Richard Donner (1930–2021)

The promise of a Superman comic co-written by the director of the fantastic Superman: The Movie featuring General Zod-- and Zod's own son, to be raised by Clark Kent himself-- was more than enough to make me undertake the rare purchase of an in-continuity DC story. And this did not disappoint; it shows the best of Superman, the man who strives, no matter what, and would strive even if he were not "Super"; the scene where he reenters Zod's Phantom Zone fortress to save Mon-El despite the fact show more that his powers don't work there was fantastic. I only wish we had actually gotten to see more of Clark and Lois as parents; the (fantastic) scene where thet decide to give parenting a try is immediately followed by Zod's invasion, which preempts any plans they may have had in that regard. Just one issue to give this idea some room would have been adequate. The other excellent part of this story was the depiction of Lex Luthor: "So this is what it feels like to kill a Kryptonian," he cackles over the bodies of one of Zod's minions. Johns gets Luthor and all of his neuroses in a way that Jeph Loeb failed to in Public Enemies (an inevitable comparison, given how closely I read the two stories). An exceptional Superman story; I was quite disappointed to read about the way Christopher Kent returned earlier this year, as it precludes the Superman-as-father story I've been robbed of by both Last Son and Superman Returns. show less

Wow, I surely did not remember how bad of a film this is. Attempting to sidestep the serious ick factor prevalent in Hollywood blockbuster standards, even assuming anyone would make such a dubious attempt, does nothing to redeem this movie. I wonder, though: in contrast to other comedy farces, say Ferris Buehler's Day Off, with so many of those same ick elements in common, how does the latter film so clearly succeed despite them, while Scrooged rather serves as showcase.

This special edition, a giveaway for Free Comic Book Day and the first chapter of the graphic novel of the same name, tells the story of a young child transported to Earth -- a child who may well be the last survivor of the planet Krypton. Well-paced, the story is compelling and ends on a note that leaves the reader wanting to know what will happen next. The characterizations are well done, and we see a softer side of Superman that isn't always on view. His soft spot for the child is coupled show more with a fierce anger toward any who might harm him, letting us see yet another side of this character that isn't always the one presented. The illustrations are perfectly executed, with great detail and sometimes interesting contrasts (largely, the newsroom and the editor's tirade versus the rocket crashing toward Metropolis).

This title also contains an interview with the author and illustrator of the upcoming series Superman: Unchained, which provided some interesting insights into the creative process and the Superman mythos. show less

I need some Superman reading to get me out of a start-of-winter funk. Last Son is a great start, the art style is fantastic. Hooplah's action reader really drew me into each panel. Felt like a familiar story, but very enjoyable regardless. Didn't quite have the depth that Red Son did, but a few surprises along the way. I wanted it to be longer!