I feel kind of intimidated doing a review of the first super hero ever. Superman is a cultural icon; the kryptonian that saves the earth again and again. I’m still a newbie when it comes to DC comics, but like the man of steel I will give it my all.
That being said, the character of Superman is not a strong presence in this new comic, instead of him, we have another version of the character. A Superman that is mysterious yet holding a connection to the past. Although the start is a little slow and messy in setting this story up, it gets much better with each page read. As the book builds we find out what happened with the Man of Steel and why.
In the script, the drama, adrenaline and sense of constant danger is present right from the first page. This feel quickly changes into a more pessimistic one with some real emotional heaviness and sadness. Lana Lang is probably the key piece in this new story and her future is being set up for something special. Still, compared to the other comics that have started this week from this new line, I feel like Superman: Rebirth #1 was the slowest, with a distinct lack of action. Seems like there’s something better to come after all this setup, but I can’t but say that I’m not a little disappointed with this.
Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason did good work on this one, especially with the only fight that takes place in this issue, but overall the whole thing feels like the first half of a new TV series. There is just so much that they are trying to cram in here so they can get to the action before fans get bored. Jaime Mendoza, Doug Mahnke and Will Quintan, on the other hand, did an awesome job with the art. The coloring is simple yet intense and the inks and shadows are perfect. Everything is really well done and has a clean and professional look.
The drama was also on point when it came to the first double-page panel. The few fight scenes transmitted the right dose of danger and even made me get a bit nervous as I read! Regrettably, I can’t say the same of the rest of the comic. Things just get a tad bit boring as the book goes on. The latter half of the book doesn’t quite preserve the quality we have going at the begging, and it bothered me A LOT when I saw the first three panels before the scene in Smallville. Come on, guys, you were doing great before that bit! It was something cool to see and everything was on the right track, what happened there?
The big question here is, and this is Spoiler Alert, that Superman is dead. Well, a Superman at the very least, but a Superman nonetheless. It will be interesting to see what these people come up with from this point forward and how the other Superman fits into everything. I’m not that excited with this one as with other new comics in the Rebirth line that I’ve read, but there is enough here to say to keep the eye on it as it develops.
Overall I really enjoyed Superman: Rebirth #1. It’s a solid comic, but doesn’t really do anything special with the character; yet. It feels like the played it really safe with their tent-pole hero, and while they don’t hit certain expectations I had at least they not meet some of them. Not a complete success for a new Superman book, but not a fail either. instead it’s just some sage middle point that leaves a bittersweet taste in the mouth.
It’s an inconsistent start for Superman, but it’s strong enough to recommend you stick it through to see how it all develops.
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