When Superman ’78 was released, I think most people found it exciting and smart. Why not let comics give us a sequel to one of the greatest superhero movies ever, especially since comics are unconstrained by movie budgets? Robert Venditti is back with another sequel this week as Superman ’78: The Metal Curtain adds a new adventure to Christopher Reeves’ Superman.
Joining Venditti on this series is Gavin Guidry on art, who does a stellar job. There’s a clean style at work here that’s similar to Wilfredo Torres’ work, giving this series a similar vibe. Not to say Guidry’s art is exactly the same, far from it, with great blocking and clean storytelling from panel to panel. A lot of the opening of this issue goes without dialogue, and Guidry keeps you invested in the danger Lois is in or the drama of Kryptonite arriving on Earth.
Speaking of which, this series is largely about weaponizing Kryptonite, and it’s getting into the wrong hands. The Soviet Union has gotten ahold of it, and while I won’t spoil who the villain is, you could probably make some guesses.
Guidry does a great job keeping your interest.
Credit: DC Comics
If you liked the Daily Planet banter of the films, get ready for the best part of this comic. Venditti captures the personality of each of the characters quite well–with Guidry doing a great job with likenesses–capturing the chaotic nature of working for the newspaper. It’s only a three-page scene, but it is a major highlight.
Most of the rest of this issue is set up for what’s to come. That makes this issue feel a little light on the plot, as it spends a great deal of time featuring Superman saving Lois and then setting up the big villain. As a six-issue series, it already feels a bit decompressed, making me pine for the whole thing getting collected already.
The only other thing that rubbed me the wrong way was Superman getting distracted when saving Lois. It’s in the opening scene, and seems unlike Superman to allow a boat to get bombed just because he’s so focused on Lois. Superman should be able to prioritize and keep everyone safe, so it seems odd he’d let that happen. It ends up leading to Superman saving the day and, again, padding out the book a bit.
If you love nostalgia, Superman ’78: The Metal Curtain is going to be an easy purchase. The first issue is slow to get going, though, making me wonder if it’s a wait-for-trade paperback sort of read. That said, with the Daily Planet scene and great art, we’re clearly in good hands.
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