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Superman, Vol. 1: What Price Tomorrow? (Superman Vol. III #1)

by George Pérez, Jesús Merino (Illustrations)

3.1 of 5 stars 3.10 · rating details · 399 ratings · 40 reviews

As a part of the acclaimed DC Comics - The New 52 event of September 2011, comics legend George Perez and artist Jesus Merino present the new adventures of the Man of Steel!Metropolis fears him. The Daily Planet agrees. This new volume of SUPERMAN finds our hero with a startling new status quo. As Superman finds ways to dodge the scrutiny placed upon him by the public and...more

Hardcover, 144 pages

Published November 20th 2012 by DC Comics

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Jun 05, 2013 Vanessa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dc, modern-age, superhero

The writing is rough. Too many issues follow the pattern of dumping information then ending with an action sequence. As with other Perez books in the DCnU, too much feels like it was borrowed from other books. I don't know that there are too many people that were anxiously awaiting seeing the Daemonites in the DCnU. This is one of those Superman books that have something to say about journalism. There are a few elements of realism thrown in, but some parts are more than a little dumb.

Also, I'm j...more

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Apr 03, 2013 Trevor rated it 1 of 5 stars

Look at how pissed and almost evil Superman looks on the cover of this thing. That about sums up the New 52 Superman - a glum, angry and angsty young man that never smiles. Well, OK, that's not true...I just flipped through the book and he smiles ONCE - though even that is a creepy smile used to add fuel to the debate of whether Superman is "messiah or menace?" Obviously, it's only personal opinion, but I just don't enjoy this new direction for the Superman books. In my opinion, he, like Catwoma...more Look at how pissed and almost evil Superman looks on the cover of this thing. That about sums up the New 52 Superman - a glum, angry and angsty young man that never smiles. Well, OK, that's not true...I just flipped through the book and he smiles ONCE - though even that is a creepy smile used to add fuel to the debate of whether Superman is "messiah or menace?" Obviously, it's only personal opinion, but I just don't enjoy this new direction for the Superman books. In my opinion, he, like Catwoman and numerous others, has greatly suffered from the New 52 relaunch. Superman used to feel really special in the DCU - he was the gold-standard of the heroes, the one that all the others looked up to. I used to love the scenes where a new hero would meet Superman for the first time and be completely awestruck (and I also loved that Superman usually seemed just as honored to meet them). By de-aging Superman and placing his origin at around the same time as everyone else's, the New 52 has made him feel more like just another one of the guys. He doesn't seem particularly unique anymore. Add to that his new gritty attitude - I suppose they're trying to appeal to those hip, "younger readers" and all, but it's a bummer. Personally, I tend to prefer darker stories, but Superman has always been the best exception to that. Oh, sure, you can tell dark stories with Superman, but the character himself always seemed like the beacon of light in those stories - the noble, shining example of what a hero should be. Call me cheesy, but that's what I loved about Superman. Now, he has morphed into "Somberman" - heck, he's even morose and pissed-off all his time as Clark in this collection, too. As for the story itself, it's fairly standard stuff with a somewhat interesting idea for the villain, but nothing about it really feels compelling enough to be the kick-off for a new flagship Superman title, and the way Superman himself is written is just too damn distracting for me to ignore. Quite the disappointment, this, especially coming from George Perez - though I assume he's just doing what the bosses are telling him to.(less)

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Mar 28, 2013 Gary Lee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics, genre-stuff

The problem I'm having with a lot of the New 52 titles -- basically just the capes & tights books -- stems from this: supposedly, this was all going to be a reboot/relaunch of the DC Universe -- new-ish origins, updated story elements, some altered heroes, etc. with everything starting over with issue No. 1. A way to bring in "new readers," they said.

