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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Call it Richard Donner's Superman III, August 5, 2008
Ah, "Last Son". The much-ballyhooed, much-criticized, much-excoriated story arc that was to be one of DC's big draws for 2007, only to get shot in the foot pretty much the second it got out of the gate. It's a story that's drawn more than its share of detractors - Johns-haters, Kubert-bashers, purists soured by "Superman Returns" who loathe the idea of Superman and Lois raising a child, and just plain anti-Donnerists who proclaim to being fed up with all the homages paid lately to the films' contributions to Superman lore in spite of the fact that the Christopher Reeve movies are probably the most widely-recognized take on Superman that there is (heck, Donner still takes crap for all the cruddy sequels, and he really only ever directed the first one and most of the second).
"Last Son" may also be one of the best Superman stories I've read in recent years. "Last Son" takes that same premise that got Bryan Singer in hot water with comic book fans - a Superkid - and twists it into a much more workable and compelling direction, and in doing so capably works familiar elements of the Superman film series into the comics. The result is a story that takes advantage both of the widespread exposure of the Superman movies AND the character's place in the DC Universe, but at the same time is able to stand on its own without relying too heavily on either of the two, a misstep that hurt "Superman Returns" despite the best of intentions. "Last Son" is by no means a perfect story, nor is it particularly innovative, but on the most basic levels and expectations of a Superman story, it works.
SPOILERS HO!
"Last Son" begins when a rocket carrying a Kryptonian boy crash-lands on Earth - a familar beginning, right? Except this time it lands in the middle of downtown Metropolis, and the Kent who finds it is Clark Kent in the guise of his caped alter-ego. Superman and the boy bond instantly; though the kid has no recollection of ever having come from Krypton - nor is there any record of his existence among the crystal-based archives of the Fortress of Solitude - he quickly acclimates to Earth life and, with some initial hesitance, Clark and Lois take in this newest addition to the Kent family, naming him Chris (an affectionate nod to the late Mr. Reeve). The boy also gets his first taste of super-human scrapes when the Greatest Criminal Mind Of Our Time himself, Lex Luthor, dispatches several of Superman's oldest foes to try to snag'im. But the new Kent "family" withstands even this, and things look bright for our hero's future...
...until Chris' REAL parents show up: General Zod and Ursa, joined by their mindless brute of an ally Non, all direct from the Phantom Zone and looking to re-shape Earth in the image of their deceased homeworld...and to ensure that the Son of Jor-El kneels before Zod! Oh, and did I mention they're bringing an entire Phantom-Zone-prison's-load of Kryptonian criminals WITH them? With the entire Justice League downed by the invaders, Superman will be forced to endure the ultimately indignity by turning to the only ones left who can help him thwart Zod's plans - and that's Luthor and his newly-reorganized Superman Revenge Squad: Parasite, Metallo, and Bizarro! And even if the Man of Steel does prevail and finally rein in the Revenge Squad before they can finish him off in the bargain, it may not be a happy ending in the Kent household after all...
This story, of course, marks the introduction of Ursa and Non into the Superman comics; and while there've been OTHER Zods for Superman to face over the the past 20 years, let's be honest, none of them can ever hold a candle to the Terence Stamp portrayal of the character, something that Johns and Kubert wisely acknowledged in crafting this version of the General. Zod as portrayed here is a great extension of the movie incarnation of the character: total ice and inhumanity towards the Earthlings, bent on the conquest of this lesser world and willing to discard those who've served their purpose to him - including his own son; a moment where he actually threatens to kill Chris with his bare hands to show his intentions, coupled by the boy's pleas to his own mother being completely unacknowledged by her is one of the book's more powerful moments.
Of course, Luthor and the rest of the Rogues' Gallery featured kind of get backseated as a result, but they do have their shining moments in the story - Luthor himself gets a chance to express his contempt for Superman's self-appointed "last son" status in the wake of the Phantom Zone invasion, and even as he helps fend off the intruders he's waiting for the right moment to cast a fatal blow at the son of Jor-El.
Pretty much the entire traditional Superman supporting cast gets a moment here: Ma and Pa Kent, Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, even the holographic Jor-El from the movies. The Revenge Squad also gets some pretty funny moments during the climactic final battle in downtown Metropolis, in particular a great scene between Metallo and Parasite akin to a typical schoolyard gross-out contest.
Much of the emotional core of the story centers, as they often do in Superman stories, around Clark and Lois, this time dealing with the new addition to their family. Although Lois isn't quite ready for the prospect of raising a kid, when Chris's life is endangered by his own parents she is prepared to do what is necessary to protect him; it's doubtful that even motherhood would be any cause for Lois Lane to break out of character, and "Last Son" does an adept job of showcasing that aspect of her. Likewise, the weight of responsibility is evident on Clark's shoulders, and Kubert's art does a pretty decent job of capturing that. In spite of the mystery surrounding the boy's origins for the first half of the story, Superman takes his obligations to Chris very seriously. In fact, there's something about the Clark and Lois angle of this whole parenting thing that just works a lot better here than it did in "Superman Returns", probably owing to the fact that the characters are married in the comics.
