Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1
Written by Robert Venditti
Art by Paul Pelletier, Drew Hennessy and Adriano Lucas
Lettering by Clayton Cowles
Published by DC
‘Rama Rating: 8 out of 10
Self-contained and striking an easy balance between action and characterization, DC starts its expansion of its digital offerings on the right foot with Superman: Man of Tomorrow, an extra-sized first issue collecting writer Robert Venditti and artist Paul Pelletier’s story from Superman Giant #1. While this book won’t redefine the Man of Steel’s status quo, I’d argue that’s not the point here – despite its title, there’s a sense of normalcy to Man of Tomorrow that feels both refreshing and necessary in the era of covid, buoyed by high production values and strong emotional beats.
We’re living in scary times, and seeing Metropolis be crippled by a runaway Parasite can’t help but feel a little bit prescient at times – but even with the lights out and the city in terror, there are going to be people who step up against the chaos. After quickly establishing Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s well-honed partnership at The Daily Planet, Venditti gets us in the thick of things quickly, as Superman has to go head-to-head with the ravenous Parasite, as he drinks up every drop of electricity in the power grid.
It’s an effective way for Venditti to widen up the scope and scale of this story, as the clashing titans bounce from setting to setting, with just enough time spent at each to establish stakes, whether it’s an impending blackout, patients being endangered on the table, or the risks inherent in battling someone on the moon. But through it all, Venditti doesn’t forget to include the character moments – while Superman’s speech to frightened civilians feels perhaps a little perfunctory, Clark’s moments of true empathy towards the Parasite’s addiction resonate deeply. While he may have super-strength and invulnerability, Venditti remembers that Superman is someone who wants to help rather than punch somebody out, and it makes for a satisfying twist on what would otherwise be a run-of-the-mill beat-’em-up.
Of course, so much of what makes this book work is Paul Pelletier’s artwork. Teaming up with inker Drew Hennessy and colorist Adriano Lucas, Pelletier is an underrated artist whose singular talent seems to be making pages work, even when it might seem challenging in the script stage. While Superman: Man of Tomorrow #1 is 24 pages, there are tons of pages with seven- and eight-panel grids, and yet Pelletier knocks every single one of them out, doing yeoman’s work with his layouts to shake things up every single page.
And he really does great work with his designs here – Pelletier’s take on Superman bridges that George Perez/Phil Jimenez style with the Ivan Reis/Jim Lee DC house style, but in particular, his horror-tinged rendition of the Parasite is a highlight of the book. Seeing the way the character inflates and deflates based on the amount of power he has is a great visual trick, as Pelletier not only modulates the sense of tension going on in with each action sequence, but he’s able to really key in on the desperation in the Parasite’s expressions. He may be doing bad things, but he’s just as much a victim to his own circumstances as any innocent bystander.
Clocking in at just 99 cents, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #1 is exactly the kind of book DC needs to be producing – and promoting – regularly, if they want to build up their foothold in the digital marketplace. While it isn’t necessarily the flashiest book in their catalog, it has a consistency that’s not to be overlooked – Venditti’s script has just enough of what a character like Superman needs, and Pelletier really delivers, making this book read far smoother than it would in the hands of just about any other artist. A strong and surprising debut, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow is the perfect launchpad for DC’s digital efforts.