Tag Dan Jurgens

An Action Comics #1052 Micro-Review – Kryptonian Variety

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Action Comics 1052, cover, February 2023, Steve BeachTITLE: Action Comics #1052
AUTHORS: Philip Kennedy Johnson, Dan Jurgens, Leah Willias
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Steve Beach.

RELEASED: February 28, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Action Comics is stronger these days than it’s been in quite some time. There’s a really nice variety being presented here in terms of both writing and art. That’s thanks to the two back-up features we’re getting, one acting as a sequel to the old Lois and Clark comic, the other dedicated to Power Girl. I confess, I’m partial to the former, as I was a big fan of Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks’ work on the old book.

Really strong opening sequence this month with Superman and Metallo by Rafa Sandoval and colorist Matt Herms. 

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

An Action Comics #1051 Micro-Review – Family, Quality, and a Boob Joke

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**This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Action Comics 1051, cover, January 24, 2023TITLE: Action Comics #1051
AUTHORS: Philip Kennedy Johnson, Dan Jurgens, Leah Williams
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Dan Mora. 
RELEASED: January 24, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’ve never been a huge fan of Superman having an extended “family” the way someone like Batman does. To me, it ruins his whole “Last Son of Krypton” thing. But damn, look at that cover. At least Dan Mora makes them look good.

There’s an “untold chapter” in this issue from Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks’ Lois and Clark series. It’s quality, just like that series was.

Power Girl also gets a spotlight story in this issue, complete with a boob joke. Because I guess we can’t have a Power Girl story without at least one boob joke. Oye…

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The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 Micro-Review –

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special 1, cover, November 2022, Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Brad AndersonTITLE: The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1
AUTHORS: Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Jurgens, Brett Breeding, & Brad Anderson

RELEASED: November 8, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

For those of us who were around back when Superman “died” in the early ’90s, this is a nice little supplement featuring many of the same creators who worked on the classic story.

The main feature sees a young Jon Kent learn about the big fight with Doomsday as his father fights an opponent named Doombreaker that’s almost identical. It’s a great performance on both the writing and art side by Dan Jurgens.

Meanwhile Steel gets a back-up story written by his creators Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove. The affection they have for him is evident on the page.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1 Micro-Review – Nightwing’s Bad Hair Day

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Justice League Road to Dark Crisis 1, cover, 2022, Daniel SampereTITLE: Justice League: Road to Dark Crisis #1
AUTHORS: Joshua Williamson, Various
ARTISTS: Dan Jurgens, Various. Cover by Daniel Sampere & Alejandro Sanchez.

RELEASED: May 31, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Not the most thrilling collection of short stories I’ve ever read. I still don’t have a strong sense of what exactly Dark Crisis is about, outside of the fact that the Justice League is “dead.” Is that it? Is that our premise?

The best thing in here is probably the opener by Joshua Williamson and Dan Jurgens. It’s a story about Jon Kent and Dick Grayson coming to grips with a world without a Justice League. But oddly enough, what stuck out the most to me was the awkward way Jurgens drew Nightwing’s hair…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Blue and Gold #1 Micro-Review – The Boys are Back!

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Blue and Gold 1, cover, 2021, Ryan SookTITLE: Blue and Gold #1 (of 8)
AUTHOR: Dan Jurgens
ARTISTS: Ryan Sook, Rob Leigh (Letterer)
RELEASED: July 20, 2021

I do have to deduct points from this issue, as it uses that obnoxious “bros before heroes” line from Heroes in Crisis.

But other than that, I can’t find much mud to sling at Blue and Gold #1. When these two are being written by someone who really gets their dynamic, they’re a lot of fun to read. And I imagine very few get it better than Jurgens, who created Booster. Sook’s art is also gorgeous.

There’s probably enough meat on the bone here for these two to have their own ongoing series. But one step at a time.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

DC’s Infinite Frontier #0 – A Rapid Fire Review

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Couldn’t jam Infinite Frontier into an edition of “Weekly Comic 100s,” so we decided to upgrade the format. We’ll cover each story in this oversized issue in rapid fire fashion, and take a glimpse into DC’s future (not to be confused with Future State).

TITLE: Infinite Frontier #0
AUTHORS: Various
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Dan Jurgens & Mikel Janin.
RELEASED: March 2, 2021

Justice League: Wait, so is Black Adam’s name changing to Shazadam or not? I thought it wasn’t.

