Review: Adventures Of Superman #4

Adventures of Superman #4 came out this week and continued to be one of the most enjoyable books that DC is putting out.  So far, each issue has really been a treat with at least one stand-out story in each. As a print guy, it pains me to hear comments on the weekly stories knowing I am going to wait for the paper copy.  With such high standards now expected, I have come to really look forward to this book.

Adventures #4 continued the trend. I have to say after the first reading I was a bit let down. But on subsequent readings, I was definitely pleased. This is an entertaining book allowing great creative teams to tell a brief Superman story, focusing on some facet that is fascinating. I hope DC doesn't change this format because it has been a home run.

Having a Bruce Timm cover with Clark in a classic pose is the cherry on top. This book inside and out really has a 'classic' feel to it and I am not complaining.

The first story is 'A Day in the Life' written by the tandem of Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning with art by penciller Wes Craig and inker Craig Yeung. It focuses on a day in the life of Lex Luthor. And the pages are broken in half such that the top half of the page shows Luthor's activities while the bottom half shows Superman fighting a sort of giant robot.

The split page technique was used recently on this book (with Lois talking to Lex on her part) so I thought it might have been too early to use it again. Of course, who knows if these teams have any idea what the next creators are planning.

But on second reading it works very well. Throughout the early pages, we see Superman struggling with the mecha. And above it all is Luthor who is extremely calm and collected regardless of who or what he is facing. He is unfazed by government officials. He is unfazed on a date with an upcoming starlet. He is even calm when facing Gorilla Grodd (and the old SSV). I mean look at him dab the corners of his mouth despite a huge telepathic gorilla threatening him!

And all the while he jots down ideas in a notebook on how to destroy Superman.

That calm is shattered when he has some face time with an angry Superman who knows (although can't prove) that Luthor was behind the robot attack. Suddenly Lex is a screaming, furious, his armor down. In some ways it humanized Lex to know that something could get under his skin.

And as interesting is Superman's rather terse response and his angry reaction, burning Lex's notebook with his head vision.

It was that sudden change in tone that made this story work for me. I liked this story a lot.

The middle story is 'The Deniers' by writer Tom Defalco and art by PeteWoods. I have to say this is a new, much more cartoony look for Woods. And that goes right down to Superman's uniform with the Fleisher Studios style S-shield.

It is something of a funny story as two plumbers in a dinner debate if Superman really exists, or at least has all the abilities he is vaunted to have. After all, wouldn't super-villains just sell their ideas rather than lead a life of crime. Also, despite years in the city, neither have seen him in person.

Of course, just outside, Superman is battling a robot squid, unseen by these two.

It is a cute story.

But for me, the best story of the book was 'Savior' by writer Rob Williams with art by Chris Weston. I loved the retro feel to this story, both in words and in art. The art has a sort of Currier & Ives prints sort of feel. I mean look at that last panel, hugging Ma in front of the weathered farmhouse, chickens at their feet, old pick-up in back.

In the story, Ma Kent (I guess Pa has passed like in the Donner movies) worries that Clark never has time to just sit down and relax. She wishes he could stay for dinner. But here, after fixing the clothesline, he already needs to rush off.

Telling a story from Ma's point of view is somewhat fresh. To hear her worry more about his mental well-being instead of fearing his life from physical confrontations is a nice wrinkle.

As is the case with these stories, we often get montage sequences to show the passing of time. We see Superman fighting classic versions Bizarro, Brainiac, Luthor (in the purple/green body suit),  as well as rescuing Lois (who is rescuing a kidnapped child). I thought all of that worked.

I especially liked this banter between Superman and Lois. She complains he was a little late. He drops her off at the Planet despite he being covered in filth (the bad guys were going to drown her in a sewer).

Can't those two just admit they love each other!!!!

Throughout the story we hear Ma's dialogue as we peek in on Superman's life.

She feels that Superman can't rest because his mind is always on those he couldn't save, always on the tragedy of Krypton. I don't think of Superman as being a morose guy, perseverating over his losses. But maybe I can understand if Ma thinks that. Maybe she is always a little afraid that Clark doesn't think of her truly as his mother when he knows about his biological parents. I suppose that is natural.

Despite the sad tones of these panels, I loved this scene. It really struck me as the Superman of my youth, back when I was first following the character. The Super-mobile, a thought beast, Beppo, Kandor, General Zod looking out the Phantom Zone viewer. Nostalgia sometimes is a good thing.

And then there is this sweet ending.

Maybe feeling a bit weighed down by life (boy that Kandor panel feels sad), Superman heads to Ma's for dinner. The title is Savior and the easy assumption is that refers to Superman as we see him whisk from one cataclysm to the next. But really it refers to Ma and how she is able to help Superman stay grounded, to take a breath and just be calm. She is the life saver.

Everything about this story works. The interesting point of view of Ma as narrator. The concept of a Superman who is sad about what he can't do. The country boy having dinner with his Ma ending. The superb artwork perfectly capturing the tone of the story. Everything works. It is wonderful.

So another great issue showcasing parts of the Superman legend I will always love.

Overall grade: B+

Review: Worlds' Finest #5

Worlds' Finest #5 came out this week and was the weakest of the series so far.

The title as a whole initially had a bit of a throwback feel to it what with the heroes fighting a giant radioactive monster stomping through Tokyo. But the draw for the book was the characterization of these two lost heroes, influenced by their legacies, and finding their way in this new world. And yes, the mysteries of how they got to Earth 1 and how will they get back and why their powers are altered enhanced the big back story. Add to that luscious art by Perez and Maguire and this was a breezy comic which was entertaining.

