The encounters from the previous issues start to come together in SUPERMAN #4, and that’s really its weakness. The previous issues felt like self-contained stories that happened to also fit a larger plot; here, though, it seems like a lot of redundant exposition.

Most of the issue is dedicated to the public’s response to the ice creature from SUPERMAN #3, and especially the disappearance and sudden reappearance of reporter Heather Kelley, who Clark was supposed to meet to film a special expose on his old neighborhood. The fallout comes in the form of his supporting cast talking about how Clark’s acting weird lately.

And then they do that some more.

And more.

Meanwhile, Heather’s getting attention because of her strange experience, but that, too, is beaten to death a bit, since a lot of characters do a lot of talking about it but say very little. It’s like the script is desperate to make absolutely sure the reader knows all the questions this situation poses, and it’ll repeat them as much as it takes.

Thing is, especially for a comic as densely written as this (and I mean that in the best possible way), this whole issue could have been accomplished in a handful of pages. Maybe a few scenes would have to be dropped, but the plot and character points could all have made it in there.

Let’s hope for a return to form from SUPERMAN #5.