Superman (vol.4) #19 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #17 (May, 2017)
"Superman Reborn, Part Three: Don't Pass Go"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Pencils - Patrick Gleason
Inks - Mick Gray
Colors - John Kalisz
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andrew Merino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks - Dan Jurgens
Cover Price: $2.99

So yesterday, I discussed how the "professional" comics reviewers spoiled the Mr. Mxyzptlk reveal, right?  Well, guess what?  The following week, the jerks spoiled the last page of this one too!

Ya know, I don't wanna tell DC to quit handing out comps so willy-nilly... but, maybe penalize the jagoffs that go out of their way to show how special/important they are, and ruin the experience for everyone else.  Nahhhh, I guess so long as they rate everything 10 outta 10 they're safe!

--

We pick up right from the previous chapter... Lois no longer knows who Jon is.  What's more, she also doesn't appear to know that Superman and Clark Kent are one in the same!  A frustrated Superman calls out to Mxyzptlk, demanding to know what kind of "game" he's playing... and also why he's currently glowing with a blueish aura.  We'll get to it...

... but first, Mxy decides to strip away all of the rules of physics, gravity and reality.  As everything goes wonky, the imp shares that, regardless of which reality, Lois and Clark are invariably connected.  He finds it gross... which, I suppose he would!

Then... things get weird-er.  Mxyzptlk reveals that at some point there was a split... leading to two Supermen, and two Lois's's's.  I'm still not sure how I feel about this concept, but we'll play along for now.  Anyhoo, the other, that is the New-52! Superman exploded into red energy right before Rebirth hit.

Superman and Lois are escorted to a floating Daily Planet Building that stretches way up into the cosmos.  Mxy refers to it as the Infinite Planet, and offers up a challenge.  Ya see, young Jon Kent is currently up inside the Planet's globe... if Superman can beat the imp up there, he can have his boy back.  However, if he can't, Jon will remain in the Fifth Dimension forever, and Superman and Lois will be lost and forgotten.

Meanwhile, inside the Infinite Planet globe, Jon Kent is chatting up a pair of glowing balls of red energy.  They reveal themselves as being the New-52! Superman and Lois.  They're the same as his parents... only different, ya dig?

Back to the race... which is depicted as being run on an actual game board... which makes for a neat splash page, if nothing else.  Mxyzptlk sings a song... which, for whatever reason, convinces him that he'll win the race?  I dunno... these beats are kinda missing the mark for me.  Trying to be a bit too "out there" and esoteric... but, I mean, we're dealing with a race to the top of a building...

... which Superman and Lois still win, by... I dunno... telling themselves that they still exist?

Anyhoo, Mxyzptlk feels like this is cheating, and calls them out on it.  Meanwhile, Jon (who can hear all of this going down) pleads with the red energy to help his folks.

Outside, Mxy's had about enough of the fun 'n games, and decides to move on to the conclusion... he tells Superman to forget.  Forget about his son, hell, maybe forget about everything.  And... he begins to do just that!

Suddenly, when all hope (and memory) looks to be lost, the Infinite Planet globe explodes in a brilliant red flash.

We wrap up the chapter with a high-collared, very New-52! looking, Superman holding his wife and son!

--

So, yeah... Superman-Red and Superman-Blue.

I dunno about you all, but... I didn't have much of a problem with the way things were set up with the Supermen post-Convergence.  I was cool with the idea that the real Superman was hanging in the background, while the new, young, brash hip-for-the-kids Superman was "the guy" for a little while.

I feel like this "split into two" concept really just complicates things.  Seems like anytime we have the option to keep things simple, or add a bunch of confusing layers... we always get the latter.  I guess I just don't understand what merging the real Superman and the New-52! one really does for anyone.  I mean, the New-52! series'... ya know, kinda undelivered... outside of the "unmasking" I can't recall a whole heckuva lot from 'em.

As for the issue itself... it, like the other chapters, is breezy.  For dropping so much information, it's still kinda light on actual story.  Hell, we could'a (should'a?) deep-sixed that overlong back-up in Action #975, and just added this chapter there.  Really, this whole story should've been dropped in an Annual or Special.

