Written by (See Credits Below)
Art by (See Credits Below)
Cover Art by Dustin Nguyen
SUMMARY:
Published by DC Comics for April 2011, this 80-page one-shot consists of seven 10-page tales that mostly concentrate on Superman’s supporting cast, including Jor-El; Perry White; Supergirl; Jimmy Olsen; Bizarro; Conner Kent’s Superboy; Lana Lang; ‘Ma’ Kent; and ‘Mrs. Superman’ herself, Lois Lane. The stories are:
“First Time for Everything.” Writer: Beau Tidwell, with art by ‘Cafu;’ ‘Bit;’ Santiago Arcas; & Sal Cipriano. As Krypton’s destruction looms closer, a desperate Jor-El dodges security forces to covertly swipe a core sample from the planet’s ore processing facility for analysis. Against formidable odds, Jor-El’s science verifies that the planet’s core is irreversibly transforming into what will be one day be known as kryptonite.
“Old Men Talking in Bars.” Writer Neil Kleid, with art by Dean Haspiel; Joe Infurnari; & John J. Hill. At a Metropolis bar, Perry White encounters childhood hero Ted “Wildcat” Grant where they trade paternal frustrations re: their grown sons. In a flashback, Perry recalls his first press exclusive as a pre-teen witnessing an Intergang raid on a charity boxing match between World Champ Ted Grant and his All-Star Squadron pal, Jim “Guardian” Corrigan. Predictably, chaos and a different kind of slugfest ensues.
“Quarterlife Crisis.” Writer-Artists: Abhay Koshola & Andy MacDonald, with help from letterer Sal Cipriano and colorist Chris Beckett. Superman & Jimmy Olsen try to track down a hundred Jimmy clones that have escaped into the city and will likely perish over the course of one long day.
“No Go Away Glad, Just Go Away!” Writer: Steve Horton, with art by Dan McDaid and Patrick Brosseau. On Bizarro World, a grumpy Bizarro wants to be left alone, but it invariably doesn’t work out that way. Cameos include Bizarro Supergirl; Bizarro Lois Lane; Bizarro Zatanna Zatara; and a parade of other Bizarro counterparts.
“The Bloodsucker’s Moxie.” Writer: Joe Caramagna, with art by Trevor McCarthy; Andre Szymanowicz; & Patrick Brosseau. On a chaotic carnival date with new boyfriend, Brendan, Supergirl switches from her civilian identity to battle a vampire-like alien octopus that likes to snack on Kryptonians.
“Credit Check.” Writers: Paul Tobin & Colleen Coover, with art by Amilcar Pinna; Chris Beckett; & Travis Lanham. By chance, Lois Lane & Lana Lang stumble upon a lost bank card during their lunch hour. Egged on by Lana, Lois tenaciously tracks down the card’s mysterious owner. To complete their task, Lois & Lana resort to some creativity in seeking out a few leads.
“Bad Moon Rising.” Writer: Aubrey Sitterson, with art by Eddy Barrows; JP Mayer; Rod Reis; & John J. Hill. In Smallville, a restless Conner Kent blows off Ma Kent for a nighttime jog, only to encounter a bloodthirsty teenage werewolf. Humbled by the vicious encounter, Conner appreciates his surrogate mother’s parenting.
Note: Despite their cover presence, Lex Luthor, Krypto, Steel (John Henry Irons), Doomsday, Parasite, and Brainiac don’t appear in this issue.
REVIEW:
A table of contents would have been helpful tackling this issue. Still, the first two stories alone are worth the price of admission. While the ‘untold’ Jor-El tale carries a solid aura of suspense, its only logical gaffe is how he alone escapes explosions unscathed. The likable Perry White-Wildcat flashback is a delightfully heavy-handed brew mixing action, light humor, and poignancy. Of the seven stories, that one proves the most likely for multiple reads.
Despite some implied gore, the relatively good “Bad Moon Rising” is this issue’s best-illustrated. Putting Superboy vs. a werewolf is at least interesting. The other Halloween-ish tale is Supergirl’s ruined carnival date, which adds some poignant depth to her dismayed love life. Though it isn’t geared for multiple reads, Lois & Lana’s team-up is a pleasant respite from super-heroics.
The other tales, “Quarterlife Crisis” and the Bizarro story are significant disappointments. The Silver Age-style premise of a hundred Jimmy Olsens running around should generate chuckles, but the creative team opts for an oddly melancholic approach that doesn’t lead anywhere or even makes much sense. The same applies to the sluggish Bizarro tale, as its humorous potential is squandered by concentrating far too much on the irony of Bizzaro World’s reverse meanings.
The visuals for all seven stories (as well as Dustin Nguyen’s cover image) are an asset. It’s the uneven writing, however, that doesn’t hold up its end. In terms of a scorecard, it’s really two great stories followed by two dismal ones. The last three are well-conveyed yet hardly memorable.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There is a four-page preview of The Flash # 9, which begins The Road to Flashpoint. The single-page “DC Nation” column from John Rozum explores the concept for DC’s new horror series: Xombi.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
