Mild Mannered Reviews – Superman: Red & Blue #6

Superman: Red & Blue #6 [of 6]

Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 17, 2021
Cover date: October 2021

Cover: Evan “Doc” Shaner
Variant Covers: Gabrielle Dell’Otto and Kevin Eastman

Reviewed by: James Lantz

“Hissy Fit”

Writer: Sophie Campbell
Penciller: Sophie Campbell
Inker: Sophie Campbell

Streaky the Supercat does not want to get into the pet carrier while Superman and Supergirl move things out of the Fortress of Solitude. The superpowered feline leads Kal and Kara on a merry chase while creating chaos. He eventually returns to the Supercousins once he calms down.

Story – 5: As someone who has always lived with cats and dogs, I found this story absolutely delightful to read. I want Sophie Campbell to do more stories for Superman and his family and friends after reading this one.


Art – 5: Sophie Campbell’s art complements her story perfectly. Anyone else drawing her story would do it a grave injustice.


“The Scoop”

Writer: Matt Wagner
Penciller: Matt Wagner
Inker: Matt Wagner

Fledgling reporter Clark Kent is looking for the scoop of the century. He finds that it’s been staring him in the face the whole time, and it’s the story of how he, as Superman, came to be a man of two worlds.

Story – 5: This is clearly influenced by the old Fleischer cartoons with a little of the 1940s radio show blended in to give readers a fun mix of the classic and the new.


Art – 5: While I’ve only seen Wagner’s DC work, I love how he blends Golden Age with the modern eras to bring his story to the sequential art from of comics.


“The Special”

Writer: Tom King
Penciller: Paolo Rivera
Inker: Paolo Rivera

Key events in the lives of various members of the Kent family witnessed by diner waitress Annie over the years. Through happy times and sad ones, she has always been there to provide the Special, making everyone feel like they are family.

Story – 5: This is a very touching character piece that is too good to skip. It’s fantastic.


Art – 5: Paolo Rivera really conveys the emotion of Tom King’s story with every panel.


“Son of Farmers”

Writer: Darcie Little Badger
Penciller: Steve Pugh
Inker: Steve Pugh

The lessons learned on the Kent farm help Clark save a heart attack victim from certain death.

Story – 5: One thing about this entire series is that it features stories that the main comics may not focus upon too much. This is one of those, and I was thoroughly amazed by it.


Art – 5: The story really would not work without such lushly beautiful art. It elevates the story, this issue, and the comics medium as a whole.


“Ally”

Writer: Rex Ogle
Penciller: Mike Norton
Inker: Mike Norton

On the day Superman reveals that he is Clark Kent, a teenager comes home from school inspired to tell his family that he is gay. This makes the world feel more honest for him.

Story – 5: Such subjects can be executed extremely well or in a ham-fisted manner. This story belongs in the former category. I’m surprised it came across so well. In the hands of any other writer, it could feel forced into the book. Rex Ogle makes it feel like it fits perfectly in this issue.


Art – 5: The art is as brilliantly done as the story. I can’t imagine anyone else drawing a Rex Ogle story now.


Cover Art – 5: This one shows the shape of things in Superman’s multiverse excellently. Thanks, Doc.


Gabrielle Dell’Otto Variant Cover Art – 5: Dell’Otto’s experimented with various styles in more recent covers like one he did for Marvel’s first Savage Sword of Conan omnibus. His evolution as an artist shows in that and in this variant.


Kevin Eastman Variant Cover Art – 3: Eastman recently made a comeback in Marvel’s King-Size Conan #1. His story and art weren’t bad, but there was some serious need of improvements. The same could be said about his variant for this issue.


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