FLASHPOINT PROJECT SUPERMAN #2 (OF 3)

Review by: keith7198

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Plot by SCOTT SNYDER
Script by LOWELL FRANCIS
Art and cover by GENE HA

Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99

The first issue of “Flashpoint Project Superman” wasn’t close to what I expected. It focused on a young man who gains numerous special powers through a series of brutal government tests. Treated more as a guinea pig and known as Subject Zero, he becomes something the government can’t control. The problem is, he wasn’t that interesting and he’s not what I wanted out of a book with Superman in the title. In fact, the only glimpse we got of Superman was at the end as his capsule crashes in the heart of Metropolis.

Scott Snyder and Lowell Francis handle the story and issue #2 is an upgrade from the first book. We skip ahead several years as the government has taken young Kal to their secret laboratory one half mile under Metropolis. He’s known to some as Subject One but called Kal by General Lane who has gained an affection for the boy. We’re finally introduced to Lex Luthor and his deplorable father, we get some nice scenes with young Lois, and Subject Zero carries out his plan of escape. There’s a lot going on in this issue and I found most of it satisfying. Unfortunately the whole Soldier Zero thing doesn’t work for me and at the end of the issue it feels like we’re right back where the book started. I’m also not sure how this mini-series is going to have a satisfying ending with only one issue remaining.

Gene Ha’s art doesn’t help things. On the simpler panels, specifically those featuring character conversations, his art is effective. It’s not a clean, crisp look but it helps relay the story. It’s in his action sequences where the art completely falls apart. Most of these scenes involve Subject Zero who looks more like some hyper-stylized anime character. The action pages are ugly, poorly laid out, and generally distracting.

I like the direction the story has taken but I don’t love it. It does offer some interesting Flashpoint type moments that I really enjoyed. But not everything worked and it feels like we’re going to be left wanting more after next month’s final issue. Ha’s art goes from serviceable to flat out bad. For a book that should be an important Flashpoint tie-in, it’s just not what it could be.

Story: 3 - Good
Art: 2 - Average

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