Congratulations to writer Geoff Johns, who has written some of the best DC Comics in the past several years - and with this issue of Adventure Comics, he's also written one of the worst DC Comics in memory. (To be fair, he had help from writer Sterling Gates.)This all-Superboy issue kicks off with the second half of the Superboy-Prime / Blackest Night story. I actually liked last issue, as it broke the fourth wall and had fun with the Earth-Prime concept.
Here, however, the whole thing jumps the track. We have Superboy-Prime fighting a bunch of Black Lanterns, smashing through DC's offices to allow lots of cameos of staffers screaming and running for their lives, and then the story gets even more bizarre and inexplicable, as things happen that make no sense in relation to the ongoing Blackest Night story. Finally, a twist ending is tacked on that makes even less sense.
The only redeeming factor (which keeps this issue from earning a failing grade) is the terrific art by Jerry Ordway. His work is always outstanding, and he does his best to make this work - but the finest art can't save a truly bad story.
As if the opening feature wasn't bad enough, the second feature has the "real" Superboy displacing the Legion of Super-heroes (not a fair trade at all).
It's a silly story involving a friend committing vandalism, which Superboy does nothing to discourage, and a "surprise" ending worthy of the most lightweight Silver Age storyline. (Superboy can't see through a door because it's painted with lead paint? Is the glass in the door also covered with lead paint?)
I don't slam too many comics, perhaps because I know a lot of effort goes into each one, even if the story isn't always successful - but the impression here is that Geoff Johns is just trying to write too many comics.
This one is really hurting his grading curve. A terrible comic.
Grade: D-
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