Rich Douek

Com a reaparição do arquivilão "dragão da disney mau" Nicol Bolas e um apressadíssima apoteose heróica, esse arco da história, mais do que qualquer coisa, desnudou a estratégia da referência total, atendendo a um "só faltavam os dragões planisnautas...". E a sensação é que havia um plano de jogar tudo que der na história, incluindo uma personagem nova e Aminatou, misturando assim cânone e não cânone, mas com uma profusão de participações desconcertante. Ou que se acumulou até aqui e ficou desconcertante, após a finalização do arco Tezzeret e Ravnica, que pelo menos fechava algo, e tinha uma duração mais longa.… (mere)

• [Untitled - "My palms sweat."] / John Ridley, writer; Clayton Henry, artist
~ 2 stars ~
In an epilogue to World's Finest #192-193 from 1970, Clark Kent is anxious when he has to interview a man who tortured him years earlier when he was in a powerless state as Superman. A realistic downer.

• The Measure of Hope / Brandon Easton, writer; Steve Lieber, artist
~ 2 stars ~
A dead mom? More depressing mopiness about the limits of Superman's powers.

• The Boy Who Saved Superman / Wes Craig, story & art
~ 3 stars ~
So powerlessness is definitely a theme here. When Superman is down and out, it's up to a young immigrant to get him back into the fray. The right kind of inspiring.

• Human Colors / Dan Watters, script; Dani, art
~ 2 stars ~
A silly, if well-intentioned parable about the importance of color to humanity.

• The School of Hard Knock-Knock Jokes / Marguerite Bennett, writer; Jill Thompson, artist
~ 2 stars ~
Kindergartener Clark Kent stars in a heavy-handed afterschool special about shunning and friendship.

• Own / Steven T. Seagle, writer; Duncan Rouleau, art
~ 2 stars ~
Martha Kent rips her coffee clique when they make a slight about adoption.

• Into the Ghost Zone / Chuck Brown, writer; Denys Cowan, pencils; John Stanisci, inks
~ 2 stars ~
I'm not familiar with the Earth-2 Superman, Val-Zod, and this silly action piece does little to properly introduce him.

• Patience / Dan Panosian, story & art
~ 2 stars ~
Lex Luthor futilely attacks Superman with some new red kryptonite, including a boxing match. I grew up with Muhammad Ali clobbering Supes in glorious, full-color, treasury-sized Neal Adams art, and, friend, that is not a comparison you want to invite.

• My Best Friend, Superman / Stephanie Phillips, script; Marley Zarcone, art
~ 2 stars ~
Another obvious and heavy-handed afterschool special set on a playground. Or maybe it would be more at home on the corny old Superfriends TV show.

• S Is for Cyborg / Jason Howard, art & story
~ 2 stars ~
Cyborg Superman Hank Henshaw needs to be forgotten forever by everyone. Just stop with him already, DC.

• Deadline / Jesse J. Holland, writer; Laura Braga, artist
~ 3 stars ~
It's a little awkward, but I like this story of Bruce Wayne and Diana musing whether or not a busy and constantly distracted Clark Kent will make his newspaper deadline and their dinner date.

• Kilg%re City / Michel Fiffe, writer & artist
~ 2 stars ~
Nearly unreadable nonsense, but the art is sort of fun.

• A Man Most Saved / Brandon Thomas, writer; Berat Pekmezci, art
~ 2 stars ~
I like the premise of a man who has been saved by Superman repeatedly getting the chance to pay him back, but it felt like it needed a few more pages or a slightly different angle of attack to succeed.

• Something to Hold on to / Nick Spencer, writer; Christian Ward, art
~ 2 stars ~
Superman invites the kids from a group home to his Fortress of Solitude for a field trip. Toyman crashes. I zone out.

• Little Star / James Stokoe, story & art
~ 2 stars ~
I like the concept of an asteroid on a collision course with Earth hiding a special little mystery, but the end left me cold. That's not how Supes would've handled it.

• Namrepus / Mark Waid, writer; Audrey Mok, artist
~ 3 stars ~
A classic throwback sort of tale with Superman deciding to show up in the Fifth Dimension and prank Mr. Mxyzptlk. Funny and clever.

• Prospect of Tomorrow / Francis Manapul, writer & artist
~ 2 stars ~
Superman goes to Mars to play matchmaker with exploration drones? Bizarre.

• A Little Is a Lot / Robert Venditti, writer; Alitha Martinez, artist
~ 3 stars ~
A simple story of everyday heroism being a match for Superman's extraordinary abilities.

• For the Man Who Has Nothing / Michael W. Conrad, writer; Cully Hamner, artist
~ 2 stars ~
Oh, no, another bad Bizarro story.

• #SavedBySuperman / Rich Douek, writer; Joe Quinones, art
~ 2 stars ~
A cool concept wherein social media idiots start throwing themselves off things as part of a viral challenge to have Superman save them. But it goes for a preachy ending instead of something realistic or clever.

