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Superman (2016)
Superman, Vol. 7: Bizarroverse
The saga of Superman’s strangest foe is about to get a little stranger! When Boyzarro, the son of Bizarro, crashes the Kents’ comfortable existence, the Man of Steel’s own offspring, Superboy, must struggle to keep his powerful new pal under wraps.
But as Boyzarro might put it, him am not just the beginning. An entire army of entities from Bizarro World—the warped heroes and villains known as the Super Foes and the Legion of Fun—are about to wage war!
Now Superman and son must stand alone against this interdimensional menace, with the fate of Metropolis—and their beloved hometown of Hamilton—hanging in the balance…
The critically acclaimed creative team of Patrick Gleason and Peter J. Tomasi (Batman and Robin) conclude their landmark run on one of the DC Rebirth era’s standout series in Superman Vol. 7: Bizarroverse. Collecting Superman #42-45 and a short story from Superman Special #1 and Action Comics #1000.
But as Boyzarro might put it, him am not just the beginning. An entire army of entities from Bizarro World—the warped heroes and villains known as the Super Foes and the Legion of Fun—are about to wage war!
Now Superman and son must stand alone against this interdimensional menace, with the fate of Metropolis—and their beloved hometown of Hamilton—hanging in the balance…
The critically acclaimed creative team of Patrick Gleason and Peter J. Tomasi (Batman and Robin) conclude their landmark run on one of the DC Rebirth era’s standout series in Superman Vol. 7: Bizarroverse. Collecting Superman #42-45 and a short story from Superman Special #1 and Action Comics #1000.
142 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 4, 2018
11 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Peter J. Tomasi
1,393 books468 followersPeter J. Tomasi is an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics, such as Batman And Robin; Superman; Super Sons; Batman: Detective Comics; Green Lantern Corps; and Superman/Wonder Woman; as well as Batman: Arkham Knight; Brightest Day; Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors; Nightwing; Black Adam, and many more.
In the course of his staff career at DC Comics, Tomasi served as a group editor and ushered in new eras for Batman, Green Lantern, and the JSA, along with a host of special projects like Kingdom Come.
He is also the author of the creator-owned titles House Of Penance with artist Ian Bertram; Light Brigade with artist Peter Snejbjerg; The Mighty with Keith Champagne and Chris Samnee; and the critically acclaimed epic graphic novel The Bridge: How The Roeblings Connected Brooklyn To New York, illustrated by Sara DuVall and published by Abrams ComicArts.
In 2018 New York Times best-selling author Tomasi received the Inkpot Award for achievement in comics.
In the course of his staff career at DC Comics, Tomasi served as a group editor and ushered in new eras for Batman, Green Lantern, and the JSA, along with a host of special projects like Kingdom Come.
He is also the author of the creator-owned titles House Of Penance with artist Ian Bertram; Light Brigade with artist Peter Snejbjerg; The Mighty with Keith Champagne and Chris Samnee; and the critically acclaimed epic graphic novel The Bridge: How The Roeblings Connected Brooklyn To New York, illustrated by Sara DuVall and published by Abrams ComicArts.
In 2018 New York Times best-selling author Tomasi received the Inkpot Award for achievement in comics.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
March 23, 2019
I pretty much dread Bizarro stories. Flipping the meaning of everything he says around is exhausting. Plus, Scott Lobdell is off writing a more interesting Bizarro story that is easier to read over in Red hood and the Outlaws. (Yeah, I never thought I'd say Lobdell is doing anything better, except maybe sucking.) Editorially, these two comics don't forget together at all. Bizarroverse story aside, Gleason and Tomasi do a fine job of wrapping up their Superman run. First with an issue where they sell the farm in Hamilton and then by tying up a loose end from when Clark and Jon were stranded on Dinosaur Island. I will miss this creative team's Superman. It was my favorite run in years. Bendis has some very large shoes to fill.
June 8, 2018
Unique and brave.
World: The art is a bit all over the place. When Tomasi is drawing it’s gorgeous when he’s not it’s not so good. Especially the last issue of Bizarroverse where you see the art on some panels just being scribbles cause they ran out of time. The world building here is interesting, it’s the end of the Tomasi/Gleason run and the final issue does give us a farewell to Hamilton where this Superman and this family first started when they came into the New52 and this goodbye to the home is a nice little touch for this team to say goodbye to this part of the world (for now I am hoping). The Bizarroverse part is amazing, it’s incredibly creative and unique but at the same time because of the fractured story (more below) the creativity and the world doesn’t’ have enough time for readers to fully enjoy, it’s really interesting and I wanted more.
Story: The Bizarroverse story was interesting, it’s was challenging for a reader to constantly try to understand the dialog, as that’s the intention of every Bizarro story, and it was very ambitious for this creative team to do a 3 issue arc with a lot of it in Bizarro dialog, I felt fatigued by the end but I also understood the creativity that was needed for this arc. I loved the world and I would have wanted more but the story was fast, it moved quickly from issue to issue and when the Legion of Fun and the Noom and the imploding stuff happened I felt it happened way to fast for any emotional impact to land on readers. There is a sense of heartbreak that I felt that this is what happens in the end and I wish it were not true but keeping with the theme of Bizarroverse I understand why the book went there. The final issue as I’ve said above is a goodbye from the writers to the readers but also a bittersweet goodbye to Hamilton which has been a staple for this Superman family since the New52. It’s a beautiful quiet issue that brings out all the feels, it’s a good end for a farily solid Superman Rebirth run (there were some lows but some great highs). I will say that it's odd that Bizarro is very different and hanging with Red Hood and Artemis at the moment so...continuity issues?!
Characters: Bizarroverse characters, all of them were fun and interesting, their counterpart interacting with them was also fun. I wish there were more quite moments for that cause I think it would have been drama and character gold. The creativity we see in the characters is fun and I love how DC is able to poke fun at itself with this arc. The Superman family gets more mushy beautiful family goodness in the final issue and I would not have it any other way. They are the gold standard for the universe and it’s great that we have time since Rebirth for issues like this, a time to breath, a slice of life, a quiet moment to savor Superman and what he means to DC and the world.
I love this run, it’s not the best but it’s pretty amazing following what we get in New52, this is what Superman is suppose to be.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
World: The art is a bit all over the place. When Tomasi is drawing it’s gorgeous when he’s not it’s not so good. Especially the last issue of Bizarroverse where you see the art on some panels just being scribbles cause they ran out of time. The world building here is interesting, it’s the end of the Tomasi/Gleason run and the final issue does give us a farewell to Hamilton where this Superman and this family first started when they came into the New52 and this goodbye to the home is a nice little touch for this team to say goodbye to this part of the world (for now I am hoping). The Bizarroverse part is amazing, it’s incredibly creative and unique but at the same time because of the fractured story (more below) the creativity and the world doesn’t’ have enough time for readers to fully enjoy, it’s really interesting and I wanted more.
