Superman #25 – Brian Michael Bendis, Writer; Ivan Reis, Penciller; Julio Ferreira, Danny Miki, Inkers; Alex Sinclair, Colorist
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Bendis seems far more interested in Superman’s origins and the destruction of Krypton than past writers, with the addition of Rogol Zaar and the conspiracy to destroy Krypton. Now he adds another wrinkle to that, with the addition of the Synmar. This complex and advanced society—but filled with superstitions and a cult-like atmosphere—was the planet closest to Krypton and monitored their extinction. They were also the only culture to be aware of Superman’s rocket being sent to Earth, and were forced to decide how to address a potential omega-level power being born. While some radicals wanted to invade and eliminate the threat, they chose to create their own champion out of one of their own and wait for them to be needed as a counter-balance to the threat. We see the selection of the Avatar of Synmar, but the process that gives them powers has bad effects on their mind and foresages trouble. Who could have seen this coming?
As the threat of Synmar, who Bendis is setting up as the next main villain of his run, lurks in the background, Superman faces his own challenges on Earth. We know that Lana Lang is back in the picture and may be investigating Superman for reasons that aren’t entirely on the up-and-up. Much of this issue is devoted to flashbacks, with us seeing Bendis’ version of Superman and Lana’s teen years, along with their reunions years later. There are some deep cuts from continuity, including Lana’s time as a reporter for the Daily Star, along with Lana’s brief stint as the mostly forgotten Superwoman. She’s usually a character who’s overlooked in Superman’s mythos, so making Lana more relevant in the present day is a good move. Overall, this issue has some compelling dialogue, but feels more like a preview for things to come. Synmar definitely feels like a stronger villain out of the gate than Rogol Zaar did, at least.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
