Weakness.
First of all, that is one cool cover.
Greg Pak’s collaboration with Adrian Syaf has really ushered
in a turn-around for this book. Gone are the lengthy delays and mediocre
storylines – and while there are still chinks to work out, this is a strong arc
the two have put together.
It’s built on a simple premise – how do you really hurt
Superman? While the answer isn’t that inventive, Pak uses it to great effect
here.
Syaf was a little below par last issue, but in this
oversized annual, he really brings his A-game and while I would put Fabok above
him in pecking order if Capullo decides to go off Batman, he is a serious
contender given his performance in this book.
SPOILERS FOLLOW…………..
Phantom King is still trapped inside the Phantom Zone, and deciding
he can’t physically do anything more, he uses his manipulation abilities to
awaken the desire to kill Clark Kent in multiple Batfamily Rogues including
Bane, Killer Croc and Cheshire.
Superman meanwhile in the guise of Clark Kent has gone to visit the Doomsday Quarantine
Zone in the Bahamas
(Superman and Doomsday recently had a big battle there where a virus was
unleashed) – he is able to clear an incoming Doomsday Mist (how the virus is
transferred) using his new ability – Solar Flare.
Basically, he releases all the solar energy absorbed in his
cell with the side-effect that this renders him human-like for a whole day.
And it’s a bad thing if you’re being hunted right now, as Clark finds to his dismay when he and a group of
scavengers are accosted by Bane and company. Thankfully, Batman’s arrival helps
them get to temporary safety.
From then on, we see some awesome displays of mental and
physical fortitude from Clark as he’s able to knock out Cheshire while Batman is occupied by Croc. One
of the scavengers though, in exchange for immunity for him and his friends,
decides to negotiate an exchange with Bane.
But the side-effect of Bane’s mind control renders him
violent as he kills the man just because his body smells like Kent (due to
their close proximity). Batman is able to use this to great effect as he and
Clark maneuver a blinded Croc into attacking Bane (basically, Clark runs into
Bane and moves out of the way, and Batman steers Croc towards Kent’s ‘smell’),
pushing both off the cliff.
Batman is impressed by Kent’s
resourcefulness and takes the villains off to captivity (in a hilarious big net
tied to the back of the Bat-plane) and Kent takes leave of the scavengers.
Phantom King plays his final card however, and one of the
scavengers (who has been bent to the mind manipulation as seen near the
opening) plunges her knife into Clark’s
stomach, causing him to bleed out.
Even as Kent
fades, Phantom King muses that Superman is vulnerable when he trusts someone.
No matter how weak, an alert Superman will always find a way. But among
friends, he is a deer in the headlights.
Intriguingly this storyline seems like it will continue
post-Convergence. While other books have been about closing their respective
arcs, Pak has gone the other way.
SPOILERS END……………..
Instead of a one-off story, Greg Pak continues his arc with
the Phantom King with some intriguing results.
After an uninspired opening, the story gradually becomes a
tale of two pillars – one, Clark Kent as an adversary and two,
Syaf’s ability to draw some of Batman’s more famous Rogues. I’m pleased to say,
both are a success.
So, I give it 9.0 out of 10.
+Some great character work
+Intriguing themes
+Good artwork
-An uninspired and clichéd opening
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