Batman: This one’s split into two parts. I’m liking this premise where Barbara Gordon mentors Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain in a Birds of Prey sort of way.

Also, Bane dies. Let’s see how long that lasts…

Wonder Woman: Apparently Wonder Woman did something super big and important in Dark Nights: Death Metal, so now she’s elevated to “the Quintessence” council with Phantom Stranger, the Spectre, etc., and we need a new Wonder Woman. Which is going to be…Wonder Woman’s mother Hippolyta? I think? Honestly, I don’t really get it…

Wonder Girl: So Yara Flor, the Future State Wonder Woman, is going to be the new Wonder Girl. That could be cool. But she only gets a few pages here. Frankly, I’d rather have spent more time with her than the ladies of Themyscera. We still don’t know much about her, after all.

Green Lantern: Alan Scott: In a very heartfelt scene, Alan comes out to his children as a gay man. That’s pretty cool. I’m also excited DC is borrowing from The New Frontier, and making it canon that the Justice Society was shut down during the era of McCarthyism.

Teen Titans Academy: Not much to go on here. But I continue to be optimistic about Teen Titans Academy.

Superman: Interestingly, we focus not on Clark Kent here, but Jonathan Kent. It looks very similar to what we saw in Future State. I’m not nearly as optimistic for that sort of thing here as I am with Wonder Woman…

Green Arrow & Black Canary: It looks like they’re undoing one of the deaths from Heroes in Crisis, which is a good thing. The less we have to remember from that book, the better.

Stargirl: Right off the bat, I love the art on this one. It reminds me of the original Young Justice book. A nice little teenager superhero outing by Geoff Johns. After all these years, I still miss him on Teen Titans…

Green Lanterns: We see John Stewart, Simon Baz, and Keli “Teen Lantern” Quintela here. If they’re going to do a new Green Lanterns book, I wouldn’t mind one about the three of them as a team.

The Flash: This one gets a little far out in terms of cosmic scope. But it ends with some news that should make Wally West fans happy. I’m certainly intrigued.

Overall: A good outing, worth the $5.99 price tag. This is what I was hoping those Generations Shattered and Generations Forged books would be like. A jumping on point for various parts of the DCU.

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Weekly Comic 100s: DC Future State, Star Wars: The High Republic, and More!

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***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Dark Nights: Death Metal isn’t my thing. Just not my flavor of ice cream. But apparently it just changed the DC Universe on a cosmic level. So I had to do a little research.

Apparently, coming out of Death Metal, the DC Multiverse is now a DC Omniverse. An omniverse is, of course…*looks it up*…“a universe that is spatiotemporally four-dimensional.” What does that mean? Apparently it means there are, like, a lot of alternate universes out there, and everything is canon somewhere.

That should be DC’s new tag line: “DC Comics: Where everything is canon somewhere!”

Out of Death Metal we go into Generations Shattered, and the two-month long Future State event, which shows us “glimpses into the possible unwritten worlds of tomorrow.” These Future State stories are taking over virtually all the main DC books until March. So whether we like the future or not, it’s here…

Oh, and Star Wars: The High Republic started this week too.

Oh, and there’s other stuff too.

Everybody gettin’ this, so far? Good. Now let’s dive in.

TITLE: Generations Shattered #1
AUTHORS: Dan Jurgens, Robert Venditti, Andy Schmidt
ARTISTS: Various. Cover by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, & Hi-Fi.
RELEASED: January 5, 2021

This one didn’t do it for me. Which was a surprise, as DC usually does pretty well with these one-shot event kick-offs (think DC Universe: Rebirth). Plus, the idea of all these heroes from various decades (’40s Batman, ’90s Steel, etc) coming together is pretty cool.

But while there’s tons of great artistic talent on display here, there’s a certain emptiness to Generations Shattered. I was left wanting more. And not in a good way.

Quite a shame. There was a lot of potential here.

TITLE: Star Wars: The High Republic #1
AUTHOR: Cavan Scott
ARTISTS: Ario Anindito, Mark Morales (Inker), Annalisa Leoni (Colorist), Ariana Maher (Letterer). Cover by Phil Noto.
RELEASED: January 6, 2021

This has more of a fantasy vibe than a traditional Star Wars book. Not the least of which because we’ve got a fairy-like alien on the opening pages.

