SUPERMAN #212 REVIEW

[Adam Chapman]

Reviewer: Adam Chapman adam.chapman@sympatico.ca
Quick Rating: Look At The Pretty Pictures, Not The Words
Title: For Tomorrow, Part 9

Superman materializes where the Vanishing took him and finds Lois.

<a href="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/media/46/supes212.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.comixtreme.com/gallery/data/thumbnails/46/supes212.jpg"align="left" border="0"> </a>Writer: Brian Azzarello
Pencils: Jim Lee
Inks: Scott Williams, Richard Friend & Sandra Hope
Colours: Alex Sinclair
Letters: Rob Leigh
Editors: Will Dennis & Eddie Berganza
Special Thanks To: Scott Iwahashi

Review: It's beginning to amaze me how hot and cold this book can be for me. One month its spectacular, and the next, standard at best. This month, its the latter option, unfortunately.

A problem with this storyline thus far has been that of consistency, both in tone and in vision, or at least the lack thereof. The main plot of the Vanishing has taken a long time to develop, but not smoothly, and very vaguely. Now, after his fight with Wonder Woman last issue, Superman finds himself in the Vanishing, a seeming paradise, where the missing people supposedly are (we only see Lois and one other actual person who seems to have been caught by the Vanishing).

The issue begins, however, with Father Leone being operated on, and Mr. Orr being catty and mysterious with his employer, whom the reader is not allowed to see. After that brief intro, the focus swings on Superman as he meets up with... Clark Kent??? I'm not that big on past Superman stories, but the idea didn't seem that original, or to even make any sense. How is Clark there? Why is he there? I suppose the answers might be revealed later, but as of right now, the entire encounter had me scratching my head.

Superman's reunion with Lois is marred by some undue sexuality (just didn't seem necessary to the actual plot to include), and the idea that Lois loves Superman and not actually Clark Kent, which seemed more than a little ludicrous to ME, and I'm not a long-time follower of Superman in any sense of the term. And to top off the issue, Equus shows up again (Oh how I had forgotten he was still alive and instead imagined he'd been killed off), and under the control of a mysterious villain, supposedly his "General." The story just doesn't seem to add up so far, and although storylines which really lock into place after 12 issues can be interesting and ultimately worth it, they usually justify their existence more often and more consistently than Azzarello's Superman currently has.

However, the constant saving grace for this title has been the flawless pencils of Jim Lee, and in this issue they seem more vibrant and alive than they usually do, and they just blow the reader away with their intricacies and their strong lines. There are a number of Superman shots in this issue where he flies along, seemingly at high speeds, and you can almost feel the air breezing past your face through Lee's pencils. Just fantastic stuff.

The storyline is reaching its conclusion relatively soon, and if the rest of the storyline ends up like this, it won't happen too soon. The storyline in its entirety seems to be dragging its feet way too much to be enjoyable, and lacks a solid direction or overarching idea without miring it in subtext and doubletalk.

Ratings:

Story: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg

Art: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpg

Overall: http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/full.jpghttp://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/half.jpg http://www.comixtreme.com/reviews/none.jpg

Buy this issue online now from X-World and Save! (http://www.x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/)

[Picard]

I agree with you that this book goes from great to average and back again, every now and then.

Is it possible though that the man behind the vanishing is Zod?
I really hope so, because that's one villain DC should bring back.

[Blake Petit]

I agree that particular villain could be brought back -- I just hope it won't be in a storyline this tepid.

Adam, you're absolutely right about the Lois/Clark/Superman dynamic, Azzarello got it completely wrong in this issue. Saying Lois loves Superman and not Clark is really a false distinction: they're the same man. Superman is just the name he uses when he puts on his work clothes. It's not like Batman, where Bruce Wayne is a fake identity, a put-on that hides who he really is. Superman is the mask, not Clark.

