Geoff Johns and James Robinson's work on
Action Comics and
Superman, respectively, have been leading up to this issue; an issue that lives up to, and exceeds, the hype surrounding it.
The
Superman: New Krypton Special (given a "SIGHTINGS" headline on the cover, designating it as related to
Final Crisis for some reason, even though nothing related
to Final Crisis appears here) follows directly after
Action Comics #870, with Clark Kent and his extended family and supporting cast attending Jonathan Kent's funeral (even Bruce Wayne and Alfred make an appearance). While Clark is struggling with both his adopted father's death, and the ramifications of the newly un-bottled city of Kandor appearing on Earth (along with its 100,000 Kryptonian inhabitants as well), Braniac, after having been defeated by Superman in the afore-mentioned issue of
Action Comics, is now being prodded and analyzed by an unknown group, headed by a mysterious military officer and his personal assassin. Superman and Supergirl
travel to Kandor to meet the inhabitants of the newly-liberated city, including Zor-El and Lara, Kara's parents; the situations and problems to follow later in this storyline begin to manifest themselves, as Superman witnesses the cities' inhabitants beginning to utilize their recently-acquired abilities, some of whom not showing the best judgment when doing so. As the book closes, plotlines from the recent
Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen special are revisited, and an incarcerated Lex Luthor is granted a visit by a very surprising and unexpected patron.
Anyone who has been reading John's run on
Action Comics, or Robinson's run on
Superman (and even Sterling Gates' inaugural issue of
Supergirl several weeks ago was a high-point in the series, hopefully a sign of things to come for the beleaguered title), know that they are in for a great read, and a great opener for a much-anticipated storyline as well. These writers excel in taking a near-godlike figure, and showing him in the most human of situations and circumstances. From the sadness that comes with a loss in the family, to the apprehensiveness evident in Superman's words as he speaks to the Kandorians, concerning their new powers, the writing is superb and is deserving of a story this monumental for someone considered to be the "Last Son of Krypton."
The collection of artists contributing to the
New Krypton Special deserves as much credit for an excellent story as do the writers. One is immediately aware that there is a master of sequential art story-telling at work when the first five pages of a book contain no dialogue, but are more than capable of expressing the character's emotions and inner conflicts, everything from sadness to guilt to anger, as Gary Frank achieves with Clark at the commencement of this work. Dialogue could have been added of course; but it is simply not needed, thanks to Frank's talent, and may have even ruined the images, and their effects. Some may complain that the change in art throughout the book is somewhat destablizing for the viewer; this should not be seen as a downside however, due to the fact that this is a work that is meant to be the hub of a story that will run in all three main
Superman titles, and the three different artists in this single issue reflect as much.
Superman: New Krypton Special
is a fantastic work, in and of itself, and is also a perfect point from which to launch a tome in the Superman mythos that has been long hyped and anticipated; one that which, if the past and present work of the creative team is any indication, will not disappoint any long-time, or new, followers of the Man of Steel's adventures.