Story: The Bizarroverse story was interesting, it’s was challenging for a reader to constantly try to understand the dialog, as that’s the intention of every Bizarro story, and it was very ambitious for this creative team to do a 3 issue arc with a lot of it in Bizarro dialog, I felt fatigued by the end but I also understood the creativity that was needed for this arc. I loved the world and I would have wanted more but the story was fast, it moved quickly from issue to issue and when the Legion of Fun and the Noom and the imploding stuff happened I felt it happened way to fast for any emotional impact to land on readers. There is a sense of heartbreak that I felt that this is what happens in the end and I wish it were not true but keeping with the theme of Bizarroverse I understand why the book went there. The final issue as I’ve said above is a goodbye from the writers to the readers but also a bittersweet goodbye to Hamilton which has been a staple for this Superman family since the New52. It’s a beautiful quiet issue that brings out all the feels, it’s a good end for a farily solid Superman Rebirth run (there were some lows but some great highs). I will say that it's odd that Bizarro is very different and hanging with Red Hood and Artemis at the moment so...continuity issues?!
Characters: Bizarroverse characters, all of them were fun and interesting, their counterpart interacting with them was also fun. I wish there were more quite moments for that cause I think it would have been drama and character gold. The creativity we see in the characters is fun and I love how DC is able to poke fun at itself with this arc. The Superman family gets more mushy beautiful family goodness in the final issue and I would not have it any other way. They are the gold standard for the universe and it’s great that we have time since Rebirth for issues like this, a time to breath, a slice of life, a quiet moment to savor Superman and what he means to DC and the world.
I love this run, it’s not the best but it’s pretty amazing following what we get in New52, this is what Superman is suppose to be.
Onward to the next book!
*read individual issues*
January 12, 2022
This was a fun story.
The Boyzarro story is not the best as we see Jon finding this dimension of Bizarro and well its upto Clark and Jon to go there and save him and others in that dimension and solve the conflict there. Its all bizarro-speak like reverse of everything you mean and its irritating but then again shows how Clark saves these bizaaro boys too and its afun non-sense adventure and some might like it, and I kinda like Damian's version of Bizarro lol.
Then a story with Superman hurtling through time and its alright showing the legacy of Clark throughout the decades.
And finally some of the best stories in the later part when we see Clark and Lois leaving Hamilton County in order to move to Metropolis and the emotions it brings up and well the kind of vales they leave their son with and fun adventures with the flash!
Plus my favorite story with rescuing Captain Morgan on Dinosaur island and well tribute to Darwin Cooke and its such a great story and will make you emotional for some reason and showing Superman as the symbol of un-ending hope and all that.
This was such a great run showing the growth of Jon and the family aspect of it was lovely and random team ups and showing Clark's place in the DCU and passing his legacy onto his son. Just wonderful stuff.
The Boyzarro story is not the best as we see Jon finding this dimension of Bizarro and well its upto Clark and Jon to go there and save him and others in that dimension and solve the conflict there. Its all bizarro-speak like reverse of everything you mean and its irritating but then again shows how Clark saves these bizaaro boys too and its afun non-sense adventure and some might like it, and I kinda like Damian's version of Bizarro lol.
Then a story with Superman hurtling through time and its alright showing the legacy of Clark throughout the decades.
And finally some of the best stories in the later part when we see Clark and Lois leaving Hamilton County in order to move to Metropolis and the emotions it brings up and well the kind of vales they leave their son with and fun adventures with the flash!
Plus my favorite story with rescuing Captain Morgan on Dinosaur island and well tribute to Darwin Cooke and its such a great story and will make you emotional for some reason and showing Superman as the symbol of un-ending hope and all that.
This was such a great run showing the growth of Jon and the family aspect of it was lovely and random team ups and showing Clark's place in the DCU and passing his legacy onto his son. Just wonderful stuff.
August 15, 2020
Wow this sometimes was amazing, other times it was a headache to read.
Tomasi is easily one of my favorite DC writers of all time. However, Bizzaro here is freaking annoying. Everything you read has to be opposite, and it makes it annoying to read half of this story if not more. There's some nice moments, mostly with Bizzaroboy and Jon but I didn't love this volume. While I think the first half of Tomasi Superman run is FANTASTIC and Super sons is great, this second half kind of falls off and I can see why we moved on to a new writer/artist.
Saying that it does have some great moments and some amazing art. A 3 out of 5.
Tomasi is easily one of my favorite DC writers of all time. However, Bizzaro here is freaking annoying. Everything you read has to be opposite, and it makes it annoying to read half of this story if not more. There's some nice moments, mostly with Bizzaroboy and Jon but I didn't love this volume. While I think the first half of Tomasi Superman run is FANTASTIC and Super sons is great, this second half kind of falls off and I can see why we moved on to a new writer/artist.
Saying that it does have some great moments and some amazing art. A 3 out of 5.
October 11, 2018
[Read as single issues]
Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason return to bring their seminal Rebirth Superman run to a close, and they’re bringing the Bizarros with them. When Bizarroboy arrives in our universe, his father isn’t far behind him, and our two worlds collide in ways even Superman couldn’t conceive of. Then it’s time to say goodbye to Hamilton as the Kents move to Metropolis full time, but there are a few unresolved issues that need to be set right first – which means it’s time for another trip to Dinosaur Island.
Bizarro stories are difficult to get right, I’ll say that right off the bat. The way that Bizarro speaks seems to be handled differently by each writer that tackles him, and there’s no real hard and fast way to do it properly – all I can say is that if you’ve got so much confusing Bizarro speak that it becomes a chore to read your issues, it probably hasn’t gone as well as you’d have hoped. The Bizarroverse story that opens this volume is a good idea, and a nice way to bring all of Superboy’s character development so far to a head, but it’s just too much. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Tomasi needs to look at how Scott Lobdell deals with Bizarro over in Red Hood for how to do it properly (the fact that there seem to be two Bizarros now notwithstanding, because that’s even more confusing).
The final stories in the volume are much better however – issue 45 of the series is super sweet, and a whistlestop tour of everything that made this run so good at the start. It may have lost its way a little in the middle with some guest creative teams sapping the momentum, but it’s easy to remember why this book was so successful to begin with when you get a final issue like this. Likewise, the lead story from the Superman Special which is the actual endcap to the run is a nice little tale that ties off one dangling plot thread from way back when, as well as showing us just why Superman (and Superboy, moreover) are the heroes we should all be looking up to.