This issue drew me in, but the hook wasn’t that strong. I’m wondering whether Yoda, who is in this issue, should have played a larger role. As the only character we know who’s alive during this time frame, he would have been the natural segue in, wouldn’t he?

TITLE: Future State: The Next Batman #1
AUTHOR: John Ridley, Brandon Thomas
ARTISTS: Nick Derington, Tamra Bonvillain (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer). Cover by Jose O. Ladronn.
RELEASED: January 5, 2021

Right now, people should be reading anything that has John Ridley’s name on it. This is good stuff. Very street-level in both writing and art. I also love that the Santa Prisca gang wears ’90s style Bane masks.

The issue also does a lot of justice to the Outsiders, and oddly enough, the Peter Tomasi version of Arkham Knight from Detective Comics. That story didn’t do much for me. But the character feels like she belongs in this world.

TITLE: Star Wars #10
AUTHOR: Charles Soule
ARTISTS: Jan Bazaldua, Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer). Cover by Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz & Rain Beredo.
RELEASED: January 6, 2021

Spoiler alert: Luke Skywalker isn’t in this issue. So that’s a misleading cover, right there.

Put that aside, however, and this might be the best issue of the series thus far. We’ve got some good character stuff, including the exploration of the relationship between Lando and Lobot, the latter of whom doesn’t get played with that often. Han Solo’s absence leaves a big void in the Star Wars story that can be used for newer or lesser known characters. This issue is a textbook example of that.

TITLE: Future State: Wonder Woman #1
AUTHOR: Joelle Jones
ARTISTS: Jones, Jordie Bellaire (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: January 5, 2021

This issue is pretty. That’s par for the course for a Jones & Bellaire book. Jones draws the underworld like a crowded city subway station, which is fun. Our new Wonder Woman, Yara Flor, also has a flying horse named Jerry. Because why not? There’s also humor injected into things, which is nice.

The thing is, I’m not really sure what to think of all this. The issue is fun, but there’s not much to get me invested in our new hero, or to make me want more. So I’m on the fence about coming back next time.

TITLE: Future State: Harley Quinn #1
AUTHOR: Stephanie Phillips
ARTISTS: Simone di Meo, Tamra Bonvillain (Colorist), Troy Peteri (Letters). Cover by Derrick Chew.
RELEASED: January 5, 2021

Simone di Meo and Tamra Bonvillain look good on Harley. They give this issue a feel akin to a much brighter Batman Beyond. They also give Professor Pyg a gas-mask-centered redesign that’s pretty cool.

The art is inspired, but the plot isn’t. An imprisoned Harley helping the police (who are aided by Scarecrow, oddly enough), track down Gotham City villains. It’s essentially a twist on the Hannibal Lecter character. Harley devotees may come back next issue. But I’ll pass, thanks.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

 


Weekly Comic 100s: Ranger Slayer, Joker War, and More!

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***”Weekly Comic 100s” keeps it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

DC’s decision to get in bed with Lunar Distribution is starting to feel like a mistake. Because out in my neck of the woods (the mid-west), it seems like Lunar is crapping said bed.

My local comic shop just went three weeks without receiving any product from DC. (Any DC books you’ve seen here in the last few weeks have been purchased digitally.) I’ve been going to comic shops for almost 20 years now and I’ve never see that happen. Not only is it unacceptable from a simple customer service perspective, but it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Retailers are already being hit by the fallout from COVID-19. The least publishers can do is put the damn books in the stores…

Bad form, folks. Bad form.

TITLE: Power Rangers: Ranger Slayer
AUTHOR: Ryan Parrott
ARTISTS: Dan Mora, Raul Angulo (Colorist), Ed Dukeshire (Letterer)
RELEASED: July  22, 2020

Not really my cup of tea. But if you were into Lord Drakkon’s dark alternate universe, or the “Coinless” Universe as it’s now called, you’ll be into this.

I was hoping for something more tightly focused on this alternate version of Kimberly. But the scope of this story is more about the Coinless Universe at large. Fair enough. I just wish they’d called this issue something different.

This issue gives us something I never thought we’d see, though in hindsight seems obvious for a universe like this: Ghost/Zombie Power Rangers. It was inevitable, I tell you!

