Comic To Read This Week: Superman #705

I feel like I’m one of the few people who read Superman comic books on a reuglar basis and hasn’t read Superman: Earth One yet. I should get it from backorder at Borders any day now, but I curse my budgetary restraints for making me wait for a coupon to buy it. I haven’t even read the graphic novel but I already hear that J. Michael Straczynski is quitting writing Superman so that he can work on a sequel to Earth One. This disappoints me not only because I have yet to read Superman: Earth One, but that I’ve been digging Straczynski’s run on Superman.

For over year The Man of Steel was off planet on new Krypton trying to learn about his people and detour a war between Earth and New Krypton. But of course the war came and went with little real causalities. So how does DC follow such a massive event? With Superman walking through America Forrest Gump style. Superman wishes to return to his roots, and remember why he has dedicated his life to helping people. There was an actual contest where people could write in and say why Superman should visit their town in a comic book.

So he’s been walking from town to town in each issue, some people happy to see him, others not so happy. In one town the people told him to leave because he was a super villain magnet and they didn’t want their town destroyed when they came looking for him. In Superman #705 Clark arrives in a town I used to bum around, Mt. Prospect, IL. It’s just outside of Chicago and there a little boy waits to Superman to solve all his problems. William's dad sometimes gets violent and likes to hit him and his mom, and this boy hopes Superman can help them. But before William can meet his idol his dad has another outburst and throws him down the cellar stairs. Luckily The Last Son of Krypton has super hearing. To find out how it ends pick up Superman #705.

I like this storyline of Superman because it’s not a usual Superman storyline, but it’s everything Superman stands for. Superman has feeling, emotions, fears, etc. This walk is about re-centering himself with the people he tries to help. Superman cares about everyone, from the world leaders to an abused boy in Illinois. No job is too big or small.

I think Straczynski has captured not only Clark’s inner turmoil but Lois’s as well as she follows him across the country. She sees the suburban housewives she didn’t become, and questions if the world’s most powerful man actually needs her. Eddy Barrows art is simple, nothing to great, but I think it works well for this close-to-home story arc.

I think I will miss Straczynski’s Superman writing, but this also makes me hopeful to read Superman: Earth One, now that I know he has a good grasp on the character. In about 3 months I highly recommend this graphic novel set to anyone who is a Superman fan but doesn’t collect the comics. This story reminds us it’s not the “Super” part this is important in Clark Kent. It’s the “Man.”