SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #8 REVIEW

[Walt Kneeland]

Review by: Walt Kneeland (walt.kneeland@gmail.com )
Quick Rating: Decent
Story Title: World of New Krypton Part Eight

Thanagarians vs. Kryptonians...with a potential huge threat to New Krypton.

Writers: Greg Rucka and James Robinson
Artists: Pete Woods and Ron Randall
Colorists: Nei Ruffino
Letterer: Steve Wands
Asst. Editor: Wil Moss
Editor: Matt Idelson
Cover: Gary Frank, Brad Anderson
Publisher: DC Comics

I feel like I missed an issue and some key context heading into this issue. The issue opens in the midst of a battle in space, which context eventually shows to be a battle between some Thanagarians and Kryptonians. After plenty of death on both sides, the Thanagarian leader's ship is compromised, about to be destroyed when several other Kryptonians show up...and then the ship doesn't blow up. It's quickly revealed that these "Ks" actually saved the ship. Further dialogue provides exposition to remind us that the Ks were towing an extra moon from Saturn to serve as the moon for New Krypton; but the Thanagarians had taken issue with that act. Now the moon's on a crash-course for New Krypton, and the challenge becomes how to prevent it from destroying the planet.

The story's very, very "cosmic" in scale, dealing with non-Earth planets, militaries and cultures. I didn't remember much from the previous issue to give any context to the hostility of the Thanagarians, and surmise that it comes in part from events I've not been made aware of happening on the cosmic side of the DCU away from the Superman books that just happen to touch the Superman stuff at this point. As such, I felt lost at first and then like I was playing catch-up...and just simply failed to enjoy this issue.

The art's pretty standard fare for this issue...nothing jumped out as all that wonderful, but it didn't strike me as unappealing, either. Though there are two artists credited, I really didn't notice any change within the issue--it wasn't until composing this review that I even realized there was more than one artist. Either way (as usual), the interior art suffers a bit in my eyes for comparison to the cover's art.

As a whole, nothing really special about this issue. If you're following the overall story in the Superman family of books or this title in particular, I'd go ahead and get it...it's part of said overall story. Of course, if you're not following things as-is, I don't recommend this issue; I see nothing here to promote this as any sort of jump-on point.


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