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Adventures of Superman #625

Scheduled to arrive in stores: February 18, 2004

Cover date: April 2004

Writer: Joe Kelly and Michael Turner
Penciller: Talent Caldwell
Inker: Jason Gorder

"Godfall" - Part Two: "Unravel"

Reviewed by: Nick Newman

Kal stands away from the fire, watching his assailants flee into the night. He thinks about the powers that suddenly erupted and then vanished just as quickly as the Citizen's Patrol Corps descends from the sky. As they extinguish the fire, one of the patrol asks Kal if he needs assistance. Kal says he is fine as he backs away.

Kal walks with Lyla, telling her about the previous night. She tells him that part of it was probably his mind playing tricks on him, because she knows her husband and he does not shoot fire from his eyes. She wants him to get help though, she feels like she is losing him. Kal walks up to the glass wall and stares out into the Kryptonian sky. He thinks there has to be more than just this.

Suddenly a vehicle crashes through the glass, pushing Lyla to the ground. One of the bandits grabs Kal and carries him through the other side of the building, flinging him out into the open sky. A part of Kal is relieved that the nightmare will finally be over. Then suddenly he realizes he isn't falling. He feels more alive than he ever has. He can fly.

Lyla is shocked but the attackers attribute it to an antigrav belt and pull out their weapons. Kal narrows his eyes and blasts back into the building, catching the man as he passes and carrying back out into the sky. The attacker tells him he isn't scared, but Kal says that he should be, he doesn't know how to stop.

Crashing into the ground, Kal finds himself at the home of his friend Kon-Lar. As the man staggers up, he taunts Kal. With a yells, Kal tells him to leave him alone, and unwillingly emits a blast of cold from his mouth. As the attacker runs away, Kal looks on in horror to see his friends frozen solid in a gigantic block of ice. He rushes forward and pounds on the ice, but his powers have deserted him again. He continues to hit the ice until it runs red with his blood.

That night, Lara finds her husband cowering in the shadows, his eyes and hands bandaged. He tells her not to approach, but Lyla tells him that he isn't a monster. She removes the covering over his eyes and cradles his head in her arms. They'll figure everything out, somehow.

As the landscape shrinks away, the island they occupy becomes smaller and smaller, until it can be seen floating in an orb, being watched over by a Kryptonian robot.

Story - 5: I really enjoyed last week's issue, and this one does not disappoint. Lyla and Kal's interaction is well written. Kal's confusion at his emerging power is also well done. The last page earns a five alone. This page turns what is a good story into something so much more. Suddenly I can accept what is happening, because clearly it ties into the Krypton we know. It also throws a great twist into the story that makes me accept that this story is going to continue for another four issues. Things aren't as they seem, and I cannot wait to find out what is going on. Other than that, there isn't much to say because the only gripe I do have about this issue is it's length, but I do like the idea of introducing the other writers over the course of these two months. That, and not being able to call him Clark makes writing this reviews a lot harder than it normally is.

Art - 5: Fantastic stuff. Everything just looks so... good. It's not normally what you would associate with Superman art, but then again, neither was McGuinness's art a few years ago and look at him now. My only issues are that Kal looks a little too young, and Lyla needs to learn to but some clothes on. I've got to agree with Neal on this one, and I had the same thought last year. Women like this became old about a year after Image was formed, and they were completely beaten to death with things like Witchblade and Fathom. Drawing Lyla like this doesn't really accomplish anything at all. Besides, this is supposed to be an all-ages book. Still, I can't fault the artist because she does look great, she just isn't necessary.

Cover Art - 4: I'm just waiting for the emails to come in for this one, but I've got to do it. Beautiful art, fantastic pose, great coloring, an actual background, and it even pertains to the issue. However, then they have to go and mess the thing up with that logo. The sad thing is, the Adventures logo is probably my favorite (meaning I hate it least) of the three books. It's just a horrible logo. There is no definition between the letters and that ugly bar behind it is out of place. And then there is "SupermanS". Need I say more?

This has nothing to do with Turner's art, and as soon as the second printing with the pencils-only cover comes out I'll be the first in line to pick up a copy, but the logo just detracts from it.

Batman got a great new logo when 608 came out. Let's hope that Superman gets the same treatment in a month.

"Ode To Patsy Cline"

Two Metropolis police officers crouch behind their squad car, frantically requesting backup as three bank robbers empty clip after clip at them. Suddenly a Porsche screeches to a halt in front of the bank and a woman steps out. She introduces herself as Lieutenant Lupe Teresa Leocadio, member of the S.C.U. After asking a few questions about the situation, she tells the two officers to relax as she takes care of it.

Walking out from behind the car she draws two pistols and fires a few rounds into their getaway car, disabling the vehicle. Casually she ejects the clips and reloads her guns. The three robbers fire at her with no effect as she raises a gun again and puts a bullet through the hand of the first man, making him drop his weapon. She quickly does the same to another of the robbers. The last man standing pulls a handgun and fire at her, nicking her ear. The next shot goes through her shoulder but she just keeps on going. Reaching the man, she tells him that he's no Deadshot as she holds both handguns to the man's head and informs him that he is under arrest.

The two officers approach Lupe as she pulls off her jacket and fingers the hole in the shoulder. They tell her that they figure she must either be a metahuman, or she's crazy. She tells them that she commands the S.C.U. in the town where Superman fights the Parasite and Doomsday, and she is not a meta. They can figure it out.

Story - 4: I've always liked Rucka, both in his writing and when I've seen him speak at conventions. His skill shines in this short story. We see a cop actually shoot someone, which while initially shocking was kind of nice in its realism. We also have something of a mystery in the non-meta yet still bulletproof Lupe. Rucka excels at crime and police stories, and he has said that he is going to flesh out the Metropolis PD, and this is a great start. Why then, do I give this story a four you ask? Two reasons: Maggie Sawyer and Dan Turpin. I'm sure Rucka will do fantastic things with this new S.C.U., but part of me is very sad to see Terrible Turpin and Maggie Sawyer vanish from the books. Granted, they haven't shown up for years, but at least then they were theoretically floating around somewhere. It's worth the sacrifice if it will get us good stories involving the S.C.U. again (remember how involved they were 10 years ago in the books) but I'm going to miss them.

Art - 4: Matthew Clark is my least favorite of the new artists, which is by no means an insult. He has a fantastic clean style that I enjoy. The original picture that was shown of Clark changing to Superman is a fantastic image, and I'm looking forward to seeing his Superman more. I do think the art is inked a little too heavily though. It feels like all of the black is weighing down Clark's pencils, and I'm not sure how good this is going to look on Superman. I'd like the inking to lighten up a little, but regardless of that it is still fantastic art. If this is the caliber of work we get every month in Adventures then I will be more than pleased.

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Mild Mannered Reviews

2004

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Adventures of Superman #625

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