Superman: Rebirth #1

Writer: Peter J, Tomasi
Artist: Doug Mahnke 

Peter J. Tomasi started his Superman run with an okay crossover in The Final Days of Superman. While his characterization of Superman was pitch-perfect, his story was sorely lacking and the it suffered from evidently forced crossover requirements. Tomasi is now tasked with bridging this crossover with his new cast and storyline in Superman: Rebirth #1. The issue is a transition issue between major stories and serves the purpose of setting up character more than anything. While the issue is successful in parts, it ultimately suffers from being too uneventful.

After (spoilers for Superman #52) the New 52 Superman dies and is buried, pre-52 Superman is waiting for the rebirth of Superman. This is in part due to his revival after his death at the hands of Doomsday. Clark then meets Lana Lang, who is trying to take Clark’s corpse to Smallville so he can be buried next to his parents. The plot of the issue is standard because Tomasi intends to root this comic in character. The problem with this approach is that this issue feels like a wasted opportunity. Whether Tomasi intended it or not, this issue should be a strong set-up for the future of Superman but it only ends up feeling like an unnecessary transition between stories.

The main problem with this approach is that the focus on character never truly pays off. Pre-52 Clark is developed through flashbacks of his experience with Doomsday and his views on watching New 52 Superman dying. The issue with these developments is that they are not able to distinguish this Superman from the previous one enough to make him all that interesting. If anything, Tomasi proved in his previous arc that he is fully capable of writing a GREAT Superman. This character is a good Superman but (so far) he is barely different from Tomasi’s other version of the character. The main element that differentiates this character is the interesting idea of family. Unfortunately his family is nowhere to be seen in this book and is barely even acknowledged.

The strength of Tomasi’s writing in this issue is in the smaller symbolic moments and the dynamic between Clark and Lana. Though the individual character work does not impress much, the bonding of these two characters on the memory of Superman is something that makes me have faith in the future of this series. Tomasi really shows that he understands the symbol of Superman and how important he is to the world and humanity. He means something special to every live that he touches and Tomasi is able to communicate that perfectly through his exchanges between Pre-52 Clark and Lana Lang.

If DC has shown us anything about the future of the Superman line with The Last Days of Superman, it is that they are committing to making his books look stunning. Doug Mahnke joins Tomasi to pencil this issue and he does an absolutely wonderful job. His characters are dynamic and feel alive. Most of the successful character work in the issue is due to Mahnke’s powerful face acting and spot-on postures. He captures the wide-screen action and the smaller characters moments perfectly. If this is any indicator of what is to come, Superman will undoubtedly be a visual marvel.

Superman: Rebirth #1 may not be the best Peter J. Tomasi has to offer with his rendition of Superman but there are moments of greatness that give me faith in the future of this series. In this issue, Tomasi fails to truly differentiate this new Superman by not included the most intriguing element of his character. Though, his understanding of Superman as a symbol of hope and some strong character interactions make this issue a decent read. The real reason to read this book is Doug Mahnke’s gorgeous art. Despite this issues shortcomings, I still remain faithful in the new Superman book solely due to Tomasi’s strong premise and great interpretation of the man of steel.