[Magnus2k]

Did Azz create characters from 100 Bullets? I ask because I've heard how awesome that was, yet when I read his Batman, "Broken City" and his current Superman arc all I can say is......how? He didnt get the characters right in Batman, and he isnt really doing it here. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a big fan of Azz. The only thing keeping me here is Jim Lee. Of course, I'd buy a year straight of titles written by Chuck Austin if they were penciled by Lee.

[Blake Petit]

Azz did create the 100 Bullets characters, but frankly, I don't care for that book either. I'm in your camp, I just don't care for Azzarello in general.

[Symphony of Six]

I agree that the villian is who we all think it is. My girlfriend picked me up the DC encyclopedia for Christmas and I was reading up on someone and where they get their power from. Could it be possible that the scene with the priest at the beginning has something to do with the villian.

Oh and Blake...I know you showed me once but how do I do block out spoilers so I can talk at will?

Peace in the Middle East.

[Blake Petit]

Easy as pie:

Type your spoiler here

Just chage the "y"s to "i"s. ;)

[Symphony of Six]

Thanks Blake, alright here goes In my mind the villian is obviously Zod...but is it the Zod we expect. At the beginning it shows the priest getting all that red junk pumped into him. So what if the priest is Zod...like he just forgot who he was or something. Just my theory...I mean this is the first Superman arc I ever picked up so couldn't hurt to be wrong. Oh and Lois...think I caught myself a third. :D (anybody who wants to keep a healthy state of mind don't even try to understand that last line):devil:

[Magnus2k]

I dont think the priest could be Zod. Zod was Kryptonian wasnt he? If so he wouldn't have the disease in the first place.

[Blake Petit]

You're right, Magnus. Plus, Superman would recognize him.

[Symphony of Six]

In the the DC encyclopedia it goes off about how Zod gets his powers from a red son and it shows him wearing a mask, outside of this all I know is the Terrance Stamp version. So what's the real deal with the guy?

I'm sure there's someone on this board who knows a whole lot about the DC universe...Who could that be?

[Blake Petit]

It shows him wearing a mask yeah, but Superman knows what he looks like under that mask. It was a pretty jarring storyline, as a matter of fact. Zod looks like... well... like Kal-El. He was trying to usurp his place and discredit him. So it'd be a pretty major leap to turn him into a human -- Superman has examined Fr. Leone's body, remember, to see his disease -- and his face. And, for that matter, make him someone that Lupe (from Adventures of Superman) has known her entire life.

[AmazingMattMan]

this arc is my first superman arc i have ever read, i barely know anything about superman. i am mainly buying because of jim lee and because the covers with him fighting wonder woman, but every once in a while the actual story isnt bad. but i dont know what to make out of this. i may not know much about superman but i thought the whole lois not loving clark thing was just wrong. it didnt feel right. and from what i read in here, it seems that the writer got it wrong. so im here asking, what in the bejesus is actually happening in this issue?

[Adam Chapman]

I've got no clue what's going on anymore... I try and think about why the first half of the storyline even happened, and I can't bear to try and put the pieces together. :p

[Mark Blicharz]

That's because it isn't right, she loves Clark as Superman is the fake persona, not Clark.

[AmazingMattMan]

and who and why did that witch lady attack super man anyways? because the vanishings are his fault? (as azz is trying to make us believe but i aint buying it, mainly because it makes no sense)

::sigh::

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
I agree that particular villain could be brought back -- I just hope it won't be in a storyline this tepid.

Adam, you're absolutely right about the Lois/Clark/Superman dynamic, Azzarello got it completely wrong in this issue. Saying Lois loves Superman and not Clark is really a false distinction: they're the same man. Superman is just the name he uses when he puts on his work clothes. It's not like Batman, where Bruce Wayne is a fake identity, a put-on that hides who he really is. Superman is the mask, not Clark.

THAT is what my biggest gripe is with some of the apparent changes lately with the Superman books.

