Finding a new avenue to present Superman stories can be difficult. In over 80 years of stories, the Man of Steel has virtually done it all. With the emergence of “DC Black Label” a few years back, it has granted creators a new lane to tell more mature stories involving DC Superhero Characters.
Clark Kent has been no stranger to the brand. “The Last Days Of Lex Luthor” is a recent example of this partnership. Now, a well known creative team is about to embark on an ambitious new saga for Krypton’s Last Son.
SUPERMAN: THE KRYPTONITE SPECTRUM #1 by W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, Chris O’Halloran, and Good Old Neon presents a new challenge involving Supes and his planet’s parting gift: Kryptonite!
Our Bullpen is very interested to see how the team behind “Ice Cream Man” fares. Teaming up on this review is Megan (N.I. Editor/Vigilante Vibes Podcast), Matt (N.I. Editor/ Hops “Geek” News) and yours truly (Ken – N.I. Editor-In-Chief/ODPH Podcast). Let’s see if the hype is real or melting away. *** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
LET’S TALK STORY!
KEN: Prince plays into the quirkiness of Superman lore with the set-up. With a mysterious asteroid heading to Earth, Supes investigates. In his findings are four new Kryptonites. This news doesn’t escape Lex Luthor.
His dialogue oozes of the classic Gene Hackman portrayal. This element would be enough to balance out Clark’s wonder. Luckily for readers, another player enters the game.
ABSOLUTE SUPERMAN!
Batman’s introduction is perfect. Prince leans into their old friendship. The result is more two friends helping each other than superhero Hijinx. Their banter is priceless. It shows readers how well they know each other, for better or worse. This all changes when Clark experiments with Purple Kryptonite.
The new element causes quite the commotion. Prince walks the line with the action and internal breakdown. It challenges the reader along with Clark of what’s true perception. There are many solid moments mixed in before heading to close. Once here, the dialogue brings events full circle before setting a huge new course. Readers should have no fear of where the direction takes them into next chapter. There’s much to enjoy here.
MEGAN: With the discovery of new types of Kryptonite, there has to be some actions taken for the future of Superman. Clark sees that, and knows what he must do; he has to test them on himself to know what to expect in case the Kryptonite falls into the wrong hands. While it’s certainly not the easy option, I think it’s the best option. Bruce makes it clear that he completely disagrees, but respects Clark enough to assist him on these trials.
The chemistry between Bruce and Clark was easily the best part for me. There was a level of respect shown between the two powerhouses that needed to be shown to showcase how much Bruce disagrees with the trials. Although Bruce knows it’s a bad idea, he still stays to help any way he can, and even helps Superman keep his head on straight during his fight to save Metropolis. This compassionate side of Bruce is something we’re not very used to seeing, but was very needed in the story, as he was basically holding Clarks hand through the unknown.
MATT: Perhaps my favorite element of this story is the relationship between Clark and Bruce. Prince delivers the classic weariness of Batman however, there is another side to Batman we get to see in this issue which is compassion. The back and forth between the two shows just how close they are and it’s a side of these two we do not get to see enough.
This story is not without emotion either as we see glimpses of Lois calling it quits which is mixed in with fast paced action sequences. With this just being the start of new colors of kryptonite I cannot wait to see where we go next.
HOW ABOUT ART AND LETTERING!
KEN: Morazzo and O’Hollaran tap into the classic aura of Superman for this story. The half panel breaking down his powers is a fun nod to the past. Seeing Luthor and Superman appear to be looking at the other on pages creates more wonder of the discoveries. Both give way for Batman’s entrance. The art takes a simple crime fight and amplifies it to a personal call between friends.
Watching the back and forth between heroes keeps readers guessing. It is a sharp set-up as the new discovery is very unknown. The full page image of Superman self experimenting shows the lengths he goes to. It gives way to the fallout. Using purple panels to exemplify the changes, Superman’s breakdown jumps off page. Panel structure is key to this sequence.
Even with a full page shot thrown in, the disassembling takes hold. It plays well with the emotional images popping up. All seems calm to the final page. Readers get a full page parting shot for the ages as the door shuts here. The moment encompasses everything rolling in these pages. This is sure to be a fun ride moving forward.
MEGAN: The artists did a fantastic job differentiating between the current time and the time that was taken over by the purple Kryptonite in Clark’s mind. I really liked how they continued to ride with the purple theme throughout the comic. It showed just how big of an affect the time-warping Kryptonite had on Clark, and did a phenomenal job portraying just how hard he was struggling.
MATT: The art is blended in fun back-and-forth elements that both bring some laughs and deliver some hard hits. Using purple, the color of the time-blending Kryptonite, was a great way to showcase which sequences were out of place during the action. There are some incredible panels of Batman and Superman flying high together, which stand out above all else.
If you’re familiar with Ice Cream Man, then this art brings a comfort level with it as well as bright colors. all in all, this issue is bursting at the seams with beautiful panels and moments.
OVERALL GRADE: 9.3 /10
KEN: 9.3. When a new twist to a classic substance, Superman’s world is turned inside out. Prince’s writing walks a fine line handling this new challenge. Morazzo and O’Hollaran deliver on crafting a vintage aura. This is going to be something Superman fans won’t forget anytime soon! CLICK HERE FOR MORE CONTENT FROM KEN
MEGAN: 9/10. I love the addition of the new threats of Kryptonite, and seeing the direct effect of them on Superman. Along with the trials, the chemistry between Clark and Bruce was pitch perfect. Click here for more content from Megan!
MATT: 9.5. This is a fun new introduction that deepens the mythos behind Superman. Prince adds a great deal of emotional depth to Batman and Superman’s friendship, while Morazzo and O’Halloran provide us with Silver Age-inspired artwork. Click here for more content from Matt!
Let us know what you thought of SUPERMAN: THE KRYPTONITE SPECTRUM #1 in the comments below! Thanks for reading!
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Leave a Reply