The Return of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 review

The Cyborg Superman is rampaging through the streets of Metropolis, appearing at STAR Labs and blasting his way into the research facility. Superman is off planet so someone else is going to have to take on the man-monster who killed the seven million inhabitants of Coast City.

Thankfully, three other heroes with experience of astronaut turned madman Hank Henshaw are on hand.

Heroes and villain battle…

… and, eventually, the good guys win.

But that’s not all there is to this 70pp story commemorating the Reign of the Supermen/Return of Superman storyline that followed the Death of Superman event in the Nineties. it’s a real treat for fans of the epic tale old and new, bringing back the original creatives teams of the Superman books for an encore.

There’s a framing sequence in which current Daily Planet editor Lois Lane and political reporter Ron Troupe are looking back at the coming of Superboy, Steel, the Eradicator and, then posing as a hero, the Cyborg Superman. They’re reading the contemporaneous journal of then-editor Perry White, seeing events through his eyes and how he came to make what he considers the biggest mistake of his professional life.

First, we see how then cub reporter Ron first saw Steel debut in his neighbourhood, courtesy of writer Louise Simonson and artist Jon Bogdanove.

Then, writer-artist Jerry Ordway shows Perry struggling with the Eradicator’s claim to be the true Superman, reborn after dying to save Metropolis from Doomsday.

Later, courtesy of Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett and Doug Hazlewood, Perry meets another likely pretender to Superman’s cape – he hates being called Superboy, wants to be called Superman, but Perry, impressed by his spirit, courage and joie de vivre as he battles Bloodsport, dubs him The Metropolis Kid.

Finally, shortly before Superman does indeed return, Perry encounters the Cyborg Superman, and is fooled into believed it’s his friend reborn in a tale by writer-breakdown artist Dan Jurgens and finisher Brett Breeding.

These are great stories. As with last year’s The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Special #1 the classic creators show that the massive financial success of the Death and Return storyline wasn’t all down to the Nineties speculator boom. Sure, that played a part, with DC not being shy of gimmick covers and the like, but it’s the story and art that’s made the books legendary. And that’s down to brilliant creators who show once again that they can still make superhero comics as good as anything seen before or since.

While the four would-be Supermen are the main selling point, the real star of the show is Perry White, whose character and values are the heart of the Daily Planet. Current Planet editor Lois and predicted future editor Ron share them, but they take their lead from Perry and it’s wonderful to see him showcased.

Which isn’t to say the four Supermen are underserved. All have great moments. If I had to pick a favourite story it’s the Superboy chapter. The Metropolis Kid – it was a while before he started calling himself Kon-El – is cheeky, cocky and a delight. Renamed Conner Kent, he’s been a bit of an angst magnet for the last couple of decades and been less popular with readers. Funny that. A couple of especially fun aspects to Kesel and Grummett’s story is an appalling pun on one of their names, and this page.

A poster, Perry says? Well yes… one we saw as a bonus pin-up in the Kid’s first starring issue, Adventures of Superman #501.

Now that’s clever. The story also features a couple of characters who went on to Superboy’s solo book, and it’s a treat to see them.

The other big delight for me is Jon Bogdanove’s art, beautifully coloured by Glenn Whitmore, another original Death and Return creator. The vibrancy of their depiction of Ron’s neighbourhood has me longing for a Tales of Metropolis series by this team.

It’s interesting to see the flashback tales subtly updated with technology that wasn’t around in the Nineties, too. And I like that the Cyborg Superman’s reason for invading STAR Labs goes right back to his first appearance, long before he became half robot.

The current day pages are scripted by Jurgens and beautifully illustrated by modern master Travis Moore, who does an especially great job depicting Ron’s hair and beard – it’s a little thing, but appreciated.

Filled with careful characterisation and superb action moments, this is a rock solid comic that deserves the term ‘special’, straddling the line between nostalgia and newness.

And as well as the story there are pin-ups, including a contribution from Jackson ‘Butch’ Guice, another original member of the Reign team as artist on Action Comics with writer Roger Stern. What’s more, we get some promotional art and rarely seen character logos.

And then there’s the terrific wraparound cover by Jurgens, Breeding and colourist Elizabeth Breitweiser, who works with the pair on their interior story.

Everyone who worked on this comic – let’s not forget Denis Rodier, another Nineties Superman artist who here contributes inks to a few pages, letterers Rob Leigh and Richard Starkings, colourist Adriano Lucas, publication designer Kenny Lopez, production person Sandy Alonzo and editors Brittany Holzherr, Chris Rosa, Ash Padilla and Paul Kaminski – should give themselves a big pat on the back.

And then start work on a monthly Legends of Superman featuring timeless tales by the legendary creators in this comic.