And yet, just about everything reads as if these new "first issues" are all starting in the middle of a larger, pre-established story arc, and...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Zack! Empire rated it 3 of 5 stars

Believe it or not but, even though I’ve been a comic book fan all my life, I haven’t read that much Superman. I’ve basically read the stuff that every comic fan has read, like All-Star Superman, and the Death of Superman. As a kid I did make an attempt to follow his monthly adventures, but there proved to be too many titles for a kid with no job and no allowance to keep up with. With DC Comics starting its New 52 universe though, it seemed like the perfect time to check out some of his adventure...more Believe it or not but, even though I’ve been a comic book fan all my life, I haven’t read that much Superman. I’ve basically read the stuff that every comic fan has read, like All-Star Superman, and the Death of Superman. As a kid I did make an attempt to follow his monthly adventures, but there proved to be too many titles for a kid with no job and no allowance to keep up with. With DC Comics starting its New 52 universe though, it seemed like the perfect time to check out some of his adventures.
I saw a few reviews of this comic on the internet and they had the same thing to say: This comic is too wordy! I’m not sure where this started but for some reason a lot of comic fans feel like they should be able to breeze through a twenty page comic in under 3 minutes. If they can’t, there are just too many words in the book and they will lose interest and stop reading that title! I am the exact opposite of this. My favorite time period of comics is the silver age, and if you want to read some wordy comics, pick up anything written by Stan Lee. That guy knows how to dialogue a comic. With a Superhero collection I can generally sit down and read the whole thing in one sitting with no problems. I don’t think this is a problem for comics, but it is very true. So, when I had to read this collection over several sittings, I was quite surprised and rather enjoyed it. Yes, this comic has tons and tons of dialogue, but if you like comics that don’t breeze buy, it won’t be a problem at all.
The storyline is a somewhat general superhero story. Superman fights a series of villains, with no idea why they are attacking him, and ultimately figures out that the villains are working together, and he has a showdown with all three. There were some interesting parts though, like the monster Superman can’t see and has to defeat by using television screens, which pick up the monster. Or, how the news is tearing Superman apart because these villains are clearly killing people and tearing up their town in an attempt to get at Superman.
The art work is…good. I don’t hate it, but I don’t like it. Again it seems like the look of a general superhero comic. It seems like the artist is doing his best to show what a Superhero comic should look like, and not developing his own style. I will say that the storytelling is very clear. I was never lost. There is also a consistently of the characters faces, which is something that really seems to be lacking in comics these days.
Overall, not a bad collection, but not really mind-blowing either. I’m wondering if it is less my opinion about this book or more a general disinterest in Superman that made the book suffers. I’m not sure if I will continue with this series. The creators change right after this book. I might continue to get it, but I’ll be waiting for the paperback edition, and not paying for the more expensive hardcover. It’s not worth the money to me.
(less)

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Apr 06, 2012 Hayden rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comics-graphic-novels

Last August, when the New 52 was right on the horizon, one of the titles I was most excited for was Superman. I'm not sure why I was excited for this one, and not Action Comics, maybe it was the cover to this one was more appealing or something, I don't know. Anyways, it's a decision I came to regret.

This volume starts off with an absolutely fantastic first issue. It worked as a near perfect introduction to the character for new readers, with Superman in an epic fight with this crazy alien demon...more Last August, when the New 52 was right on the horizon, one of the titles I was most excited for was Superman. I'm not sure why I was excited for this one, and not Action Comics, maybe it was the cover to this one was more appealing or something, I don't know. Anyways, it's a decision I came to regret.

This volume starts off with an absolutely fantastic first issue. It worked as a near perfect introduction to the character for new readers, with Superman in an epic fight with this crazy alien demon, then drawing it down into a somewhat depressing conclusion involving Clark Kent and his love for Lois. The first issue is worth checking out, if you can find a back issue, or a digital copy. Everything after that is total shit. It launches into this ridiculous alien possession story that's just all over the place, and doesn't make much sense. To keep Superman up with the times, they added in this really lame side-plot where the Daily Planet is switching from print to digital, which I assume was intended to be a commentary on the print vs. digital debate in comics. Whatever it was, it didn't work, and this work as a whole appears to have been written by a twelve year old boy, or maybe a struggling writer who read Superman's Wikipedia article, and decided that was all the education needed to write a story about the Man of Steel. I read through all six issues, and each one was more of a bore than the one before it. Although the creative team behind this disaster stepped down, and a new story started in issue seven, this just left a bad taste in my mouth, and I have since switched over to Morrison/Morales' far superior Action Comics.

