If you frequent the right message boards, you’ve likely heard the question a thousand times: “Who would win in a fight between Superman and Goku?” Well, “Superman: Doomed” #1 doesn’t come anywhere close to answering that question; it is, however, about as close to “Dragon Ball Z” as Superman could get.
Written by Greg Pak, Charles Soule, and Scott Lobdell
Illustrated by Ken LashleyBeginning the super-event you have been waiting for in The New 52: Superman vs. Doomsday in a way you’ve never seen before! And with Doomsday’s deadly new abilities, in this battle there can be no winners. The Man of Steel must unleash insane levels of power in order to do the job, only to terrify the world he’s saving. Beating Doomsday is only the beginning of this never ending battle!
Back to the “Dragon Ball Z” analogy. Anyone who watched the show growing up (or read the manga, because I was too cool for school) knows the basic plot progression for each saga. Bad guy shows up, Goku gets stronger and beats him, bad guy comes back stronger, Goku beats him again, rinse and repeat as needed. That’s essentially what we get here, with the first part of the sequence having already occured.
Muddying the waters of what has and hasn’t happened in the New 52 even further, this issue purports that some series of events resembling the 90’s “Death of Superman” story did occur. However, Pak, Soule, and Lobdell reveal that that particular incarnation of Doomsday was but a wee larva. Now the beast has returned, in Super Perfect 100% Full Power form, no less.
Before I delve into the kind of power level discussion I haven’t attempted in a decade (wherein I question the logic of Superman going toe to toe with a souped up version of a monster that once killed him), let’s take a look at what works in this issue.
Surprisingly, even with the large number of creative voices, the finished product feels fairly natural. Sure, there are bits and pieces that clearly feel like extensions of each writer’s respective books, but the pieces fit together better than you would expect. The voices blend together in such a way that it’s nearly impossible to decipher which writer is responsible for each section. Some might argue that such homogeneity robs the issue of any “creative spark,” which is certainly a relevant concern. However, the unified tone certainly makes for a more even reading experience. Interestingly, the three biggest women in Superman’s life act as de facto ambassadors for each writer’s respective contribution (Lois from “Superman,” Diana from “Superman/Wonder Woman,” and Lana from “Action Comics”). Each lady is given a moment to shine, highlighting her important and unique role in the life of Superman.
“Doomed” also features some of the heaviest use of continuity we’ve seen in the New 52. It’s rare for the post-New 52 DCU to feel this cohesive, with characters like Green Lantern acknowledging his particular status quo in a way that feels organic to the story that’s occurring. Now that the New 52 has a few years of stories under its belt, we’re starting to see the kind of character driven relationships that used to drive DC’s stories. These interactions once again have a semblance of meaning, adding weight to the story’s proceedings.
Now for what doesn’t work. For what is supposed to be the beginning of a Superman crossover, there’s a lot that’s left unclear. Someone who hasn’t been following each Superman series will come away with a number of questions. Why is everyone in Smallville in a coma? Why does Lois have glowing purple eyes? Why can Doomsday teleport at will? Why is he even back to begin with? The issue’s in media res approach definitely helps get the story moving, kicking things off with a bang, but it ultimately makes this issue a poor starting point for readers.
Earlier I spoke to the book’s uniformity of tone and storytelling. However, there’s one case where there is a distinct dichotomy; the contrasting hope and nobility of Superman with the grim violence of the issue’s plot. This is very much the valiant Superman we’ve seen of late in Pak’s “Action Comics,” one that has been an absolute joy to read. However, be it the inherent nature of a Doomsday story, the combined input of multiple authors, or the grittier style of artist Ken Lashley, the result is far more in line with typical New 52 fair.
Continued belowThat’s not meant as a slight against Lashley. Lashley does a terrific job on the issue, though he does play it rather safe. Falling in line with DC’s current house style, Lashley’s pencils feel like a natural combination of Jim Lee and Kenneth Rocafort’s distinctive styles. He packs an incredible amount of detail on each page, crafting lush environments, rich effects, and fully realized characters. However, sometimes the large amount of detail and, well, stuff on the page becomes too chaotic for its own good. This is especially apparent in the massive fight scenes with Doomsday, where images bleed into adjoining panels. Still, even with the hectic quality to his pages, Lashley manages to turn in some very impressive action sequences, such as a stunning two page spread in which Superman launches Doomsday from Earth to Venus. Colorist Sunny Gho joins Lashley, adding another layer of vibrance to Lashley’s pencils. While Gho’s colors are visually striking, they tend to lend a hard plastic feel to the charcters.
For all its pitfalls, “Superman: Doomed” #1 remains a step above most Doomsday stories by not placing the whole focus on the monster. Pak, Soule, and Lobdell wisely choose to focus on characters first, and the effect that Doomsday has on them. The fight between Superman and Doomsday is far the endgame, and the point where the story leaves off has interesting implications for the Superman books moving forward. There’s enough impetus to follow the story into the Superman books one is already reading, rather than resiliently waiting for this crossover to pass.
Final Verdict: 6.5 – Browse. Certainly an above average Doomsday story, but still hindered by a lack of foundation.
