Superboy 6-11

Superboy (Volume 4) #6
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Marco Rudy

This issue opens with a quiet moment between Superboy and Red Robin that was really touching and showed their great friendship. I loved the mention of Superboy’s old costume and time in Hawaii. Love the continuity and that time period in DC history. Meanwhile, Simon Valentine begins working in Ray Palmer’s lab. The rest of this issue is part of the “Reign of Doomsday” crossover and it is okay although fights with Doomsday are never that exciting. The art is good but maybe doesn’t fit the tone of this book. It is a little dark for Superboy.

Superboy (Volume 4) #7
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Marco Rudy

In this issue, Superboy discovers an alien ship with a black mercy plant on it causing him to hallucinate that he has destroyed the planet and his Luthor side has taken over. It was an okay issue but hasn’t the Connor fears his Luther side been done to death. I never though it was that great back when Geoff Johns was writing it let alone now. I will see how this goes. It wasn’t bad writing or art, just had a been there done that feel.

Superboy (Volume 4) #8
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

Now this was a fantastic issue. It almost reminded me a little bit of PAD’s Supergirl only replacing Leesburg with Smallville. We learn about the dark occult past of the town and how it all connects to this well. Phantom Stranger shows up! It was a lot of fun and I am looking forward to where this is going. Gallo works so much better for this title than Marco Rudy.

 

 

 

Superboy (Volume 4) #9
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

I wonder if this Hollowville was inspried by Grant Morrison’s work with Klarion the Witchboy? Sure seems like it. As it turns out – Psionic Lad’s mission is not to kill Superboy but only to kill Simon Valentine. It turns out the real Phantom Stranger is under attack and the one with Superboy is an imposter and the evil plan is to move all the souls of Smallville into Superboy clones. What?! This was a crazy issue. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Gallo is a great artist. He almost reminds me of Jerry Ordway.

Superboy (Volume 4) #10
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo, Pete Woods, and Paulo Siqueira

Most of this issue focused on the history of this evil sorcerer Tannarak. Who knew this story arc would tie into Atalantis and the Viking Prince?! Jeff Lemire makes great use of the DC Universe, even its obscure parts. This continuity nut loves it!

 

 

 

Superboy (Volume 4) #11
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

This is the final issue of this book before the New 52. It shows how incompetent DC’s management was at the time they would launch a book 11 months before rebooting the entire universe and ruining DC for five years. But anyways, this was a great finales to the series. All of the characters get their moment to save the day including Lori, Simon, Psion, Krypto, and Superboy. Jeff Lemire is a fantastic writer that needs to stay around DC. I wonder if he writes any of the Rebirth books? I love how he has a panel where a teacher is teaching about the JSA during World War 2. This was an ending to a series that should have kept going. Damn you Didio.

The Superboy-Kid Flash Race

Superboy (Volume 4) #5
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Anybody notices Superboy calls Beast Boy Garth instead of Gar? Come on DC Editors! Anyways, the Kid Flash/Superboy race was a lot of fun and it was great to see them being heroes on the way across the globe. The winner was Krypto which was kind of a cop-out (we all know Kid Flash would win) but oh well. Fun issue that managed to further the main plot as well.

Superboy 3 and 4

Superboy (Volume 4) #3
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

A boy from the future calling himself Psionic Lad shows up at Smallville High causing havoc and asking Superboy for help but the best part of this issue has to be the talk between Connor and Bart: I think a Superboy/Kid Flash race is a great idea.

Superboy (Volume 4) #4
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Spoiler Warning…….I knew Psyonic Lad was too good to be true. I wonder what his real story is? Or perhaps Superboy is the evil dictator of Acropolis in the future? The stuff with Lori Luthor is well…she is related to him I mean that’s gross and I really hope DC doesn’t go there.

Trapped In Her Vines

Superboy (Volume 4) #2
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Another fantastic issue of this book. Lemire’s Superboy is much better than Johns’s Adventure Comics run with him because it doesn’t focus on the whole Lex Luthor thing and has a Connor Kent who has moved past this. I liked Poison Ivy in this, I think she works best as a villain, if a somewhat likeable one, and she is definitely a villain here caring very little for the life of an innocent farmer. I wonder if they will show Superboy bring her to Gotham next issue? That would be cool. Simon Valentine is becoming a rather interesting sidekick for Superboy too and the smallville-hating villains at the end were intriguing.