There's one bit of praise I can give this series, and it's something very small. When Jesus Merino was on art duty (I think there was at least one issue in this where he wasn't), they did this cool thing, where everyone with black hair has a tint of blue shading. I've seen that a lot in comics from the 80's, and for some reason I've always loved that uniquely comic book look it gives characters.

So there you go, when the best bit of praise I can give a comic is the character's hair color, you should probably steer clear of it. If you're looking for a cool modern take on Superman, check out Action Comics.

2/5(less)

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Apr 20, 2013 Evan Leach rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-2019, comics-graphic-nov, dc

It’s a bird - it’s a plane - it’s a…

img: Superfail

Um, a less than super debut for the Man of Steel. Along with the rest of the DC universe, Clark Kent got the reboot treatment in 2011 as part of the New 52 event. I thought Grant Morrison’s work on the first Action Comics volume was a little uneven, but it was never boring. Unfortunately, this collection was pretty forgettable. The Daily Planet has been bought by some multinational media conglomerate, and we spend a fair amount of time reading about this in a...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Manpreet rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'd like to start off just saying that I love Superman from as much as I know of him at least, which consists of Smallville, Superman Returns and I am planning on one day to finish the first 3 superman movies and action comics one, so I had high hopes for this. This is the first comic book I've ever read, I've been been meaning to read one for a while, as many people time and time again have recommended them to me and I hear nothing but good things about them, and I thought where better to start...more

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Jun 13, 2013 Michael rated it 2 of 5 stars

Not a necessarily bad story but gets very repetitive and confusing at times. The dialogue is a bit of a chore to read. The changes made don't really sit well with me either. Lois lane becomes a news anchor for some reason that is actually out of character for her. Clark Kent is made into a brooding loner but even more so than before(I hate when writers fall back on this trend). It also picks up plot threads from superboy, supergirl, action comics and storm watch. The art is brilliant and is real...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Sean Kottke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, adult-recreational, graphic-novel

This reboot starts out strong, pondering Metropolis' conflicting feelings about its alien protector. Does Metropolis need Superman to support its bid to become the flagship City of Tomorrow because the universe contains malevolent forces that threaten its progress, or are aliens and super-villains obsessed with attacking Metropolis simply because Superman is there? A series of epic battles suggests the latter, but a cosmic twist derails (and appears to render moot) the question before it can be...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Shane rated it 4 of 5 stars

This felt like ready a combination of the Superman stories of the late 70s/early 80s and the post-Crisis reboot of the late 80s/early 90s. That meaning, I really enjoyed this newer reboot. Jumping ahead five years from the origin told in Action Comics Vol. 1, you get a story about an alien threat to both Kal-El and Clark Kent sides of Superman. I loved how they handled putting the Daily Planet into the modern day, and have Clark as being distrustful of the corrupt corporate types that are taking...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Ollie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Now seriously, if you're going to reboot the entire series why not do something new with it?

In the Superman reboot, which surely would attract the finest writers and artists, DC decided to go with Perez, who resorts to such stereotypically boring aspects of comic book writing -- the hero overexplaining what can be depicted by a skilled artist on the page, laughable character names, boring superficial plot and players -- that it's hard to figure out if he just got lazy.

And Merino's art? It's fin...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Jamie Sigal rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'll admit a bias because I'm an old George Perez fan, but I really enjoyed this story a lot - Just some good old Superman style fun. The new take on Clark's relationships with his friends and co-workers is interesting enough to keep me wanting more, and the action sequences were impeccably drawn. Fun read. My wife is looking to get into Superman, though, and I would not start her with this book, nor with that hack Morrison's Action Comics. I was thinking maybe starting her fresh with Superman:...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Emmett Spain rated it 1 of 5 stars

It appears that instead of actually WRITING the latest Superman comic, author George Perez was instead creating an elaborate machine that turns FARTS into PROSE. I can only assume that’s the case here, for how else could one produce such turgid nonsense as I experienced as part of this generic display of empty spectacle?

Two examples of George’s word wizardry to fill you up with nauseous delight:

“…its alien language was a Tower of Babel of incomprehensibility.”

“…the conflagration continued to rag...more It appears that instead of actually WRITING the latest Superman comic, author George Perez was instead creating an elaborate machine that turns FARTS into PROSE. I can only assume that’s the case here, for how else could one produce such turgid nonsense as I experienced as part of this generic display of empty spectacle?