The usual suspects return for this final arc as well, with co-writer Patrick Gleason and Doug Mahnke double teaming the Bizarroverse arc and the final issue of the run, while Scott Godlewski (who has been the resident fill-in artist) handles the Dinosaur Island story since Jorge Jimenez (who drew the original) has graduated to Justice League. The visuals for this run have always been consistent (at least when the standard creative team has been in place), and this last volume goes out with the same level you’ve come to expect.
Superman has definitely been a series of two halves. The first twenty five to thirty issues of the series were some of the best Superman stories I’ve ever read, especially considering I’d never been interested in the Man Of Steel before, but then after that it seemed to become fill-in centre, with only a few of the stories capturing the original wonder and heart. This final volume stumbles with its lead story because of poor handling of the ‘villain’ of the piece, but it redeems itself right at the end with some heartwarming farewells that invoke all of the best parts of the run.
Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason return to bring their seminal Rebirth Superman run to a close, and they’re bringing the Bizarros with them. When Bizarroboy arrives in our universe, his father isn’t far behind him, and our two worlds collide in ways even Superman couldn’t conceive of. Then it’s time to say goodbye to Hamilton as the Kents move to Metropolis full time, but there are a few unresolved issues that need to be set right first – which means it’s time for another trip to Dinosaur Island.
Bizarro stories are difficult to get right, I’ll say that right off the bat. The way that Bizarro speaks seems to be handled differently by each writer that tackles him, and there’s no real hard and fast way to do it properly – all I can say is that if you’ve got so much confusing Bizarro speak that it becomes a chore to read your issues, it probably hasn’t gone as well as you’d have hoped. The Bizarroverse story that opens this volume is a good idea, and a nice way to bring all of Superboy’s character development so far to a head, but it’s just too much. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Tomasi needs to look at how Scott Lobdell deals with Bizarro over in Red Hood for how to do it properly (the fact that there seem to be two Bizarros now notwithstanding, because that’s even more confusing).
The final stories in the volume are much better however – issue 45 of the series is super sweet, and a whistlestop tour of everything that made this run so good at the start. It may have lost its way a little in the middle with some guest creative teams sapping the momentum, but it’s easy to remember why this book was so successful to begin with when you get a final issue like this. Likewise, the lead story from the Superman Special which is the actual endcap to the run is a nice little tale that ties off one dangling plot thread from way back when, as well as showing us just why Superman (and Superboy, moreover) are the heroes we should all be looking up to.
The usual suspects return for this final arc as well, with co-writer Patrick Gleason and Doug Mahnke double teaming the Bizarroverse arc and the final issue of the run, while Scott Godlewski (who has been the resident fill-in artist) handles the Dinosaur Island story since Jorge Jimenez (who drew the original) has graduated to Justice League. The visuals for this run have always been consistent (at least when the standard creative team has been in place), and this last volume goes out with the same level you’ve come to expect.
Superman has definitely been a series of two halves. The first twenty five to thirty issues of the series were some of the best Superman stories I’ve ever read, especially considering I’d never been interested in the Man Of Steel before, but then after that it seemed to become fill-in centre, with only a few of the stories capturing the original wonder and heart. This final volume stumbles with its lead story because of poor handling of the ‘villain’ of the piece, but it redeems itself right at the end with some heartwarming farewells that invoke all of the best parts of the run.
September 24, 2021
Yeah, it was very hot and cold with me, and the entire Bizzaro saga was nothing but headache-inducing. Ah well at least the art was good.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to the bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I hope that I will always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics or Diamond Comics or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I Love comics to the bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
December 26, 2018
Basic Plot: Bizarro World is falling apart, so Superman and son (and a few others) are called to help deal with it.
The Bizarro story was odd and a bit disjointed, even for a Bizarro story. All the backwards talk makes for difficult reading in the first place, and a jumpy plot doesnt help there. The one shot dealing with the Kents selling their old house was well done, as were the shorts in the Special issue.
The Bizarro story was odd and a bit disjointed, even for a Bizarro story. All the backwards talk makes for difficult reading in the first place, and a jumpy plot doesnt help there. The one shot dealing with the Kents selling their old house was well done, as were the shorts in the Special issue.
December 20, 2018
I was all prepared to give this three stars, but the Losers wrap-up at the end bumped it up.
April 4, 2019
2.5 Stars
When Kathy and Jon open a portal to Bizarroworld (also called Htrae), they thought their visit would be brief... but they accidentally brought Boyzarro (basically Bizarro Jon) back with them. When Robzarro (Bizarro Robin) comes looking for him, Jon, Kathy, and Superman get involved in a conflict to save Htrae from destruction.
Two things really threw this for me: 1) Understanding anyone who is using the opposite Bizarro-speech is hard to follow and comprehend well. Not to mention that they all have really aggressive and weird attitudes about them. 2) The last time I saw Bizarro was in the pages of Red Hood and the Outlaws. I know for a time his intelligence was drastically enhanced, but I never thought Bizarro would go back to his fully angry and annoyed self.
Add in a encounter with Flash where their stuff gets moved from Hamilton to Metropolis and a trip to the county fair, and you have a really mediocre Volume that doesn't have much impact on the future.
Really looking forward to the new Superman stuff, "Unity Saga" I think, and future encounters with Rogol Zaar, the beast from AC#1000.
Skip this Volume unless you are a completionist.
When Kathy and Jon open a portal to Bizarroworld (also called Htrae), they thought their visit would be brief... but they accidentally brought Boyzarro (basically Bizarro Jon) back with them. When Robzarro (Bizarro Robin) comes looking for him, Jon, Kathy, and Superman get involved in a conflict to save Htrae from destruction.
Two things really threw this for me: 1) Understanding anyone who is using the opposite Bizarro-speech is hard to follow and comprehend well. Not to mention that they all have really aggressive and weird attitudes about them. 2) The last time I saw Bizarro was in the pages of Red Hood and the Outlaws. I know for a time his intelligence was drastically enhanced, but I never thought Bizarro would go back to his fully angry and annoyed self.
Add in a encounter with Flash where their stuff gets moved from Hamilton to Metropolis and a trip to the county fair, and you have a really mediocre Volume that doesn't have much impact on the future.
Really looking forward to the new Superman stuff, "Unity Saga" I think, and future encounters with Rogol Zaar, the beast from AC#1000.
Skip this Volume unless you are a completionist.
March 22, 2019
Not bad little stories.
January 18, 2022
Tomasi's final story on the title goes to Bizarroworld to give us a fun story, though a bit uninspired.
