I don’t know nothing about Superboy. Nor do I know anything about the Legion other then the Johns/Frank story in Action Comics. What I do know is that Geoff Johns is the master of bringing characters back from the dead and make them relevent again.

If there’s one thing to keep me interested with Superboy is to make him stay at Smallville. The family moments from when Johns did Action Comics (before the medicore New Krypton run) were some of the best parts of his run. So having Conner live with Ma Kent and trying to get his foot back into life is a positive for me. This is a bit of a quick read in that we just barely get to see what Conner has planned for his return. But Johns writes interesting conversations with Conner/Kal or the girl Conner saved early on in the issue. Then you have a back up feature with Starman, and then you have my complete interest. Sure it’s gonna be more of a Legion story, but if you have crazy Starman in a comic then you have an entertaining back up.

You add in some amazing art by Francis Manapal and Clayton Henry and you got yourself a 5 star book. Never heard of either artist before but if their work is as good as this single issue, my god will this be a great looking series. Manapal adds like a painted look to this and he draws some of the best faces I’ve seen. It’s a bit cartoony sometimes, but it really has a warm feel to it. Especially when you add those beautiful colors into the mix. Then Henry’s job as the backup feature artist and it’s kinda old school in a lot of ways. Not generic mind you, but if this was an 80’s comic then Henry would fit quite nicely with the time.

With Geoff Johns as writer you never know where a series is gonna go. I’m sure in this issue alone he sets plot points that won’t be resolved or brought up again until issue #50. But on a whole this was a great first issue and for once I am happy to read a Superman related comic. It’s been ages since I’ve said that.