Superman #5 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Jamal Campbell, Artist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Superman has been in an all-time renaissance these last few years, and Josh Williamson’s first arc on this title has been fantastic. With Superman reluctantly in charge of Lexcorp and working with an imprisoned Luthor, he’s been pitted against a sadistic duo of mad scientists upgrading his villains against their will. After fending off Parasite, his next test is a driven-to-madness Silver Banshee—who it was revealed at the end of last issue is dating Jimmy Olsen! A sweet flashback to their courtship actually sells us on their connection in only a few pages, which isn’t as far off as all that—Siobahn has always been more of a tragic villain, possessed by a dark spirit. Now, she’s had her scream tied to the Phantom Zone, which leads to a delightfully creepy effect in Jamal Campbell’s art as she basically vomits ghosts at Superman. And while Superman wants to help her, “Supercorp” may have other ideas.
The back-and-forth between Superman and his new associates is a great part of this series, as he constantly frustrates Luthor by refusing to give up his morals. This is also the best use of Jimmy since his solo series, as the offbeat former cub reporter actually seems like an adventurous and heroic person in his own right. Superman wins the day and manages to help another villain, but at a painful temporary cost—which is an interesting development that leads to some intriguing observations about his powers on a double-date night. But it also leads to the darkest moment of the series in the cliffhanger, as Luthor’s enemies manage to strike at him at his most vulnerable. The question about whether Luthor has actually turned over a new leaf is at the core of this series, but the upcoming Night Terrors issues mean we won’t see the other side of this cliffhanger for a few months, unfortunately.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
