DC Comics reviews 9/18/19 – Justice League #32, Batman #79

Superman #15

It’s pretty spectacular how quickly Brian Michael Bendis shattered everything that’s been built up over the Rebirth era of Superman to fit his tastes. Every writer brings something unique to their runs, but Bendis has taken immense steps to just shape Superman to what works for him. Making Jon a teenager with the end game to have him join the Legion of Super Heroes seems both destructive and short-sighted.

Like most recent Superman stories issue 15 starts off with a recap of what occurred off panel. Superman catches Adam Strange up on what happened when the Legion arrived.

These extended flashback sequences have become a crutch for Bendis even when its not necessary.

On the positive side, Bendis seems to have a decent handle on his take of the Legion. For all the grief I give him I always appreciate Bendis’ genuine desire to write stories featuring more diverse characters. A black Lightning Lad and Asian Cosmic Boy are great examples since they are two of the more popular Legionaires and not random new characters. The Legion sequences are the highlight of the book and bodes well for Bendis’ take on the team.

He also provided a definitive conclusion to Jor-El’s arc, but a key aspect of this entire run of Superman is casually mentioned and not explained. Jor-El creating Rogol Zaar should have been this major revelation, but Bendis blows it off like something readers knew a long time ago. Jor-El’s final fate also feels unsatisfying as Bendis never took the time to explain why he was viewed as a criminal.

Ivan Reis handles most of the art this issue and his take on the Legion is fantastic as their personalities leap out just over the course of a few pages. Brandon Peterson and Doc Shaner contribute a pair of pages while Alex Sinclair uses a bright color palette to convey the new sense of joy and hope for the future.

Bendis introduces a charming take on the Legion, but the long-awaited conclusion to the Rogol Zaar/Jor-El arc that’s lasted over a year was seriously underwhelming. Superman continues to feel like a book badly in need of a firm direction and a renewed focus on its title character.

Rating: 7 out of 10