SUPERMAN ANNUAL #1
Review by: dix
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Art by Pascal Alixe & Tom Raney
Cover by Kenneth Rocafort
Size: 48 pages
Price: 4.99
This review contains spoilers, click here to read
There is a moment early in this issue when Clark muses on how much he likes riding the subway. And that's about as Superman as this issue really gets. Sure, he's in the issue throughout, but he feels unnecessary for any real reason, only there to allow for an unearned bit of reflection at the end.
It does not help that the synopsis for this issue is completely incorrect: there is no Green Lantern in it, there are no "games" for Superman to get dragged into, and the most remote part of space he reaches is the surface of the moon. As in Earth's moon. This is a Daemonite story, complete with Helspont monologuing a lot, and with the Superman part of the story padded with cameos of lots of other alien characters who've taken up residence on Earh: Martian Manhunter, Starfire, and Hawkman (who is Thanagarian in the New52 continuity after all, apparently).
I have a laundry list of issues with the way this book is written. I'm no great fan of Lobdell to begin with, though I'll admit I've read very little of him and none of it has been stuff he's really known for. So maybe - maybe - he had to put this together on a short deadline or under editorial pressure or something. But regardless of the result, the cause is a disjointed and fairly pointless mess that does little more than fill in a bit of (not that interesting) backstory for Helspont and the Daemonites he commands. This could have easily been done in a few pages anywhere, but instead takes up the majority of an annual.
Superman rushes to take on Helspont but doesn't even really get to fight: Helspont just "defeats" him several times, using no particularly well-defined abilities and apparently for the sole purpose of talking Superman's ear off again. Added to this is are the clunky crossover moments, where various Daemonite agents show up to briefly monologue to the various alien guest stars.
One does wonder how Helspont does what he does, though: Grifter appears briefly on Helspont's ship, long enough to inform Superman that HE managed to fight Helspont and survive, which surprises Superman (and, you know, me, since I haven't read GRIFTER), but no further explanation is given, though eh does take the time to introduce Superman to his buddy Deathblow and a Daemonite beast named Biomass. One wonders why he took the time.
Which just makes the moments when Helspont and Superman face each other down all the more frustrating: this book could at least have been somewhat redeemed by a throwdown between the two, but Helspont just wins by default. It's never made clear how, exactly, but Superman definitely gave him more trouble during their prior meeting.
Worst of all, perhaps, is that this is a story that gets us nowhere but seems to think it gets us somewhere really interesting. But it leaves us with no apparent reason for any of the events, for almost any of the stuff that's happened in the various books where Daemonites have been involved.
The art doesn't do anything special. Most of it looks sort of okay, though occasionally you get a kind of sketchy panel. Disappointingly, the most polished panels seem to be the half dozen or so pin-upy shots of Starfire, who - you guessed it - was sunbathing when Helspont's agent interrupted her. Seriously, who makes these decisions?
Story: 2 - Average
Art: 2 - Average
Art: 2 - Average
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