Written by James Robinson
Art by Renato Guedes & Jorgé Correa Jr.; Wilson Magalhaes; David Curiel; & John J. Hill
Cover Art by Alex Ross
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for February 2009, the ninth chapter of New Krypton is entitled “Hard Times!” Above New Krypton, Superman is warned by a contingent of DC’s mightiest heroes that he has one hour to surrender the murderers of several Science Police and prison guards. Despite the Man of Steel’s arguments, his Aunt Allura defies him, claiming that New Krypton’s vast superiority to Earth means that they don’t have to surrender anything.
Caught in the middle between them, Supergirl shockingly lashes out. Earth’s greatest heroes are vastly outnumbered defending themselves from the New Kryptonians. Helping balance the odds, Zatanna Zatara leads a mystical cavalry.
Notes: Though an image isn’t provided here, a variant cover was produced by artists Chris Sprouse; Karl Story; and Laura Martin. Also, the kryptonite-laced asteroid field sequence on the Alex Ross cover doesn’t occur, at least not in this issue.
REVIEW:
Supported by the art team’s exquisite visuals, it’s an excellent read! Writer James Robinson convincingly splits the Man of Steel’s loyalty to Earth’s safety and to his own race. The same applies to an emotionally-rattled Supergirl, as she witnesses her mother’s startling ruthlessness.
The plight of DC’s super-heroes vs. the New Kryptonians is well-played, though it’s not quite clear as to who all is involved. For instance, Green Lantern Alan Scott appears with Hal Jordan and John Stewart in the final pages, but he isn’t seen during their initial confrontation with Superman. Perhaps it’s meant to be conveyed that the heroes brought unseen back-ups, if there’s a worst case scenario.
Even if some other segments of the extensive New Krypton storyline seem tiresome, Superman # 683 proves one of its best, in terms of a complete package of storytelling and visual magic.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The single-page “DC Nation” column includes a thumbnail reveal for the next installment: Action Comics # 873.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
