Review: Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]
Writers: Sean Lewis, Brandon Easton
Artists: John Timms, Valentine de Landro, Cully Hammer, Michael Avon Oeming
Colorists: Gabe Eltaeb, Marissa Louise, Laura Martin
Letterers: Dave Sharpe, Andworld Design
Reviewer: Tony Farina
Summary
Now, Jonathan Kent is Superman! Top priority for this new Superman: to protect Metropolis. When a new version of Brainiac attacks, Jon takes drastic measures—which result in the Bottle City of Metropolis! But watch out, Jon, because Supergirl is on her way, and she is not happy with your decision.
Meanwhile, in the new bottle city, a new hero has risen. Jake Jordan, the former Manhattan Guardian, came to the City of Tomorrow to start over. But he’s not the only one who wants a new beginning. An anarchist calling herself Honest Mary sees this time of trouble as an opportunity for rebirth—and she’ll tear down the entire city to prove her point. Does Jake have what it takes to save his new home from disasters both inside and out of the bottle? Superman’s former pal Jimmy Olsen is going to make sure he does!
Finally, the current Mister Miracle, Shilo Norman, is also in the bottle, and he’s looking for a way out! He’d better be careful, though, or he may end up someplace unexpected. It’s a story that continues in Superman: Worlds of War #1!
Positives
Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1 delivers on a lot of action and the artwork, across all three stories is pretty stellar. I have to say that Valentine de Landro takes the cake as he creates a gritty and realistic version of what Metropolis would look like after the actions Jon takes. Still, all four of the artists do bang up work. There is no shortage of amazing work. For instance, the following splash page from the main story tells you all you need to know.
The back up stories, that take place in the aftermath of Jon’s dumb idea are pretty spectacular. These future versions of The Guardian and Mister Miracle are interesting and compelling. Those stories flew right by. I wanted them to last much longer. If both characters survive the great DC shake up that is to come, readers will be rewarded with some amazing new stories on the street level of Metropolis.
Negatives
If I didn’t know that Sean Lewis wrote two of these stories by the title card, I wouldn’t actually know. The tone is totally different. The first story, that sets up the entire story arc is not very good. The writing is sloppy. There is a page where the Brainiac character says, “What is in your hands Jon?” only to say, on the very next page that it knows everything he is always going to do forever. Granted, that turns out to be true at the end, but why have that line in there at all? It was a pretty big distraction, not even a dodge.
I find that this is the best Jon could do as a bit silly too. There is no reason to think he would make this choice. It is not heroic. If Brainiac just did it on his own I would be there. The idea that he “tricks” Jon into this just stretches the reality of what we can believe. We are being asked to think Jon Kent would be fine cutting the people of Metropolis off from food, water, air, running water, electricity and pretty much everything else because he was trying to save them. Sorry. Nope.
Verdict
Future State: Superman of Metropolis #1 is pretty OK. It started shaky and it gets better as it goes. The best parts, as previously mentioned are about the aftermath of Jon’s actions. That is such a great idea. The stories do not follow a straight line, so folks need to buy the other Future State Superman book to find out what happens. Pretty good sales tactics DC. I am all in for this ride.
