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Tangent: Superman's Reign #2

Tangent: Superman's Reign #2

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 16, 2008

Cover date: June 2008

"Superman's Reign - Chapter Two"

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Jamal Igle
Inker: Robin Riggs

Back-Up Story: "History Lesson: Chapter Two"
Write: Ron Marz
Penciller: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Jesse Delperdang

Neal Bailey Reviewed by: Neal Bailey

Click to enlarge


Green Lantern, reunited with her lantern, grows young again as the Flash of Earth-9 (The Tangent Universe) and the Flash and Green Lantern John Stewart (of Earth-1) appear beside her.

(Reviewer's note: Since the last review, sources and interviews have confirmed that New Earth has been ret-conned into Earth-1, so these are, in fact, the Green Lantern and Flash we're familiar with. Ergo, in the review, I will refer to them as such and note Tangent Flash, Tangent GL, etc. Continuity... about to be... JAMMED! Only Dan DiDio would DARE give me the raspberry!)

Tangent Green Lantern raises Tangent Joker, a Domino-looking lady in a blue jacket, from the dead, in order to combat Tangent Superman, who she labels as a tyrant. Green Lantern and Flash express doubt, but listen as Tangent Joker tells the tale of Tangent Superman attacking and killing their "Secret Six," torturing and killing heroes to enact his style of order and justice.

Meanwhile, in a classroom, Lori Lemaris undergoes re-education, finally startled to see her instructor turn from a large black woman into a white skinny man with blonde hair and goggles.

Saudi Arabian sheiks entreat Tangent Superman for oil, but Superman refuses. Superman then realizes that people are after him.

Manhunter and Spectre continue their assault to retrieve Atom, only to have Spectre encounter Jad and Obsidian.

5Story - 5: Most created universe for the new 52 seem rather cobbled together, or just fanboy lip service to crap concepts, handled poorly and treated with the disrespect that an attempt to capitalize on past successes can only do.

This universe, upon regarding it, is being treated with love, respect, and is being introduced in a way that gets past my cynicism blinders. There are some arbitrary changes, but it's obvious very thorough thought went into this. It makes me want to find the old Tangent books somehow.

I like the idea of a few of "our" heroes being trapped here indefinitely, not for a cameo by a strange universe, and this Superman-as-tyrant quite frankly intrigues me more than the Red Son version.

Re-education centers, a world gone mad. It's like classic sci-fi I used to read. Even Superman is treated as somewhat sympathetic, doing something many of us would really like to, limiting sheiks in their power granted by oil and forcing them to use their money to better the world instead of exploit its resources.

5Art - 5: My bias for Matthew Clark last issue aside, Igle steps in and knocks it out regardless. Every panel has a great level of distinction and detail, and those panels that don't have backgrounds do so for an emotional beat. Strong art.

Back-Up Story: "History Lesson: Chapter Two"
Write: Ron Marz
Penciller: Fernando Pasarin
Inker: Jesse Delperdang

The mysterious woman from last issue courts Detective Chimp, AKA Guy Gardner, who tells her about the Metal Men, a group of soldiers who fought with Raven over an unexploded nuclear warhead, and the way the group ate themselves alive and came out roses, producing a president, and causing the Chinese-created Power Girl.

The man is taken to an undisclosed location...

5Back-Up Story - 5: Again, an intriguing back story to this universe I want to know and understand, told from a unique perspective. Guy Gardner as a putzish geek. Heh.

4Back-Up Art - 4: Made everything clear in a strong, passable way.

5Cover Art - 5: Odd, but representative of the issue in question, eye-catching at very least, and a cool layout. I dig the Tangent setup now.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2008

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

January 2008

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