DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #2

Kryptonite

February 2007

Written by Darwyn Cooke

Pencils by Tim Sale

Inks by Tim Sale

Cover by Tim Sale

Synopsis

Twenty years ago...the rock of Kryptonite is in Tibet, but someone comes to take it away.  Now...Lois Lane convinces casino owner Tony Gallo to consent to an interview for the Daily Planet.  Nearby, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen listen to the conversation.  After Lois hangs up the phone, Clark changes into Superman and flies to a remote island to save the people from an exploding Volcano.  While he deals with the crisis, Lois waits for her date with Superman.  However, Superman encounters problems and nearly suffocates when he inhales the lava.  Tired of waiting, Lois goes out on the date with Gallo.  Meanwhile, Superman returns to Smallville to talk about what happened with his mother and father.  Later, Superman returns to Metropolis just in time to see the end of Lois’ and Tony’s date.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Okay, here is my problem with the issue.  And I emphasize the “my” because I do honestly feel this is just me and not the majority of the people.  The part I am talking about is the scene when Superman first arrives to take care of the volcano.  As he flies down to the island I am thinking, he will use his cool breath to freeze the lava and save the people.  But he doesn’t.  And for the life of me I could not think why.  I suppose, because this is earlier in the career of Superman, he just as not yet learned how to use that power.  I can accept.  But, and this is a big but, if that is the case, then somewhere the story needs to let us, the readers, know, like maybe having Superman think, “if I could just freeze the lava, but I don’t know how.”  As it is, I was reading the rescue scenes with the feeling that Cooke somehow missed the boat on it.  As a result, I didn’t wholly buy into Superman’s problems or his reaction because, in my mind, I thought he could have avoided it.

Having said that, I liked this issue and specifically liked the scene with Superman talking to his parents about vulnerable he felt in the middle of the volcano.  Sales’ art wonderfully shows Clark’s emotions and captures beautifully how he is feeling.  And I liked his father’s admonishment that Clark needs to talk to him and not his mother.  I also loved the ending in which Superman sees Lois not only with someone else, but also seemingly happy.  I don’t know if it is me or Sale’s artwork, but Superman looks sad and hurt as floats there.  A lovelorn, emotionally hurt Superman is not something we see all that often, which I guess is the reason for this new series, to see a different Superman. 

Is it just me or does Jimmy have an evil look on his face in all the scenes in which he appears.  It actually is quite frightening.