Hawkman #23 review

Hawkman and Hawkgirl are falling. And then, a memory… in a past life, Carter Hall is Dr Carlo Salón, a quack going door to door in 17th-century plague-ridden Seville, counting the dead. No matter how many houses he visits, how often the stench of death gets through his beak-mask, Carlo never gets sick. One just-bereaved […]

Superman #20 review

Intergalactic despot Mongul has turned up to wreck the United Planets’ party. Leaders of the newly formed peace-seeking organisation have gathered to anoint a world their collective home, an admin centre for diplomats, but the cosmic conqueror isn’t having it. Cue a planet-quaking fight with Superman, there as Earth’s UP representative, one that reminds us […]

Superman #19 review

It’s the day after Superman shared his secret identity with the world. The insurance company is planning to increase the Daily Planet’s premium, predicting that in no short order hordes of villains will attack Superman’s friends. Superman’s friends aren’t so worried. Unsurprisingly, though, editor Perry White feels forced to fire Clark Kent. Surprisingly, after musings […]

Superman #15 review

Oh, how I love a good old-fashioned cover with an intriguing situation encapsulated by dialogue; I think DC has some kind of linewide word balloon cover stunt this month. Whatever the case, this nicely previews one of the plot points from this issue. But there are more. Starting with… What the heck are we going […]

Superman #14 Review

The shadow of a Thanagarian spacecraft falls on Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, Zod and Superdog. It presages a gathering of universal powers, and the members of the House of El want answers. Flashback to a day earlier. Safe on Jor-El’s ship, Kal, Kara, Jon and Krypto watch as the uneasy alliance between Kryptonian survivors Dru-Zod and […]

Superman #12 review

Like some kind of space cavalry, Kara the Supergirl and Krypto the Superdog have arrived to help Superman, Superboy and Jor-El take on Rogol Zaar, General Zod, sundry Phantom Zone escapees and an attacking space armada. A spark of optimism hits Superman. Amid the fierce battle, there’s yet time for sweetness. And when the heroes […]

Superman #11 review

FIGHT! That’s what we get this issue, as Superman and Superboy are teleported into the middle of an all-out battle involving three space races and Superman’s errant father, Jor-El. Before that, though, we see how Phantom Zone criminal General Zod came to work with Rogol Zaar, the creature who killed Krypton. Superman doesn’t know what […]

Superman #10 review

Jon Kent is telling his parents just what happened to him after he was sucked through a time/space wormhole while having the weirdest summer vacation ever with space-Grandpa Jor-El. He wound up on Earth 3, where Evil rules, and having escaped Ultraman, a vile version of his dad, Jon bumped into Bad Mom, Superwoman. She’s […]

Superman #9 review

‘North Americans don’t do irony.’ It’s a cliche, usually put about by pompous Brits (ahem). And it’s not really true. OK, Canada’s Alanis Morissette is the poster person for misunderstanding the term, but plenty of folks across the Pond get it just fine. Superman writer Brian Michael Bendis? I’m not so sure. ‘Dad, it was […]

Superman #7 review

Finally. After what feels like a lifetime of waiting we get the reunion of Superman and son Jon after the latter’s trip into space with his grandfather, Jor-El, and mother Lois. The dubious idea behind it was that the supposedly summer-long sortie would put Jon on the road to super-manhood. It seems to have been […]