DCU Comic Book Reviews

SUPERMAN #692

Down Time

November 2009

Written by James Robinson

Pencils by Fernando Dagnino

Inks by Raul Fernandez

Cover by Andrew Robinson

Synopsis

In Metropolis, the city is mourning the death of Mon-el.  The city is also reeling from the complete destruction of the sewer system, rendering the city without water.  The city believes both attacks were due to Kryptonians.  Due to these events, General Sam Lane has been made the General of Human Defense Corps.  Elsewhere, Zatara is held prisoner by Mirabai, who tries to convince him that the magician he was seeking was really Parasite and that Parasite is controlling Lane.  Meanwhile, the Guardian gathers the Science Police together to reveal the true identity of office Jonathan Kent is Mon-el.  Together, they raise a toast to their fallen comrade.  Later, officer Wilcox receives a cryptic phone call regarding Mon-el’s supposed death.  At Project 7734, Lane and Codename:  Assassin discuss their most recent acquisition:  Mon-el.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

Overall, I would say this is good installment in the overreaching story that Robinson and the other Superman writes are trying to tell. The bits and pieces of plot points all connect to what has happened before while at the same time push the narrative forward.  However, as an individual issue, it is choppy, stumbling from scene to scene in awkward transitions and sometimes confusing moments.  This issue just doesn’t quite jell into a complete whole.  But at the end, you realize that Robinson has a firm grasp of the story and is making sure to build all of the components to the climax.  To that end, this issue does what it needed to do, which is always a good thing. 

When I first opened this book, my first thought was that Robinson should reveal right away that Mon-el is still alive.  As readers, we know he is alive so why bother wasting 20 or so pages pretending he was dead so it can be saved for the cliffhanger.  Having finished the issue, I am not sure if Robinson made the right call.  On the one hand, the cliffhanger wasn’t a shock. The moment Project 7734 popped, it was fairly obvious where it was going to lead to.  On the other hand, holding back Mon-el’s appearance until the end allowed Robinson to add the wake scene in the bar and then the scene with Wilcox afterwards, both of which were good lead-ins to the cliffhanger.  It doesn’t take away from the predictable ending, but it does help to define the characters grief which will help the story when Mon-el eventually does return. 

This issue should’ve been the first after the “Codename:  Patriot” story.  The first few pages crystallize the fall out of that story better than any of the other issues.  In fact, in the recent Action Comics, there is a scene where Lois knocks water out of Cat Grant’s hands, then Cat makes a big deal of it.  At the time I thought it was weird.  I knew there was a water problem, but until I got to this issue, I didn’t realize how bad it was.  It is not so much the other issues failed in the set-up; I just think this one does it in the clearest manner. 

Having said that, the lack of water in Metropolis is a bit of a stretch.  In a universe where a lot of spectacular, supernatural, and fantastic things occur, are you telling me that no one has found a way to get water into Metropolis.  It is especially noticeable in a story with two magicians; why couldn’t Zatanna or some other wizard find a way to bring water to Metropolis.  Or one of the Green Lanterns creating a bypass of the problem.  Or even Firestorm making water through some transformation.  Now, I understand the problem with the sewers can’t be fixed, but there are ways around it. 

I wonder if Robinson thought through the bar scene where Guardian revealed the secret identity of Mon-el.  Besides the fact that there is no body and Mon-el could be alive, or resurrected, there is the little fact of his name  I mean, “Kent” which is not that far from “Clark Kent” which for a room full of cops would be dangerous information to know.  One could argue it is fairly common name, but given Mon-el’s connection to Superman and the Kent connection, I am not sure it wouldn’t get a least a passing thought.  Or am I making too much out of it?

I don’t understand why Zatara is so important to the story.  There is nothing that Robinson has done to make me care about Zatara or even care how it relates to everything else.  Mirabai’s role in this issue is also confusing because we don’t know if what she is saying is true or just misleading lies.  This is probably the intent on Robinson’s part, but we have been given nothing in the past that suggests Mirabai would betray Lane, so there is no reason to suspect she is telling the truth.  Conversely, Zatara and his connection to the main plot and his purpose to the plot is ill-defined to the point there is no reason to suspect she is telling the lying. 

The ending with Wilcox was a little confusing and I think for anyone who is unfamiliar with the Legion of Superheroes will be.  I don’t recognize the people in the photo, or “Val” or even the costume that appears. I suppose the fact that I recognize the Legion is enough to guess who Wilcox might be:  someone from the future who traveled back to help Mon-el.  But beyond that, the scene is empty and lacks context.  Although, I have to admit, with Mirabai’s assertion that the power in the satellite comes from someone no one knows at least for thousand years suggests that there are more legionnaires than what we have seen. 

After a little bit digging, I learned that the picture shows Princess Projectra and Karate Kid (real name:  Val Armorr).  The costume is for Sensor Girl.  Projectra became Sensor Girl after Karate Kid (her husband) got killed in combat with Nemesis Kid.