Superman: Doomed #1

The Good

If your expectations for this issue are just "I really want an awesome fight between Superman and Doomsday!" then you're going to be pretty satisfied. Okay, it's not on par with the classic one and the pages can get a little too crowded at times (a double-page spread has 11 narrow panels), but man, when the action gets going, it's a very good time. This is a fight between two titans and that's most definitely conveyed properly in these pages. Punches generate shock waves and damage the ground, hits send characters flying, so on and so on. Simply put, it's a clear contender for a highlight spot in our weekly "Best Battles in New Comics" feature.

This is a big issue ($4.99 cover price for a reason, people), so it's understandable that Ken Lashley and Sunny Gho's visuals would fluctuate a bit. But, just like with the story, everything shines when the action comes from and center. Yes, some of the pages get a little too busy, but overall, the two fights really are a glorious spectacle and it's primarily thanks to these two. Everything from the coloring properly expressing all of the heat and dirt involved in the brawl to the gritty detail bringing all of the damage and savage swings to life, the fight itself is sure to be a great experience for your eyes. It's a shame things get a little too small at times (due to the large number of panels), but it doesn't take away from the impact all that much, anyway.

Sometimes the dialogue lays it on a little thick or characters appear out of nowhere (here's looking at you, Wonder Woman and Lex Luthor), but there's still a couple of memorable scenes. There's three writers involved (Scott Lobdell, Greg Pak, Charles Soule), so you can't be absolutely sure who contributed what, but the brief interaction between Clark and Diana was my personal highlight. It's short and direct yet surprisingly tender and even somewhat cute. It was a nice escape from the constant build-up.

The Bad

The dialogue comes off a little heavy-handed at times and some of the caption boxes didn't really feel required (e.g. essentially stated the obvious without really adding anything new to it). There's some good bits of dialogue (as stated above), but overall, there were more than a few moments that felt somewhat unnatural to me.

Having a subplot revolving around Lana Lang and Lois Lane is cool, but right now, it just interrupts the flow of what's going on between Superman and Doomsday. If you're paying $4.99 for this issue, odds are it's because you're interested in Doomsday's reemergence, yes? This feels like a bit of a jarring jump from that story and only has a very loose connection to it (for right now, at least).

Oh, and I get the logic behind Doomsday wanting to "power up" before facing Clark, but if he's already an upgraded version of the villain, does he really need to? Not to mention how their fight concludes feels very abrupt and a little anti-climatic. It was almost like page space was running out so they had to wrap it up and then... yeah, that happened. Don't get me wrong, I understand it's illustrating the fact Superman is going all out, but it seems to downplay everything that came before it. Bit of a personal gripe: we've seen so many excuses to have Superman kill and these stakes certainly warrant considering the option. However, considering this version of Superman's intellect, experience, powerful allies and the technology this world has to offer, it would have been great to see Superman find another way and surprise us instead of building-up with "it's okay, you need to kill him!" and then following through on just that. It basically takes away the shock when it does happen.

The Verdict

It's an okay start for the event, but I'll admit I'm still curious enough to see how this will all play out (especially taking into account what solicits have revealed). The story isn't all that gripping and the subplot isn't doing anything to standout, but the action was a blast and the upcoming development has my interest. With such a big cover price (there's 35 pages or so, but still, $4.99 is asking a lot when we have so many titles on our pull lists), I can only suggest that die-hard Superman fans should consider picking this one up.

Sooooooooo are we getting the death of superman in this story or what?

@master_thief Nope

@k4tzm4n On Doomsday needing to power up, I would think it stems form the the fact that Superman himself had gotten stronger since their first encounter.

Sigh.... why does Scott Lobdell have to write the first issue?

(I'm sorry Mr. Lobdell, but your really not a Superman writer)

Both Lobdell and Doomsday were on fire this issue; both as underwhelming and mediocre as ever.

Damnn!

subplot just interrupts the flow of what's going on between Superman and Doomsday

This feels like a bit of a jarring jump from that story and only has a very loose connection to it (for right now, at least).

Considering secondary objective of Doomed (This is - Superman Doomed - not a “death of superman a retelling”, since after the fight with Doomsday is the “big thing” of the book, exploring how it affects Superman. Cotton said Superman Doomed is “unifying” titles for the first time in the New 52, and setting up a big year for Superman titles - translation: clean up after Lobdell), that’s not surprising and actually warranted.

Not agree with all points, but nice review. Thanks.

4/5 for me.