Two examples of George’s word wizardry to fill you up with nauseous delight:

“…its alien language was a Tower of Babel of incomprehensibility.”

“…the conflagration continued to rage unabated.”

And yes, both of these lines appear ON THE SAME PAGE.

This is rubbish. Even worse is how boring and generic the storyline is. Superman beats up a bad guy! The bad guy teases something about Krypton… but what could it all mean?! Oh wait… Superman has to bash up someone else! No wait, he’s getting bashed up! For half the issue! Again!

Even WORSE is how the comic focuses on developing everyone else BUT Superman. What do we get? Superman is lonely. Clark is cut off. And…? And…? Is that it, Perez? Seriously? Wow. Did you strain yourself building that whole one dimension to the character? Don’t worry, it only says Superman in the title, you F*%^!!!!

And the art. Oh, poor Jesus Merino. There’s not much a guy can do when Perez has saddled him with the unenviable task of FOURTEEN PANELS ON A PAGE. Seriously, how is the guy supposed to tell a visual story when each panel is crammed with boxes of that turgid word-faeces, flat dialogue, and detailed descriptions of the action? You know, for an artist himself, you’d think Perez would know enough to put trust in the art. But no. Merino is hamstrung, and can do nothing to save this work. (There are 204 panels in 25 pages in the first issue alone. Yuh, I know.)

And yes, I’m aware that Perez had a terrible experience writing this – it would be hard not to with his whining to the press that the editors interfered with his work, and he didn’t even know there was another Superman title being written (if someone can explain how this is possible, that would be great). Well… I must say that the editors DO deserve scorn, but I would suggest it’s for NOT INTERFERING ENOUGH, in the largest part. It’s piss pathetic when an editor lets 14 panels a page ruin the visual experience. It’s unprofessional crap when an editor can’t elevate the writer past the god-awful fart-prose mentioned above. It’s disgusting how… ah, I could go on all day.

This is a career low for everyone involved, and a dark time for Superman fans everywhere. How much more bad writing do we have to endure from these hacks? It seems only big names like Geoff Johns and JMS and Brian Azzarello can bring anything to the table these days, with stories that—heaven forbid!—are actually ABOUT Superman (and that are well formed and told, at that!). I’d include Morrison among that group for his stunning work on All Star Superman, but he disqualifies himself for preaching “taking Superman back to his roots” with the New 52 reboot, before unleashing on us 4 issues later “the Mothermatician”, time-travelling super squads and increasingly ridiculous flights of fancy that remove Superman from the sphere of social crusader to just being another punching bag for brawny, pointless aliens. It’s deeply sad.

But possibly the saddest fact is that Superman really did need a refresh with the New 52, and there was a golden opportunity here to start something special. But even gifted all the freedom of being released from continuity, this is apparently the best they could come up with? It’s pathetic. No character development worth mentioning, nothing new or interesting, nothing special. I would call it milquetoast if it wasn’t so offensively bad. An opportunity has been squandered.

Let’s hope Scott Snyder and Jim Lee will save the Man of Steel from a fate worse than mediocrity, and that George Perez never writes Superman again.
(less)

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Nov 27, 2012 Xavier Guillaume rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Those new to the Superman series

Shelves: graphic-novel, fantasy-and-sci-fi

All in all, I wasn't incredibly enthralled by the new Superman. Action Comics vol. 1 is much better in telling the story about Superman's character. I suppose I did find some things interesting in this book, like Supergirl's appearance when she saves Metropolis against evil Superman. If I were to rate the book from that issue alone, I'd give the book 5 stars; however, much of the rest of the story is mediocre at best.

I don't regret reading this book, but I don't think I'll be reading the next vo...more

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Jun 10, 2013 Cale rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a really talky book - overemphasis on dialogue telling instead of showing, and it feels like it's missing pieces of the story. The main story is... okay, I guess, but it takes a long time to build to its climax, and then throws a Deus Ex Machina. I don't know, it really didn't work for me, and the focus on Kent's personal life didn't really pay off. Compared to Action Comics, this is embarrassingly bad. It really lets down the brand.

