REVIEW: Superman: Doomed, #1

[CBR News]

Superman scribes Scott Lobdell, Greg Pak and Charles Soule team up for an emotionless and tentative introduction to the latest crossover in "Superman: Doomed" #1, which at least has some interesting ideas illustrated by Ken Lashley.


Full review here.

[Blacksun]

yep, basically what I thought of the issue

[Sacred Knight]

It moved a little too fast. But, in an age of comics when things tend to move way too damn slow, I'm not going to complain too much about that. Plus I understood the intent behind it; the fight is not the story. The fight is the prologue, in essence. Overall I enjoyed it, especially seeing the JL work with Superman. You really feel the closeness of that Diana and Bruce have toward Clark here especially. All the Justice League stuff is basically I think showing what The Death of Superman could have been if they used to the true League instead of the JLI.

So two stars I feel is quite too low. I give it 3 and a half to four.

[Tonatiuh]

I read the comic and I still can't understand whats going on half of it XD. Lois brain seems to be part of the Borg collective now :3

[RobinFan4880]

3/5 from me. It did not wow me but the writing was not terrible.

[SmokeMonster]

While the dialogue was a little over-the-top, and some of the character's voices were off,

this. was. awesome.

Lashley killed it.

[dangleo61288]

It was alright. My problem is that Doomsday was too overpowered. He was this immortal powerhouse before and now he drains the lifeforce from living things around him. Really?

[Blacksun]

It was alright. My problem is that Doomsday was too overpowered. He was this immortal powerhouse before and now he drains the lifeforce from living things around him. Really?

overpowered? Superman tear him in two...

[Brian from Canada]

I read the comic and I still can't understand whats going on half of it XD. Lois brain seems to be part of the Borg collective now :3

Lois is an agent of Brainiac. This has been a running subplot of Scott Lobdell's, and will lead no doubt lead into next issue, which shows Brainiac on the cover.

My problem is that Doomsday was too overpowered. He was this immortal powerhouse before and now he drains the lifeforce from living things around him. Really?

Doomsday isn't the immortal powerhouse of the pre-Crisis days. In the villains one-shot last September, the Els explain to young Kara that Doomsday was a genetically engineered killing machine that was so vicious that it had to be trapped in the Phantom Zone. Each encounter in the past has been Doomsday escaping the Phantom Zone. As Lex explains in the next part of the crossover, the energy-absorbing Doomsday is a more mature version of the beast (Superman's only faced the infant one before). That also explains the changes in Doomsday that were occurring in the issues leading up to this one.

Veritas tells Superman that he must kill it. He can last the longest against it. Steel survives, but so badly burned that in the next issue he contains his skin in order to delay its decomposition until he can heal it. Wonder Woman survives, but we know her to be a goddess with different healing ability. And when Superman rips Doomsday apart, it's as if Superman is finally acting unrestrained — and that's the core concept of this story.

Superman: Doomed #1 is designed to set up the integration of Superman and Doomsday so that now we have a Superman who enjoys destruction instead of wanting to avoid it. Superman is now willing to let loose, and that's the real danger.

[Joe Acro]

While the dialogue was a little over-the-top, and some of the character's voices were off,

this. was. awesome.

Lashley killed it.

Other than Lashley's depiction of Venus, he did a wonderful job. A few images in there are simply amazing.

My only actual problem with the issue is with how it concludes. It just seems a bit reckless for Superman to return to try to assist Smallville when he knows he hasn't put Doomsday down and that Doomsday may be able to teleport. Moreover, that Superman should be able to win the way he does--if that level of brute strength were enough, I feel like Clark would've tried it in their original fight. Other than that, I think it was a very solid effort all around.

[Auguste Dupin]

Other than Lashley's depiction of Venus, he did a wonderful job. A few images in there are simply amazing.

My only actual problem with the issue is with how it concludes. It just seems a bit reckless for Superman to return to try to assist Smallville when he knows he hasn't put Doomsday down and that Doomsday may be able to teleport. Moreover, that Superman should be able to win the way he does--if that level of brute strength were enough, I feel like Clark would've tried it in their original fight. Other than that, I think it was a very solid effort all around.

I took it as Doomsday being seemingly dead, explaining why Superman left him and Doomsday being just weak enough for Superman to tear him appart.

[Uncanny Mutie]

I have long thought Lashey was an underrated artist and have been a fan of his since his mid-90's work on Excalibur over at Marvel. Lashley absolutely KILLED it here!!! His Superman/DC work is AMAZING, and was the best part of this book!!! THIS is the guy who DC should have drawing the Superman monthly, not Romita Jr...

[RobinFan4880]

The book was very fast paced but that is understandable since the main event is the infection, not the fight.

I find it funny that Doomsday killed a million animals, which is a nice way of establishing is sheer power without having to deal with him killing a million people.

[misslane]

The book was very fast paced but that is understandable since the main event is the infection, not the fight.

I find it funny that Doomsday killed a million animals, which is a nice way of establishing is sheer power without having to deal with him killing a million people.

I think it's gutless on the part of the writers, running away from the raw and horrifying reality of the villain they're writing.

[Auguste Dupin]

I think it's gutless on the part of the writers, running away from the raw and horrifying reality of the villain they're writing.

Tell that to Greenpeace.