SUPERMAN: STRENGTH #1 ADVANCE REVIEW

[Blake Petit]

Review by: Blake M. Petit Blake@comixtreme.com
Quick Rating: Very Good
Title: The Man Who Broke Superman’s Arm

A mob of tech-criminals plans the ultimate distraction for the Man of Steel.

<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/785/strength1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/785/strength1.jpg" align="left" border="0"></a>Writer: Scott McCloud
Pencils: Aluir Amancio
Inks: Terry Austin
Colors: Patricia Mulvihill
Letters: Todd Klein
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover Art: Alex Ross
Publisher: DC Comics

Review: Scott McCloud has already earned a place in comic book history for his work on defining projects like Understanding Comics, but he’s also told a lot of pretty solid superhero stories, including a very good run on Superman Adventures some years back. This three issue miniseries, which is touted as being an examination of where Superman’s “true” strength comes from, could easily have fit into that run. It’s a fun, exciting superhero romp, with the promise of something deeper to come.

Fido is a disgruntled ex-Lexcorp employee planning a major heist to steal back an invention that the company kept when he was fired. But pulling a crime in Metropolis isn’t as simple as all that – he’s got to figure out how Superman works, and how to distract him. Fido figures out how the man of steel operates, but as he’ll discover, his assessment of what makes Superman tick is way off-base.

The book ends with a suitably entertaining cliffhanger, the sort of thing that would have worked in a silver age tale, or even on the cartoon show.

Joining McCloud is another Superman Adventures alum – Aluir Amancio. His style is very different from most superhero comics on the racks these days. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it “cartoonish,” but he’s a lot closer to Jack Kirby than he is to Jim Lee. And I mean that as a compliment. This is a guy who knows how to tell stories with big, bold, larger-than-life superheroes, and I’d like to see this sort of thing more often.

This isn’t the deepest Superman story I’ve ever read, but it’s an entertaining one, and it has the promise of getting much more personal, more introspective, over the next two issues. If you love Superman or if you love classic superhero stories, this is definitely a title you should be reading.

Rating: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg

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[Ryan Broussard]

but is it worth 5 bucks??

[Blake Petit]

I think so, yes, but I'm a die-hard Superman fan. Casual fans may prefer to wait for the trade paperback.

[Mark Blicharz]

What? Five bucks for a comic? And they wonder why people don't buy issues and only trades...

[Blake Petit]

It's "Prestige Format." 48 pages, squarebound, no ads.

Yeah, I still wish they put it in a cheaper format too.

[Mark Blicharz]

Still, if I hadn't read this for free, I wouldn't pick it up for five bucks and I'm a huge Superman fan.

[Blake Petit]

Originally posted by SSJGOKU555
Still, if I hadn't read this for free, I wouldn't pick it up for five bucks and I'm a huge Superman fan.

I'm pretty selective when it comes to the upper-priced formats, even for Superman. Basically, it all comes down to who's writing it. I wasn't willing to pay for Millar's series. I was more than willing to pay for Busiek's, and I'm willing to pay for McCloud as well.

[Mark Blicharz]

My main point is it's insane to charge $5 for a single issue. I'd be surprised if this sold well.

[Blake Petit]

I don't know... they've been doing books in this higher priced format for a long time now. I have to assume that either the higher price point compensates for lower sales or they expect to make up the deficit in the trade paperback. Either way, though, if they weren't making money somehow, they wouldn't still be putting out Prestige Format comics.

[Mark Blicharz]

Most likely the trade is where they are going to make it up. The book was very good, but five for one issue is too much.

[Blake Petit]

I don't disagree with that, really -- McCloud is just one of the few writers that I'm willing to pay too much for. But there have been a LOT of specials and miniseries that I've skipped because of the high-priced format.

[Mark Blicharz]

The book would be worth the price, but you and I are also hardcore Superman fans. Someone who likes Superman/Batman or other Superman titles would look at it and may think of picking it up, see the price and put it down. McCloud is a very good writer, I just think the only ones buying these high priced books are the hardcore fans of the characters.

[Walt Kneeland]

Call me "Raincloud," but isn't this one $5.95?

I've been contemplating this series, but I haven't seen any previews, nor has it had me jazzed up like "Secret Identity" did. Based on this review, it sounds like it will definitely be well-worth the TPB, but just as I can barely justify $3 for a "regular" book, aside from rare instances, I cannot justify $6 when a few months (or a year, but time passes quite quickly in retrospect) later there'll be a collected volume that is significantly cheaper than the singles.

