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Superman #3 Review

Comic Books

Superman #3 Review

Superman’s son is beginning to use his powers, but what does it mean to be half human and half Kryptonian? We learn more about that this week–is it good?

Superman #3 (DC Comics)

Superman #3 Review

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The Breakdown

The third issue of Superman shares some similarities with the first issue–it’s light on story and decompressed with not a whole lot going on, outside of one rather dark moment that feels out of place (though hopefully Tomasi and Gleason deal with it in a good way like last issue). Story-wise, the issue is about Superman taking his family to the Fortress of Solitude to take a look at what is going on with Jon’s inconsistent powers. Then Eradicator pops up and things go from there. There’s not a whole lot going on outside of dealing with some more setup to get the plot going in some direction (looks like things will be getting worse next issue), so there isn’t a whole lot to chew on. The big plus to the story is that while at first it feels strangely not new reader friendly with bringing in Eradicator (never heard of the character personally), the comic then goes on to explain what he is and you can fill in the details from there yourself.

The writing is still well done regardless of how little happened. The dialogue was decent and most of the characters sounded right. The only odd bit was Eradicator telling his backstory, which while good for people unfamiliar with the character, seems pointless for him to say since Superman probably already knows all of that information. The characterization seemed right as well, especially with Superman himself (I could see him giving Eradicator a chance to talk if he actually helped saved his family). The technical aspects with the pacing, story flow, and structure were all solid as well with no apparent problems. Ultimately, I just wish there was more to the story to discuss.

Superman #3 Review
…we’re gonna fix that broken jaw of yours! Can’t have it always hanging open like that after all.

This time around, the artwork is handled by Jorge Jimenez, who sadly isn’t in the same ballpark as Gleason. He doesn’t have that same sense of warmth or awe-inspiring look, instead employing a more typical, comic style art. By no means is Jimenez bad here, outside of some rather lanky looking arms and legs in a few panels. He can draw some very nice looking layouts that really convey sense of motion, making for some impressive looking action shots. He also really nails the flashback scenes that explain Eradicator’s backstory, going heavier on the inks and shadows. Plus, colorist Alejandro Sanchez also adds onto that with the darker color choices of browns, reds, and grays. It’s still a good looking book, but it’s just under the shadow of Gleason’s previous art.

Is It Good?

Superman #3 is a step back from the last issue, but it isn’t something awful either. While there was little story happening until the end and we had a switch of artists, the writing was still good and the artwork was nice to look at. Hopefully things pick up and stay on the move with the story next time.

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