Mild Mannered Reviews - Batman/Superman Comic Books
Dark Knights of Steel #1
Scheduled to arrive in stores: November 2, 2021Cover date: January 2022
"In the Beginning"
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Yasmine Putri
Cover: Yasmine Putri
Variant Covers: Yasmine Putri, Joshua Middleton, Wayne Reynolds
Reviewed by: Craig Boehmer
Click to enlarge
I will try to avoid spoilers... because those spoilers are so cool!
Krypton blows up, Jor-El and Lara arrive on earth. They are quickly confronted by Medieval warriors, whom Jor-El blows away with heat vision. Kal is then born. Meanwhile Constantine is having a seizure and prophesying to the King of the Kingdom of Storms. He concludes by saying he has seen the end of their world. Nineteen years later Kal wants to go with Bruce to confront a magic user in the kingdom. Magic has been outlawed in the kingdom because it can hurt the Els. Kal is not allowed to, but he follows Bruce to the magic user, and ends up saving him from a girl called Banshee (Black Canary). Kal and Bruce return to the throne room to report, and Kal gets into an argument about putting himself at risk around magic users and with Bruce about traditions. It is revealed that the kingdom used to belong to the Waynes, until their murder led to the Els coming to power. Bruce and Jor-El go for a walk, and that's where my summary will end, but significant things happen while they go for a walk.
Story - 5:It starts a little slow, but we do have twelve issues. I am more excited for this than any story I have read in a long time. I love "Lord of the Rings," the "Shannara" world, and many other fantasy series. I obviously also love the DC Universe, and I adored what Tom Taylor did with the "DCeased" universe. So I was ecstatic to hear about this series. The characters look like they will be a joy to read. And I am here for the fun. I like seeing Kal and Bruce as youthful friends ready for an adventure.
Art - 5: The art works for this type of story. The color palette is whimsical in nature. This is my first exposure to Yasmine Putri, and I like it. I hope Putri stays on this book for the whole series. The art is so fanciful and fun.
Cover Art - 3: There is a lot that I like about this cover. Showcasing Batman and Superman as the forefront with the Els and Alfred in the background gives ample room for the primary characters to be shown off. It is great, and a great introductory image to the story. However, I wish it took up more of the cover, having so much white in the background detracts from how great the image is.
Character Sheet Variant Cover Art - 4: This image is a cool concept, but it does seem a little plain. I think it would have been better to use an action shot of Superman for this. Plus I can't be the only Superman fan who looked at his stats and thought they were all too low. How can a superpowered brain only rate a 17 in intelligence? And 16 in stamina? His body is a battery powered by the sun! Other than that though, the art is fine.
Open Order Variant Cover Art - 5: This cover is everything I wanted in this series. It looks like Batman as a freaking ringwraith!!! So great. The coloring is fantastic, and creates a somber chilling image. This Batman is terrifying, and I love it.
Team Variant Cover Art - 3: This cover should have been a slam dunk. It gives an artist the chance to show the redesigned trinity for this world. Instead it falls flat. The faces look wonky, the colors are dull and muddy, and why are there so many rings? The actual designs for the characters are intriguing though, and I can't wait to see more of them, especially Batman's armor.
Mild Mannered Reviews
2021
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 2021
- Superman #27
- Action Comics #1027
- Batman/Superman #14
- Justice League #56
- Justice League #57
- Young Justice #20
- Legion of Super-Heroes #11
- DCeased: Dead Planet #5
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #5
- Justice League: Endless Winter #1
- Superman: Endless Winter #1 [of 1]
- Superman #28
- Justice League #58
- Action Comics #1028
- Batman/Superman #15
- DCeased: Dead Planet #6 [of 6]
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #6 [of 6]
- Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
- DC's Very Merry Multiverse #1
- Challenge of the Super Sons #4
- Challenge of the Super Sons #5
- Justice League: Endless Winter #2
- Legion of Super-Heroes #12
- Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1
- Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #1
- Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #1
- Future State: Justice League #1
- Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #1
- Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #1
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #1
- Future State: Batman/Superman #1
- Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Dark Nights - Metal #1
- DCeased: Dead Planet #7
- Dark Nights: Death Metal #7
- Challenge of the Super Sons #6
- Challenge of the Super Sons #7
- Challenge of the Super Sons #8
- Challenge of the Super Sons #9
- Truth & Justice #4
- Future State: Superman of Metropolis #2
- Future State: Kara Zor-El, Superwoman #2
- Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #2
- Future State: Justice League #2
- Future State: Superman: Worlds of War #2
- Future State: Legion of Super-Heroes #2
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #2
- Future State: Batman/Superman #2
- Future State: Superman: House of El #1
- Challenge of the Super Sons #10
- Challenge of the Super Sons #11
- Challenge of the Super Sons #12
- Challenge of the Super Sons #13
- Challenge of the Super Sons #14
- Truth & Justice #5
- Truth & Justice #6
- Infinite Frontier #0
- Crime Syndicate #1
- Superman #29
- Action Comics #1029
- Superman: Red and Blue #1 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #16
- Justice League #59
- Future State: Superman vs. Imperious Lex #3
- Superman by Grant Morrison Omnibus HC
- Superman #30
- Action Comics #1030
- Superman: Red and Blue #2 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #17
- Justice League #60
- Crime Syndicate #2
- Superman #31
- Action Comics #1031
- Superman: Red and Blue #3 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #18
- Justice League #61
- Justice League: Last Ride #1
- Crime Syndicate #3
- Superman #32
- Action Comics #1032
- Superman: Red and Blue #4 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #19
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #1 [of 8]
- Justice League #62
- Justice League #63
- Justice League: Last Ride #2
- Crime Syndicate #4
- Infinite Frontier #1
- Action Comics Annual 2021
- Action Comics #1033
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #1
- Superman: Red and Blue #5 [of 6]
- Batman/Superman #20
- Superman & The Authority #1 [of 4]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #2 [of 8]
- Justice League #64
- Justice League #65
- Crime Syndicate #5
- Justice League: Last Ride #3
- Infinite Frontier #2
- Infinite Frontier #3
- Justice League Infinity #1
- Action Comics #1034
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #2
- Batman/Superman #21
- Batman/Superman 2021 Annual #1
- Superman: Red and Blue #6 [of 6]
- Superman & The Authority #2 [of 4]
- Superman '78 #1 [of 6]
- Superman vs. Lobo #1 [of 3]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #3 [of 8]
- Justice League #66
- Justice League: Last Ride #4
- Justice League Infinity #2
- Crime Syndicate #6
- Infinite Frontier #4
- Infinite Frontier #5
- Action Comics #1035
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #3
- Batman/Superman #22
- Superman & The Authority #3 [of 4]
- Superman '78 #2 [of 6]
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #4 [of 8]
- Justice League #67
- Justice League #68
- Justice League: Last Ride #5
- Justice League Infinity #3
- Infinite Frontier #6
- Superman: Son of Kal-El #4
- Superman & The Authority #4 [of 4]
- Justice League: Last Ride #6
- Justice League Infinity #4
- DC vs. Vampires #1 [of 12]
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2021.