I think Tomasi probably didn't want to end his run here but DC had other plans. Because as ok as this story is, it doesn't seem like a farewell. And if it was his intended last story, then I wish he wouldve done something a bit more grandiose, because this story was kind of ...run of the mill.
Basically it has to do with Superboy and his girlfriend creating a portal that lets them see inside the Bizarroverse, and the Bizarro Superboy sneaks back to our universe. They try to send him back, but realize the Bizarroverse is collapsing due to Bizarro being... tired of it I guess? In the end, we get a very backwards "origin" of sorts, and Bizarro Superboy, along with Bizarro Robin, come to our side as permanent residents apparently.
The one thing I did like was the family dynamic of the Kent's. I think Tomasi had a great handle on Clark, Lois, and Jon being this tight knit family, and he never lost sense of that. And that familial bond really elevated the stories, because you always want them to be together, no matter what Supes or Superboy were facing.
A solid run which unfortunately ends on a bit of a "meh" story, I recommend this particular volume for completionists only. But I recommend the Tomasi run for any fan of Superman in general.
I think Tomasi probably didn't want to end his run here but DC had other plans. Because as ok as this story is, it doesn't seem like a farewell. And if it was his intended last story, then I wish he wouldve done something a bit more grandiose, because this story was kind of ...run of the mill.
Basically it has to do with Superboy and his girlfriend creating a portal that lets them see inside the Bizarroverse, and the Bizarro Superboy sneaks back to our universe. They try to send him back, but realize the Bizarroverse is collapsing due to Bizarro being... tired of it I guess? In the end, we get a very backwards "origin" of sorts, and Bizarro Superboy, along with Bizarro Robin, come to our side as permanent residents apparently.
The one thing I did like was the family dynamic of the Kent's. I think Tomasi had a great handle on Clark, Lois, and Jon being this tight knit family, and he never lost sense of that. And that familial bond really elevated the stories, because you always want them to be together, no matter what Supes or Superboy were facing.
A solid run which unfortunately ends on a bit of a "meh" story, I recommend this particular volume for completionists only. But I recommend the Tomasi run for any fan of Superman in general.
August 8, 2019
Bizarro-centric stories are a chore in the best of hands, but having no consistent rule for his 'opposite' speech is unacceptable. You can not randomly switch between using negatives or antonyms, or misspelled and create a satisfying read. All you do is confuse and annoy the reader and force them to puzzle over word choices rather than enjoy the story. Throwing in a pair of disjointed tales with vaguely liberal and socialistic ideals that are barely disguised indoctrination tracts is repulsive, and trying to replace 'The American Way' with 'Family' in Superman's triptych of values is disgusting.
June 22, 2023
Reading about Bizarro is always, well, no other way of putting it, bizarre. Reading those passages and conversations was pure exhaustion, but the plot line was great. Even if it took a sad turn for Boyzarro, I hope he can now find "happiness" and a better place to stay.
The ending of this run was great, a very fitting finale with Superman and Superboy going back to Storm and saving him from that dinosaur-infested island! I really liked that story best in this trade paperback and am glad that I now got through with this run by Tomasi.
The ending of this run was great, a very fitting finale with Superman and Superboy going back to Storm and saving him from that dinosaur-infested island! I really liked that story best in this trade paperback and am glad that I now got through with this run by Tomasi.
January 20, 2023
I'm going to echo other reviewers here and say Superman, Volume 7: Bizarroverse was a hard read, but oh so creative & enjoyable for all the work!
The volume opens with Action Comics #1,000 Never Ending Battle a celebratory Superman Birthday issue where every page represents a moment throughout the years in Superman history. (Vandal Savage tried to lose Superman through time...)
I'm not a huge Superman reader, so I didn't recognize all the pages, but it was still a sweet & nostalgic read. Very cute!
Superman #42-44 is the Boyzarrow storyline and the meat of this volume.
Things I loved:
*Lois and Clark are such cute parents & I've really enjoyed reading their relationship with Jon this whole run. I'm going to miss their family written by Tomasi. <3
*Boyzarro wanting to be good. <3
*Robzarro.
The actual storyline of Bizarro World wasn't what held my attention here. It was the characters: Jon, Superman, and Boyzarro.
The move from Hamilton in issue #45 was a great way to end the series. <3
Tomasi did a great job getting us in the nostalgia feels this volume.
Also, this was LOL.
Clark: "Son, you're getting big enough to learn that sometimes life isn't fair. Things change. We always hope for the best, but never forget --the world doesn't owe you a thing."
Jon: "Wow, that's...brutally honest, even for Damian's dad."
(≧▽≦)
And, it was really cute that Robzarro & Boyzarro were working the fair in Hamilton too. -That they found their place after Bizarro World.
I especially loved Superman Special #1, Jon & Superman go back to Dinosaur Island to honor their promise & bring back Captain Storm. <3
It was the perfect way to tie up "lose ends".
Lois: "You forgot to shut the door, Smallville."
Clark: "Consider it shut, Ms. Lane."
*Never the End*
<3
The volume opens with Action Comics #1,000 Never Ending Battle a celebratory Superman Birthday issue where every page represents a moment throughout the years in Superman history. (Vandal Savage tried to lose Superman through time...)
I'm not a huge Superman reader, so I didn't recognize all the pages, but it was still a sweet & nostalgic read. Very cute!
Superman #42-44 is the Boyzarrow storyline and the meat of this volume.
Things I loved:
*Lois and Clark are such cute parents & I've really enjoyed reading their relationship with Jon this whole run. I'm going to miss their family written by Tomasi. <3
*Boyzarro wanting to be good. <3
*Robzarro.
The actual storyline of Bizarro World wasn't what held my attention here. It was the characters: Jon, Superman, and Boyzarro.
The move from Hamilton in issue #45 was a great way to end the series. <3
Tomasi did a great job getting us in the nostalgia feels this volume.
Also, this was LOL.
Clark: "Son, you're getting big enough to learn that sometimes life isn't fair. Things change. We always hope for the best, but never forget --the world doesn't owe you a thing."
Jon: "Wow, that's...brutally honest, even for Damian's dad."
(≧▽≦)
And, it was really cute that Robzarro & Boyzarro were working the fair in Hamilton too. -That they found their place after Bizarro World.
I especially loved Superman Special #1, Jon & Superman go back to Dinosaur Island to honor their promise & bring back Captain Storm. <3
It was the perfect way to tie up "lose ends".
Lois: "You forgot to shut the door, Smallville."
Clark: "Consider it shut, Ms. Lane."
