DC Comics reviews 8/21/19 – Batman #77, Superman Year One #2
Superman: Year One #2
For the second issue of Superman Year One, Frank Miller keeps subverting expectations on his take on The Man of Steel. Miller spends the first half of the issue looking at Clark Kent’s efforts to be a Navy SEAL. It’s not the most rewarding read as Clark isn’t challenged by the basic training as he uses his powers to stand out from his fellow servicemen. With his abilities, Clark is fast tracked to become a sniper, but he doesn’t take too kindly to killing, which seems like a silly late realization.
Clark’s military career doesn’t play out the way he expected yet he still wants to be of service to others. Miller’s intent is clear with this SEAL sequence, it just never really makes much sense and plays out too clunky even with Clark’s encounter with mermaids.
The big reveal of the costume doesn’t play out the way you’d expect either. Miller often uses various narrators, which becomes annoying after a while as the dialogue becomes increasingly more cluttered and awkward. In his recent years, Miller has lost his sense of engaging dialogue and the conversations here come across far too stilted and inorganic. Clark’s narrations don’t begin until midway through the issue and its reads weird to go from the omniscient narrator to various characters. The most frustrating thing about Clark’s thoughts are Miller hasn’t let us in to his mindset earlier so he reads like a stranger after some key moments in his life.
John Romita Jr.’s art is spectacular. As the issue plays on it’s his artwork that keeps the story moving as his spin on Atlantis and its dangers and beauty are amazing. Danny Miki’s inks and Alex Sinclair’s colors also look stunning. While the story loses its way in grand fashion, the art team provides some stunning visuals.
For the first issue, Miller didn’t really try anything too wild. It’s clear he saved all of the craziness for this issue and this origin tale of Superman falters tremendously as a result leading to an original, if not poorly executed take on a character that’s Superman in name and costume only.
Rating: 3 out of 10