Superman: Last Stand of New Krypton #1 ( DC – Robinson / Gates / Woods )
“The new Superman crossover event “Brainiac and The Legion of Super-Heroes” begins here, in this first issue of a 3-part miniseries! It’s New Krypton’s worst nightmare as Brainiac attacks the planet, determined to recapture the city of Kandor! But General Zod has been waiting for this moment since Brainiac first attacked Old Krypton – he has a plan to save his people, but at the cost of Earth and the future as we know it! So it’s up to Superman, Supergirl, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes to stop the two madmen before they destroy everything!”
I don’t know if I should be proud to say that I stuck with the New Krypton story line since it started, or if that statement just sets me up for ridicule. Either way, I’ve got this three issue invasion story on my pull list.
Robinson comes out swinging with the first issue. Brainiac is already invading New Krypton when we open the story. We spend this issue raising the tensions within the various factions that have been forming since the end of the last issue. The thing is, none of it is suprise. Seriously, my five year old daughter could have called this one.
My major complaint is really the lack logical progression. Why would Supergirl, Superboy, and Mon-El trust Zod to do the right thing? They all know who Zod is and what he’s done in the past…why take him at his word? Even Zod himself acts so far out of right field that it’s just cartoony ( I won’t ruin it for you). Having your characters act like this just takes away from any kind of credibility you’ve built. Robinson is a far better writer than he represents here.
Another problem is the general disconnect with New Krypton. It’s not easy to take interest in the outcome of this story because New Krypton was never established as a compelling and interesting concept. All subsequent attempts to raise the stakes or elevate the tension in this storyline are now somewhat mute.
There are a few elements that work in this book, including a great (albeit predictable) Superman moment. The short length of the mini-series will work in favor of the narrative as well, as evident by this first issue. The action and characters have to move the plot along rather quickly as compared to the pace of War of New Krypton. Trust me, you shouldn’t lose any sleep at night if you’re missing this “event,” just make sure you wake back up in time for JMS to tackle the Man of Steel in a few months.