*Never the End*
<3
September 7, 2018
This is a bit of a mild mannered conclusion to the Rebirth run of Superman. But it's actually typical of most of this run. Tomasi and Gleason have focused on Superman's family life and showing Superman being a good dad, rather than fighting the unstoppable alien of the week. Bizarro is a difficult character to write convincingly, and they basically just put the word "not" in front of every word to indicate Bizarro's mirrorness. The original Bizarro from the 1950s and 60s was mostly just comic relief without much thought about how he would actually work in Superman's world. This Bizarro and his Bizarroverse cast of characters imbue a fair amount of humor, but the attempts at making them sympathetic fall short. The final regular story is a nice meditation on the inevitability of change, as the Kents prepare their house for sale. We get one last look at their friends in Hamilton, with the appropriate sentimentality. The final material from Superman Special #1 puts closure on Superman and Superboy's adventure on Dinosaur Island from early in the Rebirth run, reinforcing Superman's commitment to keeping his promises.
January 27, 2019
While I love the Bizarro concepts, the speech pattern drives me crazy.
In the other hand, the last chapter was delightful. Everything this run was all about.
Jon is a beautiful character.
In the other hand, the last chapter was delightful. Everything this run was all about.
Jon is a beautiful character.
September 16, 2019
that's my family!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 4, 2021
5 🌟
Clark and Jon travel to Bizarro's world.
Clark and Jon travel to Bizarro's world.
September 12, 2021
Not a fan of Bizarro so didn’t love the story, but it is a nice wrap up to a wonderful team’s run on Superman.
January 15, 2023
This was an ok story, and I get why some people have a hard time reading Bizarro content.
January 5, 2025
Nice wrap up to Superman rebirth run and excited to read action comics eventually to get more out of it.
August 18, 2019
3.5
I liked most of the stories in Tomasi superman. His Kent family dynamics was fun. Vol.6 ruined this a little for me. Did I get what I wanted in vol 7?
Sort of.
As in most finale volumes of a series, Tomasi tries to leave a mark, in the form of Boyzzaro and freind. They are nice forgettable characters, so that not much of a mark.
What he did leave, is story dedicated to Clark, Lois and John, that was nice decent book for some time, and gave superman the family DC comics have, and probably will always retcone it. Because deep down, DC hates superman
I liked most of the stories in Tomasi superman. His Kent family dynamics was fun. Vol.6 ruined this a little for me. Did I get what I wanted in vol 7?
Sort of.
As in most finale volumes of a series, Tomasi tries to leave a mark, in the form of Boyzzaro and freind. They are nice forgettable characters, so that not much of a mark.
What he did leave, is story dedicated to Clark, Lois and John, that was nice decent book for some time, and gave superman the family DC comics have, and probably will always retcone it. Because deep down, DC hates superman
March 2, 2019
I quite enjoyed this one - mostly because I had to stop and figure out what the characters from Bizzaroverse were saying. It was sort of like having an interactive component to the collection. People will find it annoying but I liked the characters, especially Bizzaro-boy and whatever the counterpart to Robin was called.
Most of the through line to the book is about how the Kents are moving out of Hamilton and selling their place. It gave the book a bittersweet feel - like an ending of an era. And given my general interest in reading comics these days, it was apropos to where I am with DC. After getting through the new-52 and Rebirth over the last year and a half; it's time to bid farewell (for now at least).
A great comics overall which some genuinely touching moments. Just fell off the 5 star range for me as the last story was a little unnecessary. It felt like a filler which could have been left out. I get it in a weekly format but since I read this on a collection basis filler stuff like this bothers me. Plus, I felt like I already watched the exact story on screen with Winter Solider beginning.
Most of the through line to the book is about how the Kents are moving out of Hamilton and selling their place. It gave the book a bittersweet feel - like an ending of an era. And given my general interest in reading comics these days, it was apropos to where I am with DC. After getting through the new-52 and Rebirth over the last year and a half; it's time to bid farewell (for now at least).
A great comics overall which some genuinely touching moments. Just fell off the 5 star range for me as the last story was a little unnecessary. It felt like a filler which could have been left out. I get it in a weekly format but since I read this on a collection basis filler stuff like this bothers me. Plus, I felt like I already watched the exact story on screen with Winter Solider beginning.
July 1, 2019
I really did not like this graphic novel, as it took the beloved but misguided character of Bizarro and actually made him a villain. I was very displeased and I hope that this story gets retconned very quickly.
May 1, 2024
3.25 stars. This is an okay conclusion to Tomasi and Gleason’s run that features one excellent final Superman issue that I loved. The main story here is just okay, but I do appreciate just how consistently good the characterization has been for Clark, Lois, and Jon.
This volume opens with a fun portion of Action Comics 1000 that re-enacts classic Superman stories from over the years. I enjoyed this for the one-off celebratory story it was.
The main arc in this volume is centered around the Bizarroverse. Jon and Kathy open some portal to Bizarroverse to watch, and Boyzarro (Jon’s equivalent) sneaks through. He’s having some struggles with his parents and their world in general. Ultimately the crew (Superman, Jon, Kathy, Maya) shows up to Bizarroverse to fix the situation. There is some fighting between Superman and Bizarro, as Bizarro is very angry and reckless here. Somehow Bizarro is causing their whole planet to be unstable and it is going to explode. It’s not really explained well at all why this is the case and it seems like they rush to the conclusion that they can’t fix it. Also, side note, we see Bizarro versions of a ton of characters like all of the main JL villains. The Bizarro version of Damian gets some time and is kind of a funny interpretation. So our crew decides to head home and extend the invite for the Jon equivalent to join. It’s not really a satisfactory ending because it’s not clear what happened to that planet. Did everyone die? Why was it really so unstable? This story corral is just okay. All of the constant bizarro-speak is a little difficult to read, some parts of the story are rushed, and in general some stuff is not explained well.
The next story really stood out and might be my favorite from this whole run. It’s a very fitting farewell Superman issue for Tomasi and Gleason as the Kents bid farewell to Hamilton as they move to Metropolis. Not much action, just quality time with this wholesome, loving family. Jon is upset about the move but Clark says change is good. They pack up their things and take some trips down memory lane. There is a fun cameo from The Flash since the moving truck was delayed, so Flash rushes their belonging to Metropolis. Then the family goes to the county fair one last time and has some fun, while also running into Maya and Kathy, and also the Bizarro versions of Jon and Damian (so I guess he made it safely). It definitely seems like a farewell issue and is very well done.
The last issue is a follow up to the Dinosaur Island arc. Jon remembers they made a promise to the guy there that they would get him off that island. So Jon and Clark travel back and fight off some crazy creatures with the guy. He’s definitely happy to leave the island and go to the present day with them now. Since he was from WWII, modern times are an adjustment for him but it is also a feel good story that Superman keeps his promises and helped this guy out, who is going to make the most of his life in the modern day.