• Fetch / Judd Winick, writer; Ibrahim Moustafa, artist
~ 2 stars ~
Krypto arrives on Earth and makes Clark Kent happy. Ho-hum.

• Deescalation / G. Willow Wilson, writer; Valentine De Landro, artist
~ 3 stars ~
A crime is committed, and Clark Kent gets to save the day for once. Nice.

• Your Favorite / Josh Williamson, writer; Chris Sprouse, pencils; Karl Story, inks
~ 2 stars ~
Jimmy Olsen is a screw-up, and a pretty boring one at that.

• Red Sun . . . Blue Dot / Mark Buckingham, story & art
~ 2 stars ~
Baby Supes flies in a rocket while his Kryptonian parents have a morose voice-over dialogue.

• [Untitled - "Matthew 3:17"] / Daniel Warren Johnson, writer & artist
~ 2 stars ~
Jonathan Kent's a good dad. Yup.

• Streaky the Supercat in: Hissy Fit / Sophie Campbell, story & art
~ 3 stars ~
Cats, amiright? Hee.

• Scoop / Matt Wagner, story & art
~ 3 stars ~
Clark Kent's a damn good reporter.

• The Special / Tom King, writer; Paolo Rivera, artist
~ 3 stars ~
Clark Kent's a good man too. Yup.

• Son of Farmers / Darcie Little Badger, writer; Steve Pugh, art
~ 2 stars ~
I was a son of a maize farmer too. Didn't find any of these lessons shaping my life.

• "Ally" / Rex Ogle, writer; Mike Norton, artist
~ 2 stars ~
Nice, but really?

FOR REFERENCE:

Contents:
• Superman Red & Blue #1 Cover / Gary Frank, illustrator
• [Untitled - "My palms sweat."] / John Ridley, writer; Clayton Henry, artist
• The Measure of Hope / Brandon Easton, writer; Steve Lieber, artist
• The Boy Who Saved Superman / Wes Craig, story & art
• Human Colors / Dan Watters, script; Dani, art
• The School of Hard Knock-Knock Jokes / Marguerite Bennett, writer; Jill Thompson, artist
• Superman Red & Blue #2 Cover / Nicola Scott, illustrator
• Own / Steven T. Seagle, writer; Duncan Rouleau, art
• Into the Ghost Zone / Chuck Brown, writer; Denys Cowan, pencils; John Stanisci, inks
• Patience / Dan Panosian, story & art
• My Best Friend, Superman / Stephanie Phillips, script; Marley Zarcone, art
• S Is for Cyborg / Jason Howard, art & story;
• Superman Red & Blue #3 Cover / Paul Pope, illustrator
• Deadline / Jesse J. Holland, writer; Laura Braga, artist
• Kilg%re City / Michel Fiffe, writer & artist
• A Man Most Saved / Brandon Thomas, writer; Berat Pekmezci, art
• Something to Hold on to / Nick Spencer, writer; Christian Ward, art
• Little Star / James Stokoe, story & art
• Superman Red & Blue #4 Cover /John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson, illustrators
• Namrepus / Mark Waid, writer; Audrey Mok, artist
• Prospect of Tomorrow / Francis Manapul, writer & artist
• A Little Is a Lot / Robert Venditti, writer; Alitha Martinez, artist
• For the Man Who Has Nothing / Michael W. Conrad, writer; Cully Hamner, artist
• #SavedBySuperman / Rich Douek, writer; Joe Quinones, art
• Superman Red & Blue #5 Cover / Amanda Conner, illustrator
• Fetch / Judd Winick, writer; Ibrahim Moustafa, artist
• Deescalation / G. Willow Wilson, writer; Valentine De Landro, artist
• Your Favorite / Josh Williamson, writer; Chris Sprouse, pencils; Karl Story, inks
• Red Sun . . . Blue Dot / Mark Buckingham, story & art
• [Untitled - "Matthew 3:17"] / Daniel Warren Johnson, writer & artist
• Superman Red & Blue #6 Cover / Evan "Doc" Shaner, illustrator
• Streaky the Supercat in: Hissy Fit / Sophie Campbell, story & art
• Scoop / Matt Wagner, story & art
• The Special / Tom King, writer; Paolo Rivera, artist
• Son of Farmers / Darcie Little Badger, writer; Steve Pugh, art
• "Ally" / Rex Ogle, writer; Mike Norton, artist
• Variant Cover Gallery / Lee Bermejo (#1), Yoshitaka Amano(#1), David Choe (#2), Brian Bolland (#2), Derrick Chew (#3), John Paul Leon (#3), Alexander Lozano (#4), Walter Simonson (#4), Arthur Adams (#5), Miguel Mercado (#5), Gabriele Dell'Otto (#6), and Kevin Eastman (#6), illustrators
• Cover Process / Gary Frank, Nicola Scott, Amanda Conner, Evan "Doc" Shaner, and John Paul Leon, illustrators… (mere)