It often seems that Mark Waid plays Saliari to Alan Moore’s Mozart. Like Moore, Waid’s understanding of the super hero genre is only matched by his ambition to create groundbreaking works that both respect and transcend these beloved costumed men; however, unlike Moore, Waid’s actual contributions, though highly competent and often fun, typically fall short of his lofty visions, failing to connect on either a higher emotional or intellectual level than would be expected from any other descent, knowledgeable writer. Waid can recognize greatness, can aspire to it, but he has rarely achieved it.

Irredeemable, both fortunately and unfortunately, does not break from the above pattern. The concept is both intriguing and daring: what if Superman couldn’t handle being Superman? What if the pressure of perfection drove him mad, drove him to be a villain? Though this idea is hardly new (Watchmen, Squadron Supreme, Superman Red Son, etc.), that it is being executed by comic’s preeminent Superman expert should be enough to draw anyone interested in the latest deconstructing of this American icon.

And again, Waid has delivered a perfectly serviceable script (accompanied by Kraus’s perfectly serviceable art). The characters are fairly interesting; the situations are fairly interesting; even the perspective—the story is told as a Citizen Kane style investigation of a life gone wrong—is fairly interesting. The entire venture was all fairly interesting, almost irredeemably so.

Waid is decimating a character he seemingly viscerally adores. The tension between that intention and that love should provoke painful, delightful tears, not mild curiosity. This comic needs to be drunk with tragedy, staggering from page to page spewing insults and insights as it mourns the fall of the best of us; instead it proceeds forward at a fine, sober pace, politely declaring its sad self to the audience and expecting a polite response in return. It’s all too bland and removed; the script, the characters, the perspective—nothing about them surprises or shocks the reader, and it needs to for this comic to realize the potential of its pitch.

Waid is an insanely astute reader and commentator on super hero comics, and he likely recognizes this fault in his writing. Let’s hope that, unlike Saliari, he can use this recognition to improve his work and finally go beyond producing good comics and begin giving life to great comics.