SUPERMAN #6
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller: Ivan Reis
Inkers: Joe Prado & Oclair Albert
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Publisher: DC Comics
6.5/10
Ever since Brian Michael Bendis came to DC he has injected his voice and sense of life into the characters he writes. With his SUPERMAN series, he has focused more on the epic and grand scale of the situations the man of steel finds himself in. The opening story arc, “The Unity Saga”, finds Superman without Lois Lane or his son Jon Kent and you can see how that affects him; he starts to doubt himself more, question his reason for being Superman, and what his actions actually accomplish. SUPERMAN #6 gives a deep look into the Man of Steel’s psyche while also delivering an action-packed fight scene from the start. While this issue is an entertaining read, it does feel like the story wasn’t pushed much forward outside of one new development.
We pick up where the last issue left off with Superman and Zod teaming up against the new villain Rogol Zarr. Were treated to gorgeous splash pages from one of the most talented men in the business, Ivan Reis, his pages are filled with so much life it’s like you can feel the punches being thrown. Superman delivers a monologue in this issue questioning if what he is doing is right and what is the lesser of two evils; this is a very interesting question long-time fans of Superman aren’t used to seeing.
SPOILER ALERT
At the very end of the issue Superman finally reunites with his son Jon, who looks much older from when we last saw him; this reveal felt like it came out of nowhere and there was no buildup to Jon’s return. This of course can be fixed in further issues as “The Unity Saga” isn’t finished yet but the issue by itself left me unsatisfied, especially with Jon’s return.
All in all, SUPERMAN #6 was a fun issue that poses some intriguing questions to the future of the Man of Steel and where Bendis is taking him; Unfortunately, the snappy writing and the amazing art couldn’t save this issue from leaving me unsatisfied. If you have been keeping up with Bendis’ Superman run, I suggest still picking this issue up to see where it goes next, just don’t expect to be blown away by its reveals.