Overall... it's an important issue, though a bit confusing at times.  Good thing this is yet another five-minute read, so it won't take you too long to give it a second (or third) look if you need to.  Worth a look... in collected edition.

--

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Superman (vol.4) #18 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #18 (May, 2017)
"Superman Reborn, Part One"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Pencils - Patrick Gleason
Inks - Mick Gray
Colors - John Kalisz
Letters - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andres Merino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks - Dan Jurgens
Cover Price: $2.99

I was working my way through my library, looking for a way to buy some time before getting into our third annual Twelve Days of Christmas on Infinite Earths, when I came across Superman Reborn.  Well, parts Two and Four of Superman Reborn... had to bobble some boxes to find the other two.

Haven't read 'em since the day they came out... and, quite honestly, I can barely even remember most of it.  The only thing I do remember, is that I was riveted, and couldn't wait for each chapter to arrive!  So hey, why not give it a whirl here over the next few days and see how it reads now?

An aside, and something that comic fans in particular might appreciate.  I just recently relocated all of my longboxes to a corner of the house... this way, when we have holiday visitors they're not stepping/tripping over my obsessive obstacle course on their way in.  So, yeah... everything is neatly stuffed out of sight... and that's when I realized...

... oh yeah, Twelve Days is coming up... and I'm going to have to rifle through 'em all over again.  Only now, in a much more cramped space!

Oh well, such is the life of an idiot comic blogger.

--

We open with flashes of energy, and settle on Mr. Oz's prison palace, or whatever it was (this really feels like it happened at least five years ago at this point).  Prisoner, Red Robin gleefully exclaims that "someone got out!".  The enigmatic Mr. Oz approaches a wall... or monolith... or something.  On it, several pleas for help have been scrawled for Superman.

Elsewhere, Hamilton County to be precise, we join the "Smith" family, as Clark and Lois are about to celebrate their anniversary.  Young Jon gives his folks gifts... a journal for his mother to write all about their recent adventures, and a Farmer's Almanac for his father... your hear about something like a "Farmer's Almanac" and it sounds like such a relic... then you realize you can grab the 2019 edition right here!  That's wild.

All three "Smiths" blow out the candles on the anniversary cake, then suddenly... the doorbell rings.  Jon rushes to the door, only to discover... his father walking away?!  Krypto runs up too... but the fake Clark Kent manages to sooth him before getting all bit-up.

Clark, the real one, Supes up, and flies out to see what's up.  By now the other Clark has left.  He did leave something, however... a gift for the "Smiths"... in the form of, a Kent Family photo album?!

Lois opens it... and inside there are photos of their entire history!  Ma and Pa, Lana, the Planet, a bit of the cover to Action Comics #1.  The only thing missing from these photos... is Jon.

The walk down memory lane is interrupted by... a fire!  It looks like their kitchen is burning up.  Superman goes to put it out... only to find out that it's not really fire.  There's no smoke, and it isn't actually burning anything up.  Instead, it appears to be "erasing" things...

... things that "don't belong" perhaps... and that includes Jon!

Superman rushes in to grab his son... however, he (Jon) keeps blinking in and out of sight.  He reappears in the basement, upstairs, all ova da place.  Superman is finally able to nab him... he wraps the boy in his cape, and dives out of the house.  It's too late, though... Jon disappears from existence!  Oh, their house does too... but, Jon's the important thing.

We wrap up with Lois and Clark in front of the empty lot they used to live on... with the photo album.  All of the photos have been erased... and we're off to the races!

--

Alrighty... heckuva opening chapter.

Gotta say though, before we go any deeper... this feels like it happened sooooo long ago.  I mean, it's been a year and a half (give or take) as of this writing... but it feels just so far removed from where things are now.  In these semi-early days of Rebirth, everything still felt so new... so exciting and optimistic.  We had so many questions we wanted answers to... and the way we were getting our information in drips and drabs was quite well done (for the most part).