Now after the conclusion of the Hakkou arc and the powerful zero issue last month, I was ready for something a bit meatier, as we moved forward in the book. Instead, we got what felt like a rest issue with the two heroes recalling recent solo adventures to the other around a framework story. There isn't anything spectacular about these side stories that would make them too important. I understand that the purpose was again to showcase the differences in these two and how they work well together despite those differences, it just felt like the series paused.

And, for the first time I felt the characterization fell short feeling a bit forced at times.

The art is done by a trio of artists. George Perez does the framework story. Jerry Ordway does the Power Girl story. And Wes Craig does the Huntress portion. Craig's style is different enough from Perez and Ordway to make the transition a bit wobbly. But otherwise, solid stuff there.

The issue starts at Starr labs in Cambridge Mass and the heroes trying to test the limits of Power Girl's abilities. Part of those experiments includes blasting her with a laser cannon which ... gasp ... nearly vaporizes Kara's costume. Barely covered and tattered, Helena has to give Kara her cape to cover up.

Okay ... I get it ... Karen is a free spirit who is comfortable with her body. But it seems like we are simply making up ways to put her in nearly nothing in almost every issue. I don't think the draw for this book should be cheesecake. If this is a way to appease the 'boob window' crew then just bring back a costume with a boob window. But this is starting to feel a little forced.

A much better way to show the lengths they are going to test Kara's powers is a shot showing a workout room with smashed heavy equipment. It shows the audience that Kara is still on the high end of power even here.

I do like that Kara's optimism, her hope of returning home is unwavering. Here she thinks it doesn't matter why their powers are off (Helena comments about how she shrugged off radiation), they are going home soon.

This sequence opens up the door for Kara to talk about another experiment she was part of. The CERN collider (dubbed Gigantor here) is going to fire up in hopes of investigating new dimensions. With the possibility of heading home high, Karen Starr drops by.

Now in comes a Rico Suave German scientist who starts to talk about 'immediate satisfaction' while snapping his fingers. I cannot imagine even a comic book world where that sort of come-on would actually work in wooing a woman. But ....

It works! Despite the fact that this is an experiment that might bring her home, despite literally being feet away from an atom smasher, Karen decides to have some amorous clutches with Fritz.

Now I get it, Karen is a free spirit, comfortable with her body, and with a healthy sexual appetite. And that's fine. But really ... here? When she might be on the cusp of getting back to her world she decides to smooch a scientist she has known for minutes, freeing up some of his and her buttons? It again felt a bit forced. You want to have her flirt? Show her in some passionate embrace after the experiment ... fine. But here??

The experiment sort of works, opening up a Boom Tube and bringing some Apokaliptian-looking robot drone onto Earth. As a result, Fritz gets kayoed by Karen so he can't see her fighting (although she basically tells him she has super-vision earlier.)

And after a brawl in which .... gasp ... Karen's business suit gets vaporized ... the drone self-destructs.

Now I get it, Karen is a free spirit comfortable with her body. But here it has nothing to do with her comfort and everything to do with creative choices. So once again we see Karen in next to nothing. When these happen over and over it becomes almost routine. It feels lazy, or pandering. And it certainly distracts from Karen's character, implying I should be more concerned about her appearance than her feelings.

I am not against this stuff per se. I just think it has to be done in moderation and when it makes sense. Or we are devolving into a Dejah Thoris comic.

The CERN experiment won't be done again for a year so this Boom Tube event won't be seen again any time soon. So this also feels a bit too convenient. Wasn't this a massive breakthrough for Karen, opening a portal to somewhere? Would she just shrug it off and be satisfied waiting another year??

And her consolation is bringing Fritz to the US so she can have a boytoy nearby? She even calls him a souvenir. I don't want Karen to be a one-note character. So I get it ...  Karen is a free spirit, comfortable with her body, and with a healthy sexual appetite. But is there more to her? Or is this going to be the only part of her we see?

As for Helena, she tells her own story, attending a 'Take Back the Night' walk in Boston.

As I said, Wes Craig's art, a bit murky and less defined, works well in this nighttime street level story. But is so different from Ordway and Perez that it felt a little jarring.

Walking in the crowd, she tells a young woman that she was home schooled by 'experts'. While Karen is thinking big picture, Helena is trying to save the world one person at a time. Helena talks about that being a lesson from her mother. One thing I like about Helena is how she seems to mention her mother or father when thinking about what she should do or what she is thinking. I hope Karen has the same respect for lessons from Clark and Lois.

But she is grim avenger of the night as well. When she spies a sniper above the protest, she gets into action. I love her determination and confidence. 'Who's today's loser?' Nice.

But there is also some of that intimidation of her father in her. When the shooter tries to spew his rationalizations, she cuts him off. She has no interest in hearing his psychopathology. She cows him with her mere presence, all the more powerful given the event he was trying to disrupt.

Helena just seems like a more fully-formed character.

As I said, the two stories at least skirt the different between the characters' approaches. And despite those differences, they clearly care for each other and work well together.

But did this issue add anything? I don't mind rest issues like this if they tell a compelling story or add to the depth of the characters they cover. But I don't think we learned anything new here. And I don't think these stories were so fantastic to merit their own issue.

So nothing egregiously wrong with this issue. But nothing substantive either.

And I get it ...Karen is a free spirit, comfortable with her body, and with a healthy sexual appetite. But please stop clubbing it over my head incessantly. There should be more to the Earth 2 Supergirl than that.

Overall grade: C+