I suspect the "prestige format" is so even the singles can go straight onto a bookshelf, but in this day and age...I'd have to side on the idea that sure, it may justify its own cost corporately...but I wonder how many people are going to pass on it--when longtime fans like me won't even justify paying $18 for 3 issues straight off the shelf. [EDIT: okay, that's a gross over-generalization based on my own single opinion. My apologies if anyone took offense...]

(Then again, who says this won't attract fans who normally would not pick up a regular Superman book? Maybe this'll fly off the shelves and get into the hands of people who see that it's a 3-issue series, recognize the name "McCloud" and give it a shot, knowing they'll invest $18 rather than the $90 it might cost for a year's worth of singles on the "regular" series...)

bleh. Computer trouble, Eisner's passing, crappy weather.

Is it Wednesday yet?

~Walt :(

[Mark Blicharz]

Not yet unfortunately. I wouldn't spend the cash on it and I'm a diehard Superman fan. I can afford it and the other numerous titles I get a month and not worry about it, but if I was an average reader who only spends $20 a week max on books and sees this pricetag I wouldn't get it. I'd wait for the trade in six months.

[COUSIN O]

I gotta be honest with you folks, i don't know where people get all the money for these damn comics. Whether you buy the trades or not, it seems like you're getting a pretty poor return on your investment (sometimes).

I plunk down 4 to 5 bucks and sometimes i'm getting what seems like roughly 10 minutes (5 minutes if its heavy on action) of a movie, and then i have to wait a month for the next 10 minutes of the movie. YES, i know a comic book is not the same as a movie (although with all the "director's cuts" these days i'm starting to wonder), but since i have to decide where my consumer dollar is going to go, i have to make some quantitative comparisons.


Now, i am not poor. i have a decent job, and make an average income. but i see people walking into the comic book store and picking up (no lie) every damn new title on the rack, while i have to decide whether i can afford to buy 5 issues this week! where are people getting the money? what happened to that recession i heard so much about? they need to send elaine chao into some of these comic book stores and she'll see that there must be plenty of people with good jobs, based on the dough they spread around for comic books!

these things add up cost-wise folks! and i gotta tell ya, sometimes it don't seem worth it when you get home and it takes you 5 minutes to wade through 20 big splash panels of deadpool brandishing his overly-phallic assault weapon while walking 6 feet to the grocery store (exagerrating here, but not by much).


I can't be the only one who's ever read one of these things for 3 or 4 bucks and said to myself afterwards, "well, there's 4 dollars down the drain." It's not that they're not entertaining, it just seems like we're paying too much for too little stretched out for too long. YES, i know alot of work goes into these things, and YES, i know i could buy the trades (which don't work out to be that much less) but the comics industry wonders why it's suffering (i'm assuming it still is) and i think this is a big part of it.
they're catering to a very specific niche, while everyone who might be a casual fan is left in the cold. what am i gonna do, read marvel age? i don't think so...but unless i'm willing to invest 18 dollars in "cable vs. deadpool", i'm not gonna get the full story.


sorry, i went off on a tangent... i know we were talking about superman here... :

[Blake Petit]

Not off-topic at all. Comic prices are a huge concern these days, particularly with a book like this one.

[Mark Blicharz]

Blake and I have had numerous discussions on this topic. Books are way too expensive now. If I didn't get my books free every week, I wouldn't get half as many as I do and I can afford to buy them all without a worry. Books should be in the $2-2.50 range max.

[Blake Petit]

I have so gotta find a way to get more free comics. :LOL:

[Mark Blicharz]

You have one, you get advance copies. :P

[Blake Petit]

I said "more." :p

[Magnus2k]

Both of you be quiet. I dont get any free. I'm stuck paying 35 to 40 bucks a week on an average week. And I'd pay 5 dollars for a special Batman book. Because he's my favorite and well, thats what I do. :p

[Blake Petit]

Even with my favorite (Superman) I'm only willing to shell out the extra for a really special project. I've got faith in Busiek and McCloud, that's why I was willing to shell out for them.

[Mark Blicharz]

Whoops, misread. Wouldn't be willing to spending the price of two books for one issue, I'd rather buy the trade when it comes out, even though it was a very good read. I did have an issue with the main point of the issue, the Superman fans already know the answer to the question posed in the book. People who wouldn't know won't pick it up due to the price tag.