Superman: Lost #5 – Priest, Writer; Carlo Pagulayan, Penciller; Jason Paz, Inker; Jeromy Cox, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: As we reach the halfway point of Priest’s space-faring adventure that finds a time-lost Superman building a new life in space, this issue is probably the breakout that shows just how good Priest can be when he’s truly on his game. Until now, we’ve only seen hints of the emotional trauma that a shell-shocked Superman endured in space, with him seeing dulled and confused. But as he tries to return to work, there are some fascinating details that show just how much the time away affected him. He’s forgotten how to regulate his super-hearing due to spending so much time in the void, he pronounces Jimmy’s name in an alien dialect, and it’s gotten so bad that Lois seeks out Diana for help—including the lasso of truth. Maybe it’s fully to help Clark, but she’s also got to be wondering exactly why Clark keeps muttering the word “Hope” in his sleep—and who exactly that is.
When we last left him in space, Clark was caught in a complex tug of war between space libertarians, space pirates, and several other factions—that was interrupted by the surprising arrival of a young Green Lantern named “Hope.” Along with an alien with a meaningful name, Clark starts building a life in a safe zone with his new associates while still struggling to get home. Along the way, he finds out more about Hope, discovers she’s far from home too, and forms a deep emotional connection with her—one that it’s briefly hinted is starting to trouble him. There’s no indication that he ever cheated on Lois in his time away, but the fact that it even crossed his mind no doubt weighs on him. However, there’s a dark secret in this new family, one that someone will do anything to cover up. This is one of the darkest, most complex Superman stories told in a long time, and good for DC letting Priest cut loose.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