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Dec 09, 2012 Jessie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: comic-compilations

This missed one star by a very slim margin. It was wordy--too wordy, especially for how little plot there is. I liked the art and I liked the smooth tie-in to Action Comics...and that's about all I liked. The story seemed to be more about the Daily Planet than anything else. I sense that they've changed the relationship between Lois and Clark and Superman, but I'm not sure exactly how. I sensed missing backstory. I liked the appearance of Supergirl, but the fight didn't mean what it could have....more

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Dec 21, 2012 Nicolas rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: graphic-novels

4 stars is kind. It should really be 3, but I liked it much more than Action Comics and it seems like they are going in the right direction. I like that Perry, Jimmy and even Lois got a little bit more character development. I'll read volume 2, but I want to see Superman ditch some of the Spiderman-esque insecurity. Superman should be super.

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May 08, 2013 Sean Kennedy rated it 3 of 5 stars

This first volume of the new 52's Superman starts off promisingly, but quickly turns into mush by the third issue. Not only that, it just keeps recycling the same storyline and becomes boring. Even Kara's appearance towards the end can't lift it.

So, perhaps not as bad as the new Green Arrow, but a disappointing beginning for one of DC's wunderkind.

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May 24, 2013 Fraser A. rated it 1 of 5 stars

George Perez did so much better when he was writing Wonder Woman. The story of Superman's battle with aliens is okay, though too drawn out, but the personal side falls flat. Clark Kent is mopey, and Perez flings way too many new characters at us without making them memorable. Thumbs down.

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Apr 29, 2013 Matt rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was received through the Goodreads First Reads program.

I'm not much for Superman, particularly not the newer Superman comics wherein his opponents are almost exclusively extraterrestrial. This reboot is no exception. Give me the classic 1940s cartoons any day over this.

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Apr 03, 2013 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-52, superman

Thank goodness for Superman. This volume helped me wash out the taste of some of the other New 52. It was fun, had both a cool retro and modern vibe, and took its time. I'm happy to see pages with 16 panels instead of 2. Lois isn't so great here, but I think that's a New 52 problem.

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Aug 23, 2012 Kevin rated it 2 of 5 stars

Yeah, this one just wasn't really impressive. It seemed to kind of lean on Action Comics for much of its story. Superman battles Aliens. They had some interesting ideas with the Daily Planet merger and the Daily Planet saving him, but overall it was pretty average stuff.

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Dec 09, 2012 Anthony rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am not a fan of the new 52. DC throwing out a lot of great history as a publicity stunt left a bad taste in my mouth. That being said, this was a good read. It starts a little generic, but ends up as a good Superman story.

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Nov 04, 2012 John Yelverton rated it 3 of 5 stars

It was a nice classic Superman story, but what was the point of all this "New 52" hoopla, if you're still going to give this character lackadaisical stories that neither advance nor accentuate the character?

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Aug 24, 2012 Angela rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: dc, graphic-novels

Disappointing. It's a tad slow, and the story isn't really that engaging. People are starting to question whether superman causes the menaces that he fights, while he fights some aliens. Could have been a lot better.

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Feb 28, 2013 Daniel Butcher rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-52

On e if the most word packed books in the New 52, but the story falls a little flat to me

You would think Batman would have entered this situation. Maybe he's locked up by some bird men instead!

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Jan 20, 2013 Zach rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: new-52

well i respect all of george Perez' work this is not one of his strong suits. the thing with this and so many others of the new 52 is that every couple has to be broken up (green arrow/black canary, lois and clark, flash and iris) and every one of them struggles on an emmontional level to keep the reader invested in the character. the artwork is a little inconsistant but not terrible. if you looking for a superman fix i recommend action comics over this but if your like me and collecting the new...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Morbus Iff rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dc-comics, graphic-novels

I liked the back-references to "five years ago", but story wise: evil nanites? Sigh.

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May 31, 2013 Brannigan marked it as abandoned

It has to be an amazing story for me to even like Superman comics and this ain't it.

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Jan 10, 2013 Peter Zimmerman rated it 2 of 5 stars

Good but not great. Pages were cluttered with dialog.

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Superman, Vol. 1: What Price Tomorrow? (Superman Vol. III #1)

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