SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #126
"Pantheon, Part 1: The Call Up"
Mildly Recommended (6/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Mark Schultz
Pencils: Yvel Guichet & Kevin Sharpe
Inks: Dexter Vines & Walden Wong
Colors: Tanya & Richard Horie
Letters: Ken Lopez
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
Though the plot is more than a little predictable, Schultz explores an idea that I found believable and fascinating: a spouse's resentment of her partner. Guichet's art just keeps getting stronger, but the incorporation of a second penciller's style into the book makes for an inconsistent look. Overall, though, this is a promising issue, indicating Schultz's future efforts could bring me back to this book.
Superman accepts a medal from the Mayor of Metropolis with hordes of residents turning out to cheer the Man of Steel. It also attracts the attention of a mysterious group that wants to learn the secret to the adolation and his iconic status. Meanwhile, Lois, feeling overshadowed by her heroic spouse, meets with a journalism student for an interview, while a golden giant appears in the city's harbor, turning everything he touches to gold.
In previous isues, Guichet wisely chose to bridge the transition from former regular penciller Doug Mahnke's stint on the book to his own by adjusting his style to be more in line with his predecessor's. Now, we're seeing Guichet's style rising more to the forefront. His thick line style captures the power and presence of the title character nicely, and he does the same for the group that approaches and helps him out in this issue. Sharpe's style isn't nearly similar enough to Guichet's work, though, and it makes for a slightly jarring effect. His work is capable, but it interrupts the visual flow of the story.
Mythology always fascinated me as a kid, and my interest persists today. The story puts me in mind of Neil Gaiman's 2001 novel, American Gods, without the nuance and atmosphere, though. It's fairly obvious where Schultz is heading with this plot pretty much from the beginning, so the mysterious tone he tries to foster falls flat. Still, the concept offers a lot of storytelling potential, opening the door for the writer to explore what it is that allows Clark Kent to feel like a man as opposed to a god-like figure hovering above humanity.
The most fascinating aspect of the story is how Lois Lane, who would be the more dynamic and spotlighted person in any other relationship, feels eclipsed by her spouse, even though no one knows her husband is Superman. Her feelings are valid, and her guilt overthem is thoroughly believable. I think this subplot would have carried even more power if it was explored without the super-hero genre trappings. Involving Lois in the main plot of this story arc oversimplifies the problem and potential solutions.
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