This series kicks off with a couple of handicaps and two strong points.Among the handicaps: it stars the newly-reborn Conner (Superboy) Kent, a character I've never been too crazy about. He has potential, and hopefully this issue will bring it out, but he's always been just another B-list character to me.
Also working against it is the general malaise that seems to have fallen over the Superman family of comics, as they're all overshadowed by the New Krypton storyline.
On the plus side, the story is written by Geoff Johns, one of DC's best writers, and a guy who's very good at crafting new beginnings for characters who have been, shall we say, underused in the past. His story here is a good reintroduction to the character and his new setting, with some interesting twists along the way.
The art by Francis Manapul is also good - light and fresh, well-suited to a story about life in Smallville.
Another strong point is the backup feature starring the Legion of Super-heroes. This first story is mysteriously set almost entirely in the present, but it features Johns' patented final page teasing upcoming storylines, and that's always fun.
So all in all, not a bad package, but nothing earth-shattering yet, either. It is great to see Adventure Comics back on the stands, though we'll have to give this one a few more months to get a better idea of where it's all going.
Grade: B+
2 comments:
Is Conner Kent the Superboy that came out of the whole death of superman...? I really liked the first couple dozen issues of that series by Kessel and Grummett. Was just pretty fun adventure stuff and I liked the supporting cast...
Kyle, yes, that's the same character (at least I think it is). And I agree, those early issues by Kesel and Grummett were excellent. It was later, after that title was canceled and the character became a Teen Titan that I lost interest.
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