I highly recommend it, I've read it and I kept going with Superman/Wonder Woman #8, it was great.

This had better be worth the £3.75 I paid to preorder the issue.

"some of the caption boxes didn't really feel required (e.g. essentially stated the obvious without really adding anything new to it)."

Yup, sounds like Lobdell to me...

It sounded worth reading before after reading this it doesn't.Think I'll pass.

THIS.

It may still be worth reading, Lobdell is only doing the first issue. After that it's a slew of good writers who know what they are doing.

Which is? this story makes no sense to me at all.

Ugh that doesn't sound like a good sign at all mate.

@entropy_aegis: No I mean they understand the story, Superman, and what's going on in general.

Im no psychologist but it seems to me like people would've had a lot less of a problem with this if they just left Lobdell's name off the cover.

If they left him off the insides and away from the text, they would have had even less of a problem.

@ultimatesmfan: Pretty much, I would have checked this out but not even Pak and Soule are enough to make me forgot the Lobdell had a hand in it.

@ultimatesmfan said:

True. Personally, I really enjoyed the issue.

At least the other two issues of the Superman Doomed that came out today were good (and not written by Scott Lobdell)

I actually liked this issue though, very good way to start things off

@anandak47: Me too.

I love it nice way to start a story have more questions than answers which we shall get into.Second thing this Doomsday is the same Doomsday that superman killed back in the Day but he is different which we know Doomsday Evolve from time to time.So the New 52 is really now new it is still the same Superman.Sweet.

I am glad I am not reading this crossover

I dropped all my Super titles just to avoid this.

I don't actually think this issue meant anything. Honestly, I did not see the point in it whatsoever, nether was their dramatic tension or...anything...

DAYUMN!

This.
The one shot was the epitome of mediocre. The sub-plot was weak, the ending was too fast paced and half-@ssed, Luthor's "plan" didn't make sense and so many other reasons.
I give it a generous 2.5-3, I put it in the "Completely forgetable but entertaining for 10 minutes" category.

Only getting this to see Doomsday and Superman in a steel cage match.

Surprise, surprise.

There was literally nothing the could have done. Send him to the Phantom Zone? No.

@jwalser3: There was no time for that an he was appearing at random at different places taking life getting stronger.Every second counts.

@tensor: I know. I was just saying that I'm not surprised that the reviewer didn't like the fact that Superman kills Doomsday.

Uh... Doomsday is using the Phantom Zone to teleport, so why would anyone even think that's an option? And you completely missed my point. The handling of it felt redundant and took away any weight the development could have had. Not to mention it was terribly abrupt/anti-climactic. If you're going to have him do that, it should be a powerful scene. Instead, we're just told it's okay over and over until it happens. So yeah, I'd MUCH rather see Superman prove how gifted his intellect is and find another way than the way this was handled. Considering the universe he's in and what he's endured, there's bound to be something our little minds haven't thought of.

@jwalser3: Yeah you are right.I loved it.

I actually like the issue. 4/5!

@k4tzm4n: I know he was using the phantom zone? I said that because there were not many options for Superman to handle Doomsday. I said Phantom Zone because that's usually everyone's go to. And I rather have Clark kill him, there is no point in not killing him.

Doomsday fights Superman and then fails to kill him. Instant Villain decay. Because now he's not even "The Beast the killed superman" anymore.

@saren: You do not know how much that made me laugh.

I actually liked this issue, not that much, but it was meh. The sub-plot to me was boring, the whole Lana and Lois thing could have been taken out. I feel like it didn't ass much. But I did like Superman's talk with Perry.

My two highlights were Wonder Woman saying "I owe this thing a debt. It's time it was settled". I was like" Is she a Lannister all of a sudden?"

And Superman saying Lex is right.

This.Of course.

I don't care for the story, but that fight was epic. Wish it had a better artist though.

Gotta disagree with a lot of people here. I loved this book. The art wasn't the best at all times but the story was epic. There were a lot of great chracter moments and I felt Clark's personality and who Superman really is got a lot of moments to shine.

The scale and desperation of the situation was very exciting. Also u really get ur moneys worth for this issue. A lot happens in this one issue and its all great.

For me I haven't read a comic this fantastic in a long time.

Loved all 3. Story was great. Saw some good personal moments. Saw glimpses into relationships. And saw speed and strength feats for superman. Loved all 3

I think I may be the only person that likes Lobdell.

I haven't read this and I don't plan on picking up anything from this arc. It just sounds so stupid to rehash an event from the 90's.

Hell of a fight.