"Last Son" - Part One

Writers: Geoff Johns & Richard Donner Artist: Adam Kubert Colorist: Dave Stewart Letterer: Rob Leigh Associate Editor: Nachie Castro Editor: Matt Idelson

Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster

First off, are you a fan of Superman? You've got to ask yourself that before you even open this comic book. If the answer is 'no' and you're picking this issue up because you're curious if Geoff Johns and Richard Donner can change your mind... get ready to have your mind changed.

I've made statements that I've always been a fan of Superman just not of Superman comic books. That has changed over the last six months thanks to "Up, Up, and Away" and the amazingly entertaining that Kurt Busiek has been giving readers in the pages of Superman and Action Comics. While I've really enjoyed Busiek's work I'm very excited to see Geoff Johns and Richard Donner working together on the character these two men were made to collaborate on. Johns is a master character storyteller and Donner's vision of Superman is perfection. Yeah, I said it - perfection.

I'm going to try and not spoil anything about this book for any of you that haven't read it, but I may have a few minor spoilers.

The arrival of this new character at the beginning of the issue really drives the direction of this issue and Superman's reaction to the character is great. There has been this effort I think to get Superman to leave behind the "bout scout" label that was given to him a long while back and give him some edge and some fault so people can relate more to him as they read his comics. I've never enjoyed that portrayal of the character. I think Superman needs to be seen as an alien on Earth and needs to have some sort of isolation from humanity. Superman's discussion with Jor-El at the opening of this issue really was a highlight for me because it gave a little of that characterization I've been looking for back to Superman. The arrival of this new character could possibly change that characterization a little and that is going to be fun to see unfold in this series.

Adam Kubert's artwork in this issue is good. I think one of the things that Richard Donner may be taking more advantage of in the pages of this book than he was able to in the Superman films is the ability to give an artist his vision and see it come to life in a way it could never do on film. Today's film industry has a wide range of special effects at its disposal but the ability to draw something out on a comic book page like Kubert is able to do in this issue is something that no Hollywood budget would ever allow. I think that's what I'm looking forward to the most out of this first story arc; I want to see what Johns and Donner come up with for Kubert that will allow them to bring readers their best Superman story.

Superman is the definition of iconic character. I think the creative team of Johns, Donner, Kubert, and Stewart is probably ever Superman fan's dream team. "Last Son" could easily be considered the third Superman movie, and by the time we get to the end of this story arc, many of us are going to wish it was. Action Comics #844 is history in the making, fans, so get on board while you can because this is why fan read comics.