Superman #19 gives us a WTF certified gatefold cover where we see Wonder Woman holding him back as he wipes blood from his mouth, surrounded by rubble. When you open the gatefold; there stands Orion, gripping Superman’s cape in his hand, hovering above. There is a lot happening in this book with plot elements setting up future stories and Scott Lobdell is really starting to have fun as he’s settled in quite nicely shaping the Man of Steel’s comic book world.

The Dialogue:

I really enjoyed the dialogue in this issue with the exception of one thing. There is a scene where Superman is talking out loud to himself about what he did and what he’s going to do. This seemed a bit like the old Super-Friends cartoon where he would spell things out for the viewer at home who didn’t know what he was capable of. He’s Superman, what can’t he do? Anyways, I thought this would’ve been a great opportunity to show off some narrative skills, but Lobdell chooses to let Superman talk out loud to himself. Also, Perry White is highly enjoyable in a J.K. Simmons sort of way. If this is the way Lobdell will continue to write him, we need more Perry!

The Art:

Kenneth Rocafort is quickly becoming one of my favorite artists. When Jim Lee decides to retire from drawing (which I hope his hand falls off before that happens), Rocafort could be my go to guy. His style fits this genre perfectly and the perfect adjectives escape me right now. He doesn’t use traditional panels as they splash all over the page with really unique framing that screams science fiction. The colors by BLOND are well blended, especially in the beginning where we get a glowing effect from Superman’s foes. The blur effect from anything happening at super speed in the book are nicely done as well. It seems like the Superman scenes have very ‘busy’ backgrounds, while Clark’s backgrounds are more relaxed and simplified. I really enjoy that symbolism in the art.

What I Loved:

The setups. This book gets the ball rolling on future plot points, not only by introducing Hector Hammond, but the Allysun and the people made of red sun particles. These will provide some great stories to tell in the future. Not to mention the discussion of Lois and Jonathan’s ‘soon-to-be’ roommate. That will definitely be something to keep an eye out for. I can’t imagine how that can end well for anyone involved.

What I Hated:

Superman’s need to talk out loud to himself. I really think at times the story could benefit from some narrative, rather than hearing him talk to no one. As I mentioned earlier, it seems a bit on the campy, cartoony side of things to have Superman talk about using his powers to do something. I would love a little box, that describes what’s happening and why. Remember those? Remember when comic books provided narrative and told a story rather than the characters setting it up for us? Then later we get thought bubbles! So, why is he talking out loud to himself at one point…but later decides it’s better to keep his thoughts to himself. This back and forth is a bit strange to me.

Favorite (non-spoilerish) Line:

“Honestly, if I didn’t have three ex-wives to support and a prostate the size of the weekend edition, I probably would have joined you when you walked out that door, kid.” – Perry White during a ‘heart-to-heart’ talk. If this is how Perry is going to be…we need more Perry!

 

In Conclusion:

This book is a must have if you’ve been reading Superman already, I don’t need to tell you that because you already understand how great Lobdell and Rocafort have been together. But if you haven’t been reading, and are looking for a place to jump on board, this is a great place to start. With new villains, old villains and hints of things to come this book is setting you up for a great future run.

 

Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

 

Book Credits:

Writer: Scott Lobdell Pencils: Kenneth Rocafort Colorist: BLOND Letterer: Rob Leigh Cover Art: Rocafort Editor: Eddie Berganza Assistant Editor: Anthony Marques Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $2.99 US Title: “Look Who’s Flying to Dinner”