A Superman: Lost #2 Micro-Review – The DCU on HBO

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

Superman Lost 2, cover, April 2023, Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Elmer SantosTITLE: Superman: Lost #2
AUTHOR: Christopher Priest, Carlo Pagulayan
ARTISTS: Pagulayan, Jason Paz (Inker), Jeromy Cox (Colorist), Willie Schubert (Letterer). Cover by Pagulayan, Paz, & Elmer Santos.
RELEASED: April 11, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue, the story starts fulfilling the potential of its premise. We get Superman in space, visiting alien worlds, trying to find his way home, etc. All the while, Pagulayan, Paz, and Cox make it look awesome. A slow start last time, but we’re building up to super-speed now.

The more I read Christopher Priest’s take on the DC Universe, the more I’m into it. He’s definitely got his own style and voice. It feels a little bit like a DC Comics story mixed with an HBO series.

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Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 Micro-Review – Compassion and Weakness

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

Adventures of Superman Jon Kent 1, cover, April 2023, Clayton Henry, Marcelo MaioloTITLE: Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2
AUTHOR: Tom Taylor
ARTISTS: Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Cover by Henry & Marcelo Maiolo
RELEASED: April 4, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue does a great job making Ultraman look like a despicable bad guy. It doesn’t amount to a great deal by the end, though…

Taylor writes gives Jon a great line here: “You think compassion is a weakness? I can’t think of anything weaker than caring only for yourself.”

I’m digging the look of this Red Tornado/Lois Lane hybrid character they’ve created. I’m hoping we see more of her.

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An Action Comics #1053 Micro-Review – More Zombies

***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 1053, cover, March 2023, Steve BeachTITLE: Action Comics #1053
AUTHORS: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Dan Jurgens, Leah Williams
ARTISTS:  Rafa Sandoval, Matt Herms (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer), Lee Weeks, Elizabeth Breitweiser (Colorist), Rob Leigh (Letterer), Marguerite Sauvage, Becca Carey (Letterer). Cover by Steve Beach.
RELEASED: March 28, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

It’s been a zombie-heavy month for Superman. Over in his titular book, he fought a city full of Parasite zombies. Here in Action Comics, he’s fighting Metallo zombies.

There’s a really sweet scene here between Jon and…Osul? She’s the female twin, right?

These Powergirl back-ups by Leah Williams and Marguerite Sauvage aren’t my favorite part of this new incarnation of Action Comics. But Sauvage’s art is undeniably gorgeous.

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A Nightwing #102 Micro-Review – Detective Superman

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

TITLE: Nightwing #102
AUTHORS: Tom Taylor, C.S. Pacat
ARTISTS:  Travis Moore, Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira (Inker), Adriano Lucas (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer). Cover by Bruno Redondo.
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Continuing the pattern from last issue, this one feels a little bit like an appetizer for the upcoming Titans series, which Tom Taylor is also writing. Nothing wrong with that in the grand scheme of things. Though I’ll be glad if/when things get back to business as usual.

C.S. Pacat’s backup with Nightwing and Jon Kent stole this issue for me, despite me not being enamored with how Jon is drawn. We get a little bit of Dick mentoring him on the ins and outs of detective work. That’s cool to see.

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A Superman #2 Micro-Review – Superman vs. Zombies

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

Superman 2, cover, March 2023, Jamal CampbellTITLE: Superman #2
AUTHOR: Joshua Williamson
ARTISTS: Jamal Campbell, Ariana Maher (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Tremendous cover. The deep black of Marilyn Moonlight’s outfit is a great contrast to the bright primary colors of Superman’s costume. And his eyes draw focus nicely.

Nice to see the Parasite getting some love in this first story. If you’ve ever wanted to see Superman face a zombie outbreak in Metropolis (And why wouldn’t you?), this issue will interest you.

Most of the extended Superman family now have a jacket/pants aesthetic going with their costumes. This issue made me realize that such a look doesn’t really work for Supergirl. At least as far as I’m concerned.

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A Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13 Micro-Review – Refresher Course

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

Batman Superman World's Finest 13, cover, March 2023, Dan MoraTITLE: Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #13
AUTHOR: Mark Waid
ARTISTS: Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain (Colorist), Steve Wands (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This issue dives into Metamorpho’s origin story. It’s a nice little refresher course for readers who aren’t familiar with him.

Waid, Mora, and Bonvillain also give us some quality work with Jimmy Olsen here. Hat-tip to them for that. A more modern take on Jimmy Olsen can be tough to get right. They do a pretty good job, though.

Also? Batgirl is in this issue. Very nice to see Mora and Bonvillain work on her.

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A Superman: Lost #1 Micro-Review – It’s Not a Superman Story Unless…

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

Superman Lost 1, cover, March 2023, Carlo PagulayanTITLE: Superman: Lost #1
AUTHORS: Christopher Priest, Carlo Pagulayan
ARTISTS:  Pagulayan, Jason Paz (Inker), Jeromy Cox (Colorist), Willie Schubert (Letterer)
RELEASED: March 14, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Apparently the current policy at DC is that it’s not really a Superman story unless Batman shows up. *sigh*

Though, to be fair, the entire Justice League is part of this story. So at least this Batman appearance is somewhat called for. And Carlo Pagulayan and Jason Paz, fresh off their work on Star Wars, draw a beautiful Justice League accompanied by Jeromy Cox’s colors. But hopefully going forward this will be a story primarily about the Man of Steel.

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Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1 Micro-Review – The Death of Supermen

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

Adventures of Superman Jon Kent 1, cover, March 2023, Clayton HenryTITLE: Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #1
AUTHOR:  Tom Taylor
ARTISTS:
Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Colorist). Cover by Henry & Marcelo Maiolo. 
RELEASED: 
March 7, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Apparently Jon doesn’t have a cape anymore. That kinda sucks. Superman should have a cape.

The Earth didn’t move for me on this one. Nor do I expect it to, as I’m not a fan of the Injustice game. That’s not to say this story, about Jon Kent traveling the multiverse to find the person that’s killing various different iterations of Kal-El, doesn’t have potential.It just starts a little flat for my tastes. But given Tom Taylor’s obvious history with the character, I’m willing to give it some time.

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An Action Comics #1052 Micro-Review – Kryptonian Variety

***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
AUTHORSPhilip 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. 

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A Superman: Space Age #3 Micro-Review – The Batman Trap, Continued…

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

Superman Spage Age 3, cover, February 2023, Mike AllredTITLE: Superman: Space Age #3
AUTHOR: Mark Russell
ARTISTS:
Mike Allred, Laura Allred (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer)
RELEASED: 
February 21, 2023

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This one actually made me angry. Like, physically angry.

Superman: Space Age had an amazing first issue. As in, one of the most amazing starts to a Superman story I’ve read in quite some time. But both this issue and issue #2 fell into what I’ll call the “Batman trap.” In essence, Batman was introduced and took center-stage for enough pages that Space Age could qualify as a Batman/Superman story, as opposed to just a Superman one. It’s an easy trap for DC Comics writers to fall into. But I thought Mark Russell was better than that.

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