Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Superman #674
DC Comics
Busiek, Guedes & Macgalhaes
Superman gets an updated pad. Actually, Clark Kent got the new digs. Superman gets confronted with a villain with interesting powers and gets visited by someone who is after one of his closest friends. This issue gives Lois and Clark interactions, Superman in action and some interesting plot threads opening up.
The issue begins with an interesting prison break. A super hero and a villain crash into a prison that doesn’t want any metahumans in the area. This has danger written all over it. In keeping with the danger theme an alien ship is plotting course for Earth.
Back in Metropolis, Clark shows Lois and Chris their new apartment. This scene is outstanding. It gets the same attention to detail that the Batcave or the Fortress of Solitude would get in a comic. Even the kid’s bedroom being draped in Superman paraphernalia gives the right reaction from Clark. It’s brilliant. The only oddity with the layout is how Superman would exit the apartment or building? Would he just smash through the glass? It didn’t appear the windows could open. Is there a terrace with some seclusion?
The Kent family uses the special transport to get themselves to the Fortress of Solitude. There, we see the Phantom Zone projector is hooked up to some wires. Why? Well after some dinner in Hong Kong we find out that Superman is running tests on Mon-El who is inside the Phantom Zone.
The relationship between Superman and Mon-El is outstanding and this whole concept has many possibilities. Superman is working on a cure for the lead poisoning that Mon-El is suffered. Somehow Superman can test the various serums on him without taking him out of the Zone. It’s a very cool aspect to this issue. Mon-El also gives some background about some rules he broke on his home world. This is only a problem if someone comes looking for him from his old world.
The issue concludes with the break out of prison for a villain named Paragon who borrows the powers from the hero and villain battle from the beginning of the issue. He battles Superman, while Superman gets a little origin detail courtesy of google fed to Superman from Lois. All this and Mon-El’s home town “friends” show up looking for him and not looking too happy.
A rock solid issue. The usage of Mon-El, the origin-type stories of Paragon and Mon-El, the apartment tour and the dialogue all the way through the issue are outstanding. Even the personality of Paragon, a D list villain, is excellent. The dude’s fantasies are very interesting, or disturbing depending on what you look for in a comic.
The artwork had some bright points. I liked the action and the apartment details. I didn’t like how old Lois and Chris looked. Chris, especially, still acted like a kid but looked so old. It was little annoying.
An issue that makes use of elements planted in issues from last year and, yet, can still be enjoyed if this was the first issue picked up. That makes for a great story. This issue sets up a good two pronged confrontation. I’m thinking Mon-El isn’t coming out of the Zone anytime soon though. Either way, Superman has his plate full for next issue.
4 out of 5 geek goggles.
 Superman #674 |
