Superman #25

By Scott Lobdell, Kenneth Rocafort and Blond

We have another cross over in the Superman books, this is Krypton Returns. H’el has come back, and he looks to wreak havoc for the house of EL. We get several time lines here, which can be a bit distracting, and some changes that will have ripple effects throughout the new 52.

Superman and Jor-El attempt to find a way to stop H’el and potentially save Krypton, while Superboy is on his own mission of redemption. Kara is also in a different time and has her hands full as well. Crossovers and different time lines are the focus of this four part arc.

There are some very likable things about this issue, but Krypton is always a touchy subject with fans. Scott Lobdell does a good job of coming up with an interesting way to stop H’el, which actually involves Clark out thinking Jor-El, which was cool. He also brought up an interesting idea involving Krypton that can be built upon for another arc. Lobdell also writes the man of steel as the ultimate good guy, almost to a fault, as he stops his father from killing H’el so they can get rid of him the right way. This issue did feel a tad bit rushed, and the cross over in general was a bit underwhelming. H’el is one of the more interesting new villains as of late, and it’s nice to see him getting some attention.

Kenneth Rocafort’s art never disappoints. It’s odd to say this, but it looks even better than it has in past issues. There are so many splash pages that will make fan boys drool this issue it’s not funny. There are panels that will definitely catch you eye, like a battle weary H’el or Superboy’s last stand, just wonderfully drawn. Rocafort’s has a style of art that makes this a better book. He puts everything he has into his work, and it does not go unnoticed. A great job on his part.

As this mini cross over concludes, we are left with some interesting ideas that Lobdell planted. He and Rocafort seem to work well as a team, and they complement one another. This is a bigger issue than advertised, and will be important in the Superman titles moving forward.