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Mild Mannered Reviews - Smallville Comics

Smallville: Alien - Chapter #6

Smallville: Alien - Chapter #6

Released Digitally: December 27, 2013

"Alien" - Part 6

Writer: Bryan Q. Miller
Penciller: Edgar Salazar
Inker: DYM and Rob Lean

Reviewed by: Matt Schorr

Click to enlarge


Lois and Chloe arrive in Gotham City just in time to see Batman "interrogating" Victor Zasz about the recent murder of someone dressed as Superman. The interrogation turns up nil, and everyone gathers at the Bat Cave for coffee. (Seriously, Alfred's right there to offer it.)

Bruce's billion-dollar computer, meanwhile, has been working on a facial reconstruction of the victim, who has yet to be identified. Much to everyone's surprise, the computer concludes the victim is... Clark Kent.

Over in Russia, the Monitor is making short work of the Red Rocket Brigade. Lex attempts to intervene, and the Monitor promptly turns on him. Superman attacks from behind, saving Lex's life, and the Monitor somehow deflects Superman's heat vision back on him moments before the two lock horns.

Superman demands to know what the Crisis is, and when the Monitor is less than forthcoming, he headbutts him. (I think... To be honest, it's a little hard to tell.) The Monitor, surprised by his injuries, flees the scene. Superman, equally surprised by his own injuries, asks, "How the hell did he hurt me?"

4Story - 4: The plot thickens...

So the dead "Superman" in Gotham City has been identified as Clark Kent. That certainly raises some questions. Is it the Clark Kent/Ultraman from Earth 2? I've been wondering about that guy. Or perhaps another doppelgänger from another universe?

If it is Earth 2 Clark (most likely), it's both interesting and a little disappointing. Interesting because it raises some big questions: 1) How was he killed? 2) Was it the Monitor rather than a simple hate crime? 3) Why is he dressed like Grant Morrison's version?

It's a little disappointing because I was curious to see what became of Smallville's Ultraman. And a corpse isn't what I had in mind. I guess we'll just have to wait and see...

This is another great issue in a really stellar series. The action kicked up hard and heavy with this issue, so I expect we'll get some white knuckle excitement for another week or two. I'm all for that, but I hope we still get the investigation side of things with Batman and company, and the twisted character study of Lex Luthor - who's been the driving force of this story for several issues, but I think he might've just lost control.

4Art - 4: I'm giving this a good rating despite my confusion over Superman's attack on the Monitor. Perhaps someone can help me here. On the one hand, it looks like a headbutt. On the other, his fists are swung out like he used them. And how exactly did Superman get hit? When he asked how he was hurt, I was wondering the same thing. I didn't see any attack on the Monitor's part.

But perhaps the mystery is the point here. I think that's the case... so I'm not knocking the score down.

The action and excitement has kicked up this issue, and the art reflects that nicely.

Cover Art - N/A:

Mild Mannered Reviews

2014

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