Now... just a year and a half later?  It feels like we're spinning our wheels waiting for the next "event" while the current "event" issues take their sweet time hitting the shelves.  This kind of excitement and optimism is woefully lacking... it's frustrating, but it is what it is.  Man, what a difference a year makes!

But this isn't a discussion of late 2018 (DC) Comics, so let's talk about the first part of Superman Reborn.  This had been brewing for awhile, the mysteries of the second Clark Kent... the identity of Mr. Oz (which wouldn't be revealed until the next Superman crossover)... there was just a lot going on.  We had the Kents posing as the "Smith" family, which felt a bit nebulous... but, necessary for the ultimate pay-off.

What we get here... is, kinda "blink and ya miss it".  The entire issue took maybe five minutes to read, which... I mean, it's just the way comics are written anymore.  The thing about this issue was, I actually enjoyed those five minutes spent!  I do wish we'd get a bit more to sink our teeth into, but we do get from Point A to Point B in a pretty satisfying way.

Overall... a breezy read, one that I'd encourage you to check out in collected edition if you're so inclined.  The art is wonderful, and the Smith family dynamic is a hoot.

--

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Superman (vol.4) #24 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #24 (August, 2017)
"Black Dawn, Chapter 5"
Story - Patrick Gleason & Peter J. Tomasi
Pencillers - Doug Mahnke & Patrick Gleason
Inkers - Jaime Mendoza, Mick Gray, Joe Prado & Doug Mahnke
Colorists - Wil Quintana, John Kalisz & Hi-Fi
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andrew Marino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

Apropos of nothing, that's a whole lotta credits for this issue... you'd almost think it was over-sized.

Never ceases to amaze me how large the credits column is nowadays.  At least we don't have a half-dozen editors and creative "chiefs" listed!

--

We open in flashback mode where a green-skinned girl who bears a striking resemblance to the Kent's neighbor Kathy (hmm...) is being consoled by the fella who served as last issue's big reveal... no, not Mr. A... Manchester Black!  Upon turning the page... I'm not sure if I'm reading Superman or a Young Animal book... strange aliens who have been battling the Kroog are being read a verse from the gospel of Manchester Black.  One of the aliens looks a lot like Mr. Cobb (hmm...) and rather than live in fear, they decide to go "all in" with Mr. Black.  Gotta say, I was hoping for something a bit more than "aliens".

In the present, Cobb and Kathy are approached by their alien comrades... they are the Super Elite, by the way... it grows rather contentious, and Cobb expresses his fear that Hamilton will not be as safe a place to live as promised.  He demands an audience with Black... but is turned down.  Maybe Cobb ain't such a bad dude after all.

We shift to Lois and Clark at the hospital.  Lois is in the bed with her bottom half covered, so there's no update on the status of her leg.  The hospital staff is in panic mode dealing with the "seismic event" that just occurred... Clark doesn't understand how they can't see what's really going on, which is a testament to how strong Black's power of suggestion might be.  After a brief chat, Clark Supes-up and heads out in search of his Son.

He arrives at Cobb's farm, which he lifts straight out of the ground... he can see the network of tunnels below.  Before he can dive in, he is greeted by... Jon!  Well, that was easy!  Not so fast... because Jon didn't come alone.

Superman is shocked to see his old foe, Manchester Black... and immediately fires a his eye beams in his direction.  Black, being a super-cool, turn of the century style, trenchcoated bad-ass... halts the beams, and uses them to light his cigarette.  I really hate Manchester Black... though, I guess I'm supposed to.

Black sends Superman reeling with a shot... right into that burning tree.  He then begins revealing his plan... he sees certain qualities in young Jon that he might be able to use.  He continues pummeling Superman with blasts while Jon begs for him to stop.  Superman then calls Krypto in for a distraction.

Before we know it Superman is on top of Black, beating him about the head and shoulders.  He mentions that he "could kill" Black... which our baddie thinks is an absolute riot.  Ya see, the world needs someone like Black precisely because Superman won't kill.  He ponders why they're not having this discussion standing over the smoldering remains of Darkseid as evidence that when push comes to shove, Superman just doesn't have what it takes to "get the job done".  But maybe, someday... SuperBOY will.