Also faring better than his "Superman Returns" counterpart is the character of Chris Kent, who comes off here more like an actual kid instead of the poor, misguided MacGuffin of the story that little Jason White turned out to be in "Superman Returns"; with typical youthful subversiveness, Chris even actively defies his own true father, his would-be foster dad's courage rubbing off on him and inciting Superman's rage when Zod's abuse of the boy reaches its zenith.
If there's any evident weaknesses in "Last Son" that I can see, there are two: the first being its muddied place in comics continuity. All the little movie nods notwithstanding (because that really is not as big an issue as the purists oft make it out to be), the final outcome of the story seems to be in a bit of contradiction with the established course of events in the current raft of DC titles. Granted, I can only ever read a title at a time, so I can't comment too much myself on the current strand of goings-on in the DC Universe, but I do know that there are certain incongruities that just don't jibe with at least the final chapter of the story.
The other readily-apparent weakness of "Last Son" is that, in its simplest form, it IS essentially a rehash of "Superman II" with dabs of "Superman Returns" mixed in. Kal-El again has an internal struggle brought to the fore: here it is whether or not he can ever actually balance the responsibility of fatherhood with the Never-Ending Battle; this isn't really touched on as thorougly as the former dilemma is, but you get a sense that it's there, especially in the early part of the story. Once again, as in "Superman II", General Zod takes certain stage as the villain, with Superman's other present foes reduced basically to comic relief, although this time the more sinister and scheming print version of Luthor remains largely intact, and the others aren't really all that far out of character, either (let's face it: Metallo and Parasite have always been little more than super-powered thugs, and Bizarro is...well...Bizarro).
However, for the most part, "Last Son" IS a very well-executed juggling of the highs of the Superman film franchise with the more appealing action and trappings of the comic-book mythos, and by that nature is about the closest we're ever gonna get to seeing Richard Donner's Superman III.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What may have been..., August 7, 2008
Last Son, the much hyped and maligned Superman storyarc from the team of Geoff Johns (arguably the best superhero writer today) and Richard Donner (director of the original Superman film), is a spectacular achievement that displays what might have been with future Superman film installments had Donner not been fired from the set of Superman II. What happens when Supes finds a young Kryptonian boy? He decides that he and Lois should raise him properly, even naming the boy Christopher Kent (in a tasteful ode to Christopher Reeve) in the process, but their new found familial happiness sadly doesn't last long. Soon enough, Kryptonian criminals General Zod, Ursa, and Non are free from the Phantom Zone and wreaking havoc on Metropolis. Brawls are engaged, uneasy alliances are formed, and plenty of nods, winks, and odes are given to Superman mythology and lore. While Last Son as a whole doesn't quite fit into the Superman continuity as of late, there's still something about it that makes it a wonderful read regardless. Adam Kubert's pencil work is great as well, and the 3-D Phantom Zone segment is something that needs to be seen to be believed. All in all, other than Grant Morrison's brilliant, quintessential run on All-Star Superman, Superman: Last Son is one of the best modern Superman stories you are likely to read. It was worth the delays and aggravation, and above all, is worth every second of your time.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Super Read, September 7, 2008
Well, first of all, I tend to purchase these series in the collector hardback (or paperback)version, so I will review this item alone without consideration to how it stands with other comic storylines. Although I may venture into comparing it (since it is from Richard Donner) to Superman and Superman II, and possibly Superman Returns.
The artwork in graphic novels draws me in, and this book proved no exception. The colors recapture the "Superman feel," and the panels remind me of a movie storyboard. Donner and Johns get back to the Superman of the first two movies, and I know I'm not the first to suggest that this felt like a Superman III.
Elements of the Superman mythology such as the Phantom Zone, Jor-El, Mon-El, and even Kryptonian history are given a tweaking and reintroduced in ways that renew one's interest in the original cinematic storylines. You should go see the Donner version of Superman II to understand more of what goes on in these books and of the personalities given to the main three Phantom Zone criminals.
I didn't like Superman Returns, and felt that the "Superkid" storyline should have been left out altogether. This book gives to me a more plausible version of how there could be a Superkid, and of how he could fit into Superman's universe. I thought that the Superkid idea could have worked in Superman Returns based on the Donner version of Superman II, but the version people saw in the theaters had Superman sleeping with Lois AFTER his powers were removed, thus causing (to me, anyway) some confusion as to how she could've had a child with powers.
All in all, a terrific read that stands out, too, for an interesting chapter to be viewed with the included 3D glasses. I wish Richard Donner had made more good Superman movies, but at least he graced us with another good story about the Man of Steel. Enjoy!
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