TITLE: X-Men/Fantastic Four #4
AUTHOR: Chip Zdarsky
ARTISTS: Terry Dodson, Rachel Dodson & Ranson Getty (Inkers), Laura Martin (Colorist), Joe Caramagna (Letterer)
RELEASED: July 22, 2020

This one ends on something of a whimper, rather than a bang. Which is to say it more or less ends the way you think it will, with Franklin ending up where you think he will.

Still, the appeal of a mini like this is to see characters from different books rub against each other. X-Men/Fantastic Four does that.

There’s also a curious little scene at the end with Reed Richards that I’m curious to see if they follow up on.

TITLE: Batman #95
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey (Colorist), Clayton Cowles (Letterer)
RELEASED: July 21, 2020

We kick off with kind of a dumb “retroactive foreshadowing” scene with Batman and Alfred. “Good thing Alfred will always be here,” and all that. Lame.

It occurred to me during this issue that “Joker War” is just a sophisticated version of that New Batman Adventures episode, “Joker’s Millions. That’s not a knock. I’m just sayin’.

Now that Joker knows Batman’s secret, it’s extremely foreboding to see him messing around with movie theaters. Especially the one Thomas and Martha Wayne went to with Bruce before their murder…

TITLE: Shazam! #13
AUTHOR: Geoff Johns
ARTISTS: Dale Eaglesham, Michael Atiyeh (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer). Variant cover by Julian Totino Tedesco.
RELEASED: July 21, 2020

Well damn. If this book is ending in September, we’re not going to get a pay-off for this Superboy Prime stuff are we?

As the book really cranks up the father/son drama with Billy and his dad, I’m struck by just how great Dale Eaglesham has been on this title. It’s clean. It’s expressive. It’s versatile. He fits Shazam like a glove, to the point that this series has become one of my favorite takes on the character. Frankly, his work with Michael Atiyeh is worth the cover price on its own.

TITLE: Shazam!: Lightning Strikes #1
AUTHOR: Dan Jurgens
ARTISTS: Travis Moore, Nick Filardi, Marshall Dillon. Cover by Evan “Doc” Shaner.
RELEASED: July  17, 2020

Now that the Shazam! book is ending, I’m particularly grateful to see the Big Red Cheese join DC’s line of digital-firsts.

What we get here is nice and kid-friendly. One of Billy Batson’s classmates is bragging about knowing Shazam. So Billy shows him up precisely the way you think he will. From there we segue into a fight with a villain.

Travis Moore’s Shazam looks a lot like Zachary Levi in the movie. I wonder if that’s intentional, or just how the character came out…

TITLE: Wynd #2
AUTHOR: James Tynion IV
ARTISTS: Michael Dialynas, Aditya Bidikar (Letterer)
RELEASED: July 22, 2020

So far, this book feels a little bit like Saga for young people. It’s got whimsy and wit, but a lot less sex stuff.

After reinforcing some of the world-building they did last time, this issue cranks up the emotion with the prospect of separating Wynd from his adopted family. It’s very well done, and has me invested in not only Wynd, but his sister Oakley.

We also meet a character called “the Bandaged Man.” I really dig how he’s designed, though that may just be my love for Batman: Hush sneaking through.

TITLE: Action Comics #1023
AUTHOR: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTISTS: John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson (Inker), Brad Anderson (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer). Variant cover by Lucio Parillo.
RELEASED: July 21, 2020

This is typically the part of “Weekly Comic 100s” where I complain about John Romita Jr. So here you go: I don’t like JRJR’s art here.

I just wonder if this book is getting over-crowded with Super-people. Remember, that’s part of what prompted the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. Superman didn’t feel as special because he had too many sidekicks, cousins, stringers, etc.

At the end of this issue Jimmy Olsen says, “Guess we’re not putting out a paper today.” That line should have had a lot more weight to it. If you’re a newsman, that’s blasphemy.

TITLE: Detective Comics #1023
AUTHORS: Peter Tomasi
ARTISTS: Brad Walker, Andrew Hennessy & Norm Rapmund (Inkers), Brad Anderson (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer)
RELEASED: July 21, 2020

A team-up between the Joker and the Court of Owls? Now that’s the stuff of nightmares.

Detective Comics hasn’t felt like a Tomasi book in awhile. There’s a certain refinement that’s missing. In particular, Batman is a little too talky for my taste.

In this issue, Batman performs brain surgery on Two-Face out in the streets of Gotham (Because why not?). The comic book science regarding how Harvey’s brain is being messed with is a little confusing. Not that I’d put too much stock in it. At the end of the day, he’s still Two-Face.