To further explain his grand scheme, Black rises the "troublemaker"-inhabited pods from the ground... we see familiar faces from the entire Rebirth run up to this point.  We learn that each one was podded so they wouldn't get in the way of his continued long con, trying to shape Jon into the man he (and the world) will eventually need him to be.  In a cute bit, Superman asks why Black hasn't simply killed them... and he comments that he's read enough comic books to know what might happen to a boy after his parents are killed.  After the monologue, Cobb and Kathy arrive to help put Black down!

Cobb gets nailed with some psychic-type power, which reverts him to his natural alien look... which causes Kathy to react by creating a blast of her own... which frees the captives from their pods.

At this point, Manchester has really had enough of everyone's crap... and so, he decides to infect Jon with that black goop that's been all over the place during this story... ultimately causing him to "go Black".

--

I'm just about ready for this arc to be over.

Don't get me wrong, it's well written and well crafted, but at this point it just feels like it's been going on forever.  In the past two issues, little things have pulled me away from enjoying this to its fullest... last issue, Lois lost a leg... this issue, we get the big reveal... and it's aliens?  I was hoping for something a bit more, I dunno, ominous?  Given the tone up to this point, I really thought we were getting something different.  Early on, I compared this to an episode of Twilight Zone... without giving much thought to how underwhelming some of those reveals were too.

Aliens... 

On to Manchester Black, who is just as face-punchingly awful as I recall him being.  Now, that's not a bad thing... remember, he is pretty much every "by any means necessary" turn of the century superhero trope rolled into a single dude... I think he's supposed to be face-punchy.  Or, maybe I'm just projecting.

It felt like around the year 2000, a lot of us who entered the comics fandom during the "Chromium Age" were starting to feel like we'd outgrown superhero comics... and all the gimmicks, and stunts... we were too smart for that kinda thing anymore... or, ya know... maybe I'm still just projecting.  For us new-or-near adults, books like The Authority really resonated.  For what it's worth, I stuck with the X-Men... but what do I know?  Manchester Black and the Elite were a study in that post-bust nouveau-bad ass take on superheroics.  Now, nearly two-decades later, Black still feels very much like that.

But, I will say... face-punchiness aside, I really like his plan.  Seeing Superman as a lost cause... to his cause, he instead focuses on molding Jon into what he feels the world is looking for insofar as a protector or savior.  It makes perfect sense, and totally fits his character and his established motivations.

Despite my feelings that this story might have gone on an issue too long at this point, and my general dislike of Manchester Black (which, again... is likely the intention), I'd give this issue a pretty high recommendation.

--

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502

Superman (vol.4) #23 (2017)

Superman (vol.4) #23 (July, 2017)
"Black Dawn, Chapter 4"
Story - Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Pencils - Doug Mahnke
Inkers - Jaime Mendoza, Doug Mahnke & Keith Champagne
Colorists - Wil Quintana & Hi-Fi
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor - Andrew Marino
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

For our 499th daily post, I figure we'll look at something on the newer side of things.  A nice palate cleanser from our old-tyme comedy weekend.

--

Picking up where we left off last issue, Lois is standing before our creepy dairyman, Mr. Cobb.  She asks what he's done with Clark and Jon... to which, Cobb calmly replies that he has no intention of hurting them... he's just trying to prepare them.  At the same time, we also rejoin Superman as he investigates the organic pods he had stumbled across underground.  Frustrated, Lois blasts Cobb with her Bat-Gauntlet... and it only knocks his glasses off.  He responds by using Jedi-like powers to crush her hand!

She screams in pain, loud enough for Superman to hear.  He busts his way through the Earth and delivers one hell of an uppercut to the baddie.  An uppercut that Cobb simply shakes off!  He even delivers one of them smarmy "Hello Superman... or should I say Clark?" type'a lines.  This doesn't really impress our man... though perhaps Cobb's use of telekinetics might...