Overall, this volume is just ok, really all of the stuff outside of the main Bizarro arc was the most enjoyable.
I think the Tomasi and Gleason Superman run is greater than the sum of its parts. Reading the individual volumes or arcs, I found most of it to just be average. Really nothing stood out as great, or even good. The highlight for me is the characterization. Clark, Lois, and Jon were all portrayed consistently well and they make for a great family. That dynamic is the highlight of this run. A lot of the villains were forgettable. The art seemed to get better as it went on. There were a lot of different artists over this fun so there is some lack of consistency but it is generally good. Gleason must have changed up the style as it went on because at first I did not like it but for a little while now it has been good. I think it is safe to say that this whole run is good, fun, and wholesome, even if the arcs in isolation are fairly average.
This volume opens with a fun portion of Action Comics 1000 that re-enacts classic Superman stories from over the years. I enjoyed this for the one-off celebratory story it was.
The main arc in this volume is centered around the Bizarroverse. Jon and Kathy open some portal to Bizarroverse to watch, and Boyzarro (Jon’s equivalent) sneaks through. He’s having some struggles with his parents and their world in general. Ultimately the crew (Superman, Jon, Kathy, Maya) shows up to Bizarroverse to fix the situation. There is some fighting between Superman and Bizarro, as Bizarro is very angry and reckless here. Somehow Bizarro is causing their whole planet to be unstable and it is going to explode. It’s not really explained well at all why this is the case and it seems like they rush to the conclusion that they can’t fix it. Also, side note, we see Bizarro versions of a ton of characters like all of the main JL villains. The Bizarro version of Damian gets some time and is kind of a funny interpretation. So our crew decides to head home and extend the invite for the Jon equivalent to join. It’s not really a satisfactory ending because it’s not clear what happened to that planet. Did everyone die? Why was it really so unstable? This story corral is just okay. All of the constant bizarro-speak is a little difficult to read, some parts of the story are rushed, and in general some stuff is not explained well.
The next story really stood out and might be my favorite from this whole run. It’s a very fitting farewell Superman issue for Tomasi and Gleason as the Kents bid farewell to Hamilton as they move to Metropolis. Not much action, just quality time with this wholesome, loving family. Jon is upset about the move but Clark says change is good. They pack up their things and take some trips down memory lane. There is a fun cameo from The Flash since the moving truck was delayed, so Flash rushes their belonging to Metropolis. Then the family goes to the county fair one last time and has some fun, while also running into Maya and Kathy, and also the Bizarro versions of Jon and Damian (so I guess he made it safely). It definitely seems like a farewell issue and is very well done.
The last issue is a follow up to the Dinosaur Island arc. Jon remembers they made a promise to the guy there that they would get him off that island. So Jon and Clark travel back and fight off some crazy creatures with the guy. He’s definitely happy to leave the island and go to the present day with them now. Since he was from WWII, modern times are an adjustment for him but it is also a feel good story that Superman keeps his promises and helped this guy out, who is going to make the most of his life in the modern day.
Overall, this volume is just ok, really all of the stuff outside of the main Bizarro arc was the most enjoyable.
I think the Tomasi and Gleason Superman run is greater than the sum of its parts. Reading the individual volumes or arcs, I found most of it to just be average. Really nothing stood out as great, or even good. The highlight for me is the characterization. Clark, Lois, and Jon were all portrayed consistently well and they make for a great family. That dynamic is the highlight of this run. A lot of the villains were forgettable. The art seemed to get better as it went on. There were a lot of different artists over this fun so there is some lack of consistency but it is generally good. Gleason must have changed up the style as it went on because at first I did not like it but for a little while now it has been good. I think it is safe to say that this whole run is good, fun, and wholesome, even if the arcs in isolation are fairly average.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2019
Tomasi and Gleason end their run on the Superman comic in an enjoyable and sometimes frustrating volume.
The bulk of Bizarroverse is a three issue Bizarro story that struggles with clarity. When it comes to the bizarro dialogue, oftentimes the characters themselves are left confused about what Bizarro is saying and how to get him to understand them, which left me equally confused at certain points of the story. The story tries to be a commentary on fatherhood that contrasts Superman's relationship to Superboy with Bizarro's relationship to Boyzarro. It almost works but is hampered by the aforementioned dialogue problems and the general wackiness of the Bizarroverse itself. The story ends with the Bizarroverse being sucked into a black hole and Boyzarro and Robzarro (who is absolutely brilliant by the way) being brought into the main universe to... live on a farm with Kathy I guess? The story just kind of stops there and never bothers to explore the ramifications of this decision. However, the abruptness of the ending can probably be attributed to the the writers being removed from the book in favor of Brian Michael Bendis.
The rest of the book is given to giving this era of Superman some kind of resolution. The issue devoted to the Kent family cleaning out their house in preparation for their move to the big city is heartfelt and emotional in all the right ways. We are treated to one last "Superdad" moment for the road where Clark explains to his son that while change isn't always fair it has to come eventually. The issue is full of wonderful art that brings the bittersweet emotions of the characters to the surface. Then, after that perfectly acceptable conclusion, Superman and Son take a romp back to Dinosaur Island to keep a promise to an old friend. Placing this fun little story after the heartfelt conclusion is admittedly a little odd, but the writers frame it as a "the adventure never really ends" moment. It works but the placement is still strange.
Overall, the feeling that Tomasi and Gleason's run on Superman was cut short is palpable. It's clear that the duo still had gas left in the tank with regards to their creativity and I doubt the decision to leave was theirs. I wish they had the opportunity to build their dangling plot threads into a big satisfying conclusion instead of ending on a weird Bizarro story and then a pair of conclusion one-offs. Regardless of the quality of the Bizarro story and the fact that there are two conclusions, Tomasi and Gleason stick the landing emotionally speaking, and at the end of the day that's really all you can ask for.
The bulk of Bizarroverse is a three issue Bizarro story that struggles with clarity. When it comes to the bizarro dialogue, oftentimes the characters themselves are left confused about what Bizarro is saying and how to get him to understand them, which left me equally confused at certain points of the story. The story tries to be a commentary on fatherhood that contrasts Superman's relationship to Superboy with Bizarro's relationship to Boyzarro. It almost works but is hampered by the aforementioned dialogue problems and the general wackiness of the Bizarroverse itself. The story ends with the Bizarroverse being sucked into a black hole and Boyzarro and Robzarro (who is absolutely brilliant by the way) being brought into the main universe to... live on a farm with Kathy I guess? The story just kind of stops there and never bothers to explore the ramifications of this decision. However, the abruptness of the ending can probably be attributed to the the writers being removed from the book in favor of Brian Michael Bendis.
