CSBG Archive
Superman #653 Review
This issue of Superman has a lot going for it, which is why I think it is a real shame that the central concept – Lex Luthor’s Kryptonian war machine, is designed so…well…silly. It’s supposed to be this big, huge imposing thing…and it really just looks goofy. It is just this amorphous looking group of crystals. What’s interesting about that? What’s engaging about that? The IDEA behind Luthor unearthing an ancient Kryptonian war machine to gain his revenge is a fine idea. But there’s so many different ways it could have been designed, to go with amorphous crystal…not smart.
So, as I read the issue, I can’t help but be constantly reminded of how goofy the threat is Superman is facing. Which is such a shame, because otherwise, this is a fun, action-packed issue. In addition, the Luthor here is a very intriguing character. It is sort of a mixture between the pre-Crisis Luthor and the post-Crisis Luthor. He is directly assaulting Superman (and he has the power to DO so effectively) but at the same time, he is not doing it publicly. Everyone BASICALLY knows that it is Luthor who is attacking Superman, but they can’t PROVE it. It’s a very interesting status quo (unless they make it known publically that it is Luthor next issue) that could lead to some engaging future stories. Luthor striking at Superman, while always keeping Superman from being able to PROVE he’s a criminal.
Pete Woods’ art was amazing, and Brad Anderson did a great job on colors.
The banter between Luthor and Superman was quite good, especially Superman taunting Luthor about how, when Superman was gone, Luthor did nothing, even though he’s always claimed it was Superman that held him back all these years.
There was an awesome scene with Jimmy Olsen, where he helps Superman out, but pays the price.
Finally, writers Geoff Johns and Kurt Busiek make the bold choice (and I think the CORRECT choice) of ending this gigantic fight with cliffhanger, but more importantly, a JOKE.
I loved it – I thought the comedic timing was perfect.
So, great art – lot of action – good dialogue – great ending.
I will say, Recommended with the reservation that the design of the bad guy was AWFUL (and was almost bad enough for me to not recommend the comic).
9 Comments
Nef
June 21, 2006 at 2:57 am
God, I always hated the whole “Superman can’t prove tha Lex is evil” thing.
It messes the whole power fantasy concept of Superman.
He can lif a freakin’ mountain, but freakin’ Gordon Gecko is out of his reach.
All those scenes f Superman floating in front of Lex Luthor’s office saying: “i’ll get you next ime.” with tears in his eyes were just crappy.
Way to neuter a character.
David C
June 21, 2006 at 5:40 am
I absolutely *love* the final line of this comic….
moose n squirrel
June 21, 2006 at 6:59 am
“He can lif a freakin’ mountain, but freakin’ Gordon Gecko is out of his reach.”
But Superman has always had stuff like that. There have always been obvious limits to what raw power can do in his world. He can push planets around but Lois thinks he’s a dork; he’s faster than a speeding bullet but he can’t stop his parents from dying, etc. The post-Crisis “evil tycoon” Luthor was just another variant of this.
Blue Spider
June 22, 2006 at 10:31 am
Yes, but that variant lasted for over 10 years and made Superman seem more impotent than…. I want to say Bob Dole but I can’t bring myself to think…. more impotent than a Hippy in 1942.
I don’t buy Superman for the character to impotent, worthless, helpless, and stupid on a continual basis.
Ben Herman
June 23, 2006 at 10:50 am
Nef said …
God, I always hated the whole “Superman can’t prove tha Lex is evil†thing.
Yeah, I’ve never been too thrilled with that since, as others have said, it made Superman look impotent and incompetent that he could never prove Luthor was a crook.
So even though they’ve retained that, at least now it’s with a more acceptable twist. In the past, Superman, Batman, Lois Lane, and Perry White were pretty much the only people who knew Luthor was a crook, while everyone else thought he was the greatest guy in the world. Nowadays, even though Luthor managed to stay out of jail, he was convicted in the court of public opinion: everybody knows Luthor is a crook, and all the people who used to love him now hate his guts. So at least now Superman isn’t left banging his head against the wall in frustration wondering why he’s the only one who recognizes Luthor’s true nature.
Michael Denton
June 23, 2006 at 1:18 pm
I think it’s a great conceit of the Superman story that here is an obvious limitation to what he can accomplish. My life-long problem with Superman is that he has always been far too powerful. I’ve always wanted to like the Big Guy, but for most of his modern life he’s been to powerful to find interesting.
As crazy as he is now, back in the 80′s Byrne had the right idea with depowering him to give some element of risk to his adventures. Kingdom Come, as flawed as that work is, did a good job of giving him a psychological limitation.
Busiek and Johns (and Morrison on All-Star) have, however, done a good job of working with a fairly standard powered Superman and making him interesting and challenged. (The Busiek/Johns Supes is slightly depowered, but not much.) I’m not sure how they do that, but it’s working for me and I’m happy to like Superman again.
I’ve gone a bit off track, but suffice it to say I’m happy to see limitations to Superman. They don’t neuter him or render him inmpotent (and what interesting word choices you gentlemen have for that) but rather provide him with a limitaton, a flaw, an element of risk that makes him interesting and compelling as a character.
Michael Denton
June 23, 2006 at 1:20 pm
Oh…and to not recommend a very entertaining story because of one design you didn’t like? I don’t understand that line of reasoning. You may find it silly (I don’t register an opinion about it) but it hardly undermines the content of the book.
Brian Cronin
June 24, 2006 at 10:04 pm
I concur.
See the review above where I recommend the comic book…hehe.
JR
June 25, 2006 at 7:37 pm
These last two issues have been a huge improvement in this storyarc, which really felt rather slow for the entire first half.
I like the idea of a “giant crytal robot thing” quite a bit but I’d agree it’s execution is a little lackluster. The one on the cover looks decent enough but the one in the interior came off rather generic and needed some more pizazz, style, or character to it. I don’t feel it hurts the story any, but c’mon this is Superman, punch it up a little more guys!