“Superboy” #1 is yet another title that normally I would pass on but since this is part of DC’s New 52 relaunch I decided to give it a shot. In many ways I’m glad I did. Scott Lobdell starts things at the very beginning as we follow the development of a clone named Superboy. He is raised, tested, and studied by a group called N.O.W.H.E.R.E. in an attempt to develop him into a super weapon of mass destruction. It’s an intriguing story especially since we see so much from Superboy’s perspective. He’s smarter and far more sophisticated than anyone in the group is aware of and this makes for several fun moments in the book. There’s an interesting relationship between Superboy and a female supervisor for N.O.W.H.E.R.E. named Red as well as a cool appearance by Lois Lane that adds another dimension to the story. I did feel the ending was a little rushed and seemed to come together out of the blue. I mean it makes sense but it just comes out of nowhere and didn’t really bowl me over.

R.B. Silva’s art is serviceable but it’s not my favorite style. It has a steady and consistent look and tone but it’s really simple and cartoony. It’s not that the issue looks bad, in fact the book has a slick, clean look to it. But the cartoony style really stands out in spots especially with the characters. It didn’t kill my experience with the book but it also didn’t enhance it. Now it’s not all bad. There are some impressive panels and Silva’s slick layouts really strengthen the visual appeal of the issue. It shows that Silva can really put together a page and gives it his own unique structure.

“Superboy” #1 surprised me. I came in with low expectations and left after having a fun and entertaining experience. The ending didn’t exactly leave me hungry for the next book but the overall story sparked enough interest for me to give the next issue a chance. You could do a lot worse than “Superboy” #1.