Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes; Wilson Magalháes; Hi-Fi; & John J. Hill
Cover Art by Alex Ross
SUMMARY:
Entitled “The Coming of Atlas, Part 4: Man of Yore, Dog of Tomorrow,” this issue was published by DC Comics for November 2008. Against Atlas, the Man of Steel has been overpowered in a Metropolis slugfest. As downtown onlookers (including Superman’s wife, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen) watch, Krypto aggressively attacks Atlas to protect his ‘man.’ Lois instantly regrets her prior misgivings over Krypto’s destructive tendencies. Even a mysterious military operation testing various strength levels of an energy weapon fails to deter the mighty Dog of Steel.
A battered Superman flees to seek out Zatanna Zatara’s help, but he must settle for her obnoxious younger cousin, Zachary Zatara. With Krypto imperiled, the Man of Steel must step up his game to vanquish Atlas.
REVIEW:
Include insightful ‘thought balloons’ for Krypto, writer James Robinson does great work deploying the Dog of Steel. Robinson also writes a great scene for Lois, as well as Superman’s justifiable dislike for Zatanna’s snarky cousin. The ending is sentimental hokum, but it’s worth catching. Beyond his wild slugfest with Krypto and Superman, nothing is actually done with Atlas, which is the issue’s sole flaw.
In terms of visuals (including the vintage Alex Ross cover), the art team does exceptional work. Accordingly, Superman # 680 is a great read and a well-deserved nod to Krypto.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
DC Editor Mike Carlin discusses a plot twist from Trinity # 17 in the single-page “DC Nation” column. There are thumbnail cover reveals for Superman: New Krypton Special # 17; Reign in Hell # 3; Teen Titans # 63; and a tawdry image for Ambush Bug: Year One # 0.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8½ Stars
