Stern, Roger
AVERAGE REVIEW SCORE:
2 out of 5
(2 books)
TOP PICK:
Superman: For Earth
Superman: For Earth
(Art by Kerry Gammill and Dennis Janke)
As Lois covers an environmental summit, she and Clark worry about the state of the planet and share their fears over the possibility of bringing a child into a dying world. Superman then dedicates himself to tackling environmental issues but finds they are more complex than he initially imagined.
If an episode of Captain Planet was a Superman story, this would be it. Printed on recycled paper, this book is a special story intended to address environmental issues through the lens of a Superman tale. Superhero comics have tried tackling social issues various times, with varying but usually awkward results (see the Spider-Man story where he tackles child abuse for more). This is one of the less egregious examples, but much of the plotting and dialogue is very on-the-nose and you're never in any doubt that this is book is all about getting a message across and not telling a good story.
Due to it not being particularly enjoyable as a Superman story to read, I would have rated this book lower but, for all its transparent preachiness, this book IS NOT WRONG. This was published in 1991 and all of the environmental issues it tackles are ones we still haven't fixed over thirty years later (and the book even makes the point that the characters were made aware of the self-same issues when they were children too). Credit also has to be given to the fact that this book takes the time to recognise that many of these issues aren't simple fixes. For example, it's easy to be on the side of the protestors who don't want a new landfill site tainting their water supply but, as several characters note, the waste of unchecked consumerism has to go somewhere.
So, if you're looking for an enjoyable Superman story, this isn't it; but, if having environmental issues explained through the medium of Superman helps one person get a handle on them, then this book can't be a bad thing. Seriously people, we need to stop f*ing up our planet!
3 out of 5
The Incredible Hulk Vs. Superman: Double Lives
(Art by Steve Rude and Al Milgrom)
When Lex Luthor attempts to seize control of Bruce Banner's gamma research it sets in motion a chain of events which leads to a clash between two of the most powerful superheroes of all time.
There's always been this weird conceit in Marvel and DC crossovers that the characters all act like they've always existed in the same world and just haven't crossed paths and it really bugs me. Here, for instance, it begins with Lois watching a TV story about the Avengers and scoffing that they can't really be Earth's Mightiest Heroes because Superman isn't on the team. She and Clark then start reminiscing about the first time they encountered the Hulk, as if he's always been part of their lives (sure, Superman and Hulk have crossed over with each other several times, but that's not the same thing).
A consequence of the flashback nature of this story is that it's told in the style of the Silver Age comics, which is certainly not to the book's benefit. I can forgive actual Silver Age stories for their obvious plots and hamfisted dialogue but to see it in a book published in 1999 is not cute, as seemingly was intended, but is instead irritating.
Aside from the weird framing and awkwardly anachronistic style, this book is actually just really boring. I was tempted to give it two out of five, but no book which sees the Hulk fighting Superman should be able to be called boring.
1 out of 5
Collaborations & Anthologies:
Avengers Forever: Part 1 (here)
Avengers Forever: Part 2 (here)
Captain America: Blood On The Moors (here)
Fantastic Four Visionaries: John Byrne Vol. 3 (here)
Guardians Of The Galaxy: Thunder In The 31st Century!/Legacy (here)
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures Of Superman (here)
Spider-Man Noir: The Complete Collection (here)
Spider-Man's Greatest Villains (here)
The Amazing Spider-Man: Birth Of Venom (here)
The Death Of Superman (here)
The Return Of Superman (here)
The Wasp: The Creature From Kosmos/Avengers - Under Siege (here)
Untold Tales Of Spider-Man: Strange Encounter (here)
Wonder Man: The Coming Of Wonder Man/When Avengers Clash/Avengers Two - Wonder Man & Beast (here)
World Without A Superman (here)