DC COMICS – @DCComics
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
WRITERS: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
PENCILS: Doug Mahnke
INKS: Jaime Mendoza
COLORS: Wil Quintana
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Doug Mahnke and Jaime Mendoza with Wil Quintana
VARIANT COVER: Andy Park
44pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2016)
Rated “T” for “Teen”
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
The last time I reviewed an issue of Superman it was to express my opinion on Superman #41. Entitled “Before Truth” (Part 1), this was the first issue of the new-look slash new-direction, “DCYou” Superman comic book, written by the acclaimed graphic novelist, Gene Luen Yang, his DC Comics debut and his first issue as series writer of Superman. The art team on Superman remained the same as it has been for the year prior: John Romita, Jr. (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks), with colorist Dean White and letterer Rob Leigh.
However, Romita soon moved on to work on a project related the Batman prestige project, DK III: The Master Race. While Yang's run started with such promise, it pretty much petered out after about have a year, probably worn down by the inevitable changes to come. Those changes turned out to be another “all-new direction” for DC Comics, something called Rebirth.
If I understand correctly, Rebirth marks the end of The New 52, DC Comics' reboot of its universe-mythology-continuity-superhero publishing line that began with such fanfare in 2011. Y'all, it didn't even last 5 years. Rebirth is all about returning some old continuity, especially the continuity established back in 1986, coming out of the universe-destroying, Earth-shattering comic book “maxi-series,” Crisis on Infinite Earths. Some call this “GenX” DC Comics.
So before DC's regular series go into Rebirth and some new series debut, some of DC's flagship titles have Rebirth one-shots. Thus, Superman: Rebirth #1. It is written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason, the creative team behind the new Superman series. The artists for this one-shot are Doug Mahnke on pencils; Jamie Mendoza on inks; Wil Quintana on colors; and Rob Leigh on letters.
So, if I followed this correctly: New 52 Clark Kent/Superman is dead and buried. Lana Lang is trying to retrieve his body from his memorial/monument/crypt. She is interrupted by post-Crisis slash GenX Superman – the one married to Lois Lane. He wears a black body suit with a silver Superman emblem “S” on a gray background on his chest. This Superman and Lang travel to dead Superman's Fortress of Solitude in hopes that the “Regeneration Matrix” will revive him.
I have to admit that I was kinda exited about Rebirth, especially after reading the DC Universe Rebirth one-shot. But now, that excitement is gone. Superman: Rebirth #1 isn't bad. I'm simply not interested in modern Superman comic books, for the most part, and this one-shot reminded me of my disinterest. When I really want to read a Superman comic book, I buy some back issues from the 1970s or 1980s or read one of those expensive hardcover collections that DC Comics publishes which reprint Superman comic books from those decades and earlier.
Yeah, I'm going to read some more Rebirth one-shots, but I will only review the ones that I really enjoy or that really move me to care about Rebirth.
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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