of Krypton. Again, I don't really care about that stuff, but what makes this book better than the previous volume in how it depicts the family, both as the Kents and the Els.

Bendis has proven himself to be a fine writer of Superman himself as you have some cool moments from Supes, but the standout is Superboy. Starting off a somewhat cocky pre-teen superhero who tries to stand his ground against the likes of Lobo, to suddenly fall into a black hole, leading him to being imprisoned on a volcano by the Crime Syndicate of America. This whole section is surprisingly dark, but when Jon reunites with his parents, he lets them know that he never falls into the abyss and will always be the son he know and love, despite the age difference, which also showcases the parents' regret of not being able to be with their son as he grow.

Considering how baggy the story can be, from the politics of the spectacle, it is credited to the primary artwork from Ivan Reis and Brandon Peterson to make this splended visual read. Pencilling Jon and Jor-El's stories from the past, Peterson's art has a more modern art-style compared to the classical presentation of Reis' art. That said, both artists serve to tell the story that Bendis tells, comprising of cosmic set-pieces showcasing the various aliens battling each other, whilst various members of the House of El – including Krypto the Superdog – show off their incredible powers. Like I said, Rogor Zaal is not that interesting, but getting his ass kicked is a pleasure to read.

Ending in a grand moment of hope, which seems appropriate for Superman, it opens the door for an interesting continuation for The Unity Saga, whilst setting Superboy's future status as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, of which Bendis is writing.

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am feeling a bit more caught up now on what happened to John.

Overall fairly interesting but an ending that doesn't fit the action of the rest of the book...but very superman.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon returns from his trip with Jor-El, only for Superman to discover that his ten year old son is now a seventeen year old teenager. What the hell happened? Then, because of course he does, Rogol Zaar attacks! What is the truth behind the destruction of Krypton, and what do the Legion Of Super-Heroes have to do with anything?

This is definitely an improvement on the first arc of the series, I can say that much with confidence. The first few issues detail what happened to Jon, although it's mostly just an excuse to bring back some dead characters since they don't seem to actually influence Jon at all despite the story potential of meeting evil versions of his parents.

Once we get back to reality, the Rogol Zaar story returns with a vengeance despite me hoping against hope that it was going to be forgotten. What's really annoying is that the real revelations about Zaar and the destruction of Krypton are kind of glossed over, and are only really covered in detail over in Supergirl instead, so you're just meant to accept them rather than ask any more questions. And then the Legion show up at the end because Bendis needs to use two issues of this series, plus a two-issue mini-series, to spin-off another book because Bendis.

His family interactions are pretty good however. Lois and Clark, Clark and Jon, Lois and Jon, and Kara and everyone really shine through as a true family, and any time Krypto shows up is brilliant. I was also a fan of the final send-off for Jor-El; if he had to be written out, Bendis does a pretty perfect way of doing it.

And of course the art's brilliant. Ivan Reis and Brandon Petersen tag-team most of the issues, and you can't fault any of them. Reis is obviously the stronger of the two, but Petersen's work lands on its own merit.

We're moving in the right direction; hopefully now that fucking Rogol Zaar has been put to bed, we can move even faster.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, it sure was a saga! In fact, with it's throughline of family separation and re-unification under trying circumstances it was even a little like...Saga. Which is never a bad thing!

Like many others I'm of mixed feelings how Jon was summarily aged-up here, but given how artfully it was done and how invested BMB is with the whole Young Heroes angle at DC I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that it wasn't done lightly.

Also, another thing holding this whole series back has been the "meh" factor surrounding Rogol Zar. I just don't find him all that compelling or menacing, which is bad news when he's meant to be the "heavy" holding the seams of the story together.



But I'm definitely going to keep reading!

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lost interest halfway

[Xavier Hugonet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second part of Bendis follow up to his Man of Steel mini-series shows us what happened to Lois and Jon after its conclusion. Another family thing happens that riled up part of the readers. Not the fact that Jor-El is completely bonkers, as anyone having followed Rebirth already knew that. This is a satisfying story, in which Bendis gives a coherent explanation on why he introduced a crossbred Lobo and Doomsday as the new destroyer of Krypton. It also serves as a launch for another one of his DC titles.

[Sans · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time away from Bendis (and his ego) is good. Made me act kind of like this. Or at least be able to honestly say it wasn’t terrible!

[Steve Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.

More adventure and fun in the Superman universe.

[Iris Nevers · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read in single issues]

Bendis's Superman is a little weird, to tell you the truth. He's spastic and doesnt seem to act like, well, Superman.

Also what's up with Lois? I cant begin to describe all the problems with Lois.

