As the symbol of hope, Superman is not hesitant to travel to the farthest corners of the universe if it means fighting injustice and giving voice to the oppressed masses. But it has been far too long since Kal-El left Earth and its people to liberate Warworld, as his son, Jon, has assumed the role of the Man of Tomorrow. Finally, Kal is back amongst family and friends, reuniting with all the important people in his life. With stories from the likes of Mark Waid and Marv Wolfman, artwork from Clayton Henry, Jack Herbert, Trish Mulvihill, Lee Loughridge, and others, and lettering from Dave Sharpe, Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 prepares readers for the upcoming milestone Action Comics #1050 issue.
Kal-El returns home in Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1, an anthology of four short stories focusing on the Big Blue’s impact on the lives around him and vice versa. Superman shares the spotlight with Batman and reunites with the Justice League and his best pal, Jimmy Olsen, in respective tales, each showing the mark he’s left on the world. As he takes a deserving break with the love of his life, Jon gets to square up to Lex Luthor in a moment of passing the baton. Whatever the matter, be it reality-bending attacks or a simple get-together with friends, the book celebrates Superman’s place in the DC Universe.
Mark Waid kicks off the homecoming party with a tale that is very much in the spirit of his current World’s Finest run. Short and sweet “The Concert that Ate Gotham” uses the power of narrative to imprison the two superheroes in the gutter lines of the comic book, which makes for a wacky outing. Waid shows readers the other side of the duo’s friendship, full of humorous retorts and heartwarming camaraderie. Henry and Maiolo expertly reign in the outlandish nature of the artwork. Sina Grace returns to the world of Superman with a solemn tale that presents a lopsided view of the world from Jimmy Olsen’s perspective. What follows is a lengthy discourse on the relevance of the Man of Tomorrow in the modern world. Unfortunately, the message ultimately gets lost in the mediocrity of the presentation. While Dean Haspiel’s stylized art may be an acquired taste, Mulvihill’s colors bring wonder to each panel.
“Distractions” by Marv Wolfman is more of a Jon Kent story than a Kal-El one but shows an important facet of Kal-El’s life as a family man as he is more than happy to hand the mantle of Superman onto the next generation. This segment is more exciting than the rest, with Lex Luthor’s involvement giving the story a much-needed spring in its step. It is neither overtly sentimental nor is it too poised to make waves with its action, perfectly balanced with Herbert’s heavy inked art helping the Supermen soar high in the sky. Alex Segura’s “Home” is the last one of the lot that delves into an introspective journey with the new and old members of the Justice League. Segura tries to connect with readers using milestone moments in the imagery using Ossio and Loughridge to pick up the weight of the narrative. The plot, steeped in nostalgia, mainly focuses on the League’s pantheon of heroes and some of their most iconic exploits.
Superman: Kal-El Returns Special #1 is as emotional as it is nostalgic. The Special tries to navigate the spaces between the current Action Comics run and his heroic legacy. But at its core, the central plot is about all the hearts that Kal-El has touched, which makes this reunion a heartfelt, entertaining read.
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