Elsewhere, Superboy is hooked up to some machines and tubing... he is being forced to watch all of the strange goings on in town via an over-sized monitor.  He is being taunted by an off-panel voice, saying he is being given a look at the failure of Superman.  This angers Jon, causing him to use his heat vision... which, surprisingly, ricochets all over the room... which we now know is covered in black mirrors.  Hmm...

Outside, Cobb and Superman continue their discussion... and a few punches are thrown.  Clark demands to know what Cobb's done with Jon... and again, Cobb says he's not going to hurt him... he's only protecting him.  Even goes as far as to say that he loves Jon as his own Son... which, I dunno, is a strange thing to say.

There's an explosion in the distance... and so, Superman wraps Cobb up in some scrap metal... then gives him a flick to the forehead to knock him out.  He delivers Lois to safety before heading over to see what's up.  What he finds is... a giant lobster?  Or maybe that's a crayfish... or crawdad... maybe they're all the same thing, I don't do seafood.  Anyhoo, Superman rescues some workers from the beastie, and when he returns to "deal with it", he finds that he'd been beaten to the punch by a strange glowing figure.

The figure is revealed to be a super-powered Mayor McWhatshisface... and he absolutely slaughters the monster.  This vexes Superman somewhat.  Nearby, a giant bat-creature arrives... and the same thing happens.  This time the beaters-to-the-punch are the super-powered Dr. Brooks and Officer Haggart.  They reveal themselves to be part of something called the... Super Elite.  Oh boy... black mirrors, use of lethal force, a team with "Elite" in the title.  I think I know where this is headed... could'a sworn he was a Teen Titans villain now.

At this point, it would appear that things are about to get real... it's also the point where something extremely un-real occurs.  Lois is on the periphery snapping some pics with her camera phone when... a chunk of debris from the tussle strikes her... severing her leg at the knee!

Superman rushes to her side and... cauterizes the wound?!  Hmm, can't see something like this sticking.  I ought to mention that we're seeing this bit from Jon's point of view via the video monitor... so, I can't say for sure this actually did occur.  He tries to turn away... but his captor steps forward to keep his head fixed on the screens.  He then goes all "Mr. A" on the boy... black is black, white is white... you know the drill.

If only it was Mr. A lurking in these shadows... one turn of the page confirms my earlier suspicions.  Our baddie is... Manchester Black.

--

Okay, let's get it out of the way... I don't like Manchester Black.  Well, I take that back... I thought he was a good "one off" character.  His whole purpose was a commentary on turn-of-the-century Authority-esque comics.  Back then, a young Chris ate it up with a spoon.  I loved any sort of meta-commentary in my books.  Today's Chris, however, tires of such things... and sees it mostly as an exercise in observation, and perhaps a little bit precious.

Black first appeared in the classic, and to my mind, a bit overrated, Action Comics #775 "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?" by Joe Kelly and pencilled by... the same fella who pencilled this issue, Doug Mahnke!  I'm a bit surprised I never discussed that issue here, because I think I have a fair amount to say about it... I won't go too deep, but suffice it to say, it's a good issue, absolutely worth reading... but leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

His use here is puzzling, as last we saw... he was a purple-haired thorn in the side/benefactor for the (New-52!) Teen Titans.  This Black is decidedly more pre-Flashpoint than that... for one, he actually appears to be a grown-up.  For two, he's back to going to extremes to fight for what he believes is right.  While I dislike the character, I can't say that I'm not happy to see some familiar characters acting in familiar-to-me ways.

Now speaking of extremes... Lois loses a leg.  Now I don't think for even a second that this is going to stick (or be found to have actually happened).  Raising the stakes this high may have been a bit misguided, as it makes me feel like we're headed to a reset or "it was all an illusion" ending... but, whatayagonnado?  The story is still intriguing... and regardless of if this is all "an illusion" or whatever, I'm still interested to see how it all falls out.  Especially considering that in Action Comics, the Kents are back living in Metropolis... gotta wonder what becomes of Hamilton County, in a town where everybody knows your Superman's name.

Overall, despite my slight reservations... and the appearance of a character I have little affection for... I gotta say Superman is worth reading.  It's still among the books I look most forward for, and always reside on the "top" of "my stack".

--

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