Superman #1
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Ivan Reis
Inker: Joe Prado
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC Comics
Review by Cory Webber
WARNING! There will be spoilers for Bendis’ Man of Steel series, which concluded last week.
Superman #1 picks up right after Bendis’ Man of Steel series. The majority of this issue deals with him coping with Lois and Jon being off in outer space with his father. Also, the Justice League makes an appearance to help him clean up what remains of his Fortress of Solitude. To say the least, Bendis sure did shake up the status quo to make way for the story he wants to tell.
Superman #1 is a great jumping on point for the longest-standing superhero book. Bendis does a great job of catching new readers up without bogging the current story down. His strengths are dialogue and characterization, and both are on full display here.
Most of all, he adds a new, nicely done layer to the relationship between Supes and Martian Manhunter. J’onn offered some intriguing advice to Kent, which I hope gets explored later on in this series. Furthermore, my favorite part was during their conversation where Superman kept disappearing briefly, to help people across the world, only to return to the conversation without missing a beat. It’s that kind of subtle humor, intertwined with the more serious moments, that Bendis does so well.
At first, I was confused as to why DC had Bendis start with Man of Steel. Why not just start out by doing Superman and Action Comics? Well, the ending to Superman #1 makes it pretty apparent that Bendis has laid out quite the story for Supes. Man of Steel did a nice job of setting up the status quo for both series, and I can’t wait to see where Action Comics takes the ol’ Boy Scout. (Note: Action Comics #1001 comes out in 2 weeks).
Ivan Reis’ pencils, Joe Prado’s inks, and Alex Sinclair’s colors combine to help Bendis’ script shine. Reis’ lines are taut and well-defined, especially in his facial expressions. Prado’s inks provide solid depth and emotion. And, Sinclair’s colors are great, especially during the early flashback scenes, as well as on the final page.
Verdict: Buy it.
In conclusion, Bendis delivers a strong, new-reader-friendly issue with Superman #1. And, he doesn’t waste any time putting Superman in a difficult situation.
