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Preview: Superman: American Alien #1

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DC Entertainment proudly presents Superman: American Alien, a 7-issue miniseries written by Hollywood screenwriter Max Landis, who masterminded the blockbuster superpower movie Chronicle and the critically acclaimed American Ultra (starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart). Landis, nominated for an Eisner Award for his work on Adventures of Superman, returns to DC Comics by joining forces with an all-star lineup of the industry’s top artists.

The seven short stories from Clark’s life, all of which represent important junctures in his development as a person, are brought to life by the brilliance of Francis Manapul, Jock, Jae Lee, Tommy Lee Edwards, Nick Dragotta, Joëlle Jones, and Jonathan Case, with covers by Ryan Sook.

But these are not the stories of the iconic “Superman” as you know him, but of the soft-spoken, charming, often-funny Kansas farm-boy behind the Man of Steel. With the tone of each issue ranging from heartwarming and simple, to frighteningly gritty and violent, to sexy, sun-kissed and funny, SUPERMAN: AMERICAN ALIEN is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

In issue #1, superstar artist Nick Dragotta illustrates the story of Jonathan and Martha Kent as they struggle to deal with their 12-year-old son’s latest quirk—he’s been floating up into the air, sometimes hundreds of feet!

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SDCC 2015: Superman News!

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At San Diego Comic-Con, Superman fans were treated to a Fortress of Solitude-sized dose of news about the Man of Steel.

DC Comics announced that legend Neal Adams will be tackling the character in Coming of the Supermen, scheduled for November. In this six-issue limited series, fans can expect the same sense of wonder that Bat-fans encountered with his Batman: Odyssey miniseries. This story pits Superman against the evil Darkseid and his son, brutal Kalibak. But this time he has help from an unlikely place: Three national heroes from the city of Kandor (now known as New Krypton) who see Superman as a legend. Even Superman’s arch-enemy Lex Luthor is forced to ally himself with these heroes to prevent Darkseid from laying waste to the universe.

Hollywood screenwriter and Eisner-nominee Max Landis will take on November’s Superman: American Alien, a seven part collection of stories from the life of Clark Kent. Ranging from heartwarming and simple to gritty and two-fisted and even humorous, each story captures a pivotal moment in Clark’s development into the archetypical hero he’s become. Landis will be joined by seven of the industry’s greatest artists, Ryan Sook will provide the cover art, with artists JOCK, Nick Dragotta, Tommy Lee Edwards, Joelle Jones, Jae Lee, Francis Manapul, and Jonathan Case providing interior art.

Award-winning graphic novelist and new Superman writer Gene Yang and Action Comics co-writer Greg Pak updated fans on Superman, recapping the events from “TRUTH” and giving fans a look into what’s happening next in “JUSTICE,” where a newly de-powered Superman continues to deal with the consequences of his now public secret identity and a Metropolis police department making things increasingly difficult for folks in his neighborhood.

Fans also heard the latest on Superman’s opposite number Bizarro, courtesy of writer Heath Corson. He provided a sneak peek at what’s next for the mismatched duo of Bizarro and Jimmy Olsen as they continue on the craziest road trip in the DC Universe!

Review: Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof

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action comics vol 2

Generally I don’t subscribe to the hype surrounding writer Grant Morrison and this trade paperback shows off quite well the issues I have with his writing. This new Action Comics hardcover collects five issues and the first annual, featuring President Superman, Nimrod the Hunter, The Forgotten Superman and much more! Plus: meet “The Boy Who Stole Superman’s Cape,” in a tale from Clark Kent’s early days in Metropolis. That’s a lot to cover and partially why I had issues with this second volume.

I stopped reading Action Comics with the first or second issue. This second volume is the middle of Morrison’s epic storyline, and having read the very beginning and the tale end, some of it makes more sense to me, but still the stories are disjointed a common issue I have with Morrison’s writing. It’s like he has grand ideas, but issues explaining them coherently.

Bouncing back and forth across the multiverse, Morrison in these issues covers multiple Supermen, never really focusing on one for too long. Some of the stories are fantastic, but also feel like they’re dropped in the middle of an ongoing story, not connected at all to what’s going on. That’s a shame too. At least one of the the Supermen covered deserves an arc all to himself, but this second volume jumps around too much to get us to focus on the Clark Kent and Superman we know.

What confuses me more is Action Comics at this point is set years before where DC’s New 52 is in time. It’s the origin of Superman. With a lack of focus on that character, how are w supposed to really connect with him? This seems like a grand-storyline for down the road, not to kick things off.

Then there’s that time issue. Some of it is in the past, some of it is in the present, you have to guess based on the costumes. Some of it makes no sense whatsoever.

If I could sum this up with one word, it’d be “disjointed.” For die-hard Superman fans only.

Collects Action Comics #9-12, 0 and Action Comics Annual #1.

Story: Grant Morrison, Sholly Fisch, Max Landis Art: Rags Morales, Brad Walker, Cully Hammer, Gene Ha, Ben Oliver, Cafu, Ryan Sook, Rick Bryant, Andrew Hennessy, Bob McLeod
Story: 7 Art: 7 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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