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Mild Mannered Reviews - Superboy Comics

Superboy #5

Superboy #5

Scheduled to arrive in stores: January 11, 2012

Cover date: March 2012

"Breakout"

Writer: Scott Lobdell
Penciller: R. B. Silva
Inker: Rob Lean
Cover: Shane Davis with Jonathan Glapion & Barbara Ciardo

Reviewed by: Adam Dechanel

Click to enlarge


Superboy is undergoing yet more testing in the N.O.W.H.E.R.E facility. His powers have grown so much he can press over three tons - more than their machines can measure. His inner monologue reveals what happened in Teen Titans #4.

Dr. Umber (Lois Lane's mole) is now heading up the Superboy Project after what happened to Caitlin 'Red' Fairchild. As Superboy heads to his sleeping quarters Zaniel enters the lab. Expressing his anger and disappointment in the Superboy project by morphing into a shadowy multi headed shadow serpent that promptly kills the entire lab staff, all except Umber. Zaniel then leaves the lab revealing that 'Red' was being shipped off to 'The Colony'.

Rose Wilson is back after her hissy fit (Superboy #3) and clashes with a frosty Teen of Steel. It's fairly clear to Superboy that Rose regrets not helping Caitlin and fears for her.

We learn out of the blue that Caitlin was trying to cure herself and the other Gen Actives and N.O.W.H.E.R.E lackeys load her paralyzed body into a fake delivery truck.

Director Centerhall and a large tattooed black man named Batus watch on in the truck and wonder why 'Red' had posed as a meek doctor and why she was plotting against N.O.W.H.E.R.E.'s (supposed) mission to make the world a better place for metahumans.

Back in the facility Rose joins a team ransacking Caitlin's quarters. Though they find nothing Rose is lucky and discovers a small jump drive. In the meantime the fake truck is attacked by a disguised Superboy who was able to escape the facility unnoticed and rescue Caitlin with the aid of yet another 'helper' this time someone we don't see.

Back at N.O.W.E.R.E Rose accesses the drive which reveals details on 'The Colony' and a sleeper program inside Rose herself that will activate her persona as 'Ravager' on 'Culling Day'. At the same time word of the attack on Centerhall and Batus reaches the facility and Zaniel suspects Superboy had snuck out to help 'Red' but despite the computer records indicating no motion detectors were activated in the last hour Zaniel is still suspicious and barges into Superboy's room expecting him not to be there.

The two exchange harsh pleasantries. Superboy pointing out if Zaniel actually had the power to terminate the Superboy Project he would have done so. Superboy promises he will complete his mission and return with Wonder Girl and when he does he will answer only to Zaniel's boss.

Elsewhere on a farm somewhere across America we see the two lovers that Superboy had fought on his week of freedom. The pair are in a vegetative state cared for by the farming husband and wife. They look after many gifted children and prepare them for the 'Culling'.

To Be Continued in Teen Titans #5...

2Story - 2: Plot points are finally moving along, five months late and two crossovers later but we're finally building up speed and the story is progressing. The mystery elements and the series of lies, told to Superboy AND us are getting incredibly tedious.

5Art - 5: Nothing that hasn't been said already. If it wasn't for the stylistic art of Silva this book wouldn't survive. It is the only constant thing in this series.

3Cover Art - 3: Misleading cover art and deliberately falsifying blurb. Not to mention 7 foot tall Caitlin is regressed to a damsel in distress. If only it actually had shown the actual scene inside that was actually cooler than showing Superboy murdering yet again. This was even more annoying as Superboy took deliberate steps NOT to kill in the story.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2012

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2012

February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012

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