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Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Superman #215

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 20, 2005

Cover date: May 2005

Writer: Brian Azzarello
Penciller: Jim Lee
Inker: Scott Williams

"For Tomorrow" - Part Twelve

Reviewed by: Nick Newman

Click to enlarge

Superman charges towards Zod and shatters his helmet with a single blow. The two trade blows, shattering the ground around them. Back on Earth, the machine that was once Daniel wakes up, hearing a voice in his head. The voice is Mr. Orr, typing to him from another location. He releases Daniel and tells him to escape. Daniel tells him that he's found his own way out, as he spots the vanishing orb in front of him. After a flash of light, Daniel finds himself somewhere else, surrounded by attackers.

Superman and Zod talk briefly, before Superman knocks Zod down and takes off. Lois attempts to fight Equus off. Lara joins the battle when Superman suddenly arrives. He holds his wife as Equus lies on the ground. Superman talks to Lois and Lara, when Zod suddenly bursts through the wall, charging through Lana and slicing the robot in half. Zod drives Superman into the ground before Superman flips Zod over and begins striking back. As he hurls Zod into the ground, the vanishing sphere suddenly reappears in the sky. Daniel must have thought that sending it back was the right thing to do. Grabbing the sphere, Superman tells everyone to save themselves. The sphere erupts with light, and all of the citizens in Metropia fade back to the real world.

Daniel looks around himself, examining the corpses littering the ground. He looks up to see Superman approaching. Superman punches Daniel twice, shattering his helmet. With his face exposed, Superman suddenly recognizes his friend. Daniel begs Superman to kill him. Superman tells him he can't. Equus sees Daniel, and calls him brother. Daniel jumps up and tackles Equus. Both of them vanish into the rift.

Superman turns from watching Daniel vanish, to Zod. Zod begs Superman to save him, but as Kal reaches for him Zod pulls his hand back and goes to his doom laughing. Returning home, Superman watches the victims of the vanishing reappear back on earth. Somewhere, Daniel and Equus continue their battle.

Superman goes about reconstructing his base, deep in the jungle. Finished, he turns away from the world and walks into his Fortress of Solitude.

Story - 1: It's not like I was really expecting this issue to be good. I knew it would be full of the same poor storytelling and confusing dialog that has plagued the last eleven issues of this series. Superman is confused about his role... boring. Lois evidently loves Superman, not Clark, also pretty pointless. Lois loves Clark, not Superman. I am so sick of Superman having these crises of faith every few months. He's Superman, and he's been Superman for years now. He knows who he is and he is confident that he can get the job done. After twelve issues, I can think of absolutely no reason at all to read this story. None. The entire run is a mess. Some people said that the whole thing would become clear when the series was complete. They were wrong.

I'm still left wondering what the purpose of this story was. I'm left wondering what this story was even about. The only things that I can get out of it are these: Superman now has a Fortress in the Amazon, and Daniel is some part of the OMAC project. The first part I think was a bad move, but it's not like it will really affect Superman that much. The second is just strange, and doesn't seem to fit at all with what's going on in OMAC. And could someone tell me why Superman lived the whole last year just to see Lois one last time, and then when they are both back on Earth, he doesn't go to her? Crap, absolute crap.

The whole thing is made even worse by the fact that this issue was delayed until after the Lightning Strikes arc. Now there is a Superman story. A really good Superman story. Especially the first issue. Judd hit absolute gold with that one. It's sad really, because Hush was really good. It had its faults, but it was a nice solid read. This however, was just a let down. I almost feel bad for Lee. It was just a waste using a man of his talent on this story. Honestly, this is one of the worst I've ever read, not for lack of ambition, but just because it's too confusing. And not confusing in a literary sense, which I'm sure is what Azzarello was going for, but confusing in a "I have absolutely no clue what they are talking about" way.

There isn't much else to say, other than every week I read my books in order from worst to best. Superman normally comes in the middle of the pack. This week, this was at the top of the stack. Bring on the new writers, please. I only wish that I didn't remember saying the same thing twelve months ago.

Art - 5: At least this book can shine somewhere. I thought this was some of Lee's finest work throughout the series. There were some fantastic shots of Superman and Zod fighting. The second and third pages were incredible, as were the two last pages of their fight. I especially like the panel with Superman kicking Zod. I am sad to see Lee leaving. There have been better artists for Superman, but Jim Lee is still near the top of the list. At least he's headed to All-Star Batman and Robin (which of course I'll be getting, what's one more book each month), so his work will still be gracing the pages of DC. I just wish you had gotten a better story Jim, because you definitely deserved better.

Cover Art - 3: I like multiple covers (I'm weird like that, I loved foil covers too). I like interlocking covers. I really like Jim Lee. This cover, however, just didn't do it for me. The collage just isn't quite right, and Superman being right next to... Superman makes the whole thing weird. It would have been much better to have a giant image of Superman fighting Zod sprawled across both, rather than repeat a character. And why are Flash and Aquaman in the background? Did they play a prominent role? I suppose Arthur did show up awhile ago. Not to sure about Flash. Overall, I love the art, but it's only an average cover that could have been much better.