Superman #39

By Geoff Johns, John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, & Hi-Fi

No one can ever accuse Geoff Johns of ending his short run on Superman without leaving his mark. Clark has a new ability, new conflicts, and new looming foes. It’s a tad depressing that readers won’t be able to see these seeds that he planted come to fruition under his pen. Despite all the major events that were dropped last issue, this one takes a more reflective route and cleanses the palate for the next arc. After Superman revealed himself to his best friend, he walks Metropolis as a common man. As the day goes on though, Clark demonstrates what it truly means to be a Superman…

Humanizing Superman stories like this really catch my attention, it allows creative teams to show why he is such a relevant, vulnerable character. Initially, I thought Johns was just wanting to go out with a bang, but it’s now apparent he had something more noble in mind. He wanted to give Clark a new aspect of both his physiology and psychology for future writers to explore for years to come. Plot and character developments like this are what makes this arc such a fascinating and enjoyable read.

John Romita Jr., who will be staying on this title, shows that he can capture the normalcy of life in Metropolis. Klaus Janson continues to be a great collaborator and make Romita Jr.’s pencils shine. With the vibrant colors of Hi-Fi, the material becomes very engrossing. The final two-page spread embodies the idea that the world is much bigger than hero himself. At heart, he is just a good person.

This is the end of the storyline, so those who have been reading it have no reason not to. This was a well-crafted narrative with excellent imagery that captures the essence of the Kryptonian. I’d recommend picking up the single issues to jump on this, but waiting for the trade isn’t a bad option either.