Review: Superwoman Special #1

Review: Superwoman Special #1
[Editor’s Note: This review may contain spoilers]

Writer: Joshua Williamson
Art: Edwin Galmon, Laura Braga and Nikola Sizmesija
Colors: Rex Lokus
Letters: Dave Sharpe

Reviewed by: Matthew B. Lloyd

Summary

Lois Lane has writer’s block and it takes a night talking things over with Lana Lang and Supergirl to figure things out as she relates to them how she got superpowers like Superman’s.

Positives

The best thing about Superwoman Special #1 is the epilogue.  This sets up a future storyline with a big Super-bad that should prove to be interesting and an intense conflict for Lois and Clark.  The short version of Lois’s journey to superpowers and the reveal of the big bad is solid.  Joshua Williamson has a big idea here with a lot of potential to be a great story to come.

Negatives

Unfortunately, there’s too much in Superwoman Special #1.  There’s too much going on with Lois and the ramifications of her getting superpowers is glossed over to get to the reveal at the end.  The issue feels rushed and cursory.  There are a lot of character beats that are missed and some of the dialogue is very cringy.  Lois’s reveal of her powers to Clark is contrived and comes off far too staged.  Williamson thinks he’s being clever, but he actually loses any sense of gravitas.  This is a big deal and Williamson writes the scene like it’s a there for a laugh.  There’s a lack of maturity to the situation.  It’s written with no attention to character.

Lois’s story is obviously tied to Absolute Power.  If that story doesn’t land for you then this one won’t either.  When Lois asks about Lana’s power and if she has super-hearing her response is: “Not unless you count hearing a bottle of wine open from a mile away.”  Sheesh.  And, that’s the problem- not only awkward, but missing the opportunity to delve into Lois getting powers and what that means.  What does it mean for Lana- this isn’t the first time they’ve both been “Superwoman.”  That superficiality extends to Lois’s actual story.  The big mystery is revealed at the end of the issue, and it’s a mystery that should’ve been a story in and of itself. 

There should be a lot more impact with a number of elements and instead of exploring them, Williamson just goes right by them.  He wants to tell the story he’s setting up, and he can’t get there fast enough.  However, he’s missing the important character stuff and in turn ignoring the character moments he should be expanding upon to make it meaningful.

Negatives Cont’d

Superwoman Special #1 is a great argument for limiting how many characters in the Superman family of characters have powers.  There’s an interesting story to be told with Lois getting powers, but I don’t think Williamson sees it.  She’s already good at being Superwoman her first time out as we see in this issue- I’ll refrain from calling her “Mary Sue,” but that’s exactly what’s happening.  There’s so much story Williamson could tell, but the framework is condensed and minimized in this issue with the idea that “this is enough.”  Everyone can’t have superpowers and it’s a shame that Lana can’t be explored as a character without them.  Lois is falling into the same trap, now.  Wisely, Lois’s powers have been identified as limited.  

Lois relies on Mercy Graves, Lena and Supercorp to learn more about her powers etc., and when Lana questions Lois’s trust of Mercy I agree with her.  This detente between Superman and Luthor is awkward and a bad idea.  The loss of Luthor as a villain is subtractive from the entirety of DC Comics.  It gives an icky feeling like rolling around in the mud.  Eventually, it’s going to backfire on Superman and in the end it will just make him look stupid.

Verdict

Superwoman Special #1 is an example of the issues with storytelling that plague comics.  Villains should be villains, not you’re closest allies.  Too many former supporting characters have superpowers/ costumed identities.  Stories just set up other stories.  Writers have forgotten how to write characters and are far too plot focused.  Characters no longer drive stories.  It’s all too cutesy and jokey and there is a lack of substance in storytelling.  The real shame is that if Williamson were writing characters there WOULD be a story here.  And, potentially a great story.  Jeremy Adams touched briefly on a similar situation when he gave Carol Ferris back the Star Sapphire ring.  There’s more to be told with her, but there was just enough to feel like the character mattered and not just the plot.  Williamson just wants to tell the story he’s setting up.  Overall, this is a disappointing issue with poor execution.