This issue marks the beginning of the six-part "Godfall" story arc, bridging the gap between the previous runs on the Super-titles and the debuts of the new creative teams in April. DC has handed the reins of the Super-books for February and March over to Michael Turner and his Aspen Studios, who are responsible for Fathom, among other comics properties. I've never been much of a fan of Aspen or Top Cow (Turner's former studio home) characters, so it should come as no surprise that my reaction this this story was somewhat lukewarm. But there's no denying that Turner and company bring an anime-like energy to the Man of Steel. Not surprisingly, they boost the gratuitous T&A quotient in the process.
Kal-El awakens at home... on Krypton. The planet never exploded, and life continues unabated. Kal is a medium-level bureaucrat, but he longs for excitement. He feels as though something is missing in his life, and he laments that people are surprised a nobody like him could be the son of the world's savior and hero, Jor-El. The one thing Kal has going for him in his life is his wife, an exotic beauty named Lyla. They live a perfect life, but that way of life is about to be threatened by rebels who feel that non-Kryptonians are treated as seocnd-class citizens.
Caldwell is clearly trying to establish an anime-like look for this story, from the setting to the characters to other paraphenalia, notably the Kryptonian speed-bikes. The art comes completely with speed lines and an alien color palette that's bound to appeal to fans of "mature" Japanese animation. Lyla is so gratuitously sexualized, it's laughable, especially when one compares her to her clearly conservative husband.
Though the anime riff usually isn't my thing, I have to admit that the speed-bike sequences are exciting and visually engaging, with a strong, cinematic feel. Kelly and Turner also capture what feels like a genuine emotion in Kal's sense of impotence in the face of his family's legacy. The story lacks suspense, though, as ultimately, we know that Kal-El is going to be returned to normal, that Superman will rise once again.
This issue also features a backup story, focusing on Lana Lang-Ross. It serves as another example that not all of Chuck Austen's writing is as poor as what we saw last week in Uncanny X-Men. He offers an accessible and grounded story about a young woman whose life has failed to turned out as she imagined it. Her sadness makes for an interesting contrast with the ever-hopefulness of the Kents. Ivan Reis's sift linework here suits the down-to-earth and quiet tone of this simple plot. Mind you, Austen doesn't really tell us anything new about Lana, but perhaps he's setting up a new plotline.
