Writers: Various Artists: Various

In preparation for Superman Returns coming out, Steel becoming a central character in 52, and the recent death of Superboy in Infinite Crisis, I wanted to read The Return of Superman. In order to do this I needed to read the 2 Volumes that came before it. The Death of Superman and World Without a Superman.

These two volumes leave me unimpressed. For being so controversial at the time these stories lack the emotional impact that Infinite Crisis or Identity Crisis had. The Death of Superman is 7 issues of fighting. Doomsday escapes, blazes a path, and runs into the current (and crappy incarnation of the Justice League at that time) and then proceeds to battle Superman for 5 more issues. In these 5 issues, Superman has to save people and get Lois out of the way, but much of these 5 battle issues are the same thing.

Superman: “Can’t let that monster get to Metropolis” Doomsday:” ARRRRGHH!” [They Fight] Superman: “Can’t let that monster get to Metropolis” Doomsday:” ARRRRGHH!”

We get no explanation of what Doomsday is, where he is from, or what his powers are. We get a hint that he escapes from Cadmus Labs, but that is it. We know he’s unstoppable b/c no one can stop him and they all say it, “He’s unstoppable! AHHHHH!!!” Boring. At the end of the last issue in the trade, Superman Dies, and Doomsday appears dead. Superman’s Dead? What? He was beaten to death? Can that actually happen to Superman? How did Doomsday die? Oh, Superman beat him to death too? How Original. And the trade ends right there, with Superman’s Death. We get no real reactions from anyone but Lois Lane, because she is holding him. There was a complete lack of emotional resonance in this story because it ended so abruptly. D+ for The Death of Superman.

World Without a Superman is 9 issues long and has all of the emotional resonance that the previous trade was missing. Superman is dead and here we witness the immediate reactions and media coverage in Metropolis, his funeral, and how Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Captain Marvel, and some other heroes do good deeds in Metropolis on Christmas in Superman’s stead. These first 4 issues are good, but the last 5 issues feel like filler. The last 5 issues deal with plots to steal Superman’s body and clone him, while Supergirl (Matrix) and Lois try to recover it. The last issue is a dream sequence for Pa Kent where he tries to keep Superman from traveling into Heaven (or hell, its never fully explained). This trade ends with Superman’s body missing, and multiple reports of Superman sightings.

Instead of the stealing of Superman’s body and its recovery for 5 issues, I would have rather had more reactions from the characters, and maybe a larger funeral sequence. Superman’s funeral only lasts for 7 intermittent pages in one issue. This should have been a lot longer, more detailed, making the reader feel like they are at the funeral, deepening the emotional impact of the story. The theft of Superman’s body feels like DC shitting on Superman’s memory, that we can’t even see him rest in peace for even a little while. I know DC crafted this story with the intention of bringing Superman back, but the loss of Superman never feels that substantial to the reader, so ultimately his return might not feel as substantial when that is read. C- for World Without a Superman.

The Death of Superman is 7 issues and costs $9.99. World Without a Superman is 9 issues but costs $7.50. What the heck? Less costs more, and more costs less? The prices should flip-flop, or they should package both storylines in one trade and call it something else for $15. That would make the story better. If you read the two trades back to back like I did, you still feel like you are reading two separate stories, instead of one continuous one, as it is written. Even with Superman dead, I’m still uninspired. Batman was wrong. I hope The Return of Superman is better than these two trades.