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Superman #12 Review

By Andy Frisk
August 27, 2012 - 20:50

The best thing about Dan Jurgens' return to the pages of Superman wasn't that it was short, but that it was a great nostalgic trip back to the glory days of the Superman stories of the early to mid 1990s when the likes of Jurgens and Tom Grummett were drawing the books. The worst thing about Dan Jurgens' return to the pages of Superman was that it was a nostalgic trip back to the glory days of the Superman storytelling that now feels dated.

Superman wraps up his battle with yet another strange visitor from another planet, i.e. mysteriously powerful alien bent on destruction, but this time the reason for the alien's presence was a little better framed. It appears that this alien was accidentally brought over to our dimension by some overeager Russian scientists who were trying to find their own version of Superman, albeit one that they could control. I really liked the way Jurgens framed the battle between Superman and the alien with an air of international intrigue and a revitalization of the whole Cold War arms race esthetic. It also seemed like there could really had been much more to delve into here, storytelling wise that is. Overall though, the story felt dated and would actually have been more at home circa 1994 as it stands here. I don't think that this is Jurgens' fault. DC Comics in general seems to not know what to do with the Superman family. Hence, it looks like they really didn't give Jurgens any room to grow the myth and introduce anything long lasting on the character's new incarnation. Oh how I long for just a few years ago when Superman Secret Origin and New Krypton were being brilliantly written and the Superman family actually felt like a "family." I've said it before and I'll say it again, Superman functions best with a strong supporting cast. This is something that the current powers that be at DC Comics just don't get.

Jurgens' art (with finishes by Ray McCarthy) is as solid as ever. I always liked the way that Jurgens drew Superman. He made Superman look a bit older here though (maybe unconsciously) than he is supposed to be in The New 52. It sadly reminded me of the way Superman used to (and still should) look.

With Superman about to start getting intimate with Wonder Woman, I'm wondering how much longer I will be hanging around the Superman titles. My reasons for my ire over this latest Superman storytelling debacle can be mulled over in full here, but let's just say I'm not a fan of the idea. Hopefully it won't last long. 

Rating: 6 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12