TITLE: Billionaire Island #1
AUTHOR: Mark Russell
ARTISTS: Steve Pugh, Chris Chuckry (Colorist), Rob Steen (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 4, 2020

A brutally honest, unfiltered look at where our society may be going sooner rather than later. And in all honesty, a clever premise for a book. I was expecting things to get Survivor-esque right off the bat. But they’re taking the time to build to that.

The most unsettling part of this issue? Our lead villain puts his opposition (journalists, etc) into a giant hamster cage. Complete with an oversized water dispenser. The sad thing? That doesn’t even seem that far-fetched anymore.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A Justice League #52 Review – Aren’t You Forgetting Something?

Rob Siebert 1 Comment

Justice League #52, 2016TITLE: Justice League #52
AUTHOR: Dan Jurgens
PENCILLER: Tom Grummett. Cover by Paul Pelletier.
PUBLISBER: DC Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: June 22, 2016

***WARNING: Spoilers lay ahead.***

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy

For such a smart man, Lex Luthor makes a pretty big mistake in the design of his Superman armor. It’s a pretty obvious one. If you’re looking for it, it’s right there on the cover…

Lex Luthor and the world at large are still reeling from the death of Superman. Having just returned from Apokolips after the events of Darkseid War, Luthor is prepared to assume a new role as Metropolis’ new Man of Steel. The question is, why? Why would Luthor want to assume the role once occupied by his nemesis?

This move for Luthor makes sense to me. He’s always wanted to be revered as a savior the way Superman is. So it’s believable that he would try to step in and take Superman’s place, even wearing the same emblem and cape. And of course, Luthor has a much darker approach to things. His attempt at reasoning with a gunman is to give him a choice between paralysis and death.

Justice League #52, Luthors

But one of the elements that makes Lex so intriguing is the sense of nobility that’s mixed with the narcissism and greed. As he should, Dan Jurgens brings that to the forefront here. We see Lex does indeed love his currently comatose sister Lena, and he wants to prove to her that he can be a good man. Hearing him speak of himself in that regard, and watching him reinvent himself in Superman’s image is surreal in the best possible way.

Tom Grummett, no stranger to Superman books, turns in a commendable performance here. His style is a fascinating mix or characters with an animated look, conveying emotions that feel very real. He’s a very good “acting” artist, in that sense. His Luthor looks like something you’d expect to see in a superhero comic. But his expressions aren’t dynamic or cartoony. The Lex we see here, regardless of the scenario he’s in, is stoic and reserved. It’s exactly the way he should be. It’s a really interesting balance Grummett has been able to do it at least as far back as his work on Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying. That’s right, folks. Tom Grummett helped create Tim Drake.

Lex Luthor, Justice League #52, 2016, Tom GrummettNow, let’s get to that armor he’s wearing. I don’t know who designed this thing, but it’s got a big logic flaw: There’s no headpiece. Luther stops a mugging in this issue, and gets shot at in the process. The bullets bounce off the armor, of course. But if the muggers had simply aimed a bit higher and SHOT HIM IN THE HEAD all their problems would have been solved. This flaw in logic not only makes the muggers look incredibly stupid, but it makes Luthor look stupid for not thinking of it. It’s not limited to this issue, either. In Action Comics #958 (also written by Jurgens), there’s a moment where Doomsday, the gigantic indestructible monster that killed Superman, grabs Luthor by his head. This is in the middle of a battle! Luther’s head could, and should, have been crushed like a grape.

Here’s an idea: Why not get him a retractable, clear helmet like Buzz Lightyear had? You know, with that “whoosh thing.” I’m only half joking. It’s better than getting your head crushed by Doomsday.

This volume of Justice League meets its end here. Though it obviously doesn’t so much serve to send the series off, as it does set up the events unfolding in Action Comics. That’s fair enough. It’s not like the League is disbanding, or we’re getting a new roster or anything. And if you are indeed reading Action Comics, you’ll want to pick this up.

Image 1 from insidepulse.com. Image 2 from batman-news.com. 

