Not so Super....
I’m a huge JMS fan and this is the first issue of his Superman run therefore I went in with the highest of expectations. Unfortunately I was extremely disappointed.
Superman has decided to walk across America in some kind of attempt to “find himself” or “rediscover his place in the big scheme of things”, so you have him in full costume walking down the street of some small suburban neighbourhood with a crowd of reporters following him questioning him about what he’s doing and why isn’t he off saving the world and if he’s lost his powers. Although he answers these questions the whole concept comes across as annoyingly pretentious and preachy with a Superman trying to lead by example but only making himself come across as less than super. I don’t need my Superman walking cross country and quoting Thoreau. He’s not Ghandi for God’s sake.
In one scene Superman has to deal with a woman about to commit suicide by jumping from a high rise building and decides he’s not going to “save” her but talk her down. He actually promises her that if she decides to jump he wont stop her. I didn’t agree with this. A police negotiator would never take this position and Superman is supposed to be a champion of life not a champion of pro-choice where it relates to suicide. However the simplicity and poignancy of his last words to her before she makes her final decision is very effective and its here that Straczynski shines.
I hate to hear people saying “ Oh I hate Superman. I cant relate to him. He’s too powerful”. He’s Superman, the most powerful hero in the world. We’re not supposed to relate to him. He’s supposed to stand above us and protect us from threats we couldn’t begin to comprehend. I understand that after the last few months of the New Krypton and War of the Supermen arcs DC wanted to re-establish Superman on earth and ground him somewhat but this isn’t the way to do it…..
