Superman vs. Lobo #1 [of 3]
Scheduled to arrive in stores: August 24, 2021
Cover date: October 2021
“Book One”
Writers: Tim Seeley and Sarah Beattie
Artist: Mirka Andolfo
Cover: Mirka Andolfo
Variant Covers: Simon Bisley, Tony Harris, Philip Tan
Reviewed by: Tony Parker
Lex Luthor’s new social media app is inciting toxic behavior among the people of Metropolis, with division, hate, and mistrust spreading like wildfire. Clark Kent endeavors to return kindness to the forefront, but isn’t allowed to by Perry White.
Things go from bad to worse after a planetary disaster involving the Main Man, Lobo, and another lone survivor of a doomed planet. Superman gets all the publicity, and to get back at him, Lobo stokes the fires of hate in Metropolis, hosting a talk show on Lextube and sending A.I to criticize the Man of Steel.
With help from Lois, Jimmy, and Batman, Superman manages however to remind people of their hearts, beating Lobo, but the surviving alien from before adds another twist to the tale, rewarding the two with a return to their doomed planets.
Unfortunately, Superman is now on Czarnia, and Lobo is on Krypton…
To be continued…
Story – 5: I really, really, really loved this! (I know, finally, a 5 out of 5!)
Completely, totally, absolutely. This was a blast from start to finish!
In the current climate, kindness and compassion seem to be in short supply, or, well, they aren’t vocalized as loud as hate and ignorance.
So many horrible, horrible things have been happening in recent years, and Superman being Superman, we were bound to see his character tackle this sort of issue eventually.
The story handled it magnificently, acknowledging that the apps themselves feed the flames because it gets clicks.
Throughout the story, I felt like I was reading Superman, and that’s a character I feel has been hard to find these days. The obsession with a fallen Superman, or a god like Superman have grown tiresome in my opinion, and seeing a loving Superman, who helps a child when he is lost or whose first action is to comfort a confused alien behemoth, that is something that makes me indescribably happy.
Lobo as well provides much fun and humor, his distinct brand of utter awfulness is so raw and over the top, you can’t help but enjoy it!
You might see that this review is different than my others, a little less in depth perhaps. And I would say that’s because sometimes, when something is good, there isn’t much to say. Which I mean in the best way, of course! I don’t feel like I can describe why I feel what I feel when I see Superman show faith in humanity, it’s just… That’s what he’s all about, isn’t it? Compassion and love. We need more of that.
This issue is a must read, in my opinion, I wholeheartedly recommend it, and I cannot wait for the next issue! It’s just great! It’s fun, it’s inspiring, it’s engaging, it’s hilarious, it’s kind!
It’s a Superman story.
What more can you really ask for?
Art – 3: I feel a little odd moving from such praise to a 3, but it’s not meant in a bad way! I simply found the art serviceable, reminiscent at times of the art of Dan Slott’s work at the other company. It’s not bad by any means, in fact, some designs really work (Lois and Lobo especially), but I found Supes a little lacking at times (the dynamic shot of him flying in space could have used perhaps more muscle or size), and I didn’t find any shot or panel to be that unique. Then again, not every ceiling must be a Sistine Chapel! I like the art, and that’s good enough!
Cover Art – 4: It might not be the most original cover, but I love the purple tint, the mood, and the conflict between Superman and Lobo. You immediately get a feel for the story, and I’ll always like that kind of cover!Variant Cover Art – 4: Weirdly effective Lobo sketch, kinda makes him feel scary! Like the visceral feel!
Variant Cover Art – 2: This one isn’t that great, though. It feels almost like a collage, or a mad magazine artwork that got taken too seriously. It’s nothing special or interesting. Very meh.
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