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A Superman: Lois and Clark #1 Review – Super Dad

Rob Siebert 5 Comments

Superman: Lois and Clark #1TITLE: Superman: Lois and Clark #1
AUTHOR: Dan Jurgens
PENCILLER: Lee Weeks
PUBLISHER: DC Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASED: October 14, 2015

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

It would be unfair to say that Lois and Clark relies entirely on nostalgia to carry itself. But let’s be honest: For those of us who sting long for the pre-New 52 era, that’s a big factor. If you were first exposed to DC Comics in the ’80s, ’90s, or 2000s, this is your Superman. The post Crisis on Infinite Earths, pre-Flashpoint Superman. Not to mention Lois Lane, and their young son Jon.

After the events of Convergence, Clark, Lois, and baby Jonathan find themselves on the New 52 Earth mere hours before the events of Justice League: Origin. In a very different world, the family changes their last name to White and begins a life of relative anonymity. Lois begins publishing books under the name “Author X,” while Clark works as a farmer. Young Jonathan is oblivious of his parents’ old life. But with Clark unable to stay out of the game entirely, his son is starting to pick up on things.

Lois and Clark #1, Lee WeeksIt’s an interesting move, bringing these versions of Clark and Lois back. I read one reviewer say that DC is trying to “have its cake and eat it too” with this title. That’s a fair critique. After all, the “main” version of Superman has had his identity exposed to the world, is de-powered, and has never been in a relationship with Lois Lane. To bring the married versions of these characters back, existing in the same universe alongside their New 52 counterparts, might be considered a cheap move. It’s undeniably a ploy to bring back older readers. But even if it is a cheap ploy, it’s got the potential to be a pretty good one. This issue consists mostly of exposition and character re-introductions. But some compelling seeds are planted for future issues.

Full disclosure: I haven’t read Convergence: Superman (also by Dan Jurgens and Lee Weeks) yet, so the circumstances of Jonathan’s birth aren’t fully known to me. But there is one thing I’m confused about. Justice League: Origin took place “five years ago,” right? And that was in 2011, so we might be able to say that it was six years ago. In this issue, we see that Jon was a baby at that point. But according to the solicitation for this issue, Jon is nine years old. How does that work?

Superman, Lois and Clark #1, Lee WeeksRegardless, seeing pre-New 52 Clark and Lois again is awesome for a longtime fan like me, in the hands of renowned Superman scribe Dan Jurgens no less. There’s one moment in particular that hits you right in the feels. Jurgens and Weeks revisit the final moments of the Justice League’s battle with Darkseid in Origin. Then in the background, we zoom in on a familiar figure. Then we cut to a splash page of the Man of Steel himself watching from afar. For a longtime fan like me, this was a heart-warmer. I remember the initial awkwardness of the New 52. But these pages almost tell us: “Guess what? Superman, your Superman, was there all along.” It’s a hokey notion. But it made for the kind of feel-good moment that I suspect this series aims to provide.

Much of the issue consists of Clark and Lois awkwardly reciting exposition, via both dialogue and narration, the latter being done by Lois Lane. If it had just been Lois, that would have been fine. But there’s an obvious contrived nature to Clark saying lines like: “When we were first imprisoned on Telos, we didn’t know our Earth — our whole universe, was gone forever.”

A portion of the issue is devoted to Clark trying to prevent the space shuttle crash that turned Hank Henshaw into Cyborg Superman. This notion of Clark and Lois trying to alter events in this timeline to prevent certain tragedies that occurred in their timeline is interesting, and is certainly a goal worth revisiting in future issues. Though I suspect their interference it’ll wind up having more negative effects than positive.

Superman: Lois and Clark #1, Lee WeeksLee Weeks does some fantastic work in this issue. His work has a certain elegance to it that is very much befitting of this version of Superman. He’s also tremendous at conveying this Superman’s advanced wisdom and experience strictly via his art, without making the character look old, per se. Look at Clark’s face on the cover. It’s not just the beard and the glasses. It’s the eyes. It’s the line work on his face. I would argue once we get into the issue you can see it in his posture. Weeks has the opportunity to do some fantastic work here.

Also, can we please keep Tony Daniel away from this title? He did a variant cover for this issue, and it was everything we don’t want it to look like.

Lois and Clark is an interesting little experiment for DC. They brought their multiverse back in Convergence, and this is the first time since then that they’re making major use of it. A successful run for this book could pave the way for the return of other characters. Hell, in this very issue we saw that Parallax/Hal Jordan is out there in the multiverse somewhere…

Image 1 from dangermart.blogspot.com. Image 2 from comicsverse.com. Image 3 from adventuresinpoortaste.com.

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