SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #123
"Gangs of Metropolis, Part 1: Everyone Wants the Aegis"
Neutral (4/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Mark Schultz
Pencils: Yvel Guichet
Inks: Dexter Vines
Colors: Tanya & Richard Horie
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
Schultz launches a new storyline, full of wondrous technology and complex organizations... and sadly, little humanity. This story is all about things, not people, and the plot and script boast some elements that make it hard to suspend one's disbelief. And for a story as steeped in sci-fi elements as this one, suspension of disbelief is of paramount importance.
Lexcorp wants Steel's powerful Aegis armor. The Overmind -- the technological mystery man who governs the underground Cybermoths of Metropolis -- wants the Aegis. Earthquake wants the Aegis. Natasha Irons -- Steel's niece -- has been kidnapped, not only to influence her uncle, but apparently to serve Overmind as the Queen of the Cybermoths, thanks to the sudden revelation that her mind is ideal for computer interfacing. Thanks to the appearance of mutated B-13 technology in the city, Superman feels something building... something big.
Confused? You should be. Schultz has been planting the seeds for this storyline for some time, it would seem, but intimate knowledge of his run on this title would seem to be required in order to follow the action here. There are way too many elements at play in this ill-defined plot. Schultz seems to be trying to tell the story of a gang war, but these characters are so far removed from what one would consider a gang that it's hard to get into the conflicts.
Guichet's work here is consistent in tone with the style of previous penciller Doug Mahnke. He captures the weirdness and intensity of the story nicely. There are a lot of story elements to keep up with, though, and it makes for some crowded visuals. Still, the book boasts some inventive, organic designs, and the colors are appropriately dark, given the tone of the plot.
Though I enjoyed the brief focus on the subplot featuring Lois and her mother, it was a fleeting down-to-earth moment in a script that's far too lofty. The story centers around things -- B-13 tech, the Aegis -- not people, and therein lies its problem. The technology theme is a bit much to swallow, and I found it rather difficult to really care about what was going on.
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