Mild Mannered Reviews - "Superman: Man of Tomorrow" Digital-First Comic Books
Superman: Man of Tomorrow #17
Scheduled to arrive in stores: October 15, 2020Cover date: October 2020
"Divine Intervention"
Writer: Stephanie Phillips
Penciller: V. Ken Marion
Inker: V. Ken Marion
Reviewed by: Craig Boehmer
Click to enlarge
A purple energy is emanating from the hospital. The MPD has established a perimeter, but one of their helicopters is caught in the energy. As it begins to fall, Superman catches it and returns it to safety. He learns that Dax, a psionic, has created a psionic barrier around the hospital. At his approach, a small hole opens letting him enter. As Superman makes his way through the hospital, Dax uses the staff to guide him to the Oncology ward. Dax reveals to him that his mother is dying of cancer and he wants Superman to cure her. When Superman can not heal her, Dax lashes out and attacks him. Eventually Superman talks Dax down and they embrace. Superman offers to wait with him, and the two men talk about Dax's mother. The final page shows Superman entering the prison as the narration reveals Dax's mother used to play card with him in prison once a week. Superman pulls out a deck of cards to continue the tradition.
Story - 5: Wow! I found this story to be very well written. It really struck an emotional chord in me, for whatever reason. Superman's desire to help people is so poignantly shown through Stephanie Phillips' writing. I really liked how at no point are we supposed to feel Dax is justified in his crimes because of his mother's sickness, we are, however, invited to feel sympathy for his suffering. Never does Superman give the impression that he approves of what Dax has done. There are enough writers who try to justify a villain's actions by a sad story. I never got that feeling here. Superman's reaction to Dax was spot on. He talked Dax down by mourning with him. He then embraced him and offered to wait beside him. The final page of Superman visiting Dax in prison to play cards was superb, and aligns with how Superman has been portrayed by Venditti.
Art - 5: I really enjoyed this art. It felt dynamic, and was beautifully detailed. The fight between Dax and Superman looked great and fun. The purple energy felt active and electric, it bubbled with energy as it lashed out at Superman. And the panels where Clark revealed the "S" worked perfectly as an insert to the falling helicopter. V. Ken Marion drew a very young looking Clark, which didn't bother me at all. The facial features and angles seem very manga inspired, but not to the point where you would confuse it with manga. Additionally, the colours are vibrant and perfectly suited for the story.
Mild Mannered Reviews
2020
Note: Except for digital first releases, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.January 2020
- Superman #17
- Action Comics #1017
- Batman/Superman #4
- Lois Lane #5
- Supergirl #36
- Supergirl Annual #2
- Justice League #35
- Justice League #36
- Legion of Super-Heroes #1
- Young Justice #10
- Event Leviathan #6
- Superman #18
- Batman/Superman #5
- Lois Lane #6
- Supergirl #37
- Justice League #37
- Justice League #38
- Legion of Super-Heroes #2
- Young Justice #11
- Doomsday Clock #12
- Superman Smashes The Klan #2
- Action Comics #1018
- Action Comics #1019
- Superman #19
- Batman/Superman #6
- Lois Lane #7
- Supergirl #38
- Justice League #39
- Legion of Super-Heroes #3
- Young Justice #12
- Superman #20
- Action Comics #1020
- Superman: Heroes #1
- Batman/Superman #7
- Lois Lane #8
- Supergirl #39
- Justice League #40
- Justice League #41
- Legion of Super-Heroes #4
- Young Justice #13
- Superman Smashes The Klan #3
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #2
- Superman: Villains #1
- Superman #21
- Action Comics #1021
- Batman/Superman #8
- Lois Lane #9
- Supergirl #40
- Justice League #42
- Justice League #43
- Legion of Super-Heroes #5
- Young Justice #14
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #3
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #4
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #5
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #6
- NOTE: Due to COVID-19 no printed comic books were published this month (April 2020)
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #7
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #8
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #9
- Lois Lane #10
- Justice League #44
- Justice League #45
- Supergirl #41
- DCeased: Hope at World's End #1
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #10
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #11
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #12
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #13
- Action Comics #1022
- Superman #22
- Batman/Superman #9
- Lois Lane #11
- Supergirl #42 [Final Issue]
- Justice League #46
- Justice League #47
- Legion of Super-Heroes #6
- Young Justice #15
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #1
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #14
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #15
- Action Comics #1023
- Superman #23
- Batman/Superman #10
- Lois Lane #12
- Justice League #48
- Justice League #49
- Legion of Super-Heroes #7
- Young Justice #16
- DCeased: Dead Planet #1
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #2
- Superman #24
- Action Comics #1024
- Batman/Superman #11
- Justice League #50
- Justice League #51
- Legion of Super-Heroes #8
- Young Justice #17 //
- DCeased: Dead Planet #2
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #3
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #16
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #17
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #18
- Action Comics #1025
- Superman #25
- Batman/Superman #12
- Batman/Superman Annual #1
- Justice League #52
- Justice League #53
- Justice League Annual #2
- Legion of Super-Heroes #9
- Young Justice #18
- DCeased: Dead Planet #3
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #19
- Superman: Man of Tomorrow #20
- Action Comics #1026
- Superman #26
- Batman/Superman #13
- Justice League #54
- Justice League #55
- Legion of Super-Heroes #10
- Young Justice #19
- DCeased: Dead Planet #4
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #4
- Challenge of the Super Sons #1
- Challenge of the Super Sons #2
- Challenge of the Super Sons #3
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2020.