Another week, another installment of the digital-first Adventures of Superman! Read our review after the jump!
Matt Kindt and Steven Segovia continue with part two of their three-part story, building off last week’s issue to further showcase their interpretation of the Superman mythos. We continue the dual-narrative structure of last issue, but Kindt wisely teases us with a possible means for the narratives to converge in a grandiose manner appropriate for Superman.
Positives
When I read this issue, my first impression was that the action from the previous issue had been scaled back to make way for quieter, introspective moments. Kindt takes us further into the mind of Superman, allowing us to more clearly see the world (even if it’s an alien one) from his perspective. The narrative featuring Lois and Lex is captivating. Seen from Lois’s perspective, it was fascinating to observe her confidence crumble under the weight of each word uttered by Lex. So it came as a surprise to me when I re-read it and saw just how much action there was. The action may not be on par with the battles in Man of Steel, but Superman’s power is on full display here.
One aspect that was particularly enjoyable was Superman’s words about the nature of war and conflict. While this would normally be fuel for a political discussion, and may come off as heavy-handed to some, Kindt is able to broach the subject through Superman in a manner that does not seem politically infused. Rather, it feels like a natural part of the story and, coming from Superman, very genuine. Given the various things that Superman represents, be it peace, optimism, or hope, Kindt’s words here ring very true to the character.
I found Segovia’s art to be a step up from last issue. By a “step up” I mean Lex was drawn rather competently compared to last week. I was glad to see that, in remedying that problem, nothing else in the issue suffered. There are several beautiful splash pages that are well detailed without feeling cramped.
Negatives
As much as I love Segovia’s art, Superman appears angry the whole issue. This did not bother me last week as the content of the story did not allow for much levity. But given the poignant and introspective thoughts Superman has during the issue, a moment where he isn’t grimacing would have been a nice addition.
My other complaint is that, compared to the frantic pace of last week, there doesn’t appear to be much that happens this time. However, this is partly due to the creative team setting us up for a big conclusion next week.
Verdict 
(4/5)
Kindt and Segovia continue their strong work on this three-part story. If DC is looking for a creative team to take on Action Comics, they might want to look at these two. Great writing and art has made this digital-first story seem bigger than what the format can allow. I personally can’t wait to see what they’ve cooked up in next week’s concluding chapter.