The rest of the book is given to giving this era of Superman some kind of resolution. The issue devoted to the Kent family cleaning out their house in preparation for their move to the big city is heartfelt and emotional in all the right ways. We are treated to one last "Superdad" moment for the road where Clark explains to his son that while change isn't always fair it has to come eventually. The issue is full of wonderful art that brings the bittersweet emotions of the characters to the surface. Then, after that perfectly acceptable conclusion, Superman and Son take a romp back to Dinosaur Island to keep a promise to an old friend. Placing this fun little story after the heartfelt conclusion is admittedly a little odd, but the writers frame it as a "the adventure never really ends" moment. It works but the placement is still strange.
Overall, the feeling that Tomasi and Gleason's run on Superman was cut short is palpable. It's clear that the duo still had gas left in the tank with regards to their creativity and I doubt the decision to leave was theirs. I wish they had the opportunity to build their dangling plot threads into a big satisfying conclusion instead of ending on a weird Bizarro story and then a pair of conclusion one-offs. Regardless of the quality of the Bizarro story and the fact that there are two conclusions, Tomasi and Gleason stick the landing emotionally speaking, and at the end of the day that's really all you can ask for.
August 21, 2022
I’ve never been a huge Bizarro person, he too often feels like an overly silly silver age relic that somehow hung around. I have read a few good stories I’ve liked, the Geoff Johns / Eric Powell one for instance, but I don’t know. It’s just not my thing.
The final wrap up issues were sweet and did tug at the heart strings a bit. I liked the callbacks and wrap ups. I am a big fan of the Kent’s being parents and will always stay that way.
I will say that for years I’ve heard that this Tomasi and Gleason run was an all-timer, but other than the first couple of volumes I think it was steadily good but rarely great, and occasionally dipped into a kind of Andy Griffith hokeyness that surprised me a little. I genuinely enjoy sentimentality most of the time, but there was often a kind of Red State wisdom and stiffness that stuck out a bit to me. I always thought of Lois and Clark as pretty progressive and modern people despite Clark’s upbringing, which I always assumed taught him respect and kindness while not necessarily imparting a kind of nationalistic steak that was peeking beneath the surface in this series. I don’t know. I don’t mean to get so political, but seeing as this book was coming out at the height of the Trump era, I would have expected stories about Clark being more intensely progressive and anti-hate, anti-extremism, whereas this run leaned a bit “we have more in common than you think” and trying to appeal to a more conservative, broad base. A little weird, is all. For what it’s worth, Jurgens’s Action Comics, which has its own issues with occasionally feeling dated, made more of an effort to examine what Superman meant to the world that we live in today. Which is surprising. I don’t expect the Morrison New 52 anticapitalist Superman or anything, just someone who, as a kind of embodiment of the good parts of American values, challenged how the bad parts were being weaponized in that time. Marvel hired Coates to do just that over in the contemporary Captain America.
Anyway. Just a musing thought I had throughout. On the whole, this was a pleasant and warm and fun series. I read it because I like Jon and wanted to get his background. I will always love the conceit that the Kents lived on a farm for a while to replicate a bit of Clark’s childhood. It’s very sweet. I am a little sad to see it go, but excited to finally get to the Bendis era I’ve wanted to read since I missed it back in ‘18. Also Doomsday Clock, for what it’s worth, which I have a feeling might touch on the ideas I mentioned above. We’ll see!
The final wrap up issues were sweet and did tug at the heart strings a bit. I liked the callbacks and wrap ups. I am a big fan of the Kent’s being parents and will always stay that way.
I will say that for years I’ve heard that this Tomasi and Gleason run was an all-timer, but other than the first couple of volumes I think it was steadily good but rarely great, and occasionally dipped into a kind of Andy Griffith hokeyness that surprised me a little. I genuinely enjoy sentimentality most of the time, but there was often a kind of Red State wisdom and stiffness that stuck out a bit to me. I always thought of Lois and Clark as pretty progressive and modern people despite Clark’s upbringing, which I always assumed taught him respect and kindness while not necessarily imparting a kind of nationalistic steak that was peeking beneath the surface in this series. I don’t know. I don’t mean to get so political, but seeing as this book was coming out at the height of the Trump era, I would have expected stories about Clark being more intensely progressive and anti-hate, anti-extremism, whereas this run leaned a bit “we have more in common than you think” and trying to appeal to a more conservative, broad base. A little weird, is all. For what it’s worth, Jurgens’s Action Comics, which has its own issues with occasionally feeling dated, made more of an effort to examine what Superman meant to the world that we live in today. Which is surprising. I don’t expect the Morrison New 52 anticapitalist Superman or anything, just someone who, as a kind of embodiment of the good parts of American values, challenged how the bad parts were being weaponized in that time. Marvel hired Coates to do just that over in the contemporary Captain America.
Anyway. Just a musing thought I had throughout. On the whole, this was a pleasant and warm and fun series. I read it because I like Jon and wanted to get his background. I will always love the conceit that the Kents lived on a farm for a while to replicate a bit of Clark’s childhood. It’s very sweet. I am a little sad to see it go, but excited to finally get to the Bendis era I’ve wanted to read since I missed it back in ‘18. Also Doomsday Clock, for what it’s worth, which I have a feeling might touch on the ideas I mentioned above. We’ll see!
December 12, 2018
I love the family themes with the Kent family. I love Bizarro. So... yeah, I loved this graphic. If I had one complaint, it's that trying to keep up with the Bizarro speak was a little (okay, A LOT) confusing, but that's kind of expected whenever you have a story arc with that character. A part from that, though, the family themes in this one practically leapt off the pages. The title of one of the issues--"Truth. Justice. Family."--is the exact reason I read Superman. If I want a dark or angsty hero, I'll turn to Batman, Red Hood, or a plethora of others. But if I want something that will warm my heart, while also having me eagerly flip the pages; something that will make me smile, while also making my eyes widen and rove across the panels as I follow the action--if I want something that has the perfect balance between wholesomeness and exciting comic book stakes, then I reach for Superman. And honestly, I usually find myself enjoying Superman the most. Just because something touts family, doesn't mean it still can't make you think--that seems to be a common misconception that, quite frankly, is just sad. You can have a generally happy character with usually happy stories that can still hold up a mirror to the world. (The best example I can think of is "Superman: The Oz Effect.") And this story had moments like that too, specifically concerning how life may change in ways that are out of our control, but how we DO have control over how those changes affect us. That's a simple, but powerful message. So, yes, this comic had its "down to earth" moments... but it was also a TON OF FUN. Seriously, Robzarro was hilarious! I might have to buy this graphic just for his parts. I chuckled out loud. I also love the dynamics in the Kent family--how very comfortable they are with each other, and how very "real" their family feels. My favorite moments in these stories are when they're sitting down to dinner, or having some other "normal" moment in ways that only the Super family can. (I loved Jon super-speeding through his after-dinner chores to avoid talking about a girl he "doesn't" have a crush on. *wink, wink*). Basically, this is a series that keeps getting better and better, and I hate that I'm actually caught up with it, because now I have to actually WAIT for the next volume. *Sigh* Ah well... it's not like I don't have a mile-long reading list to keep me occupied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2019
Since there isn't a omnibus of Tomasi and Gleason's run on Superman I thought I'd just don't here, at the end.
