It is going to be a great summer for fans of the boy in blue. With Man of Steel getting good reviews, things are certainly looking up for Superman as he was in sore need of a good modern film. In the realm of comics, things are looking up for the big guy as well. The Adventures of Superman #1 debuted on May 29th of this year; the series will be presenting episodic stories about the Last Son of Krypton’s exploits as the protector of Metropolis. This series is not connected to the New 52 Universe and he has his undies on the outside for people who aren’t fond of the odd body armor that Superman received with the reboot. While it may seem inconsequential, this return to the original costume represents a return to the Superman that fans have grown to love over the years while the new costume represents, to many fans anyway, a completely different character since none of the old stories count in the reboot. This comic is very much for fans of super hero action for the sake of super hero action; it is also very reminiscent of old Fletcher Studios cartoon from 1941.
Much like older comics, The Adventures of Superman contains multiple self contained short stories. This issue featured three stories. The first, “Violent Minds,” sees Superman dealing with a psychic rampaging in the city, a psychic who actually manages to land a hit on the Man of Steel. The second story, “Fortress,” is about two children staging a pretend fight between Superman and his villains, one of the children switching personas because he cannot decide which villain is cooler. The third story, “Bizarro’s Worst Day,” involves Superman humorously trying to deal with Bizarro and his frustrating reversed perception of the world; Superman is forced to teach Bizarro how to effectively “hurt” people. The stories did not feature overly complex and convoluted story lines nor did it try to create a new “edgy” Superman. The comic promises fun Superman stories and it delivers exactly that. The best way to describe this comic is as a love letter to the Man of Steel and all things fun about super hero action, especially the one with the kids. The multiple stories also makes for greater value for the price; it is hard to beat three satisfying stories for the price of one.
The art is different for all three stories, but all of the three styles are very nice to look at. “Violent Minds,” which had the strongest art work, featured a Superman who looks very close to the golden age comics and the Fletcher Cartoon. “Fortress” had a very childish style of drawing which matched the children playing pretend. “Bizarro’s Worst Day” had a very pleasing art style as it was the most colorful of the three, an impressive feat for an already colorful comic. The variant cover is one that is worth springing for as well for anyone with a love of the retro Superman.
The Adventures of Superman #1 is an excellent start to what could be an excellent series. It is great for people intimated by the decades of lore due to it’s stand alone nature; there is no better jumping on point for new comers to Superman comics. Aside from one morbid scene, it can be appreciated by any age group as well. This comic is a must read and must own for anyone who considers himself or herself a Superman fan. It delivers on all of its promises. It is going to be a marvelous summer for truth, justice, and maybe a little of the American way too.
Sounds fun.