Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

Sins of Youth: Superman Jr and Superboy Sr #1

Sins of Youth: Superman Jr. and Superboy Sr. #1

Scheduled to arrive in stores: March 22, 2000

Cover date: May 2000

Writer: Karl Kesel
Penciller: Rob Haynes
Inker: Rob Haynes

Reviewed by: Gareth Baker (GHLBJEDI@aol.com)



(I have not read any other "Sins of Youth" titles, so my review is purely based on this issue alone)

Superman (who's a boy) stands high up on a bridge and challenges a spider-like robot which shoots him, and sends him flying back. Suddenly Superboy (who's a man) lands on top of the spider robot, the impact of which cracks the bridge. Superman spits out the bullet (which he caught with his teeth). Superman asks the kid why he came to Metropolis when the robot blows up the bridge. Superboy catches Superman, and is alarmed to see that The Man of Steel is bleeding! Superboy quickly finishes the battle, with his newly acquired heat vision and the man inside the robot is arrested. Meanwhile the press slam the two heroes.

High above the city, the pair settle down for a chat on top of a building. Superman is feeling very stressed out about being a boy. Superman then opens up and reveals to Superboy that he is really Clark Kent. Superman then goes on to explain, in a very teenage way that he is worried about Lois and that she's gonna freak when she finds out he's a boy.

Elsewhere, The Agenda prepare for their next move. The Contessa is busy briefing her flunkies The Grey Lady, Blockade and the clone of Superboy, Match. They are to capture Superman and Superboy.

In space on board Maxima's ship, her servants take away another defeated mate. Klarion the witch boy appears and turns Maxima into a girl and names her Minima.

Hiding, but positioning themselves so they can see The Daily Planet building, Superboy puts a suit over his costume to make himself look like CK. Superboy is convinced it won't work. Using a mobile, Superboy calls Lois and asks her to come over to the window so he can see her. Superboy then fumbles as he tries to use the code phrase "beef bourguignon", but he messes it up saying beefburger. Lois thinks it is Jimmy winding her up and heads off to her interview with The Flash.

Suddenly the building explodes behind them and Blockade, Match and The Grey Lady attack. Blockade soon captures Superman and Superboy goes into hiding. Superman tries to use his heatvision, but it no longer works. Blockade punches Superman away, just as Superboy flies in and collides with the villains. Superboy takes on Match and soon realises that Superman is in trouble. Superman crashes down into a cafe and is soon followed by Blockade and Superboy. Match swoops in and blasts Superboy with heatvision and taunts him. Angered, Superboy's heatvision suddenly sets off and he can't control it.

Superman has problems of his own, namely Blockade and The Grey Lady. Using a lamppost, Superman takes out Blockade just as Superboy's heatvision stops and the building they are all fighting in begins to collapse. Superman quickly hurries them all out whist the building collapses on top of him. Horrified, Superboy uses his new enhanced tactile telekinesis to lift the fallen rubble off of The Man of Steel. Superman soon falls unconscious in Superboy's arms. The Teen of Steel tells The Grey Lady that he will go with her if Superman is taken care of and no more people are hurt.

2Story - 2: I think this probably deserves a bit more than that, but I can't quite make up my mind. To be honest I didn't really know what was going on, not having read Sins of Youth. There were some nice bits in it - Superboy phoning Lois etc, but the rest of it was dull and pointless. I don't particularly want to go and but SOY to find out either.

2Art - 2: This was nasty. Some people like this tuff, but it has no place in a Superman comic. This "style" of art was one of the main reasons why I quit Superboy.

4Cover Art - 4: The actual pictures of the men of steel are great, but the rest is a bit poor.


Mild Mannered Reviews

2000

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

January 2000

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