I read this start to finish right off the back of the same teams run on Batman and Robin. I loved their chemistry between father and son in that title, and here I found the same heartwarming vibes. In some ways, this has even more heart considering Superman is a far most upbeat and hope driven character. And it's those heartwarming moments that make this run what it is. It's at its best when you have sweet character driven parts between Clark and Jon, and the dynamic with the Kent family. I actually found these moments far more fulfilling than the big villain beat up moments. Gleason nails the heart in this book too, showing adorably emotive panels that really jump off the page and into your soul. Who knew that giving Superman a son would make his stories that much more fun? I mean I like Superman so much more after seeing how great a dad he is, when in reality i shouldn't really give a crap!
Now that we've established the good part, it's time we took a dive into the not so great. And I say not so great because it was never bad, it just wasn't the same quality as the rest. When Tomasi and Gleason had the helm, it was brilliant (although I would have loved to see Gleason do more of the art). Although when they took a break it felt like the quality took a break too. So a lot of the time I just skipped past the issues not written by the main team. Not only that I found some of the tie in stories a bit average, the one with Teen Titans and Super Sons being the main offender. Again though, it was never bad enough for me to dislike it, it just wasn't as much of a page turner as the other arcs.
For the strong parts of this run I'd give it an easy 5/5, but for the inconsistency with writers in the off parts and the innevitable crossover tie ins I'd give 3/5. Bringing the whole run up to 4/5.
At the end of the day I'm really sad this team wasn't given more time to flesh out the characters. And I found some of the heart of the book took a dive after the Kent family moved back to Metropolis. Even sadder is that I've heard Bendis' run on Superman following this is pretty shit. But to me, this would have to be up there as one of my favourite Superman runs to date.
If you like Superman then you'll definitely love this, if your wanting a place to start Superman then this is also great. Can't really say much more than that!
I read this start to finish right off the back of the same teams run on Batman and Robin. I loved their chemistry between father and son in that title, and here I found the same heartwarming vibes. In some ways, this has even more heart considering Superman is a far most upbeat and hope driven character. And it's those heartwarming moments that make this run what it is. It's at its best when you have sweet character driven parts between Clark and Jon, and the dynamic with the Kent family. I actually found these moments far more fulfilling than the big villain beat up moments. Gleason nails the heart in this book too, showing adorably emotive panels that really jump off the page and into your soul. Who knew that giving Superman a son would make his stories that much more fun? I mean I like Superman so much more after seeing how great a dad he is, when in reality i shouldn't really give a crap!
Now that we've established the good part, it's time we took a dive into the not so great. And I say not so great because it was never bad, it just wasn't the same quality as the rest. When Tomasi and Gleason had the helm, it was brilliant (although I would have loved to see Gleason do more of the art). Although when they took a break it felt like the quality took a break too. So a lot of the time I just skipped past the issues not written by the main team. Not only that I found some of the tie in stories a bit average, the one with Teen Titans and Super Sons being the main offender. Again though, it was never bad enough for me to dislike it, it just wasn't as much of a page turner as the other arcs.
For the strong parts of this run I'd give it an easy 5/5, but for the inconsistency with writers in the off parts and the innevitable crossover tie ins I'd give 3/5. Bringing the whole run up to 4/5.
At the end of the day I'm really sad this team wasn't given more time to flesh out the characters. And I found some of the heart of the book took a dive after the Kent family moved back to Metropolis. Even sadder is that I've heard Bendis' run on Superman following this is pretty shit. But to me, this would have to be up there as one of my favourite Superman runs to date.
If you like Superman then you'll definitely love this, if your wanting a place to start Superman then this is also great. Can't really say much more than that!
January 28, 2019
So there was a comment Clark makes to Jon that is something Martha says in the film 'Man of Steel' almost verbatim.
"We always hope for the best, but never forget--the world doesn't owe you a thing."
My heart sank. I hated that moment in the film. To me it showed that rather than teaching Clark to be a good man it taught him to fear everyone. So I was relieved in this volume when Clark continued.
"It's a hard truth that far too many forget, but the point is that only you can choose who to be when things don't go your way. That's the difference between someone who helps others and someone who helps themselves."
Of course Tomasi and Gleason get it. They've written some of my favourite Superman stories. When people say Superman is boring, I tell them they're missing the point. The best stories are about his humanity, about being a loving husband and father. Or as Clark and Jon put it:
"It's not about our powers... it's about our character."
Initially I didn't like the first half of this book, so it brings my overall rating down. I don't care for the Bizarroverse and its painful way of talking, but it ended on a really heartfelt moment so it gets a pass.
The highlight was the Kents packing up their Hamilton home as it was finally sold. And it was a blatant excuse for Tomasi and Gleason to say goodbye to the readers.
It was touching and sweet, and I'm going to miss them. They've had a handle on these characters from the beginning, so all I can say to those who follow, you've got massive boots to fill.
"We always hope for the best, but never forget--the world doesn't owe you a thing."
My heart sank. I hated that moment in the film. To me it showed that rather than teaching Clark to be a good man it taught him to fear everyone. So I was relieved in this volume when Clark continued.
"It's a hard truth that far too many forget, but the point is that only you can choose who to be when things don't go your way. That's the difference between someone who helps others and someone who helps themselves."
Of course Tomasi and Gleason get it. They've written some of my favourite Superman stories. When people say Superman is boring, I tell them they're missing the point. The best stories are about his humanity, about being a loving husband and father. Or as Clark and Jon put it:
"It's not about our powers... it's about our character."
Initially I didn't like the first half of this book, so it brings my overall rating down. I don't care for the Bizarroverse and its painful way of talking, but it ended on a really heartfelt moment so it gets a pass.
The highlight was the Kents packing up their Hamilton home as it was finally sold. And it was a blatant excuse for Tomasi and Gleason to say goodbye to the readers.
It was touching and sweet, and I'm going to miss them. They've had a handle on these characters from the beginning, so all I can say to those who follow, you've got massive boots to fill.
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