SUPERMAN #182
"The Secret, Part One: Dead Men"
Recommended (8/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Ed McGuinness
Artist: Cam Smith
Colors: Tanya & Richard Horie
Letters: Richard Starkings
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
Now this is more like it.
Superman hasn't been the strong title it used to be in recent months, but here, Loeb turns his attention to the beginnings of his run on the book (he began in October 1999), and it helps resurrect the strength that made this a must-read for me every month. Despite its foundation in a number of plotlines in recent years, this is a thoroughly accessible issue and the promising beginning to a new story arc.
Lois Lane is trying to expose Preisdent Luthor, and her investigation leads her to look for the supposedly late General Frank Rock. Three super-villains just happen to hit the scene as a result, trying to put a fright into the intrepid reporter. Later, Luthor meets with Lois, calling in a marker. Meanwhile, Superman confronts the person he believes to be responsible for the villains' appearance in Metropolis.
McGuinness's larger-than-life style certainly suits this book. Not only is the title character an imposing figure, but the setting itself is a wondrous one. His exaggerated approach captures the power and intensity of the heroes and villains nicely, as so the brilliant colors provided by the Hories. Another visual strength of the book is the array of unique fonts that Starkings/Comicraft has developed specifically for the Man of Steel.
What hooked me on Loeb's run back when it got under way in 1999 was his focus on journalism and a more realistic vision of the profession even in a surreal world of super-heroes and villains. Loeb touches upon that strength once again here. Sure, Lois's story is larger than most reporters could ever imagine, but there's a genuine tone in the way she approaches the story, her dilemma with Luthor and her responsibilities.
The strongest point of this script, though, is how accessible it is. The story has its origins in Loeb's first issue, 2000's "Y2K" storyline, in the "Our Worlds at War" crossover event of 2001, and even incorporates elements from the new (and soon to be cancelled) Suicide Squad series. However, I think even new readers just picking up the book now will have little problem getting into the story. "The Secret" is shaping up to be a fun but smart story arc.
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