Welcome To Smallville

Superboy (Volume 4) #1
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this series. I haven’t really enjoyed Lemire’s Atom co-feature in Adventure but that is probably more cause Ray Palmer is boring cause I gotta say I enjoyed the heck out of this debut issue. I’d even say it was better then any of Geoff Johns’s Adventure run with Superboy. Lemire sets up a mystery and the supporting cast of Superboy quite well at the same time featuring two supervillains and some great character moments. Gallo’s art is great too. I hope that they aren’t setting up Lori Luthor as a love interest…that’s just weird. And it was great to see Superboy use his tactile telekinesis again!

Mind Space

Action Comics #892
Written by Paul Cornell
Art by Pete Woods
Co-Feature by Jeff Lemire
Art by Pier Gallo

 

Lex discovers the spot where the black rings dissapated I take it and it is able to mess with minds. This is deep stuff involving quantum physics and the mind as part of the space-time continuum. Not what I expected when I heard this book would star Lex Luthor but I like it! Cornell has proven to me this will be a good run! Deathstroke is overused and now even has a book he stars in so I think his inclusion here was completely unnecessary but what can you do. The Superboy Co-Feature which is really just a preview of the upcoming Superboy book was interesting to say the least. Why is Raven half-naked throughout it?

World’s Finest Best Buds

Adventure Comics #506
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Co-Feature by John and Michael Shoemaker
Art by Clayton Henry

Now this is a really great comic. For anyone who knows the history and relationship between Connor Kent and Tim Drake, this would be a lot of fun to read. I have followed them since their Young Justice days and it is great to see them working together again…it reminds me of when I hang out with my old friends and instantly there is that bonding even though we are both in completely different places (emotionally, mentally, and physically) then we were the last time we saw each other. It was very relatable for me. Johns uses continuity awesomely as usual. I wonder why he is building up the supporting cast like Lori and Simon Valentine if he is just going to be leaving this book after issue 6. Is Paul Levitz going to still be exploring these characters? Didio made it seem like that wasn’t so in interviews. Anyways, we get in the heads of both characters and they both open up to each other and were completely genuine about what they are going through and I liked that. As for the Legion co-feature, it was definitely the best part yet as we have a great team-up between Polar Boy and Sun Boy and learn that the Legion of Super-Villains have some of their members hidden in the 21st century.

A Beautiful Reunion

Adventure Comics #505
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Co-Feature by Johns and Micheal Shoemaker
Art by Clayton Henry

The main story surpassed even the first issue as we finally get to see the reuniting of lovers Superboy and Wonder Girl. And guess what, it went really well! I was expecting a break up or something annoying like that but instead they were just honest with each other and nobody acted angsty or anything. Connor was mature enough to understand why Cassie had her fling with Tim while he was “dead” and I think that’s great and a refreshing change of pace for these characters. It was good to see Brainiac and Lex Luthor again and to see Luthor’s reaction to Superboy being still alive and other events around the DCU. I especially liked how the mainstream press is aware that the Justice League is on the verge of collapse haha. It looks like Lex may have made another clone…could there be two Connor Kents flying around soon? A new Match? We will see I guess. The Legion back-up was okay I guess. This isn’t my Legion and I still need to get used to that. Lightning Lad just seemed angry the entire time.

Return Of The Boy Of Steel

Adventure Comics #504
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Francis Manapul
Co-Feature by Johns
Art by Clayton Henry

Superboy is back! I find it amusing that people around the blogospher are referring to Connor in their reviews as the “new superboy”. A character that has been around since 1994 is definitely not new. None-the-less, I am excited to have Johns write the adventures of Superboy in smallville. Johns sets up everything quite well in this issue and introduces concepts I am sure he will follow through on and even a future friend turned archenemy for Superboy. Manapul’s art is gorgeous as always. Henry’s art on the Legion back up was fine but I wish Manapul did that as well he is that good and it would be fun to see him draw the Legion again (even if this isn’t the same Legion). The only possible complaint I have is that I still don’t care for the whole “omg I have Lex’s genes, what if I become evil!” subplot and Johns continues it here. I have never bought the idea that Connor would even think that he could become like Lex just because of his genes. Anyways, Starman was as usual – hilarious – in the back up and I am looking forward to this series from here on out.