[Christian Zamora-Dahmen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bendis has a plan for his run in the Superman books. It's a good plan, but it's just one single plan. This translates into a story that drags for too long, and when it's about to reach a resolution, it takes a little detour so it can keep going and going and going.
I'm all about exploring a plot, but at some point it goes a bit stale when it doesn't move forward.
At the end of this volume we get an idea of a resolution for the Zaar plot line, but either the closing was a bit underwhelming, or it's not over yet.
On a final note, the arrival of the Legion is definitely a highlight. But let's be honest, it is yet another detour to avoid coming to a real ending.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packs a lot in each punch.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, didn't love this volume. It felt a little long(?) in some places. I usually like long arcs, but I felt like in House of El I never got a clear & straightforward answer on the destruction of Krypton, so the whole arc felt draggy. You know what I mean?

Superman, Volume 1: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth ends with Jon Kent returning from his summer trip across the galaxy with Grandpa Jor-El...aged up about 6-7 years. Apparently, Lois had returned at some point in Superman, Volume 1: The Unity Saga: Phantom Earth, we just didn't know it. Jon's reunion with his parents was kinda bittersweet. They are so sad to have missed out of 6 years of his life (having last seen him as an 11-year-old), and then I was sad, because Superman's relationship with Jon has been the best thing about the Superman comics I read over the last few years. And now we've missed out on years of Clark's good parenting & bonding with his child. :(
(The reunion with Lois was funny though with Superman covering Jon's eyes lol.)

I continued to feel like the dialogue is choppy here (like it was in Vol. 1). It's all very quick and "smart", like the characters know exactly what the other is thinking and they speak to what the other is about to say next and not what they just said (I call this "Gilmore Girls writing".). Clark and Lois do it a lot in this book, and maybe that's to show how in synch they are, but I didn't love it.

Jor-El is supposed to be a real piece of garbage, but if you were just reading from Vol. 1, you would have no idea why, which I hate. Anything explanatory about Jor-El (and Rogol Zaar) was from The Man of Steel. But even when I read that I didn't understand why Jor-El was supposed to be bad. Did it happen off-page? In a series prior?
Anyway, Jor-El was part of a secret galactic elite, and they kept information of Krypton's impending doom from the people. Because of that Superman thinks Jor-El is to blame for the destruction of their race... But I didn't get that from the book. Jor-El says the people of Krypton would have called him a heretic if he didn't get the Kryptonian Council's blessing/go-ahead about his findings, so he begs the secret shady cabal to push his information through, and they dismiss him. He tried! He really did. And, then it was too late.

Anyway, the leaders of the cabal go after Jor-El to shush him up and they are about to start an all-out intergalactic war when Jon suggests they create a space UN. A united body representing all planets and people equally to solve issues going forward. I agree with Adam Strange; I'm surprised it hadn't been suggested before.
Well, anyway. Jon successfully creates the United Planets on what is then called Unity Day. The Legion of Super-Heros show up to party & Bendis takes the opportunity to recast Superboy in Superman's place in the LSH (the LSH want Jon to join them in the 31st Century & offer him a place in the LSH). It feels weird, but OK.
(I personally don't like the LSH. Too many members...)

Superman ends up "speaking for Earth" at the United Planets creation, and we get the throwback to Martian Manhunter in Vol. 1 saying Earth will need Superman to step up for them as a leader. Pretty prophetic.
I also liked how both Superman and Zor-El were having dreams & daydreams of a united galaxy. Cute. (Especially looking at how the batfamily was drawn in Superman's daydream of the future. Very cute!)

The end: Jor-El gets arrested and convicted (I still don't get why). And get's sent back to Krypton at the moment of destruction as punishment...to the point where he had escaped from... So, I guess I won't get more answers from him, since he's now dead. Great.


3 stars.



One extra thing I did not love. I know it was supposed to be a cute throw-away line, but in the first secret cabal meeting we see of Jor-El trying to get help for Krypton, one of the shadow figures (I think it is Myand'r, the king of Tamaran) says he had his chief science officer leave his cousin's Bar Mitzvah to check Krypton's radiation readings for him & while it’s potentially cute to see alien Jews (though theologically that doesn’t make so much sense), I would just really rather no one mention Jews at a secret cabal meeting... Not when there's a very real global conspiracy theory alive and well in 2022 that Jews control the world. K? Thanx.

[Benjamin Kimble · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a mess. First Jon is back from his journey through space with Jor-El after having been aged up from 10 to 17, and he says that grandpa is crazy. WHICH WE ALL KNEW THATS LITERALLY HOW WE LEFT HIM WHY DID YOU EVER GO WITH HIM?!?!!? If you can’t tell I’m a bit upset and think the writing is pretty weak. Then we get the story of Jon in space dragged out over four issues. It was so dull and boring. How do you make a road trip through space boring? I don’t know but Bendis does. Then the whole galaxy is fighting Jor-El for crimes that only get partly explained at the very end. Suddenly Jon has the idea of creating a United Nations but for space called the United Planets. It’s so dumb but everyone just instantly agrees. Also the Legion gets shoehorned in so Bendis can launch that book next. What made me extra mad is that this governing body, in their first action, sentences Jor-El to die at Krypton’s explosion, WITHOUT INFORMING SUPERMAN WHO MADE HIMSELF THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM EARTH. In their first action they go against any principle they might have ever had. The writing is all over the place, clunky, and rarely makes sense. The art on the other hand is consistently good. The flashback stuff is done by Brandon Peterson and he’s got an alright style that works for a teenagers recollections. The present day stuff is done by Ivan Reis and it is very good, he’s phenomenal. Although there is an overuse of spread pages. I understand he’s great at them, but two to three times an issue is too many. They start to get jumbled and mushy after that. I didn’t not like this book and have very little hope for the rest of Bendis time on the Superman title.

