Even though it’s releasing in August (and closer to Halloween), My Adventures With Superman #4 perfectly captures what it’s like to get ready for Christmas. There’s the joy of spending time with your friends and family; even with the events of recent issues, Clark Kent is still around his parents, Jimmy, Lois, and a newfound friend in Amazo. But there’s also the unexpected hurdle – or hurdles, since Superman has to face down Bloodsport and Deathstroke since both mercenaries are hot on Amazo’s trail.
Josie Campbell keeps a fine balance between the superheroic and the human interest elements in her script, which not only makes My Adventures With Superman #4 a good read but a good Superman story. She even gets in some hilarious moments, too; when Clark tells Lois that he knows about her and Jimmy’s plan to make his first Christmas in Metropolis a great one, Jimmy asks him how he knew, to which Clark responds: “You forgot to log out of my laptop.” It’s those little moments I love about the My Adventures with Superman show, and I’m definitely happy to see them in comic form.
But the best part of the issue is the Kents explaining Christmas, and the concept of family, to Amazo. I’ve always felt that Jonathan and Martha Kent are the most important part of the Superman mythos; without their love and guidance, Clark may not have learned the lessons he took into his adult life as Superman. Pablo M. Collar and Nick Filardi flash between past and present with ease, showcasing the family lives of all the characters and tying into the Kents’ lesson about how family can be what you make it, even if you’re a Kryptonian or a power absorbing robot.
DC Comics
Collar also draws the heck out of a three way fight between Superman, Deathstroke and Bloodsport. The anime influence continues to bleed through on the page, especially with Bloodsport as he’s equipped with a winged jet pack similar to a Gundam and even calls out his attacks. The beam battles between Bloodsport and Superman take on a new intensity under Filardi’s color work, as glowing white and red hot beams clash against each other, filling the page up with light.
My Adventures With Superman #4 will be a delight for Superman and Christmas fans alike, as it balances heartfelt life lessons with intense action. It also ends on a page that has me wishing the next issue was already out – that’s how you do a cliffhanger.
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