I've grown up on this "Post-Crisis" Superman that had Clark Kent as the emphasis, with Superman as the 'mask'. And the comment from "Lois & Clark:" fits exactly. That "Superman" is what he does, while "Clark Kent" is who he IS.

That was my gripe with Kill Bill 2, and with the various stories seeming (to me, at least) to be pushing the emphasis on "Superman" with Clark Kent being the bumbling oaf that serves as a "mask".

...and obviously, bit of a hot topic with me, so I shall cease my rambling now. ;)

~Walt

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Magnus2k
The only thing keeping me here is Jim Lee. Of course, I'd buy a year straight of titles written by Chuck Austin if they were penciled by Lee.

SHHHH!!!





























don't give anyone ideas...cuz right now, Jim Lee's art is probably my favourite version of the character in years, regardless of the writer... :D

(don't mind me...)

~Walt

[Blake Petit]

:LOL:

Walt, we are in TOTAL agreement.

I didn't like that part of "Kill Bill" either...

[Mark Blicharz]

There are two different ways they act to help with the disguise. But it's Clark that is the true personality, he never has thought of himself as Superman or Kal-El.

[Walt Kneeland]

Call me an old fogey if you want, but...

OFFHAND, another (and my biggest) nit-picky gripe is the change in stuff with Luthor (from what I've gleaned contextually, without having actually read "Birthright" myself).

I very much enjoyed the relationship with Perry--that both had grown up in Suicide Slum, but their lives had gone totally different directions.

And of course, Alice/Jerry/etc.

But it was just one of those "minor"/"what's the big deal?" sorta details that, for me, add a great richness to the characterization.

bleh.

Y'all realize it's been almost a full year since "Godfall" already, as well as being a year since "Secret Identity" # 1 and the "Majestic" story?

And being on # 212...that's a full year BEYOND the # 200 mark POST-Crisis...

~way-to-make-one's-self-feel-old Walt :D

[Blake Petit]

And remember, that's actually 200 issues + one year + a few extra months where no Superman comics were published right after he "died." ;)

[Walt Kneeland]

Originally posted by Blake Petit
And remember, that's actually 200 issues + one year + a few extra months where no Superman comics were published right after he "died." ;)

I'm a wee bit confused here, and maybe not QUITE as "up" on 80s stuff as I'd thought...

I know back in '93 after the "Funeral for a Friend" we had about 6 weeks or so with no "regular issues" (Legacy of Superman and Supergirl/Team Luthor, and Newstime to fill in the gap)...

is there a year I'm missing somewhere, or was there a year between "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" and "Man of Steel" # 1?

~Walt

[Blake Petit]

I don't think there was a full year gap, but there may have been a few months. I'm not sure, really. In 86 I was still reading mostly Archie and Spider-Man. I didn't really get heavy into Superman -- and DC -- until the Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite storyline. I think that was 1989 or 90.

[Walt Kneeland]

I jumped the gun on that response....

heh. You were adding those few post-Funeral months to my one year beyond the 200 issues.

oops... :blush:

My present working assumption is: Crisis/etc..."Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"...couple months....Man of Steel....then Superman/Adventures/Action through to present-day; couple-ish months post-funeral with no issues, plus the Zero-Month # 0s, and the # One Millions....

....and to keep this partially on-topic ;) ...I don't remember for sure which one or exactly what was going on, but Superman # 212's cover reminded me a lot of one of the issues near the end of the Imperiex war....

EDIT: I got in with Superman # 31, and Adventures # 453ish (showed Supes facing "phantom zone villain zombies"; both issues during the "Exile" story. And during the period when ACTION was Weekly, and not focused solely on Supes...

[SamuraiDaddy]

Azzarello really made the 'ol switcheroo with the true identity of Clark Kent/Superman. Maybe he just wanted to mix it up a bit, though that's something better suited for a mini or something. His writing is entertaining, but he doesn't really pay attention to the establishment of the characters he writes.