Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

Superman: Last Son of Earth #2

Superman: Last Son of Earth #2

Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 16, 2000

Cover date: October 2000

Writer: Steve Gerber
Artist: Doug Wheatley
Colourist: Chris Chuckry

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



Kal-el has discovered that he is not of Krypton, and goes to find answers from his "father" Jor-el. Lara persuades Jor-el to tell him the truth and so he does.

Later, on his own, Kal-el asks his Green Lantern battery, if it can tell him where he is from. The ring tells him that it will bring him directly to Oa, where he will be able to find the answers to the questions he has. He is led to the council chamber of The Guardians of the Universe. He is told that he can find the answers he wants, but that it is dangerous and will take many weeks of training. Kal-el gets to work. When it works, all he sees are images. He doesn't know where it is. Again, under the guidance of one of the guardians, he uses his ring to analyse the memories to discover the planet is... sector 2814... Earth. When Kal-el finds out that the planet was destroyed by an anomaly around the time he left, he is angered that the Green Lantern for that sector did nothing. Kal-el flies off.

Kal-el hovers above the Earth, looking down at the fouled atmosphere. As he flies down into it, he discovers destruction everywhere. However, off the coast of Africa, Kal-el finds a small ship. Lifting it out of the water. The sailor thinks he's an angel, and explains that there are only one, maybe two million people left alive.

Metropolis - Kal-el arrives amidst a barricade and sees thousands of people lined up like soldier and listening to a man called Lex Luthor. A man who holds them completely in his power and promising them a new civilisation. He blames the long dead heroes for many of their problems, and the people who refuse to join them like the people of The Daily Planet. Kal-el sees Lex as the man he is - a zealot. Kal-el goes in search of these people. On top of The Daily Planet building, Kal-el meets a ginger headed man, who takes him to see the "Chief".

Inside the building, the Chief and Martha are arranging where to put a new generator they have managed to scavenge. Jimmy begins to introduce Kal-el, when he takes the generator from the struggling men and moves it into position for them. The Chief wants to know all about this new costumed hero, but Kal-el wants to warn him about Lex and his coming army.

The Chief asks Martha to show Kal-el around the building, and he bumps into a new food shipment that is being commanded by a certain Lois Lane. Martha asks Lois to finish the tour as she is tired. Lois is being less than friendly, when suddenly the alarm is sounded.

Kal-el begins to help in the fight against Luthor and his tanks, but the Chief stops him. He wants his people to do it for themselves, and besides, he'll be a big surprise. Kal-el doesn't wait for long and soon gets into the thick of it. That is, until his power ring runs out of power! Lex captures our unconscious hero.

Lois figures out that Kal-el needs his battery, and along with Jimmy climbs through some old tunnels and into Lex's camp and is captured straight away. However they discover that they are put into the cell next to Kal-el. When they tell him that the battery is in Lex's hands, Kal-el gets angry and punches the wall making a rather large dent into it. He grabs his cell door and rips it off of its hinges. Out in the corridor, they are shot at, but the bullets just bounce off of Kal-el. Taking the weapons from the captured guards, he gives them to Lois. The three heroes run across the compound, and Kal-el grabs the fencing that is all that stands between them and Lex Luthor. As his hands wrap around it, his is given an electric shock. Although shocked and hurt, Kal-el gets a huge tank and smashes the fence down instead. Kal-el smashes the door down and enters Lex's office. Lex threatens Kal with his own ring, but of course it doesn't work. Kale reclaims his property. After recharging his ring, Kal destroys the walls around Lex's camp and takes him and Lois and Jimmy away. Lex is dumped on a desert island.

Later that night, Kal tells Lois all about himself, but he can't decide whether to stay on Earth or go back to Krypton. Suddenly, the ring tells him that it is not his choice to make. Kal-el quickly leaves Earth.

The next day, a large number of ships appear over Earth's skies. As Jimmy sounds the alarm he is told not to be afraid by Kal's droid, Krypto 2.0. Above in the skies, the ships begin to filter the pollution from the air, and slowly Kal and his droids begin to rebuild the Earth. Kal finds an old Greek temple on the old island of Themyscira and brings it to Metropolis. The temple is full of lost knowledge, knowledge the people of Earth could use right now. Realising that he is leaving, Lois tells him something about Martha that makes Kal decide to stay.

Some time later, a fellow Green Lantern arrives on Earth and takes away his ring and battery.

On Krypton, Lara and Jor-el see the council dressed in ancient Kryptonian clothes, and declare their decision to return to the old ways.

5Story - 5: This is by far the best Elseworlds story ever, and that includes the much hyped (IMHO) Kingdom Come. This was the perfect Elseworlds in that we knew the story, but we didn't. We knew the character, but we didn't. It was great to see the "good old Lois" treating Kal-el in much the same way she used to treat Clark Kent. Nice to see that Lex has to control people, and nice to see that Perry leads people. I loved the way that Kal ended up having Superman's powers, this was an unexpected and delightful bonus. This story is well set up for a sequel, which I'd love to see, but only if it's as GREAT as this was. If you missed these two comics, you should REALLY kick yourself.

5Art - 5: Another perfect five. What can I say, Lois was to die for! I said last time how wonderfully drawn this was and how amazingly coloured it was, so I won't bother to repeat myself. Just check out Lois on her motorbike on pages 26-27, the recreated Action Comics #1 cover on page 38, (coincidence on the number there?) and page 46. Fantastic. Brilliant!!!

4Cover Art - 4: A wonderful painted (?) cover. Superman looks fantastic, and the muscle definition and face are great. Lois looks a babe, and Lex looks mean and nasty. What more could you want?!



Other relevant reviews:

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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