[Rolando Marono · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bendis me sigue sorprendiendo gratamente con su run de Superman. Este tomo, a pesar de su longitud, me entretuvo bastante y aunque me quedé dormido a la mitad, cuando desperté lo primero que hice fue seguir leyendo.
La trama es mucho menos compleja y densa que el tomo anterior. Se concentra en contarnos las aventuras de Jon y su abuelo. Me gustó esa parte, pero Jon se la pasa diciendo que el abuelo está loco y las cosas que cuenta, no me parece que lo esté. Jon se encuentra con unos personajes bastante interesantes de otra dimensión y eso me gustó pero lo que hace ese personaje con Jon no me pareció interesante ni original.
Mi mayor problema con el tomo es que al final, en la conclusión del enfrentamiento contra Rogor Zal, descubren algunas cosas sobre el pero parecen sacadas de la manga, no están muy bien explicadas.
El cambio de status para Superman al final del tomo, me gustó. Y creo que en el tercer tomo de esta historia, podrían suceder cosas bastante interesantes.

[Adam Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was apprehensive about a lot of changes that Brian Michael Bendis made to Superman...particularly with Superboy now being turned to a teenager. This book justifies the change and explains while also presenting a compelling cosmic quest that ties into what happened to Krypton, what Jor-el's been up to and brings a bit of a turn for Zod as a character. On top of that, I think Bendis does get a better with writing Lois Lane.

The art does feature a lot of big spreads-single page and two page, but I think the cosmic epic nature of the story can justify it.

If I had a fault with the story, it's the big solution to the huge problem at the center of the destruction of Krypton is a bit cheesy and unoriginal. This epic probably could have tightened but this isn't one of those Bendis stories that scream, "Padded!" Given that this is a 9-issue story, that says a lot about the book.

[Mariano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This keeps getting better. This is the "fighsty" title from Bendis but this volume felt more about the EL family, with some lovely moments.

There are some questionable things, like Jon going through all that and just being "ok", but we know it was just an excuse to make him grow and not an actual plot point. But anyway, having all the family together, including Krypto was awesome. It makes me want a more Superman family title like Batman has sometimes.

[Daddis08 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the characterization of the Super family, and Bendis writes the family interactions with an expert hand. My biggest gripe is the constant narrative jumps. I often felt like I was missing a part of the story and important things were happening of the page.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing Superman story!
With the shocking ending of Volume 1 featuring the return of a now teen Superboy, I knew we would get quite a bit of backstory, Jon having been out in space with Jor-El. What ended up happening changes the entire DC Universe for the better!
Highlights:
- Jon recaps the events that Lois already knew, including when she decided to leave him with Jor-El
- Jon tells of how Jor-El starting acting insane and it caused a rift between them that widened even further when Jon got sucked through a wormhole to Earth-3, dropping right in front of the Crime Syndicate
- Ultraman keeps Jon in a volcano prison for years and he eventually escapes, where he learns to survive on the streets until he is ready to try to get back home again. His attempt gets him noticed by Superwoman, who tries to kill him, but Jor-El, having looked through time and space for years, is able to save Jon.
- Jor-El puts them into a conflict with 3 armies AND Rogol Zaar, and seeing his grandson in too much danger, teleports him back to Earth, which is where this all began.
- Jon and Clark head to space (joined later by Kara and Krypto) to stop Rogol Zaar and figure out why Jor-El is being attacked. Turns out that Jor-El is part of a galactic conspiracy to cover up the destruction of Krypton. A cease fire and peace summit is held to discuss everything.
- At the peace summit, Jon suggests galactic peace through the formation of the "United Planets" (like Earth's United Nations). As the idea is being discussed, a huge group of people come through an opening. They proclaim themselves as the "Legion of Super-Heroes" from the 31st Century, coming back to celebrate Unity Day... though they have arrived 5 minutes too early. Nonetheless, peace is achieved and Jon is invited to join the Legion and visit the 31st Century.

Overall, I love that Superman has become a title where the entire story can be put into one graphic novel. I really hope the ramifications of this event echo throughout all the other books in DC. Bendis is doing amazing with this title. Strong recommend.